274

OF EMERSON, THE GIANT

Mrs. Peattie Defends the Literary Memory of the Philosopher or Concord.
His Words Are Uplifting to All Mankind.

The Earnest Tribute of a Follower-another Phase of "The Secular In the School."

Never did I more sincerely congratulate myself upon the secular policy of our public schools, than the other day when in reading an article by the Rev. John Williams, I was made to realize that did our schools sense to be secular. One of the writers, whose books would be expunged from the curiculum, was Ralph Waldo Emerson, Mr. Williams in talking concerning text books, says:
"Given as text books, Emerson, Fiske, Huxley, Tyundal, Uegal etc. and teachers more or less in sympathy with them and the high school is already anti-Christian, and a large proportion or his pupils perverted, at the cost of a Christian -public , taxed to maintain it."
To set about proving the none of these gentlemen would pervert the youthful mind would be a task far too large for my knowledge and too extensive for my space. I remember great words from all of these writers. But it may be that some of them have spoken foolishly. I have not read all of their books. Life is short and books are many. One may read, but a few. And it is best-I have Emerson's word for it-to read those which will help one quickest to an understanding of the course of the world, and of the development of thought. Among those of whom I have read something is Emerson. He has made dark days bright for me, he has taught me how to find the beauty in common life, he has preached to me of the greatest commandment of all. His has lifted me up, when I might have sunken. Sweet as rain after drought have been his wrods after the idle clamor of the many. In my opinion, the greater single misfortune could befall the public schools than to have the words of the modern philosopher taken away from the students of the high school.
When the term "anti-christian" is applied in such a community as this, it is meant, I take it, as an opproutious epithet. When it is used by such a scholar as the Rev. John Williams, the Christian public-which is not necessarily the well-read public takes alarm and steels itself agalust the man denounced by this title. No man is so great that he cannot be injured. To be impervision to injury is to be God. And it seems to me that Emerson is injured when a very influential and much trusted man like John Williams deprecates his influence, and warns the people that he is likely to pervert the youth.
One stands perplexed in entering upon the rebuttal of such a argument as this - so utterly beyond fact is it - so egregiously inconsistent with the truth. Those books which we have read with as much tenderness as if the words there written were the emations of our own hearts-those. Words urging us to study to reverence, to unselfishness, to honesty and to peace-those yards perverters? It is like saying that truth is hateful or flowers a pest, or the faces of our children unawelcome to our eyes.
It may be that Mr. Williams gathered his impression that Emerson was anti-Christian from the sters depunciation of pretense and worldliness in the chirch, of which Mr. Emerson sometimes delivered himself. I am bound to say that I have heard Mr. Williams express similiar sentiments. It seems particularly unfair that this poet should have been mistensies sented by priest "when the priest always received so high an estimate from the poet - Concerning this Emerson says:
"It is certain that it is the effect of conversation with the beauty of the soul, to beget a desire and need to impart to others the some knowledge and love. If utterance is denied, the thought hes a burden on the man. Always the seer is a sayer. Somehow his dream is told. Somehow he publishes it with solemn joy. Sometimes with chisel ou stone; sometimes in towers and sisies of granite his soul's worship is bulided; sometimes in anthems of Indenite music; but clearest and most permanent in words.
"The man enamored of this excellency becomes the priest or post. The office is coeval with the world. But observe the condition, the spiritual limitation of the office. The spirit only can teach. Not any profanity man, not guy sensual, not any Har, not any slave can leucix, but only he who can give who has he only can create who is. The man on whome the squal descends through whom the som speaks can teach. Coulege piety, love, wisdom can teach, and every man can open his door to these angels, and they shall biling him the gitt of tongues. To this holy office you propose to devote yourself. I wish you may feet your call in throbs of desire and hope. The office is the first in the world.
It is quite truth that the quarrels with the set terms, historical and acciesiastical by which vulgarity and Christ. He wearies to the soul of the form when means nothing to those who observe it His is tuit of disgust at those who mumble words, and lead lives which give the lie to their professions. He says boldy what he thinks not afraid of miluterpretation - too tuit of truth to care for policy. here is the sort of think upon when some people base their misconception of his religious ideas:
"In this contemplating Jesus we become very sensible of the best defect of historical Christianity. Historical Christianity has fallen into the error that corrupts all attempts to communicate religion. As it appears to us, and as it has appeared for ages, it is not the doctrine of the soul, but an exaggerating of the personal the positive the ritual, it has dwelt, it dwells with norious exaggeration about the person of Jesus the soul known no persons It invites every man to expand to the full circle of this universe and will have no preferences but those of spontaneous love. But by this eastern monarchy of a Christianity, which envelopes fear bave built the friend of a man is made the injured of unan. The manner in which his name is surrounded with expressions which were once the salties of admiration and love, but are now petrified, into officials tities killin all generous sympathy and liking. All who hear me feel that the language which describes Christ to Europe and America is not the style of friendship and enthusiasm to a good and noble heart, but is appropriated and formal - paints a demi-god as the orientals or the Greeks would describe Osiris or Apolito. Accept the injurious impositions of our early catfichertical instruction, and even honesty and self-denial were but splendid plus. If they did not wear the Christian name. One would rather be.
A pagan suckled in a creed outworth than to be defrauded of his manly right in coming into natures and hinding, not names and pinces, not land and foreclosed and monopetized. You shall not be a man even. You shall not own the world; you shall not dare and live after the initiate beauty which heaven and earth reflect to you in all lovely torms, but you must subordiate your nature to Christ's nature; you must accept our interpretations, and take his portrait as the vulgar paint it.
"That is always best which gives me to myself. The sublime is excited in me by the giant soilcat deenine. Obey thyself. That which shows God in me fortifies the. THat which shows God out of hire, makes me a wart and a wen. There is no longer a necessary reason for lay being. Already the long shadows of obliviancreep over me. and I shall decease forever., " these are, I think, the utterances most treasurable to the