New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-01-20


| BY rote those who are cid enough, are taughr oy
the Manual of the Academy of Muse lnstIu-
mental music is also Taught to all Hho nave me
/ ability and desire 20 learn. II stracS me 80"
beautiful il would be, If some OF those noble ttansn
| exiies should 90 and jois their number VINO cenid
throw in their music and their beautiful language,
and receive in return the realization OF the dreams
of their youth but all this will come IN good tune
To go back TO the children. The greatest ad-
vantage is, that the life Is SO natural, It makes
discipline without the ugly forms Every BODY
| works and studies, and &C the children work and
study from imitation and in spirit. | never saw
such habits CT disintcresteness-so litte personal
selGshness. Children were requested BY all par
ties to do all sorts of things and If one had re-
fused, another would have been called upon. as the
only rebake. The punishment of appearing selhsh,
and rot being in the general spirit, Pfecludes all
others. OF course, 40 not mean TO imply that any
circumstances OF social arrangement will destroy
all moral evil. l know there are those which
originate in the constitution of every finite crea-
ture, and which only 10 be set aside IN their
principles and consequences, by a dHep interna!
struggle, where there is no witness but God by
whose sovereign mercy aione IS the great victory
accomplished, and each individual introduced into
q the company of the hrst-born." But there are
innumerable social vices and determines OF charac-
ter, which are exasperated, if not produced by the
unsanctitied conventions of common lite, and
which here do not appear; and there Is no telling
now much more those who are good have the ad-
vantage of their goodness, and those who are
morally Inferior are assisted, by living where
there is such q general spirit and such habits
among the adults. Country empoyments and
country scenery, too, has an immeasurabie effect
Y hat
am not one Of those who believe that the issues of
the human constitution under any earthly circum-
stances, can be perfect goodness that finite crea-
lures can be other than pensioners OF the Love
revealed in Jesus Christ; but do believe that in
fancy and youth would shine with moral beauty, as
general rule if society ard education did their
part. Some people seem to be dreadfully afraid
tina. God will not have any thing to forgive, and
80 the doctrine of forgiveness be proved unneces-
sary. if we admit that children can grow up,
selfish in their habits and lovely in their general
characters. Such persons have, 1t seems to me,
very little appreciation of the depth, and extent,
and excellence OF that Law, the violation OF which
is sin; for it seems TO ME that we May be very
nigh in the scale of excellence, in the eyes OF our
fellow creatures; cur faults may be not even per-
ccp,ible 10 them; and yet may be SO far below
that Ideal, which shines into us from God, that we
-ha vet require all the comfort of ST. Paul's doc
trine of Justification by Faith. l see less self
righteousness likely to be generated, under the
views and habits of this community, than ordi-
nuriIy; and to stand better chance of being cor
rected Should Man, in the progress of wisdom
and love, be elevated above all social crime and
wrong, there will yet, as think, be sin possible 10
him, great enough TO have him feel the whole OPP
position between the law of finite nature, and that
Law of the Infinite God, which Christ mysteriously
reveals to him, glory to be had.
This is rather episode in my letter, dear sir,
but must needs dwell little upon The subject,
because the majority of people hear talk, seem
to be in enc OF two extremes, equally erroneous.
One set of people make evil but social evil and
seem to think that if wars and hghtngs murders
and drunkenness, theft and deception, are driven
from the earth, the whole holiness and glory of
humanity is attained, even up TO the measure OF
Christ Jesus; while Others think, that because the
bible and the Spirit of God within teach that
Man, even when pure MS the heaven of heavens, is
not clean BEFORE COP, he must necessarily unfold,
in the process of his development, ali the crimes to
which he can be degraded; and that systematical
effort to prevent this by removing occasions and ex-
asperating causes of crime, Is opposing the system
of Providence and practically denying the Phiioso-
ply Of Christianity. have heard it gravely urged
against this little community, that it aimed at
state Of enjoyment and general excellence, which
would result if it succeeded, in state contrary to
what the Bible declares to be the general character
uf Human Nature. | dispute the fact. believe
Human Nature may attain to state OF excellence
that shall seem to realize Isaah's visions OF tue
millennium, and still the Inhabitants OF the earth
will be even more disposed 10 use, with respect to
the deepest language OF contruoa and
humility which the Bible cDntains tor they snail
see God, BY reason OF their purity, 80 much more,
that they shall still more earnestly feel the prayer,
"Forgive our .,irtues, too
Those lesser fauls-hait converts 10 the righL
1t is because ! think thus, that do not condemn
utterly THAT other class of errorsts, who suppose
evil so very superficial; and that if we could es-
chew bad organizations of society, and act out our
instincts, we should be as perfect, as human be-
ings. rs the animal creation is perfect in It's way,
and the vegetable creation in ats way. IL their
faith in the better issues of human instincts under
favorable circumstances, they go upon tact ftu'
man nature is capable OF great excellence, beauty,
and purity, when it draws only upon the original
gifts of the good God ofnature, common to all men
and there is sort of biasphemy TO me, IN speak
ing irreyerenly of the virtues OF Scion and Arsti-
des, Anaxagcras, and Plato and Socrates; OF Reg-
illus, and Brutus, and tho Antonines; and even OF
many beautiful child and adult OF the present
day. although he has not yet entered into all the
deoths of the unsearchabe riches OF Christ 10
be arrested at the point of attainment of any OF
these persons, would indeed ke to be damned, ut
may use such old-fashioned phraseology.) Such
minds we may call sort OF hedoen, but L think
these persons would say, that to be condemned TO
an everlasting self-deveopmens in that same hea-
ven, and receive nothing from without, or from
the deeper ,oishin which is 'oith0as to the indi-
yidual; in short, to have more grace OF God,
would make it to them hell. Indeed, the Swe-
denborgian bells are neither more nor less than for
the individual to be given up to his individuality;