New-York daily tribune., 1842-12-07

ner standard the church WILL seem niue Oettei thai
an incumbrence-a bleck before the advancing
wheels of Reform-the very buiwark OF slavery,
in,eno oerance, &C. But it is unreasonable to ex-
nsct The church to assail these evils faster than
nnblic opinion will allow for it is not founded on
| absolute religion, but the current notions
pecting it. 1t represents the standard Of piety
which prevails while these evils are tolerated.
Would Paul or Jesus, if they were here, be ad-
n,ifed TO our pul pits our parlors tell you no.
We have associations to apply Religion 20 partic-
u!ar points in morals: Temperance Societies. Peace
Societies, Prison Discipline Societies, and Aboli-
ton Societies. These are formed because the
Church. in respect their several objects, is not
| inbucd with the Reform Spirit. Time was when
tae Church bad the care OF al these matters, and
when she was in advance of the State; but now is
fulfilled the prophecy, The fist shall be last, and
the last FIRST What have these Societies done
Ask tie drunkard's wife and the slaves daughter;
tney can testify. The Priest who administers the
| current Religion and thinks it good enough for
any bedy, very naturally regards with jealous eye
the Prophet whose talk is OF something higher and
better. Tie garments which the Church weaves
though in fashion, do no fit all who have grown up
under her Influence. Moses refused to be called
the son of Pharaoh's daughter though she had
iursed him with tenderness and care; and why
should not men discard associations in which their
freedom is invaded PROPHETS as well as Priests,
have their faults but what then? Need we won
der that a soul mbued with sympathy should
speak strongly of the mi gh,y evils which affiict
race? What if they do unite the poteness of
dancing g-rhastcrs with the spirit of Reform,
which utters itself through them with such mighty
energy? Let us honor those noble souls who, at
tie peril of having their names cast out ss evil
Tack the hoary sins of the age; nor let US be vexed
r,,dap oF hair Ro,b ,bor Lat
wonder that the shrek they utter ever the wrongs
OF suffering humanity is not louder and more
piercing.
5 But after all, said MIR F., the most impor-
t.nt application OF Religion is that which brings
i, hoDe directly to the Individual. Associations
DO much, but those who go noiselessly to work re-
forming themselves, and influencing others by
holy example, are the worlds noblest benetactors.
What can one do? perhaps it may be asked to
which 1t may be replied, that if every one would
reform himself the work would be done Men are
apt to lose sight of their individual duties and re-
sPonsibties by regarding society in a mass; and
. they look upon the evils of the world they saw
= 1t cannot be helped; it always has been, and j,
always must be so." Has God then decreed that
81 shall endure foreverf O no. BY patient, in
dividual toll, it shall be done away, and those
who wander as sheep having no shepherd, shall
ciety aim to help the criminal, stretching out to
hm the hand of sympathy, and setting him again
il the path of virtue, from which he has strayed
no. there is a heartess insensibility to their un-
fortunate condition, although many of them are
bat the DactlmS OF the present order Of things Sin
in rags punish with tard-hearted severity; but
sin in ruttles not only keeps out of prison, but
walks simultaneously to church, where it sits in
cushioned pew and thanks God that it is not as
ether men, The struggle for wealth. so charac-
icristic of New England, is marked by selfish
i.ess which fergets that the strong ought to bear
TIE ip6rmities of the weak Are we not all joint
tenants of the earth, and if some have more ex-
cellent gifts than others, shall those superior
powers be used means Of plundering our less
fortunate brethren?
We boast of our institutions. Are they what
fathers intended they should be, and what with
earnest hearts they prayed fort We may have
wealth and learning, and vet Freedom may have
taken her flight from among US. Gold without
Morality is corrupted, and the fair garment which
covers hypocritcal heart is moth-eaten. Our
Institutions may be comfortable enough for the
fourteen millions of freemen but what are they to
rle three millions of slaves? Each of us is bound
labor according to his power for those less for
tunate than hmse elf If this were done, instead of
sending an unfortunate to jail, should grasp
l,itn by the hand, seeking his reformation with a
perseverance which would never tire till his last
sands have run out The schoolmaster would take
lhe place Of the constable.
Political action is too superficial to the evil.
oi Society 1t can bat
-" skin and film the ulcerous part,
While rank corruption reigns within.
ine Reform must be radical one. Something
which shall strike deeper Than Bank or Sub
Treasury. We may silence the Reformer who tells
us Of Sin, but what then! All. what then :? Like
Tyre, and Athens, and Rome, shall so down.
down uader the accumulated weight of our crimes;
aud the older nations will cry Aha! aha! hast
luou become like unto US 4" But let the Reformcr
take courage. Vita what velocity an Idea now
travels round the world, causing the King to trem-
BILE on his throne a single Individual, beginning
u Reform at the bottom of the dirty lane in
hich he dwells, may do mi ghty work. Shall we
then sit down contenled No; let US be up and
doing, and never faint grow weary, till the great
transformation is wrought which shall make the
world one bright and glorious Eden.
Mr.. P. closed with few remarks of q personal
nature, explanatory of the circumstances under
which he had delivered his lectures, and with
solemn and affecting appeal to his audience on be-
| nult of the truths he had presented.
am glad to learn that his lectures will be inl-
ncdialey repeated in Charlestown
Yours, REvILo
| AMFRRY,S A)TSFUH for December is