登陆注册
15299900000033

第33章

Never avowing any doctrinal belief, his students {65} looked upon him as a Socinian, and so his influence went in that direction.The crop that sprang up may be taken as represented by such men as Carlyle, elegant and accommodating but dreadfully rankled by a Calvinistic creed which they had to swear, and by the opposition of the people, who could not be made to feel that the New Light was suited to them, or to believe that it had any title to be called a religion.But all this was in the future, and was not the precise result expected b), Hutcheson.Meanwhile he rejoices in Leechman, and describes him as one " who sees all I do." It seems that the Scotch divine received a call from a non-subscribing congregation in Belfast, and Hutcheson is rather inclined that he should go; he is so anxious to have him out of "that obscure place where he was so much lost," and where he was "preaching to a pack of horse-copers and smugglers of the rudest sort," who, we venture to say, would not profit much by that calm, abstract, elegant style which so pleased the professor of moral philosophy.Hutcheson uses every means to secure Leechman's appointment to the chair of theology in Glasgow, and brings influence of a very unscrupulous character (as Ireckon it) to carry his point.He writes Mr.Mure of Caldwell (Nov.23, 1743) that he wants a letter from the Duke of Montrose, the Chancellor of the University, in behalf of Leechman to Morthland, professor of Oriental languages, to be shown to others, and he malignantly mentions that Professor Anderson, the chief opponent of Leechman, " made himself ridiculous to all men of sense by dangling after Whitefield and M'Cullogh " (" Caldwell Papers "); and he wants this to be specially known to Tweeddale, who was Secretary of State for Scotland, and to Andrew Mitchell, his private secretary' It seems that the advocates of liberality could not tolerate that a man should be favorable to a revival of religion.It was by such means that " a new face was to be put upon the theology of Scotland." He writes to his Belfast friend (Feb.20, 1743-44): I could tell you a good deal of news upon the unexpected election of a professor of divinity, and the furious indignation of our zealots." He had written previously (March 5, 1738-39): "I hope Jack Smith has sent down to your town a 'Serious Address to the Kirk of Scotland,' lately published in London; it has run like lightning here, and is producing some effect; the author is unknown; 'tis wrote {66} with anger and contempt of the Kirk and Confession, but it has a set of objections against the Confession which I imagine few will have the brow to answer." The moderate party in the Church of Scotland is being crystallized by coldness out of the floating elements;and already there is a felt polar antipathy between them and those whom they choose to call " zealots." Hutcheson writes (April 16, 1746), " I would as soon speak to the Roman conclave as our presbytery."The professor of theology introduced by him to the college, had signed the Confession of Faith, and professed his willingness to sign it at any time.He accomplished the end of Hutcheson.The subjects represented by him as suitable to be dwelt on by the preacher from the pulpit, were the perfections of God; the excellence of virtue, and the perfection of the divine law; the truth of the Christian religion, and the important purposes for which Jesus came into the world; the great doctrines he taught the interesting scenes of providence he has displayed to men the dignity and immortality of the soul, and the inconceivable happiness of the heavenly state.In the social circle he was grave and silent, but is represented by Carlyle as having a lively wife, who entertained the students that came to his house in the evening, and was anxious to hear about the new plays and novels which were coming into Scot land.He set out a body of young preachers, who unfortunately lost the common people, and the pious of all ranks, without gaining the worldly and unbelieving.He published a sermon in which he thought to recommend prayer as fitted to have an influence on the mind of the person praying, and submitted a copy to Hume, who told him plainly that the person praying must believe that his prayers have an influence on God and bring an answer.

It should be allowed that Hutcheson was most anxious to impart a taste for learning and refinement to the ministers of the Church of Scotland.He was deeply impressed with the evils which were springing from the law of patronage being now put in operation with a high hand.In 1735, he published " Considerations on Patronage, addressed to the Gentlemen of Scotland." In this pamphlet he predicts that, " instead of studying sobriety of manners, piety, diligence, or literature, one or other of which qualities are now necessary to recommend {67} the candidates to the favor of heritors, elders or presbytery, the candidate's sole study will be to stand right in politics, to make his zeal for the <ministry of state> conspicuous; or by all servile compliance with the humor of some great lord who has many churches in his gift, whether that humor be virtuous or vicious, to secure a presentation." He fears the mischiefs of patronage were but beginning to appear, and that gentlemen's sons will no longer devote themselves to the ministerial office, which will be sought by lads of mean parentage and circumstances.It is quite certain that, owing to the law of patronage, combined with the smallness of the livings, estimated by Hutcheson as at that time about L80 a year, and the influence of London court life, the upper classes (from which so many ministers had sprung in the previous century) ceased from this time to encourage their sons to enter the sacred office.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 兮从天而降

