Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-02-03

sorioed to articles Of belief and a cove
nant prepared in 1906 by DR.. Sanders),
refused to concur. NJ. Clark properly
would not accept such divided allegiance
Here was dilemma and the men OF af-
fairs proceeded to solve II In tho manly
and honest way. a very few, something
like dozen or Is stood In the way and
blocked the strong desire Of a hundred
perhaps more, self-respecting and hon
estiy religious people II could not be en-
red and It never will be endured by
men and women accustomed to think and
act for themselves.
I wish at this distance OF hundred
years to emphasize this practical and
human view of the case. That has not
been done In previous discussions I
know that theologic liberalism was In
volved. I know that ideas and the power
Of ideas underlie, often unconsciously
the actions of men. In some respects 1
am inclined to claim Ethan Allen as the
original Unitarian in this vicinity. Ger
tainlv some OF his religious opinions
though expressed with harshness ore not
unfamiliar to our thought today. Never
theless was not this the Immediate
issue? IL small minority in re-
ligious matters. assuming, however
honestly, position OF spiritual au-
thorty to permanently override the
will and wishes of an intelligent and de-
cided majority? You could not long per-
suade tho soldiers and sons Of soldiers in
the Revolution to submit and agree to
that Nor in my view should they have
| q, ne so. ! stand and this religious body
has always stood for the society against
the church as nm inner membership, q
circle Of communicates believe that in
tho long run there Is wider sanity Of
G. science end truer religion where the
whole body of the congregation acts to-
gether than when the house Ia divided
against itself
At any rate such protests as were en-
bodied in the foundation of this societv
are inherent in the very logic Of Con-
gregationalsm. Il came to this coun-
try, said illiain Blackstone "to escape
the lord bishops and I only find myself
nnuer the authority OF the Lords brpth-
rem and so he sold his pasture to become
Boston Common and took up his pilgrim
age to the soul freedom of Rhode Island s
river. Here in burlington John Pome-
roy and David Russell, LOOMS. Haskell
and Foote We're but asserting the prin-
cipe that In the laity not the Clergy lies
| the direction of the true democratic Chris
tian church and the minister they choose
is their servant. powerful by his per
sonal influence over their lives and not
by his position. How true and strong is
this doctrine let the noble roll Of this
church bear witness The lives OF Inger-
SOIL, Peabody, Young and Ware need
Yield place to none for spiritual force and
effectiveness in good
Yet the liberal md as 1t seems to us
the wider thought was there in fact
unconsciously and not as yet in clear
and sharp definition. II was as the
truo liberalism ought always to be a
temper and attitude Of mind and not
creed. This more sonable and
more ethical Interpretation Of religion
| may be traced in part to the in fuence
OF DR. Sanders. The fact is that the
Unitarian protest against Calvinism
began, not by attack but by moral
preaching" that il, emphasis was laid
on the commandments and fruits OF
moral living. the incubation of Jesus
as the substance Of Christian faith.
The characteristic doctrines of Calvin
were at that time not so much denied
as ignored. They were not discussed
because to the mind OF DR.. Sanders
'hey were not essential. 1t must be
remembered that this was fourteen
years before Dr. Channing's famous
Baltimore sermon GS19 in which for
the first time these issues were sharp
~ defined. There had been no break
outWardly In the ConEregat ton n
Church in 1903. nor even in 1919. In
fact we find II hard even to-day "a
persuade our orthodox brethren tina
none Of the early Unitarians were de-
sirous Of seeding from the Congrega-
tional body. They all firmly insisted
| on their right to the good old names
They all, with Pres. Sanders. believed
| that there was plenty Of room for
them within the Congre Eational politv
and were very much surprised when
it was denied them. They were gen
timely grieved to he shown the door
| OF their fathers house and were not
| conscious that they had IN any way
forfeited the right to be reckoned
among his children. My friend. Prof
Goodrich Ave years ago quoted Pres.
Sanderss own words. written in the
Medneld. Mass. parish to which ne
ministered after leaving here. THE
pastor refused to discuss either the
Trinitarian or Unitarian side of the
controversy. considering the dispute
unhallowed. never to be decided nv
mortals and worse than useless"
These are sound and Christian words
but they happily represent the attt-
tude and feeling Of all the Congrega
tional preachers who were afterwards
| considered. and were slowly forced Il
| consider themselves, Tnitarians They
| can be paralleled in many an utter
| ance OF Claiming and Peabody. Pres
| kirkland of Harvard and Henry Ware
| 'The Unitarian body in this country
| either in Its origin or in it's history
| was not sect" declares DR.. Allen
These men did not want TO be sectar-
Ian. They believed that they were
preaching the true religion of Jesus
Christ. This was the situation here in
1910, a company of Intelligent legally
trained minds reverent IN feeling. ra-
tional in temper took the measures
which promised relief from an ,ntol-
cradle condition and determined to
worship God according to the light Of
| their consciences, have no doubt
the step was painful 10 DR.. Sanders
| himself lover OF concord Put
think we have the right to hold hiw
the spiritual father Of this church rs
| In all his after life he was considered
a representative Of the liberal as over
| against the strict Calvinistic position
His church In Medheld tho First Par.