The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-03
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"As thinkers said Emerson, mankind
have ever divided into two sects, material
lists and idealists.'' Emerson was an ideal
list, or transcendentalist which is another
name for the same thing. Emerson was
poet plus philosopher. 1t is thus this DOCK
discusses him, showing clearly the whole
of his beliefs and high thoughts and not,
as the title might indicate, tracing the In
fluence of the philosopher on systems or
philosophy. On religion, indeed, the author
does show the influence of Emerson, as
might be expected, since author and sub
ject were both of the Unitarian faith.
Emersons address on THE American
Scholar" before the Harvard Divinity
School, was a bombshell thrown among
the religionists Of New England. DE-.
Holmes pronounced it 'our intellectual
declaration of independence" Emerson
spoke of the beauty of nature. of spiritual
laws, OF which all nature that We see is
but the clothing and the symbol. He spoke
OF the more empowering beauty OF the
sentiment of virtue, which teaches us that
We are born TO be perfect The laws or
the soul execute themselves" he said. He
who does good deed is instantly ennobled;
he who does mean deed is by the action
itseE contracted. If a man is at heart
just. then, in so far, is he God. If man
deceives he Geceives himself. Thus is man
good to his goodness and evil to, his sin"
This sentiment, he said, lies at tie founda-
ton of society. Its absence Is the presence
of degradation. Such a time, said this new
prophet, had come in the history of the
American church. Its prayers and dogmas
were grown as fabulous as Dahtes In
ferno," wholly insulated from anything in
the life and business of the people. Tradi-
ton, said he, characterizes the preaching of
this country; 1t comes not Of the memory
and not out of the soul. Jesus Christ was
Tn Va G m "a n6 mo 10 co w ~
God fncarnateS himself in man and ever
more goes forth anew to take possession of
His world. Jesus said: am divine
Through me God acts; through me speaks
Would you see God see me; or, see thee
when thou also thinkest L now think .
This address was the first clear, complete
religion in America. 1t split Unitarianism
into two parties. Claiming stood by EN-
erson, and, had he not died soon after this
time time would have ss saved Cnitarianism the
Emerson's side In religious belief. But
Emerson had aroused a young man of the
1T was the most inspiring strain l ever
listened to; so beautiful, so just, so true
and terribly sublime The young man
was Theodore Parker In lS4l he preached
nent in Christianity which. with Elmer
sons address and Channing's Baltimore
sermon Of 1873, are the three landmarks
progress. Parker was called the Paul of
Transcendentalism. So the influence of
Emerson must be calculated partly by the
influence of Charming and of Parker. Since
these three men, the process OF rational
ling has continued and has spread in
the various denominations of Professionalism
and has even touched the hem Of Catholi-
csm, till now in the inner circle we seem
to be in danger of rationalism as much as
we were before of tradition. 1t seems that
the constant onslaught on creeds is becom-
ing wearfsome to many, and that We now
have quite as much light as we can man
age well. These great men did great things
IL the sentiment they created, but that
which humanity now needs most is not en-
lightenment, but sweetness and the dispo-
sition to do something. American Unitari-
an Association, Boston.