    兮从天而降

    她强吻了他,他冷声说了句,现在的粉丝真疯狂,这句话伤了他的心,好吧,从此以后,我不会再喜欢你了,她是他们班的插班生,而他居然是班长,更洽的是坐在她的面前,好吧,承认自己是个学渣,,,,,
  • 纸牌学院

    纸牌学院

    小明家住XX公寓13楼,平时如果是下雨天或者电梯之中有其他人的话他都会选择从电梯上到第13层,否则他会坐到8楼然后走路到第13层,请借此条件对小明进行分析并下结论。what!这是要干啥呢!当我骂骂咧咧的指责学院安排的这场坑爹考试的时候,我并没有意识到自己想象中的简单安逸的大学生活已经不复存在了。
  • 卡莫娅与四只毛绒玩具龟

    卡莫娅与四只毛绒玩具龟

    一个大家族的两位大小姐,在偶然间得到了四只玩具龟,这四只玩具龟,却彻底改变了她们的生活.........
  • 红楼谈梦:红楼梦中人访谈录

    红楼谈梦:红楼梦中人访谈录

    《红楼读梦:红楼梦中人访谈录》以一名记者在荣、宁国府和大观园中采访的口吻,借着与红楼梦中主要人物的访谈对话,让她们自己说出关于其自身的一些争议和未解之谜。在交谈中,还使她们道出对红楼梦的认识,对社会生活,世事人情的感悟等,其中更包含了为人处世、经营管理、官场权谋、道学伦理、爱情真谛、生活艺术、饮食文化等方面的智慧精华,可谓是自《红楼梦》成书以来,独具风格与才情的一本好书。
  • 九幽界

    九幽界

    三千世界崩碎,六道秩序泯灭。万界于九天与九幽之中重新孕育,至清升华往九天,而至秽下坠于九幽,一个全新的轮回拉开序幕。小小幽血蛆却被人为潜藏了至强血脉,这幕后的黑手是谁,毁灭上一个轮回又将之重铸,难道真的只是为了‘烛’的重生?
  • 文明破碎

    文明破碎

    我没有朋友?这个世界都是敌人。为了一个目的,自己最爱的人们。、苦逼初三党不能稳定更新
  • 高冷男神是道符:前妻赖上门

    高冷男神是道符:前妻赖上门

    宋水墨觉得自己的人生应该是这样:小窝、男票、好工作。现实狠狠甩了她一个耳光:失忆、见鬼、高冷前夫。偏偏这个高冷前夫还是一道驱鬼的灵符。为了不再被百鬼纠缠,她只能天天追着前夫跑。没办法,缠呗。诶诶诶,明明一开始是她缠着他,怎么到后来变成了他缠她?
  • 神武子羽传

    神武子羽传

    “其实我非常强,我敢说在玄都没有人是我的对手。”白子羽淡然的说。
  • 世家之我们的爱

    世家之我们的爱

    她们是亲生被父母丢失的孩子,可是有一天,她们的母亲告诉她们她并非是她们的亲身母亲,父亲也是如此,她们是她捡来的,她们决心要找自己的亲身父母,可是,在她们在寻父母的过程中得到了爱,她们也成为了黑道中的霸主,建立了自己的仙灵阁,事情过后已久,她们终于找到自己的生父生母,没想到他们竟是轩辰的父母...........他们的好朋友好闺蜜却背叛了她们,并与她们为敌,难道就是因为那个男生?是的,没错。
  • 绝宠坏丫头:全明星恶魔殿下

    绝宠坏丫头:全明星恶魔殿下

    倔强的痞女、嗜血的魔鬼、顽昧的冥王、温暖的天使...恶魔、骑士、天使、修罗、吸血鬼、激情、邪恶、冷笑、全明星、风云校园、黑街、叫呛、干架、泡吧...华丽的词汇,导演盛世的全偶像剧。