The New York herald., 1845-04-27
Prose.,.nt InsoIsranes-nr. Chssver's Lee


We give in another column a report oi a lee
ture delivered BY the Rev Mr. Cheever, few
evenings since, In one OF the fashionable Presoy-
terian churches up town. IL IL the hrs; OF series
of lectures os,ensibly designed TO organise move
ment m this country in favor Of "young Italy" or
that anti-papa movement nov progressing through
out the continent. We think that Mr.. Chever
would be much more IN the way OF obeyins the
institutions and serving the wil cf his Lord and
Master, BY ministerng 20 the spiritual necesstles
Of the thousands a home who are "perishing Tor
lack OF knowledge" than ~ making himself 50
bury about religiopohucAl movements in foreign
lands. He y, however. one oi the lons list OF en-
thusasis fanatics and srctanes that are constantly
engaged ia inhaming The evil passions Of opposing
seets OF Chrisushlsy. We sn'irrlg cl,agprove a
all such movements. whether spnnslng from Pro.
tesant or Catholic 5lgotry-~h neither patfoaised by
Bishop Hughes or Doctor Caeevsr.
In adopting and carrying oat this ssciaiian
movement, Mr. Cheever overlooks not cny his
own MISSION and DUTY ~ a minister Of the gospel
Of pesce, but aiso the solemn obligations under
which all ihe c,tizens al this Tree Lard have been
lad. portion Of the great work given unto Re-
publican America 10 do, j. 70 pres~n, 10 All men a
splendid and practical example oi universal telsTa
ton in matters Of religion Unlike the tyrannical
dynasiIes Of the ancient world. which have inoor-
poraied with them systems Of eccleaasticsl despo-
fism, the government and institutions oi the united
States have been founded on the brosdes, prInci.
pies Of civil and religious liberty. To al citizens
has been guaranteed the utmost liberty Of con.
science-every man sitting under hs vine end nc
tree, with meme to make him sirald-no lordly
hierarchy 10 support-no naughty priesthood en-.
dowe6 by the State, no favored system OF religious
belief. Under this wise and righteous system, the
various Christian secis in this country have in the
main, exhibited an example OF charity and orbesr-
ance more closely approaching the apostolic model
than can be found in any other land in Christen-
dom. The religious liberty OF this country is, in
deed, of the greatest blessings which i,s Consi
tution has secured TO us, and every true patriot IL
therefore bound to his face against The niroduc-
flop from any quarter OF any element which can by
possibility lead TO the inracton Of the safeguard OF
national peace and prosperity Hence 1t is that we
denounce, in terms OF most unqualified disapproba-
tion, the movements Of such men as Cheever--
fiery and declamatory bgots, who, like the false
prophets, spoken of by Paul, 60 about leading
captive silly women and weak men-inflamng
scctarlan animosites, and scattering every ember
ofpeace and charity from the altar OF God
The sound sense and intelligence Of this country.
however, will always furnish the antidote TO the
poison, which these violent sectares would infuse
into the hearts of the churches. This we have
seen most abundan,ly demonstrated in the utter
extinction Of the " native" party-a party orisi.
mating in a quiet, commendabe, popular
movement, in opposition to the mad and
lntolerant policy attempted by a preiate
of the Catholic church-Bishop Hughes-but
which in its very inception, plunged into the
same criminal and evil conduct, which it was in.
tended to chastise and prevent. Where now, is
Bishop Hughes and his Carroll Hall movement I
He is glad to hide his diminished head, and his in.
tolerant movement has been utterly withered. So
with the "natlves." They are gone for ever
Mayor Harper and all-clean annihllated by the
indignant rebukc of sound and enlightened public
opinion.
We are willing to admit that some Of the Chez
vers OF the present day mean we-that all are not
actuated by prestly vanity-a desire for public dis
play-an ambition Of being distinguished in the
fields of poesnica controversy. Some of them, no
doubt, entertain sincere horror of popery-it is to
them horrible nghtmare-ever present to their
excited imagination, terrible agency Of blood
and torture. But Catholicity is not what it was
four or five hundred years ago. The Pope is as
harmless as the Moderator of the General Assem-
bly, of the Presbyterian church, and the thunders
OF the Vatican nnocuons as the blasts of the
Presbyterian trumpet from the pulpit of Doctor
Cheever. The venerable buttresses Of Rome have
long since begun to yield TO the advancing tide of
the intelligence Of the age. In France, in the
quarrels between the University and the church
in Germany-in Switzerland-in Italy itself
throughout the whole Continent, we see significant
tokens of change and innovation. Throughout
all the churches, indeed, spirit of reform is al
work. Bigotry, intolerance, ignorance and error
still maintain, in many quarters, foothold. Fanet
cism is active. But the great conflict has CON-
menced between ancient dogmas and the spirit Of
free inquiry. The dirge of implicit faith has been
rung throughout the whole bounds of Christendom.
Reason and argument are taking the place OF
priestly dctation. Every thing appears to betoken
the adven, of the latter day of light and liberty
Let Mr.. Cheever, and all other mere poemics,
desist, then from work which has ever been un
blessed of heaven-the work of sectaran faction
Instead of going abroad to Italy, and mingling in
the internal struggles of ancient Catholicity-the
throes of new birth-et them set about extirpa-
ting the Antichrist in their own churches at home
Let them exhort all men to love one another, and
give in their own lives and minisrations, pract-
cal exempli6caton of the religion of Jesus of Ma.
zareth. which may be summed up in the words
charity and virtue.
The PlTTsBURe RELIEF FUSD.-The Committee
for the collection of contributions to this fund, met
yesterday evening at the Mayors office, in the
City Hall, for the purpose of handing in the SUBJ
scrptions they had received The Mayor an
nounced the total sum paid in to him, in aid of the
Pittsburg sufferers, to be Sl5,534
The following are the amounts already subscri.
bed for the relief of the sufferers in Pittsburg-
BY New York city SIG OOo
q claAa