By the time Samuel Longfellow finished at Harvard Divinity School he had already (with his dear friend, Samuel Johnson) published a Book of Hymns. He was a transcendentalist and a part of the "radical" party. While supplying pulpits in preparation for a settlement, however, he wrote this in a letter to Johnson, about "reform" sermons. I found it interesting, especially in such a young man...
"I preached my old sermon of the reformer's aims. And now, Sam, farewell to reform sermons ! I am not yet calm, and high, and pure enough myself, I feel, for this. I can but protest and complain ; and this, I feel, is out of place in the church."
Blessings
3 comments:
I seem to recall that Jesus quite vigorously protested and complained, to say nothing of physically assaulting some people, on the grounds of the Temple in Jerusalem. . .
Hi Robin,
True enough-but presumably Jesus was "calm, high, and pure enough" to do that. Samuel Longfellow (and the rest of us) have a way to go yet. Many blessings, BU
I do not see how *anyone * can take a whip to cattle and people, and overturn carts etc. etc., in a "calm, high and pure" manner Boston Unitarian. ;-)
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