Fanaticism

Jywmixfo anb TegfeMfoe fitparimmis GOVERNMENT OF MASSACHUSETTS, ANNUAL ELECTION, ftfoibj, Junij 4 1871. By CHARLES E. QjtlNNELX, PASTOR OF THE HARVARD CHURCH, CHARI.KBTOWJ. BOSTON: WEIGHT k POTTIR, STATE PRINTERS, 79 MILK STREET, (Corxbb of Fbdseal Strut.) 1871. us \^^«"] (""■■).- 6 ibc: Commonfojealifr of ^RBBzfymtitB. In Senate, January 7, 1871. Ordered, That a Committee be appointed to present the thanks of the Senate to the Rev. Charles £. Grinnell, of Charlestown, for the able discourse delivered by him before the Executive and Legislative departments of the Government of the Commonwealth, on the 4th instant, and to request a copy of the same for publication. And Messrs. Long, Frost and Whiting are appointed said Committee. S. N. GIFFORD, Clerk. In Senate, January 12, 1871. The Committee appointed by an order of January 7, " To present the thanks of the Senate to the Rev. Charles E. Grinnell, of Charlestown, for the able discourse delivered by him before the Executive and Legislative departments of the Govern- ment of the Commonwealth, on the 4th instant, and to request a copy of the same for publication," respectfully report that they have attended to the duty assigned them, have received a copy for publication, and also a communication from the Rev. Mr. Grinnell, desiring your Committee to express to the Senate his " gratification at their honorable attention, and to inform them that" he "shall take great pleasure in plac- ing the discourse at the disposal of their Committee. 1 ' For the Committee. WM. B. LONG, Chairman. SEEMON. H. Samuel XVI. 11, 12. LET HIM ALONE AND LET HIM CURSE; FOB THE LORD HATH BIDDEN HDf . IT MAT BE THAT THE LORD WILL LOOK ON MINE AFFLICTION, AND THAT THE LORD WILL REQUITE MB GOOD FOR HIS CURSING THIS DAY. Magnanimous King David, who won from the enemies of his nation a terror and a good will, which Solomon kept by inherited wisdom, knew that men cannot be on one side without being abused by some who are on another side; that one caimot be in the right without being cursed by some who are in the wrong. He was the beloved master of his country, a royal prophet, an inspired king; and his long and full life had taught him to expect to be cursed, by some who wished to be royal, and by some who felt inspired. Shimei is always throw- ing stones and dust at David. Twenty-nine hun- dred years has the air kept the rhythm of his curses.

Digiti zed by G00gk O FANATICISM. To-day and throughout this year, your Excel- lency, and your honorable bodies, who represent such political wisdom and virtue as God has vouch- safed to the people of this Commonwealth, will probably be cursed as David, was, as your prede- cessors were, and as not a few of you already have been. But, whoever does the cursing, — the few or the many, the great or the small, — men of inde- pendent minds, while offended by the blasphemy, are not shocked into a corresponding passion; counting it better to do wise deeds than to answer foolish worlds. Such words will come from many quarters. It may be of service to examine one of their sources. I propose to speak of fanaticism, that mental drunkenness which is often charged, truly or falsely, upon Massachusetts. The degree of the common charge is doubtless false; but whatever may be our share of a fault, whose temptations are not success- fully avoided by our neighbors, it will furnish a proper subject for our consideration. If we have our own fanatics, let us try to understand them; as we wish that the men of other States understood their fanatics. Two hundred years ago the word fanatics was new; although fanatics had never failed since the Digiti zed by GoOgk FANATICISM. 7 days of Shimei. The rude honesty and ruder ambi- tion of Englishmen, with more choler than wisdom or virtue to bring to bear in great controversies, made frequent a troublesome character that has come down to us in a considerable force, which, happily for all, is weakened by its still greater variety. To describe the fanatics of our day and neighborhood would be to tell you of men and women whom you know too well; and perhaps my choice of instances, not suiting your humor, might divert our minds from the chief subject to which I ask jrour attention. I wish to remind you, not of what any of us think of special fanatics, but of what the truth is about the fanatical character. The fundamental trait of the fanatical character is irrational enthusiasm. Enthusiasm when con- trolled by reason is often of great service to man- kind. Men who use their natural ardor of mind to add vigor to their search for knowledge, wisdom, and virtue, and to strengthen their efforts to benefit society, show that enthusiasm is a gift of God, whose proper use makes it a blessing. But when an enthusiastic disposition is permitted to curb the reason, and its possessors follow their passion- ate impulses as the true guides, enthusiasm degen- erates into fanaticism. A man of a sound enthu- Digiti zed by G00gk 8 FANATICISM. siasm, uses his feelings as the ministers of his reason. A fanatic dwarfs his reason into a servant of his feelings. An enthusiastic man may be a sober thinker, a thorough, scientific student, an im- partial teacher, a just exemplar of true living, bound by no partisan x ules, and as ardent to correct as to declare his creed. A fanatic studies as an advocate of a cause which he takes up, sometimes from rational conviction, sometimes from inheritance, sometimes from a social exigency, sometimes from momentary passion, and which he is determined, whatever his reasons may be, and whether he has any reasons or no, to maintain at all hazards. …