American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-10-04
from the N. Y, True Sun,

From the N. Y. True SUM-
The WORLDS CoNvENTIoN-!SociaI Reform.
About one hundred and fifty persons assembled
on Wednesday morning at the Lecture Room
OF the Mercantile Library Association, to con-
slider some of the propositions to be made to
them by Robert Owen. Among them were a
bout thirty ladies, who appeared to take deep
interest in the proceedings. Mr.. Owen made
very impressive address to the Convention,
and his venerable appearance and urgent en-
torcement of his views, could not but deeply
impress all who listened to him with tho CON
vlction OF his sincerity. A large number of fine
looking men was present. and the remarks Of
the speaker received = constant succession of
applause.
Now, although we differ entirely from Mr.
Owen, and have lived long enough to see his
attempts to reduce his principles to practice an
entire failure, yet, as the advocates and friends
of truth and impartiality, we cannot but ex-
press our personal respect for man who has
devoted HIS life and fortune to the peaceful
dissemination of certainly ,csH intended the
ory.
If those who profess Christianity, and are
loudest in it's support, were to initiate moro
closely the disinterestedness and humanity of
Mr. Owen, they would make more converts,
and do more good. But it is melancholy fact,
that even in Christian communities, there is
such wide difference between precept and
practice; such a gross inconsst ency in tho
creeds and conduct of men, that many minds
and many strong minds-revolt at what
they deem to be fraud and impiety of the mean
est kind
Nothing has done more to increase in fidelity
in our own day, than the course of those per-
sons who are the visible pillars in the outward
court of the Christian people.
Let, for, example, poor man, who is in
want and misery, pass by the costly dwellings
of the metropolitan clergy; let him enter them,
of extravaganza; let him know that they re-
ceive enormous salaries, sometimes amounting
to five or six thousand dollars yer, and that
their duties consist in delivering two short SER
mons a week, and in the administration of the
rights of baptism, marriage, and of burial, and
they will almost as matter of course inquire
whether all this is in conformity with the geg-
pei which they teach, or the example of the
Head of the Church himself The infereAces
in all these cases are unfavorable to religion
and its followers, and feeling of discomfort
takes possession of many an honest mind.
But when the same observer knows that
these well paid and well fed public teachers
are sometimes very far from being blameless in
their lives, and would sometimes, for the sake
of their order, protect even the most guilty,
the feeling of discomfort becomes one of dis
gust and dsaffection.
1t is under these and similar circumstances
that men are ready to listen to any new theory
which is offered for their acceptance, that they
rally upon some new principle, even upon inf
deity ITSELF fit holds out the least prospect of a
change. The agitations in the public mind are
increased by the apparently bad working OF the
old systems Of belief, and when even the most
attached of their friends, when even the most
devoted advocates of Christianity admit the
necessity of reform, when the wisest and best
ask for notifications of the legal codes which
press upon the poor and unfortunate, which
arm wealth with accommodating power, and
crush industry even in its most vigorous efforts
it must be admitted that the body polite has
arrived at state when full and free discussion
will take place.
Look through this great city and see how
men wrong and hate and Cypress each other,
how upstart wealth and heartess vanity drive
through the flying crowd, see how much want,
how much suffering, how much crime, prevails
Where is the bond of fellowship, where the in
husnce of humanity, where even the unchang-
inc tic of affection? Few, indeed, are the in
stances where they present themselves TO the
eve of even the closest observer
But here we pause. MIR. Ovens plan and
NJ Fourier's project can never, in our Judgment
effect any change. If the pure and excellent,
and heaven-sent doctrines of the new Iesta'
ment cannot reform mankind, no precepts weak
Nv distilled from them can. The most confirm
ed unbcliever cannot object to the code o
Christian morals, left US by our Saviour, mol
deny the purity of his example. No record sa
cred or profane has ever exhibited the least sha'
dow on his spotless fame. In the works of ma
ture around us, in our hearts, where there Il
ever seated conviction of truth, and with {
conscience that tells us when we err, we have
natural lights to guide us: in our own mortali
tv, in our certain passage to the grave, we have
the strongest inducements to consider what man
ner of men we ought to be. Revelation ant
Nature harmoniously combine to teach us ou
dutv to ourselves and our neghbors, and yet W.
will not be taught.
We see in none of the Social Retormsa cure
for the ills of life; we do not believe mat pJ
bringing men into parallellograms or phaianxes
their natures will be changed. The passions
men will control their conduct, no matter where
they may be placed.
The result of the whole matter in our mlnt
is this, that much of the evil of the world |:
owing to the bad examples of Christians them
selves; that human nature, while 1t possesse
many noble qualities, possesses many that arr
base and wicked; that the evils Of life flow Chief
", if not entirely from our own misconduct, an'
that there must be another world where tn
sorrows of this may be healed, where faith, ant
virtue, aud charity, shall triumph. Christian
tv has made the civilized world what it is, ant
n