died on the cross, a martyr to his love of mankind. As a social
reformer, as one devoted to the progress and well-being of man in
this world, I thought I might liken myself to him and call myself by
his name. I called myself a Christian, not because I took him for my
master, not because I believed all he believed or taught, but
because, like him, I was laboring to introduce a new order of things,
and to promote the happiness of my kind. I used the Bible as a good
Protestant, took what could be accommodated to my purpose, and passed
over the rest, as belonging to an age now happily outgrown. I
followed the example of the carnal Jews, and gave an earthly sense to
all the promises and prophecies of the Messias, and looked for my
reward in this world."

The passages we have italicized in this extract may go to show how
far Dr. Brownson himself was, at this period, from being able to give
any but the evasive answer he actually did give to the searching
philosophical questions put by his youthful admirer. But it is not
easy, especially in the light of Isaac Hecker's subsequent
experiences, to overestimate the influence which this new
presentation of our Saviour had upon the development of his mind and
character. For reasons which we have tried to indicate by a brief
description of some of his life-long interior traits, the ordinary
Protestant view, restricted and narrow, which represents Jesus Christ
merely as the appointed though voluntary Victim of the Divine wrath
against sin, had been pressed upon him prematurely. Now He was held
up to him, and by a man who was in many ways superior to all other
men the boy had met, as a great personality, altogether human,
indeed, but still the most perfect specimen of the race; the
supremely worshipful figure of all history, whose life had been given
to the assertion of the dignity of man and the equality of mankind.