the world, — by our churchmen, as if only to enhance, by their dimness, the superior light of Christianity. Meantime, observe, you can not bring me too good a word, too dazzling a hope, too penetrating an insight from the Jews. I hail every one with delight, as showing the riches of my brother, my fellow-coul, who would thus think, and thus greatly feel. Zealots eagerly fasten their eyes on the differences between their creed and yours; but the charm of the study is in finding the agreements, the identities, in all the religions of men. "I am glad to hear each sect complain that they do not now hold the opinions they are charged with. The earth moves, and the mind opens. I am glad to believe society contains a class of humble souls who enjoy the luxury of a religion that does not degrade; who think it the highest worship to expect of Hea ren the most and best; who do not wonder there was a Christ, but that there were not a thousand; who have conceived an infinite hope for mankind; who believe that the history of Jesus is the history of every inan, written large." 1 "1 These words may be taken as a distinct statement of Emerson's religious position. They indicate the positive, the affirmative, nature of his faith, and yet that he will not commit his instinctive trust to the limits of any formula. "I am too young yet by some ages, he says, to compile a code; "2 and he has expressed the same thought about the making of a creed. Little inclined as he may be to enforce these opinions as a creed, yet they will command attention for their boldness and originality. Though they strip religion of all its rites and forms, yet they make it the commanding concern and interest of mankind. If this faith of the soul may never attract but a few, because most need the aid of history and definite statement, yet it will ever remain a powerful protest against formalism, and an inspiration to a purer worship. Because Emerson's is purely a religion of the spirit, no historic faith will seek to gather sanctions for its teachings, out of his inspirations; no sect will build on his foundation; no school of thinkers will name him as its head. He speaks of the truth, but he would not put himself in 1 Proceedings at the Second Annual Meeting of the Free Religious Association, held in Tremont Temple, Boston, May 27 and 28, 1869. Reprinted in Freedom and Fellowship in Religion, p. 384. 2 Essays, second series, p. 84. its stead. In his teachings and in his life he is a great moral influence, he is an awakener and stimulator of the spiritual in man, while in his intellectual convictions he is a penetrating spirit of truth. He is a lark that heralds the coming day, a sunbeam that dissipates darkness. All the more pervasive, because purely moral and spiritual, will be his influence, reaching all hearts, pervading all forms, entering all sanctuaries, sustaining all right moral considerations, and invigorating every true resolve. Life will seem more sacred, the world holier, truth more sure, man diviner, heaven nearer, whenever we love the truth in that untrammeled spirit he has sought to vindicate. Whatever flaws may be found in his philosophic methods, none will be found in those moral and spiritual truths to which he has devoted his life for half a century. As we look truly at his life, and consider attentively the word he has spoken, we can but say, "So long hast thou been loyal to thyself, INDEX. Adams, J. Q., 48. A. Bradlaugh, Charles, 179, 187. Bremer, Frederika, 104, 191, 193, 194, 196, Addresses, 59, 120, 127, 133, 138, 164, 166, Brook Farm, 91, 94, 95, 97, 99. 