In each case, the
constituted teachers were only half conscious that they were not
leading, but being dragged, with some loss of time and
power.
The more conscientious preachers, the Bible men, they who talk about
principle, and doing to others as you would that they should do unto you,
— how could they fail to recognize him, by far the greatest preacher
of them all, with the Bible in his life and in his acts, the embodiment of
principle, who actually carried out the golden rule? All whose moral sense
had been aroused, who had a calling from on high to preach, sided with him.
What confessions he extracted from the cold and conservative! It is
remarkable, but on the whole it is well, that it did not prove the occasion
for a new sect of Brownites being formed in our midst.
They, whether within the Church or out of it, who adhere to the spirit and
let go the letter, and are accordingly called infidel, were as usual foremost
to recognize him. Men have been hung in the South before for attempting to
rescue slaves, and the North was not much stirred by it. Whence, then, this
wonderful difference? We were not so sure of their devotion to
principle. We made a subtle distinction, forgot human laws, and did homage
to an idea. The North, I mean the living North, was suddenly all
transcendental. It went behind the human law, it went behind the apparent
failure, and recognized eternal justice and glory. Commonly, men live
according to a formula, and are satisfied if the order of law is observed,
but in this instance they, to some extent, returned to original perceptions,
and there was a slight revival of old religion. They saw that what was called
order was confusion, what was called justice, injustice, and that the best was
deemed the worst. This attitude suggested a more intelligent and generous
spirit than that which actuated our forefathers, and the possibility, in the
course of ages, of a revolution in behalf of another and an oppressed people.
Most Northern men, and a few Southern ones, were wonderfully stirred by
Brown’s behavior and words. They saw and felt that they were heroic
and noble, and that there had been nothing quite equal to them in their kind
in this country, or in the recent history of the world. But the minority
were unmoved by them. They were only surprised and provoked by the attitude
of their neighbors. They saw that Brown was brave, and that he believed that
he had done right, but they did not detect any further peculiarity in him.
Not being accustomed to make fine distinctions, or to appreciate magnanimity,
they read his letters and speeches as if they read them not. They were not
aware when they approached a heroic statement, — they did not know when
they burned. They did not feel that he spoke with authority, and
hence they only remembered that the law must be executed. They
remembered the old formula, but did not hear the new revelation. The man
who does not recognize in Brown’s words a wisdom and nobleness, and
therefore an authority, superior to our laws, is a modern Democrat. This is
the test by which to discover him. He is not willfully but constitutionally
blind on this side, and he is consistent with himself. Such has been his
past life; no doubt of it. In like manner he has read history and his Bible,
and he accepts, or seems to accept, the last only as an established formula,
and not because he has been convicted by it. You will not find kindred
sentiments in his commonplace-book, if he has one.
When a noble deed is done, who is likely to appreciate it? They who are
noble themselves. I was not surprised that certain of my neighbors spoke of
John Brown as an ordinary felon, for who are they? They have either much
flesh, or much office, or much coarseness of some kind. They are not
ethereal natures in any sense. The dark qualities predominate in them.
Several of them are decidedly pachydermatous. I say it in sorrow, not in
anger.
