Page:The Collected Works of Theodore Parker Discourse volume 1.djvu/241

194 torians have added to the fierceness of this invective, but the general fact must probably remain, that he did not use courteous speech. We must judge a man by his highest moment. His denunciation of sleek, hollow Pharisees, say some, is certainly lower than the prayer, “Father, forgive them;” not consistent with the highest thought of humanity. But if such would consider the youth of the man, it were a very venial error—to make the worst of it. The case called for vigorous treatment. Shall a man say, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace? Sharp remedies are for inveterate and critical disease. It is not with honeyed words, neither then nor now, that great sins are to be exposed. It is a pusillanimous and most mean-spirited wisdom that demands a religious man to prophesy smooth things, lest Indolence be rudely startled from his sleep, and the delicate nerves of Sin, grown hoary and voluptuous in his hypocrisy, be smartly twitched. It seems unmanly and absurd to say a man filled with divine ideas should have no indignation at the world's wrong. Rather let it be said, No man's indignation should be like his, so deep, so uncompromising, but so holy and full of love. Let it be indignation; not personal spleen; call sin sin, sinners by their right name.

Yet in this general and righteous, though to some it might seem too vehement, indignation against men when he speaks of them as a class and representatives of an idea, there is no lack of charity, none of love, when he speaks with an individual. He does not speak harshly to that young man who went away sorrowful, his great possessions on the one hand and the Kingdom of Heaven on the other; does not call Judas a traitor, and Simon Peter a false liar as he was; says only to James and John—ambitious youths—They know not what they ask; never addresses scornful talk to a Pharisee, or long-robed doctor of the law, Herodians or Scribes, spite of their wide phylacteries, their love of uppermost seats, their devouring of widows' houses in private, their prayers and alms to be seen of men. He only states the fact, but plainly and strongly, to their very face. Even for these men his soul is full of affection. He could honour an Herodian; pray for a Scribe; love even a Pharisee. It was not hatred, personal indignation, but love of men, which lit that burning