The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 11, July, 1835Various
General
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 11, July, 1835
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
is a religion of love, where the broadest channel is open to receive
the devotedness, the clinging, the confiding trustfulness, which are
idolatry when spent upon creatures like ourselves, but becomes a holy
worship when offered to heaven."[3]
[Footnote 3: In an Epistle supposed to be written by the famous Abbé
Rencé, of la Trappe, this alliance between love and religion is well
described, though rather too much in the peculiar style of a
thoughtless Frenchman, "Je n'avois plus d'amante (says the Abbé,) il
me fallùt un dieu."]
But again--was there ever a being so congenial, so suitable to the
character of woman, as the Saviour of the world. He condescended to be
born of woman. Mary was his mother; and while executing the high
behests of his father on earth, he treated his mother with the most
affectionate and filial tenderness. And then his character was all
mildness and meekness. He who could come forth in all the might of his
father,
"Into terror chang'd,
With countenance too severe to be beheld;
And full of wrath,"
hurl the fearful host of fallen and rebellious angels into the
bottomless pit, and chain them there through the endless ages of
eternity--could, whilst in this world, bear the scoffings, the
revilings, the buffetings of sinful man, could beg his father to
forgive his persecutors, because they knew not what they did. His
dominion in this world was not based upon violence, devastation and
bloodshed. In his glorious career, he made no widows and orphans.
Wherever he moved, he carried consolation and healing to the lowly and
the humble. He restored the sick, and made the lame to walk, the blind
to see, and the dead to come forth from their sepulchres. His kingdom
was one of peace, and harmony, and forbearance. He commanded his
disciples to love one another, and to serve his father in spirit and
in truth. He did not, like Mohammed, exclude woman from an equal
participation in all the promises of the gospel; and he declared that
Mary and Martha had chosen that good part which should not be taken
from them. Woman ministered to him while on earth; she was with him at
the cross; she was with him at his grave:
"Not she with trait'rous kiss her Saviour stung--
Not she denied him with unholy tongue;
She, while apostles shrank, could danger brave--
Last at his cross, and earliest at his grave."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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