170, 172, 182, 200. Affinity, 97, 349. Affirmation, value of, 360, 361, 373. Alcott, 55, 57, 58, 60, 66, 77, 83, 84, 92, 93, 105, 106, 164, 200, 204, 211, 212, 262, 264. VAmerica, 100, 126, 130, 131, 157, 166, 174, American letters, lecture on, 77. Ancestry, 1, 14. Anecdotes, 17, 127, 264. Anthology Club, 14. Anthology, Monthly, 13. Antinomy, 336, 356. Art, 238. Brown, John, 140, 141, 142, 154, 164. Brownson, Orestes, 55, 56, 66, 74, 92, 284. Burns, Robert, 128, 181, 230. Burroughs, John, 1, 194, 208, 209. C. California, visit to, 170. Carlyle, 33, 46, 47, 52, 88, 107, 109, 113, Channing, Dr., 23, 35, 54, 56, 57, 77, 93. Channing, W. E., 83, 181, 234. Channing, W. H., 56, 57, 77, 83, 122, 142. Charity, 97. Association, Free Religious, 164, 168, 381. Cherokees, letter on the, 63. Atlantic Monthly, 160, 169, 200. Augustine, 22, 169. Christianity, 29, 31, 67, 86, 164, 360, 361, 362, 364, 370, 372, 374, 378, 381. Churches, 32, 68, 164, 360, 366, 367, 369, 378. Civilization, 101, 135, 147, 342. Civilization, lecture on, 146, 169. B. Bartol, C. A., 56, 66, 77, 83, 114, 260, 268. Bates, Miss C. F., quoted, 384. Clarke, J. F., 48, 56, 74, 83, 84, 122, 359 n. Being, ground of, 281, 310, 352. Bias, 124, 172, 309, 332. Bible, 85, 364, 374, 382. Bliss, Daniel, 7. Coleridge, 23, 34, 40, 52, 107, 115, 117, 219, 270, 280, 311, 312, 314, 317, 365. Compensation, 315, 343, 344, 346, 348. Bochme, 107, 216, 268, 277, 314, 323, 348, Competition, 97. Concord, history of, 3, 37, 177, 182, 199. ✓ Books, 60, 82, 86, 176, 178, 213, 214, 218, Concord fight, 10, 39, 182. Conscience, 340, 344. Conway, M. D., 34 n., 160, 191, 261, 265. Conversational powers, 104, 106, 173, 193, Critics, 43, 68, 109, 111, 112, 113, 114, 118, 129, 184, 189, 210. Criticism, true spirit of, 82, 215. Crozier, J. B., 187, 285 n., 359 n Culture, 99, 102, 131, 162. D. Dartmouth College address, 64. sentative Men, 118; Memoirs of M. Ful- Emerson, Mrs. R. W., 38, 192. Definitions, refuses to make, 287, 289, 291, Emerson, Waldo, 112. 307, 354, 359, 361. Emerson, William, 9. Development, 296, 298, 300, 341, 343, 350, Emerson, Mrs. William, 12, 16, 21, 24. Ethics, 41, 333, 337. Everett, Edward, 20, 22, 39, 54. Eckhart, 268, 275, 286, 301, 310, 314, 321, Everett, Charles Carroll, 188. 339, 348. Ecstasy, 274, 318, 323, 324, 325, 363. Education, 96, 98. Education, lecture on, 156. Edwards, Jonathan, 7. Egotism 321, 322. Emerson, Charles Chauncy, 50, 84, 133. Emerson, Edward, 6. Emerson, Edward Bliss, 49, 84. Emerson, Ralph Waldo, born, 16; boy- Evil, 33, 339, 341, 342, 344, 350. 370 Examiner, Christian, 16, 28, 43, 68, 71, 109, 113. Excursions, Thoreau's, 160. F. Farming, essay on, 169, 204, 206. Felton, C. C., 109. Fichte, 107, 219, 260, 282, 287, 314 n. France, lecture on, 126. Friends of Universal Progress, 92. Fuller, Margaret, 49, 55, 75, 77, 83, 84, 85, 1 1 د G. Genius, 216, 281, 308, 318, 325, 347, 370. 359. | Immortality, 298, 351, 353, 357, 350. Infinite, feeling of the, 217, 362. Institutions, 31, 95, 326, 365. Goethe, 24, 53, 107, 172, 188, 201, 219, 221, Intellect, 274, 296, 336, 340, 349. 223, 225, 281, 349, 354, 361. Goodwin, H. B., 29, 44. Gospels, Alcott's conversations on, 58. Grimm, H., 188, 221. Ground of being, 281, 310, 352. Guyon, Madame, 321, 377. H. Habits, 106, 190, 192, 193, 202, 245, 259, 261. Intellect, lectures on, 168, 307. Intuition, 66, 213, 215, 280, 281, 284, 306, 308, 317, 318, 320, 322, 325, 335, 359, 364, J. Jesus, 67, 70, 86, 95, 98, 370, 372. K. Kant, 107, 282, 293, 333, 336. Hedge, F. H., 56, 77, 83, 84, 92, 113, 253, Knowing, method of, 213, 216, 276, 314, Hegel, 277, 281, 282, 332, 336, 355, 362. Herbert, George, 39, 181, 236. Herder, 53, 175, 191, 192. 317, 318, 320. L. Heredity, 1, 15, 334. Hero-worshipper, 328. Higginson, T. W., 169, 200. Mistory, 119, 316. Hoar, E. R., 50, 199. Holbeach, Henry (A. H. Japp), 278. Holbrook, Josiah, 256. Holmes, O. W., 50, 181. Holyoake, G. J., 186, 187. Homer, 177, 242. Hospitality, 197. House, 38, 175, 191, 192. Landor, 33, 86, 107, 219, 220, 225. Law, 67, 97, 269, 286, 295, 302, 306, 307, 333, Laws, moral, 41. Law, William, 277, 295, 299, 301, 319. 170, 173, 179, 184, 188, 203, 207, 256, 266. Lessing, 231, 270, 282, 361. Howard University address, 172, 216, 223. Letters, 63, 69, 73, 179, 180, 363 n. |