The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-05-06
The Religious Anniversar,ss.

IVA udy
The Religious Anniversaries.
Anniversary Week." as il is called, opens upon
us this year with great deal of novel and striking
interest. In former years the "May Meetings"
were confined almost entirely to the simply religious
and benevolent soceties--ths old orthodox institu-
lions for the distribution of Bibles and tracts, and
the transmission Of sickly young preachers to the
banks OF the Ganges. But now every new sect in
religion and philosophy-every new ultrasm, has
is "annual convention" All the varied movements
OF that strange mechansm--the mind ola nation ad-
vancng in the of civilization and of moral and
intellectual refinement with rapidity, energy and
originality of progress quite unprecedented-are
thus brought directly under our review; and the Ia
benacle becomes for the time sort of camera OBJ
scwd, whore the spectator can see reflected, with
all their phanasagoria wildness, sense, folly, yo-
isnce and sobriety, the opinions of the age on re-
pon philosophy, morals, politics, society---every
thing.
First, we have the old, regular, strictly, purely,
and steadygoing religious societies. for the propaga-
ton of the gospel in foreign parts These do not
present any new points of interest. Precisely the
same sort Of men, with the same straight hair, the
anne smooth faces, and the same solemn twang,
get up and deliver exactly the same speeches. about
the same eternal topics of the glory of the church
and the fullment of the prophecies, which were de-
lvered ten years ago, and annually ever since Inn
mense sums OF money are every year poured into the
golfers OF these societies, and flaming reports of sue
cess are read, presented and adopted. The truth is
that UNCONVENTIONAL pride, and pharisaical pride are
thus gratified, few heather annually obtain smat
teriug of christian history and Calvinistc theology,
whilst vast moral wastes at home are lying utterly
neglected, and far and wide cold and hearess for
malityls spreading III the religious world, choking
the growth of healthy and vvifyng practical chris
tianity which clothes the naked, feeds the hungry
visits the widow and the atherless, and carries the
lamp OF truth amid the dark places at home instead
oastng OF Its missions to the Hottenots and its mu-
nicent provision for the spiritual wants of the poor
dear brothers and sisters" in the Sandwich Islands
The anniversaries Of many OF these societies appear
however, of late years, to be falling off greatly in in
tsrest and attendance. Whether the stereotyped
speeches have ceased to afford sufficient excitement.
or the increase of rival attractions have occasioned
tins, we do not positively know; but probably both
these causes have had no little effect in diminishing
the audiences at the old, cold straight-laced and
strictly religious anniversaries
1henwe have the Temperance and Moral Reform
Societies These, like all moral refolmers 90 TO
WORK with savagely virtuous determination There
mpostvely degree of ferocity on their onslaught
an every thing that smells of vice. They have no
bowels OF compassion at all for poor human nature.
they cannot tolerate the slightest throb of camay
en, according to them, must be forced to be virtu-
ous All vice and immortality are to be eradicated
by acts Of Assembly and of Congress. The whole
community, In fact, is at to be put on Graham
diet, and the cooling regimen is to be enforced with
the utmost ngor of the law. That the sily hypocr
teal and visionary nroactor. Sc Al.
society," should thus seek to make men virtuous by
legislative enactsnents does not surprise us. but we
confess that we have been surprised and painfully
surprised to find many of the leaders of the tenn
psrance cause endeavoring 30 violently to obtain the
and OF the law in their work of reform. II would
have been far better and wiser had these temper.
snce reformers adhered strictly to the policy of the
orglnators OF that great and glorious movement.
Argument-reason--exam ple-persuason- these
are ther appropriate weapons-these are the
only means by which they can conduct that
WORK In future with continued prosperity and
triumph. Social habits, however injurious to
INDIVIDUALS or to the community, are not to be
eradicafed by force of law. Enlightened public
opinion-mld, but persevering effort-the resistess
iorce OF good exampe-these are the great agencies
which slowly, surely, and without violence, accom-
plish great social reforms. But in these peaceful
movements the empty, rantlng raving, furious, hy-
pocriucai reformer has no chance of being seen
OF heard That is quite true-hence the existence of
moral Reform Societes"-hence the violent de-
mand for laws to force men to be sober.
Amongst the most interesting of these anniversary
meetings. are the Conventions" of believers in
everything and believers in nothinQ-the unstable
spirits who are fleeing hther and thither. amid the
sxpanse of thought-the ultras who set their faces
against all the established principles of morals reli-
gion and society. There is a degree of freedom and
boldness In the declarations and opinions of tbese
adventurous philosophers that are very remarkable
IN several aspects Fifteen or twenty wears AFRO.
this unbounded freedom of opinion on all matters
would hardly have been tolerated. The proposal Of
an "lnfidel Convention" would have excited n hur-
ncane Of pous alarm and horror. But now the
widest theories OF sceptica philosophy are pro-
pomded-the most undisguised declarations are
made against the received belief of Christendom.
and yet the religious world does not absolutely
go INTO commissions. Good must come of this
"nen the ultras in religion and philosophy, of all
shades and compilations, and motives, are thus al
lowed iuli play they come out and show themselves
tnen ,ncohsiderable strength, and their inconcev-
ao's iony are at once apparent. But besides, and
sun he public mind is kept awake and
''-'.u :" acuVity. The spirit of free en-
curry difiuses itself far and wide, and all
To boundaries of knowledge are extended-,h.
may sophistries of error detected-and N. a.
minion and power Of the truth made NOR. and
more ample and enduring. The experience ~ no
last ten years, appears to show us that on The bos
sound religon--genuine religon--the religion 70
eaied to man from heaven--simple, peaceful and
pure-has been strengthened and benefited bv ~.
extraordinary freedom with which il ba, b.en
assailsd by the infdelity, the social pbilo.o.
phy, the materlasn and all the ultrasms of the are
There's one feature which presents itself in the an
nVersanes this year which we contemplate with a
pood deal If nx,o,,, "''' :"