A CRITIQUE ON MR T. R, WALTON'S FUNERAL ADDRESS.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 103, 14 February 1885, Page 3

A CRITIQUE ON MR T. R, WALTON'S FUNERAL ADDRESS.

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This address having been r ublished m the secular press, and tliereby made public, it is believed that no undue libeny is taken in submitting its contents to a critical analysis, especially when care is taken to studiously avoid any statement that might be construed as an unkind or uncalled for allusion to the memory of the deceased gentleman, over whose grave it was originally delivered. It was delivered for the living to hear, it has been published for the livinsr to read, and may now.be critically examined witli the view j ot helping the living to understand it arid .estimate its worth. As modern infidelity is chiefly remarkable for making attacks on the Bible and Christianity rather than furnishing . the pi-bple with, substantial teaching in lieu of those precious gospel 'truths, itwit's fain to wrest from them, the •♦publication of thiS'address may be deemed as affording a- rare opportunity tor ascer.taining what infidelity does really teach, and the plan of submitting everything to |" the test of reason being so much belauded I -no complaint can be made ii this is acted upon in dealing with this address. As might have been expected, the name of, -Christ has no place given to it, nor yet even any reference to hi"U, unless we except the noble words of Paul, purloined; 'from the 15th chapter of his.first Epistle; to the Corintliiaus, which words we contend derive their significance and glory from him who is The 'resurrection and the life." The address is not atheistic. Jt distinctly recognises a Deity, who bears, ii seems, names known and unknown, and who has dir-rs attributes, Works and prerogatives ascribed to Him. Heis 'Father, Mother God,' * Ihelnfin ite,' -Most High God,' 'Living Spirit of Life and Love/ ' Spirit, Life, and eternal source of Truth,' 'The source of all pervading Sight.' The stars mo ving.in their orbits only act put the bidding of His will. He is too, it appears, entitled to all praise, presumably as the author and donor of eyery gift and blessing. From these quotations' it would seem that in the opinion. of the author of this address God is nothing less than the creator, control \er, and Lord : of . the . universe, reigninu oyer all, not excepting gven men. In. deed, the fact that men owe duty to God is clearly acknowledged, it being one of the items included iv the sum of what is termed 'true religion.' Starting from the data here afforded, reason sees strong presumptive evidence for expecting a clear and emphatic revelation ol the mind and will of God, also for a discrimination of character in dealing with men, and for am alternative in man's, futuie destiny. If God rules over men, and tliey owe a duty to Hint— that ts obedience to his will-reason infers that by a distinct and duly accredited revelation he will make plain what that will is, hy giving laws to regulate life and conduct, and these ■ laws, like all other laws, will have, the J rewards of obedience and the punishments ( of disobedience duly attached. Thus it ] will be seen that the position of the Deist i* at variance with reason. Lefrinfidelity of. every kind and modification paut-e,-and-ask whether the Bible in the Christian's hand does not. meet the rational expecta tions of the mind, as well as satisfy the feverish yearnings of the soul. An-! then, the idea presented in this address o oil souls being indiscriminately bound t Him, who is (he Spirit of Life and Love;' by this subtle chain of love, does noi ap pear tenable in view of the possibility <>l man being disobedient, and incuriing tin punishim nts due lo disobedience, which m&y prove to be severance fr.ni that very God who alone can make him happy Moreover, bad men are excluded from the society of the good, and made t suffer for their badness .in various wayin this life. Reason very rightly sus.iect> that sindlar treatment awaits theni in ill future state. The statements bearing on death in this address are rather conflict ing, and difficult to understand. It speak >. of 'a higher life, miscalled death.' Who' has 'fever called a hi .her life, either this c or the mother side of the grave, death? purely not the Christians If so, he has no authority from Christian ;doctrine for , doing it* That higher life beyond the boundaries of time, as the, Ch istianr understands iti is heaven, where God's immediate presence is enjoyed, and where ' there is life "for evermore. We know not who 'could com Wit the error referred ko. Charity forbids as thinking it originated < in the author's imagination, for the sake , of the pleasure of correcting it. To pass. o*fi, it seems that this add ress, denies there ] be:ng suoh a, thing as death, ; *B>T)d yet a* ( tiie same. time recognises its reality; We. find on the one . hand ., such phrases a> these- 'There is no death/ '.That there U no depth in "the words of Mrue. Spiritualist,' * The dead are human still,' 'The deal are alive.' * They are not dead/ On the other hand we fin.l these -phrases— ■ 'The life beyond death/ 'The hand of death,' 'Death may come when it will,' ■ *tj .death, where is thy sting ! ' : ' Thethought .of death, etc.,.' 'Death hath no " power, .over them." Reason naturally re r piidiates the authorship ot such- contra , dictions, and. promptly asks how a thingcan be and yet not be at the . same time, < As a matter pf fact that life, that. animates the body. and. bind* men to. lhe interests and experiences of earth does cease, or. die, and, the body moulder in the tomb,. ( commingling wi'h its kindred dust. If - it, is meant the spirit .never .dies, but ; lives on forever, then we can agree with! . : this. , But why. ; was not • this"ii?tated:j Failure* in this has made these quota-; t(ons appear very, conflicting. :: Here, ' for instance, is a puzzling sentence— "■The grave cannot, keep th*>m back." Does this refer to the .spirits .of the departed, if so, the grave has never con-.: tahwctthem*yet,-*and it is absurd to speak of holding back what. was never possessed. : Poes it -refer to their bodies, if so, it is '■ untrue, ifor as a matter bf faot the graves do contain all that- remains of them, unless in any case they have been 'exhumed. The condition of the departed is variously spoken of ,' Lost in the joys of: "life/ 'Flowering on the other side,' « Badiant with Father's Glory/ •fWnikipg in the sunlight of another and brighter world/ '.They are enjoying that Efe'that i-i beyond.death/ ' In that better, irid/ "ttint" more extended range of vision/* "That higher a more glorified city ii' And yet, ' Unseen they are erery- *• where,' ""Not dead but near at hand.' Reason aslts in relation ;to these quotations. (1) How much, of the language here used .has been called 'from literature bt BerwiseJ;han 7j infidel <tr. •spiritualistic^ (2)' Is tliere any' precise meaning to be attached to words here" used, or are, they inserted in'erely for effect ?' (3) If the above words, are. intended dto ; mean just what tbey express', then bo wean the spirits of^he^dephrted be in abetter land, and in a more glorified. city/etc., etc., and yet Weawy where,- and near-at hnndf-These questions. wiU need to be answered before the.quotatibns,' can. be well understood. JTbe' t .|*l?b'-! »o j^thetically . expressed ito see'again.theloyed fprjn, and to hear the voice hushed in.'d^aih' jis fto^t. indigenous to" "the Christian, $eaxt.^ Relieving that

