Page:The Collected Works of Theodore Parker Discourse volume 1.djvu/359

312 “Biblical criticism” opened men's eyes, and “terrible questions” were asked ; great problems were coming up which Luther never anticipated, for mankind has not stood still for three centuries, but has studied science and history, and learned some things never known before.

At length the negative work was well over, and the hostile forces of other sects were withdrawn, or the war changed into an armed neutrality, at most “a war of posts.” The “Christian name,” however, is not yet allowed the Unitarians by their foes, and a hearty malediction, a sly curse, or a jealous caution, shows even at this day the spirit that yet keeps its “theological odium,” venomous as before. It is no strange thing for Unitarians to be pronounced Infidels, and remanded to Hell by their fellow Christians! Now the time has come for Unitarianism—representing the movement party in theological affairs—to do something; develope the truth it has borne, latent and unconscious, in its bosom. It is plain what the occasion demands. Good sense must be applied to Theology, Religion applied to life, both to be done radically, fearlessly, with honest earnestness; assumptions must be abandoned; the facts sought for; their relation and their law determined, and thus truth got at. Did the early Reformers see all things; are we to stop where they stopped, and because they stopped? All false assumptions must be laid aside. The very foundation of Protestantism—the infallibility of Scripture—is that a Fact, or a No-Fact? But this is just the thing that is not done; which Unitarianism is not doing. The Trojan horse of sectarian organization is brought into the citadel with the usual effect upon that citadel. The “Unitarian sect” is divided. There is an “Old School,” and a “New School,” as it is called, and a chasm between them, not wide, as yet, but very deep. “The Old School” holds, in part, to the first principles of the Reformation; sees no further; differs theoretically from the “Orthodox” party, in exegesis, and that alone; like that is ready to believe anything which has a Thus-saith-the-Lord before it, at least if we may judge from the issue so often made; its Christianity rests on the Authority of Jesus; that on the authority of his miracles; and his miracles on the testimony of the Evangelists. Therefore it is just as certain there is