The New York herald., 1845-10-21
NEW YORK, TUESDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 2l, ls45.

posing all the subscription lists to be filled up, and
deposit OF one-tenth made Immediately by the sub
scrl0ers, there will be taken from circulation for
TWO or three months or more, nearly 500 millions,
instead OF % millions, supposing that only one
company existed for each of the intended lines
This large drain OF capital must, it is Imagined
have some effect upon the money market Several
more new companies for lines, which will not be
adJudlcated during the present year, are talked Of
SWISS RAILwAYs.-The committee appointed bv
the Swiss Government tor directing the railroads in
that country, has decided upon the execution OF the
following ines VIZ: Bale TO Often, Often to Zurich.
Often TO Lake de Blel, and Often to Lucerne-being
in all A Swiss leagues, and requiring an expend-
ture of $4,000 ,0O0fr.
The New German Reformation.
From London Standard Sept 29)
We have, as our readers must have perceived,
followed with close attention the statements given
by the German newspapers rel tive TO the religious
movement at present agltatlng the land Of Luther ;
and our readers have, we are assured, dwelt upon
those statements with eager curiosity. Let us re-
port progress.
We see a simple priest proceeding from town to
town, and wherever he presents himself whether in
Sesla, the Prusslan Rhenlsh provinces, Hesse Cas-
sci, or Nuremberg, thousands come forth to greet
him. The people crown him with flowers; the mu-
nclpa bodies present him addresses; young men
ask to be allowed to take the horses from his car
rlage; women invoke the blessings of Heaven on
his mlsslon and the cannon itself Is bid to thunder
welcome to the bearer Of the sword of truth The
Protestant and semi Protestant German States are
moved if the voice OF Luther spoke from his
tomb. eThe Roman Catholic States tremble with
Joy and apprehension, as il the moment of their de-
liverance from the thradom of superstition was
come. Austria is not less agitated than Saxony.
All this taken as an outward manifestation is unde-
nlable. Our columns have day after day bore cor
roborative repettions OF the same story. The Jour
nal which announces Monsieur Ronge's arrival at
any given place, accompanies the statement with the
now unvarylng account of his reception with enthu-
siasm, displayed according to whatever NAV be the
Ia ar lafln n The pIa Iooo
the diplomatic communications between Berlin and
Vienna and Dresden, but they are almost authenti-
Gated by speech from the Saxon throne, by the
suppression of proessedy religious clubs by prohi-
bitions to allow churches to be devoted to worship
according to the forms adopted by the German Ca
thollcs, and by M. Ronge's expulse from certain
localities, as from Hesse Cassel.
To the feelings undoubtedly awakened among the
people, to the sensations created least presumed
y, among rulers, we have to add the councils and
reprmands addressed to the Romish clergy by their
superors, imposing upon them reformed conduct,
prudence, .eaching, decorous examples, blameless
living, lest their focks should abandon them totally
Such movement as this, SO widely reaching, so
all embracing, and that at the voice of one man, the
world has not witnessed since the days of Luther
and this movement may well be designated the New
German Reformation.
We have endeavored to present in the strongest
light the popular manifestations attending the leader
IN this movement wheresoever he appears, because,
If properly regarded, they go to dissipate certain
apprehension with which some conscientious per-
sons have allowed themselves to be affected on two
accounts. The first is the presumed ratonalism with
which the German movement is said to be tainted ;
and the second is the uncertainty to the form
which the New Reformation shall take.
To the first fear we oppose the enthusiasm of
Ronges friends. The crowns OF flowers the dis
charges Of musketry, the taking the horses from the
carriage, are those signs which doubtless the pous
mind takes the least pleasure in dwelling upon ; yet
have they their value They exclude the supposition
Of cold calculation; and when they are followed as
q IN rel
and public joining IN worship, the whole show
cheerful, Innocent plous disposition, which, to our
mind, testies to the character OF the movement In
question.
The uncertainty of the form, meaning thereby the
uncertainty as to whether the German Catholics
shall split into number of sects, combine SO as
to form church adopting sound creed, abates
much OF the satisfaction which many good minds
feel at this rising up against the debasing super
stltions OF Rome. Here again we have to oppose
the evidence SO undesgnedly furnished by the re.
ports which we have given from the German Jour
mails. Everywhere the churches belonging to ortho-
dox christians have been freely rendered to the Ger
man catholics and certainly the people who con-
duct themselves with such openness, candor and
simplicity, are not deceivers or hypocrites
That the rulers of the different German States
view the present movement with anxiety, can
not doubt. The speech of the King Of Saxony, as
we have said affords some proof Of that; but he is
pie. Austria, too, must feel alarmed, because the
reformation takes political freedom by the right
hand. Prussia demands constitution, and her
good King does not mean to refuse it, but he thinks
that he ought to proceed carefully Already has the
desire for constitutional government in Prussia been
.aised to high pitch by the religious spirit with
which she is agiated-a spirit which, while it rem
ders the demand Imperative, makes the granting OF
it safe. Now it is in Prussia where raiionalism is
said most to prevail 1t is there that the dislike OF
forms OF Chuich government is strongest and why!
because of the law of 1922, which attempted to do
that which is beyond the power Of any law, namely,
by the application of kind of military regime, to
submit to certain uniform state, the Lutherans and
Cavanlsts, under the name OF one Church. Hence
reaction against forms of Church government, and
hence that mystical language about the vessel, and
the bush, and the spirit, which in some mouths is
very much like infidelty but in others is protest
against the forced coalition apparently effected in
We published lately in the Standard the substance
OF apetltlon from the college OF the University of
Berlin, calling for constitution of the church,
to be settled by delegates from different provinces
That petition respectfully invited the King to put
himself at the head of the movement, and to that
document we once more invite attention, and as its
full bearing might not have been perceived at the
time, we beg to introduce 1t here in connection with
the remarks we are offering. 1t Is as follows:
ssThe present movements are not of an ephemeral
character for they have their basis in the inteectu
al deveopement of the people. That the happiest
consequences should be the result it is only necessa
ry that the state should take these movements under
its own guidance, and thus foster the germ Of good
which they. contain. Two parties are ranged on
opposite Sides The old party takes for its motto
exclusively orthodoxy, and tradition, as the ground
Of faith in the literal sense of the word The other
party, that of the movement, rejects human tradi-
rons, and appeals to the living source Of truth The
majority of the population ncines to the latter par
ty 1t may be that the people cannet see clearly the
end towards which their efforts are tending nor
point out the organization which ought to be given
to the Church; but this they do know-that the prn-
cples of Christian liberty form the basis of their ef
forts The reformation has established the right Of
living and progressive developement, contra dis
tinguished from the beckwardness Of Rome. We
claim for each Christian the right of private judg
lnent. The spirit of God ought not TO be bound by
formulas. II is not the mere vessel to which faith
is consigned which is itself the a-essential, but it
is the spirit Of truth, Of holiness and charity,
nounced by Christ, which constitutes the corner
stone of the Church The persuasion of this truth
has penetrated the conscience of the age in which
we live. Another party would identify the spirit
with the letter. the form with the substance, think
ing that the Church and State depend for safety
onTn the conservatism Of external form atiee II 10