! the holy dead are in heaven resting aud ; happy for ever, the bereaved Christian j does not gi^e way to such a wish, but j rejoices to think that the loss sustained on earth is eternal gain to the departed. Much is said about 'Praise' in the address under consideration, bui can be passed by, save noticing the old idea that man is to join with stream, mountain, cavern, and stars, in hymning his Maker's ; praise. Certainly, it does not say much . for his rational and moral endowments ; if he cannot offer purer, loftier, and more intelligent praise than inanimate nature. It s-eeuis that Rhetor c here, as elsewhere in the address, distinguished itself at the expense of logic. Reason failed to clip the wings of imagination sufficiently short so as lo keep her in proper bounds. Before concluding one other idea advanced is, that the highest in heaven weep over I earth's scenes of suffering and sorrow. However valuable tears of sympathy may be, we prefer thinking of Heaven as a place where all tears are wiped away. Tears moreover, we are wont to learn, are not -h d by disembodied spirits, or even, by those having a spiritual body. They are the visible and natural expressions, or tokens, of grief peculiar to mortal bodies. How vamie, mystic, florid, and inconniuou* this address has proved to be. How cruelly it ignores the cravings and yearnings of the soul after a sense of God's favor and love ! How small the comfort it gives to the sorrowing heart ! How feeble and flickering the light it seeks to impart! And with what varying, and uncertain tones il speaks of God. His expiessions of love to man, nnd the realities of the great . future ! Christ's words so true, so authoritative, and so full of the richest consolation have been pushed aside, and this literary banquet made up of divers fl >wers specially arranged, is broken, and scattered over the Open grave.