Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-06-10
Religious.
Reported for the Boston Courier.
OUR COUNTRY.

Rev. DR.. Bushnell of Hartford delivered dis
course in behal! of Home Missions, on Sabbath
evening, in Mount Vernon street Church. d.
Bushnell remarked that tie prophet Micahs his
tory afforded good illustration Of the pers in
volved in emigration and the establishment Of
new social life. He is frightened at his lmplety
having stolen from his own mother; but he con-
fesses and is pardoned. She rewards her sons
penitence by converting the restored money into
a molten image, and strollng mendicant LIE.
vite is hired for priest. Religion to him con-
sisted in fine silver gods and priest in regular
succession.
Emigration induces tendency to religious
decline and an approximation towards barbarism
and will sink TO it unless prevented by extraor-
dnary efforts in behalf of education and Bible
religion. These must pass out with emigrants
TO natures wilds, and sustain us till institutions
are established and society assumes character.
Society cannot carry its roots with it in emigra-
ton. We are in danger,of barbarsm FIRST aud
Romanism next; for before we can think it nee.
essary to have Levte for priest, we must 60
back to the state Of the Judges.
He drew somewhat extended picture of the
state of society naturally produced by emigra-
tion-its tendency to decline. He began with
the emigration of Abraham, and showed what
barbarous tribes descended from even such no.
Bile character The Moabites, Ammonites, and
Edomites, the bitter enemies OF Israeli were all
descendants Of Abraham. After the death oil
Joshua, we are three times told there was no
king IN Israel, that ls, no government. Wrongs
were redressed by Lynch law, riot, and assassin
ation Roads were destroyed arts declined-
They were obliged to go to the Philistines to
get an axe sharpened. Religion declined as far.
They placed idols in the house of God as Micah
did. In New England, the fathers were cedars
OF Lebanon, whom God brought over to plant by
the waters of the new world. They were schol-
ars and courters-fellow compatrots of all the
great spirits OF the age. During succeeding
period New England declined, but it is now
growing vigorously from it's roots.
In the West, the tendency to social decline,
from immense emigration, is apparent to ALL
Shall we be able to avoid the perls which threat.
en- The nation from this source? This question,
he said, was to be answered by works, not
speeches The question hangs on what we shall
do. We have it on hand TO struggle up for half a
century, and keep the nation against the down.
ward tendencies Do this, and we pass the crl-
sis. Do this, and our nation will be the most
august on the face of the globe. If we secure
the states east of the Mississippi the work is
done. If we deserve to triumph we shall triumph.
We must civilize politics, and soften political
nnimosities and party feelings. We must en-
courage all means of intercommunication- rail
roads, telegraphs, &c. We must promote edu-
cation, and above all, difuse the sacred Scrip
lures, and provide an educated, faithful ministry,
10 accompany the emigrants into the wilderness.
We must enlist in the cause of Home Missions
as the sublimest work of the age.