X955/1/12

To Mr Richard Colenutt

30 April 1882

From: 1882 To: 1882

Park Hill,Carshalton, Surrey My dear friend, I had a note from William saying he could not go, but I have had another note this morning saying he will go. I shall be at Cardiff on the 22nd May. I shall leave there on the 26th or 27th May and go straight to Cloverlly. You I presume will join me on the Monday following, having picked up William on your way. I will write further before I start. Emerson you see, has not belied his philosophy, but has died like a child going to sleep. I hope you have been reading Froude’s Carlyle. I was obliged to read it hastily, but I went through it with a burning fervour. Carlyle was so thoroughly truthful that we may be sure he would never assume a self not his own, even in the presence of his orthodox mother. That being so, his letters to her, insisting on the essential sameness of all that she and he believed, are most precious. The longer I live, the more of that spirit comes to me, and I recognize the inestimable worth of Christianity, not merely in forming a class of character, which, without it, would never have been , but in bringing to the front certain divine truths which are of primary importance in themselves, and, which, without it would never have been, but in bringing to the front certain divine truths in their importance in themselves, and , what is more, are truths above all other truths in their importance to us as a family of human beings. For example - Christianity dwells with tremendous emphasis on the difference between right and wrong. Its whole system stands on it. Christ dies to save us from the consequences of our ill doing. This is not a Greek idea or a philosophical idea. We owe it to the Jewish race. Carlyle in this was to the very core a Christian. I might name other truths - such as that of monotheism with a diversity of attribute and so on; but we all of us can think of quite enough to make is look for a little sympathy on the miserable creatures, who, blind to all the Past, think to abolish Christianity and substitute arithmetic and geography. Best love to Mrs Colenutt & the children. Ever yours, W. Hale White 30th April 1882

item

White, William Hale,
Rutherford, Mark,
Colenutt, Richard,
Colenutt, Sarah Fabian,
Chignell, Thomas William,
Carlyle, Thomas,
Froude, James Anthony,
Emerson

Carshalton, Ryde, Cardiff, Clovelly, theology, family correspondence, books, theology, religion, Christianity, Judaism, race issues