Ten Sermons Of Religions

Excerpt from Sermons of Religion The present volume contains a reprint of two books hitherto separately printed, viz. 1st, "Ten Sermons of Religion," first published by Theodore Parker in 1852, and now reprinted from the latest edition of 1859. 2nd, A collection of Prayers, taken down by shorthand, and printed since Mr Parker's death. The Editor has thought well to place these Sermons and Prayers together, for the purpose of forming a volume which shall represent the more peculiarly devotional side of their author's mind, and which, it is trusted, will supply many readers with that assistance to higher thoughts and holier feelings, of which even the best and strongest souls often experience the need, and now find only supplied by the popular religious literature, in conjunction with dogmas they are compelled at every step to reject. Nay more, it has been deemed right to place thus prominently among Parker's Works that portion of them which affords the best testimony of their essentially religious, no less than philosophic, character. Theism is a Positive, not a Negative creed; a Faith to mould the heart and rule the life, as well as supply to the intellect a rational system of theology. Too long has the necessity for clearing space for the future temple amid the forest of existing superstitions made it seem that the work of our neologians begun and ended with the destruction of error. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 edition. Excerpt: ... VIII. OF CONSCIOUS RELIGION" AS A SOURCE OF JOY. I WILL GO UNTO GOD, MY EXCEEDING JOT.--Ps. xliii. 4. Joy is not often mentioned in religious books. It is sometimes thought to have no place in religion; at least none here and now. The joy of the religious man is thought to be chiefly in the future. Religion is painted with a sad countenance. Artists sometimes mix joyous colors in their representations thereof, but theologians almost never. With them, religion is gloomy, severe, and grim. This is eminently the case in New England. The Puritans as a class were devoutly religious in their way, but they were sad men; they had many fast-days and few times of rejoicing. Even Sunday, which to the rest of Christendom was an occasion of festivity, was to them a day of grimness and of fearing the Lord; a weariness to the old men, and an intolerable burden to the children. Look at the pictures of those men, so bony and gaunt and grim; of the women, so austere and unloving in their look. The unjoyous characteristics of Puritanism still cleave to us, and color our mode of religion at this day, and, spite of ourselves, taint our general philosophy and view of life. The Catholic Church is less serious, less in earnest with religion, than the Church of the Puritans, -- less moral and reliant on God than the Protestant Church in general, -- so it seems to me; but even there little room is left for joy. Their richest music is a Miserere, not an Ezidtemus or a Te Deum. The joyous chanting of Christmas, of Easter, and of Pentecost is inferior to the sad wail of Palm-Sunday and Good-Friday. The Stabat Mater and the Dies Irce are the most characteristic hymns of the Catholic Church. The paintings and statues are chiefly monuments of woe, -- saints in their...