Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-06-20
JONATHAN EDWARDS.


on Friday, June %. the city Of North
ampton Mass. will have a celebration
IN commemoration OF one OF this coun-
try's most potent preachers and theolo-
gians, Jonathan Edwards. The celebra-
ton Is looked upon In the nature Of an
atonement. for $50 years ago, Edwards
was expelled from the church he served
as a pastor the council having de-
clared him to be unfit for that posi-
ton. II was, at that time, terribly hui
initiating to the devoted preacher and
the event was the sensation Of the day.
II should be recalled at this time that
Jonathan Edwards, though one Of the
great minds Of his day suffered perse-
cution because he insisted on purity
In morals among the members Of the
church. His biographers tell US that
he brought before the church both IN
sermon and In conferences with the
church officials, the state Of vice which
then existed in Northampton, and now
exists wherever parents are Indifferent
to instruction on sexual relations and
chastity; and by so doing had added
to those who disliked him, in0smuch as
his exposures had injured the pride Of
some OF the leading families, He in
sisted on Regeneration" as the quallh-
cation for membership.
It seems that his grandfather and
predecessor in the pastorate, Rev Solo
mon stoddard. had made It possible for
persons to be admitted to the North
ampton church who dld not profess
conversion, holding that there was no
scriptural authority FOR excluding such,
If baptized. and believing that the Sac
rament In itself had spiritual worth
which might be reckoned upon to make
better all communicates. Edwards
could not sanction this practice. and
took a decided stand against it IN his
sermon on THE Religious Affections"
And later he refused to admit to the
church a member who made no profess
sion Of conversion. but who claimed the
right as a baptized child Of the church.
This led 20 his dismissal from the ser
vice, and 80 bitter was the opposition
to him among his own flock, that the
ratification Of the decision TO dismiss
him was carried by vote Of 200 to 20.
And yet. he was admitted to be as NOR
ally pure as he was exceptionally sue
cessful in the ministry.
The theology OF Jonathan Edwards
IS not thought much Of in our time. It
is held TO degrade man and make
Of him slave, a child OF necessity. It's
underlying thought, however, was the
supreme sovereignty Of Coda princi-
pie not too well acknowledged at pres
emit It is noticeable that modern
thought has a tendency towards the ex-
IRENE Calvinism that sees in human
beings merely puppets. without admit
ting their responsibility before the su-
preme Judge The tendency Is TO re-
gard man rather as an automaton, TO
the mechanism Of which the past for
countless generations has contributed
its wheels and strings, and whatever
is needed to produce thought and senti-
ment and action. The world is swing
ing like a pendulum from one extremity
to the other The problem is to find
how responsibility is compatible with
the influences Of heredity and environ
ment That they are co-existent Is evil
dent, but how?
It may be well 10 remember az this
time, that the persecution accorded by
the world to many Of its most distin-
guished men and women, often Is
atoned forby coming generations Those
who are far ahead, are generally mis-
understood. Their work is appreciated
only when progress has brought the
rest OF mankind up 10 where they were.
Then their work is seen IN It's true light
He who Is willing to wait long enough
can always rest assured that he viii
see truth INDICATED. and full Justice
done 10 all.