Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-09-22
NE WE NGLAND


There are among us-well mean ng
persons, no oubt,-who are perpetualy
lamenting the departed glory of New
Eng They stand among US like the
relics Of another age-beings who seom
To have mistaken their generation-who
have neither eyes to see nor ears to hear
anything favorable to the character and
condition Of the age upon which they
have blundered. Their sympathies arc
wholly with the olden time. They talk
OF the Puritan fathers of New England,
as the only models of human excellence
of their laws, as the Ultima thule of fhu-
man wisdom-of their religion, as pecu-
iarly holy and acceptable in the sight of
Heaven. They denonnce with bitter
ness every innovation upon the usage Of
the past---thcy mourn over present evils,
and prophecy that evil will be our chill
dren's only legacy,
In the character Of the early settlers
of New Eng land there is indeed much To-
admire-much upon which the present
age looks back with proud satiSfaction.--
! Yet the Purtans were men-frall, erring
men--aDd while in some instances they
rose far above the darkness of their age
standing out in bold and beautiful re-
lief from their prejudiced generation
they manifested also religious domina.
tion-an ostentation of holiness-a pride
of opinion which could brook no question
ing-a bigotry, which reason restrained
not-a superstition, which the light Of
truth and experience could not break in
upon. We would not tarnish the memo
ries Of the men of Plymouth. But win
make gods of men; Why set up idols
and worship them with blind and un-
inquiring devotion' Why forbid the
light Of sober investigation to fall upon
them; Even the Idol ltor Of Babylon,
submitted his idol-the Image of Beland
the Dragon which he worshipped, TO tho
scrutiny of Daniel
Two hundred years have elapsed, and
the better spirit of the Pilgrims yet lin
| gers with us-whilc the darker has de-
parted forever-Firmncss-stern moral
( ity and the pride Of liberty remain-bg
otry-intolcranc and superstition are Oh
Ily remembered things. In nothing which
once made her glorious has NewEng-
land Deprecated Her sons are still H.
proud-as entcrprising and as patriotic,
and while other portions of the county
have taken to themselves the vices and
crimes Of the old world-her'! '!morality,
''has grown and strengthened with her
strength"
1t is fact which every days expert
cnce corroboratcs, that the moral charaC-
ter of New-England is as pure at this
moment as at any former period OF her
history. Examine the records Of tho
early churches Of New-England-look
at the accounts of public and private III
iquity which the old historians Of the Pu
ritans have recorded-and we shall thank
God for the favorable contrast which the
present exhibits to the past.
New Eng land is advancing in dignity
and virtue. She is throwing off one al
ter another, the letters which bound her
to the lltars of superstition and mental
error. She has learned that freedom o.
opinion is the nobjest privilege of men,
Her religion is no longer guarded by tn
arm of temporal power. The sword Of
the magistrate is no longer drawn to en-
force the DEGREES Of the Priesthood
The scallold upon which human victims
were inundated by the Puritans of New =
England, has long since fallen, like the
bloody shrnes ofthe lncas--and through
out all her borders
---"The consciences Of men
Are free is the breeze Of Heaven
And none may dictate how or when
The Dorship Of the heart Is given
And what has she lost by this change!.-
The spires of her churches flash up in
the green shadows of every yslley--aGd
point beautifully upward from her thou
sand hills. The song ofthanksgiving, s.
the prayer of the worshipper rise solemn
ly from her thronged cities and her pas
toral enthusiastically, like a messen-
ger of Heaven is moving abroad among
her MISUNDERSTANDING light and hope
where darkness and despair had broodcd
making the waste places Of human ex-
istence glad and the wilderness OF hu-
man suffering to blossom as the rose
Hod. Weekly Reg.