Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-12-31

ing that the worldly man was stimulated in his exer
tcns by having the object of his pursuits vsbly an,
tsngbly before him, and from the attainment o
which, he allowed nothing to. divert him, whilst
Christian has in view spiritual objects that are
visible but predicated faith, which is too apt t.
&c shaken, and to paraIyze exertionan explanation
which We cannot agree with; for to be Christian
is TO be good ourselves fnd TO believe in the good
ness OF God. Real Christians are "a peculiar PEG
pie, zesous of good works" Christians of this sort
never have their faith inr aired. The Bible would
not be revelation il it otherwise. We admit
however, that where religion consists OF a meta
physical speculative theology, instead OF "fearisg
God and keeping his commandments" that the faith
Of its professors must constantly fuctuate. But we
have no room to criticise. Mr.. Kinks object in
preaching the subject Of the election, was to hold
up to the christian public, the example OF the whig
party the great exertons they had made, the means
used and the grand result of their efforts He wishes
the spirit to be enlisted in behalf of christiani
ty, and corresponding means resorted TO to rropo-
gate it, and wonders why mass m ceilings cannot as
well be held in the cause Of religion as politics. He
said thai the extensive disuse Of ardent spirits du
ring the recent election was Of gratitude to
Coda remark, we think, that is rather gratuitous
as it is notorious that more liquor drank the
occasion alluded to, than had been consumed at all
the elections during the i've preceding years united
We hope Mr.. Kirk may succeed in his efforts as
we have no doubt that the cause of igion would
be strengthed by being "kept before tho pc ple,"
and they Individually made to feel that christianity
is not thing confined within the four wal of a
church, or to be put on BY passive profession Of
faith, as easily man would his hat Il thing
that is designed not to make them think in pecu-
4, rs.xkA
man would feel interested in the subject, and be led
to embrace it promptly as they do the Temperance
question in Ireland. But we can assure Mr. X that
he can never draw mass meetings, by harping upon
the "creed. Of men," and making christianity to con-
sist Of belief in them The doctrine of election for
instance, which makes the salvation Of souls kind
of lottery in which the prizes are to the blanks,
one to thousand, is rather calculated to dishearten
men. The political mass meetings in which forty
neu or more come toge. her, almost spon.
taneousy take place only where there is unireTsai
suffrage.
The veteran editor of the Boston Courier is rather
severe upon this sermon of Mr.. KS charaeterising
it as smilk for babes aud expressing surprise that
its author, il it is specimen of his ability should
have acquired so much celebrity. 1t is always tfs
way with the Boston folks, it has been often re-
OIL
I . in their city.
DooMAs OF THE CATHOLIC CBURcH.-Dr. Spring
in his speech on the Catholic School Question, al
lowed himself to be betrayed into lanentable cx
hibtion of the Antchristian spirit in which the
zeaiots of sectarianism are too prone TO indulge
He gave his opinion of the Catholic church, BY
dorsipg those of Voaire, whose "acute mind, he |
8 aid, was impelled to the convection hat he |
would sooner be an infdsl, than embrace the dog
mas of the Catholic church" sentiment, Dr.
he rl ly rredI in Ne n1v
heard DR. Spring alude TO the character and opia. |
ions Of Voltaire, before his own congregation, bu |
always in condemnation Of the man, and OF his judy
ment in matters Of religion. We marvel, therefore,
how he can reconcile il with the duti"s Of Chris
tian of doing as he woald be done by, in quoting
the opinions of iniidei writer, In disputaion I
purely rei sous. The ingenuoushess OF this course
would almost Lad one to think that he knows no. |
thing about the doctrines of the Catholic church, |
except VIII t has cone to him through the same pol
luted channel. The dogmas which "the acute
mind Of Voltaire" ana hsmatised ana rdieuieo or al
least some OF tbc, constitute the fundamental doc
trinss Of the Presbyterian church. and prsbaoiy /
these would never have been dreamt OF but for
the mefaphy sic.l spoculations OF the old Catholic
fatbers m there iac stglotuTes 81 VOltsrc
mat tLev shosld have general and not partial
applic ation Bishop Hughes, In replying 90 DIR \
Spriny did not rstort by quoting Ion Paine's OPT |
Of Presbyterisniso, but thin Sed me heverena
hi, principles. The following statistics, from the !
London Patriot, show the proI,oruon the Catholic
religion, which DIR. Spring declares 10 worse than
bears TO the other religious denominations
Of the " orid:-
iiC other Christian denomination united i2oIOOOOo
Tvs 100000 |
NJ shometans soiCooVV \
Il1Ia,ors OF ali sorts 5e0,000,0oo |
To,a, po,ula.iOn the world sssoOO,O 900 |
II therefore, DR.. Spring prefers the infdelity of
V oltaire asd Paine, and recommends IL to young |
men, before the religion Of Passhal and Feselon,
Fanny Wris htsn must indeed be looking up, and a
lew edition Of the age Of Reason" will be called
Tor.
We are opposed t. the Catholics obtaining any
portion Off School fluid, aHd IL appears, as we
think is the case, that other tcts have an undue
inhusuce in TIE public schools, Il should be abated.
LIFE or FLETCHER -Benson's life Of Fletcher,
the great Methodist Divine has lust been translated
into German, and published in Germany with pre-
face, by the pious DR.. Tholuek, who 10 one OF the
first scholars in Germany. We ars glad Of 'hil, as
no age or country has ever produced man oil more
Iervent piety, or more perfect charity; no church
has ever POSSESSED more apostoicsl minister than
Mr. Fletcher. Indeed, we would inow nothing 81
The fzres and the most excel Mt fruits OF the gospel
II we had no christian bographers
How TO rtLL Az EMPTY Pms E.-Whst are the
ehodists doing in order 10 relieve the "empy and
indebted treasury" The missionary treasury must
be replenished. Remember, friends, the world, the
heather world, many Of whom are perishipg dairy
for lack Of the bread OF life, which have ia abrn-
dance, and which must MT be withheld from the
ies itntc.
LlRsE BrsrSrss-The British and Foreign BIZ
BILE Society since its institutions, thirty sir years ago.
has issued II o34 $50 copies Of the Bible and Ts.tA-
neat frol, the depot in London, exclusive oil c,zio'
l76 copies issued by societies abroad.
AFAHrwnLL.-The Rev Mr.. Specs of the Pres
b. terian Church, in Twenty-sccond street near 81
venue is about TO bid farewell to the people Of his
aoek, in consequence Of the unforgiying disposition
NJ one who misunderstood some triaing aftentio's.
What pity, what pity that the Peaee Ola chn,eh,
and Of a talented young minister should De broken
up, and all Tor trife.
Tur UsIoS THEOLOGICAL SrMrSARy.-We are
happy In announcing at large, and especially to the
imrnedat friends OF the Instituton, that the small
pox, which 90 much alarmed the Faculty and stu
dents Of the Union Theological Seminary, has en-
tirely disappeared, IL having been confined TO one
individual No doubt the devout prayess that were
offered up, and the timely attention 70 revasaafiop,