The banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, 1846-09-16
The Tendency of the Age.-We are

hdi, VIC ueSne W contribute our mite to-
wards the direction Of public attention,
to characteristic of the age, that is as
remarkable as it is manifest, and that is,
its doecmacard tendency. And strong
indication of this fact, is the almost uni
versal admission, that whilst the church,
on the one hand, taking into considera,
tlon all the protestant denominations of
the country, are generally in state of
cold indifference, not to say worse of its
situation; the world, on the other hand,
is peculiarly alive to all that is earthly
and sensual, and of nature that is con,
trary to the dictates of vital godliness.
What we see remarkable in this, is its
manifest Inconsistency soith the great chrii-
stan lights and privilegcs OF the age. We
admit, in Physics, the truth of the senti-
ment, that "'tis distance lends enchant-
men, to the view" and its truth, also
in part, in reference to the face of society
But we think the proposition will not be
controverted, that our improvement and
advancement in virtue and morality and
in the christian character, have not been
in proportion to our privileges in these
regards. Has not enough been learned
Of the christian qualifications to teach
US, that true piesy is promoted much
more efectually by not protesting reli-
gion a, all, than confessing it, and yet
living inconsistent with its requirements
and dictates? Has not the church
learned perfectly we'll, by this time, that
it only makes itself a stumbling block in
the way of the ungodly and the sinner,
when it holds out professions to the world
only to be disregarded and trampelIed
under foot2 Christians! to your posts.
Be what you should, and let the world.
see it. No longer give ground in your
lives for that fatal argument, that there
is no reality in the religion of the church
except its profession. 1t is only by chri-
stians living as they should live, that in
fidelity is to be rooted out of the world,
and the onward tide of corruption and
immortality of every grade and species
is to be stopped.
That the tendency of the times is
dovnaoard, is manifest from the DISPOSE
tion, every where, to follow the disgust
ing fashions Of the day. and the growing
disregard for religion and religious ordi-
nances. When have the black cata-
logoues of crime been more full in the
history of our country than at the pre-
sent time? Murders, suicides and rob-
berries are of daily occurrence through
out the land 1t seems that the flood
gates of vice have been lifted up, and
iniquity as deluge is covering the
land. In our cities, theatres, cir
cuses and all the catch-penny exhibitions
of the day are becoming places of popu-
lar resort; and the press, too, is using its
influence to encourage these establish
ments over whose doors in flaming cha
racters should be written, "This is the
way to ruin" In what particular arc
they, to say nothing, of the Sodoms of
Europe; behind the cities of the plain {:
which for their wickedness were blotted
from the carth2 And can the laws of
insulted heaven be broken now with i'm
punity? Too true is it. that the tenden-
cy of the age is downward. The man
of God, with the eloquence of an angel
now raises his warning voice in vain
Heaven looks down with astonishment
and tears, upon the deep depravity of
man, whilst hell and her host, send
shouts of rejoicing through all those
uloomy relmS We'll rna, ,,,a ovcl,;,,