A WORD FOR TILTON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4215, 23 September 1874, Page 3

A WORD FOR TILTON.

(From the St. Louis Olohe.) Ten years ago Theodore Tilton was unquestionably the most popular young man in America. He had won for himself a name and influence hardly rivalled by any other. As editor, author, lecturer, poet, ho was tho pet of tho literary and the Christian public. His lecture tours were ovations. His editorials were read and copied from end to end of tho land. His opinion was gospel with Young America of the philanthropic and religious sort. His pen was unquestionably brilliant ; his words cut deep grooves. He was dashing, fearless, trenchant, clear-visioned, and not a theoretical slave. Ho began his editorial career in tho Independent when sects were strong, when denominations, supposed they owned all the churches and tho religious press. Each sect had its organ. It was the duty of their editors to grind them. All of a

sudden, about eight years or more ago, the Independent organ played a new tune. Wo must confess it was a grand one, but then it was new. It declared in plain terms that we, Theodore Tilton, shall henceforth publish this paper in the interests of Christianity, and not of the Congregational sect. In these days nobody would be startled at such an announcement. But the world has rolled over very fast of late. At that date men were amazed. The party who were supposed to own the Independent and its editor were simply enraged. Mr. Tilton and his sympathisers were denoimced as traitors. He was villified by all the petty whipper-snappers of the denomination. The AdvancCy of Chicago, now a broad and Catholic journal, owed its origin in part to a desire to cripple Tilton, but so long aa Bowen sustained his editor the battle was a brave one. It was in some respects injudicious, but it was plucky and manly, and it struck out some truths'of vast importance. *-> But finally the pressure became too strong. Bowen suddenly cancelled his engagements with Tilton—flung him off helpless, and without an organ through which to meet his enemies. This left him almost penniless, and possibly almost friendless. His foes were jubilant. They could say and they did say what they chose of Mr. Tilton. They villified him. without stint. They circulated outrageous and baseless charges. Most men would have been utterly crushed. Tilton at once started the Golden Age. What foolish things he may have said or done is not to our purpose to discuss. Whether in the dispute with Beecher he is right or wrong must be settled by testimony. But this we remember of Theodore Tilton, that he it was who first unmuzzled the religious press from its party and sect bigotry, and opened the campaign for religious goodfellowship. Sects to-day are comparatively nothing. Christianity is vastly more important than the petty barnacles for which each keel was quarrelling. If Tilton be a devil, and the present controversy prove him so to be, yet give even the devil his due.