New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-06-25
The Canae q: moral Reform.

The Cause o: Moral Reform.
A late Ge,e- YORK Observer contained most
sweeping attack on the systematic efforts no"
making to stay the dcsolaiug tide Of LiceR,ioos-
ness through the agency Of an organization
specially devoted to that purpose This attacs
was so unch.ritabe in its imputations and 81
harsh in its judgments that we feel imPelled To
give place to The defence OF the few; but noble
women who, against much gross obloquy ifcnI
the impure and such assaults from those OF oppo.
site pretensions, have Tor years laoored faithfully
devoteoly, to save tee young from peril and ru'n
by diffusng knowledge Of the wiie5 OF tte temper
and just horror Of his ylliany, while striving 70
rescue some OF the cast down, but not destroyed,
from the horrible pit from which, but ior thest
efforts, they have 10 alternative. The Advocate
OF Moral Reform, just issued, contains a reply 10
the Observer, which, though longer than we could
wish it, we have resolved 10 give entire to on:
readers, as e general exposition and defence OF
the cause of Moral Reform 1t is as follows:
The Fail of Ministers.
Hit Doa cease perrert The right Of lbs Lord =
facts Xii. 10.
Blindness in part hath happened 10 Is-gcl.-tRom Il %
The Nrw-York Observer of JCne 8, contains z
leading EDITORIAL with TEE above caption which wt
have perused with astonishDent ana grie Aid-
sion is made in il The recent downfall OF so msu:
Ministers in country, Ia the consequent iauni 49,
the infdcl, the laugh The scorner, ana the august
of the good and 10 the difficulty If pointug Oic
single cause as being sufficient in itself 10 rXpa.;
this painful result. The worthy Editors, howevef,
propose an examination Into tn matter, and ei 81
10 perceive among The prominent causes. I'll;
aud asssr, that by its own history, ii has with
clearness been shown to exert baneul lnAueAce
on the minds OF those who embark in it" They
assert farther
That IN the ,2traisas some Of he modern MoTa!
that the pnncipcs which they based are mnch
and II Is to be ipect that ,o.e who are engaged ,7
when they entered Them gradually
perhaps insens0ly, corrupted Dy their power
And again.
The measures employed anil Advocated by some good
to arrest the progress Of RIGHTEOUSNESS have been De-
thai recommend, ined,cae calculated produce cye
similar TO the dsHis tss re remedy ny, ngen ,f e,Tru1
oftho vice presented IN such orr 10 tend Getesr
the hesrer reader And the Sxpefeacc 9tho'e who Ia
not promoted by tamnry with such subject Pu 3
khrnks from /: II, from the plague
70 these allegations s5hoie We reply in their
own words with reference 10 another point. nc
Injustice of such conclusions from the premises, may
ling assertions lin the minds oithose influenced by
theml must still stand, TO work their silent ard
deadly influence upon the heart oil Il wicked wo'iJ.
bringing reproach upon the cause OF purify, anu
stain upon many souls that the waters OIL inc OCEAN
cannot wash out.
We have anal, zed the above charges rorc in
grief than anger, although We confess nothing has
ever met our notice ia the columns OF pGbic jour
nal th4t has seemed 10 us Ju>tcr provocative Ia
holy indignation. II The Observer had been ca'sf-
ing ouly Tor the taste OF the uDnuInbercd hoertnrs
and courtesuns OF our land tcoud not have pleas d
them better In imag nation fanced that scor, $
of them aiier reading the ADORE quotations, We II
ready to enter the Observer Once aud strike hsndt
with the ch,vslrous Editors, proferng their un'cd
thanks Tor public EXPRESSION OF opinion according
SO fuily with theft views. Ia our hearts We SIN
cerely pited tAose infatuated men, when we coasid-
cred upon iphat footing their declaration oi senti-
msnt hud unwiItinslv placed them. We respect
their talents, nor would we Issail their Christian
character on account of The s'anderouS accusations
that they have, in the remarks above quoted. hurl d
recklessly at thousands oi their fellow Christans-
il is no part OF our purrose 10 render railing 0r
railing We are aware that there those in the
community who believe theirylews 10 have been eX-
pressed honestly. We invite such 10 come with It's.
and examine these views N the light OF truth AID
the word ot God.
The article IN question was eiiciedhn consequence
Of the deplorable Developments Ill Inc case oil ~ Il.
johnson. His case is alluded 10 from tlrs' 10 last,
as one strongly illustrating the truth OF their posi-
,ions Il is said that "what we ardent!y wish, We
readily believe" und we see not on what Other
ground than this, the Observer could predicate The
assertion, that " Mr.. Johnson was leader Tor lnanN
years in tine Moral Reform movements, and that
''his efforts in the cause exerlrd 4 haneu anu cor
ripping influence on has mind and marked ms course
with moral bankruptcy and rum" We have taken
pains 10 get ar the truth IS and state the follow
ing oa good authority. MIR. ]. pursued his iheolo-
gical studies with Rev. Doci. Cox, of BROOKLYN, a
gentleman, all know, not disiiug ushed for ultra
isrnS, and never once charged with being guilty. o.
friendship Tor the cause OF Moral Purity. He was
called 10 the Houston-street Church i'll this CITY somv
ten years since, Church at that tine embracing
MANY members whose hearts had not ouly been
made TO sigh over the moral desn!aiions in our midst,
bur who were also the uncompromisng nds OF the
reiorma ton in question. Doei. Lansing, their ioru-
er beloved pastor, had been fully committed on ths
subject and they of course desired his successor
take The same stand. Mr. ), found II convenient 10
profess conformity the known wishes of his people,
and accordingly few mouths after his Installation
lent his name fnr time, 10 gentlemen Moral Re
farm Society, that was, for some cause, ineiiicc d.,
and then died a natural death some sevea years
aimee. We arc inlorln-d that while he was candi.
dale for the pastoral Office, after, an anonS
nous letter was received by the session OF the
Church, purporting TO come from young lady who
regarded him as a liberiine but being considered 1
libel no notice was then taken OF 1t. Long beior'
that time, however, he s proved by the Observer r
owp showing. In have been vile in heart. We again
ouore irs own words from another article, tunde,
date of June 1857
n, /, unable TO refer TO tho period when he fs, fell into
proaeate vice. gradual has been lis course through The
vufous stages Of his apostaey."