The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-05-08
Tn. Church Essential 10 the Reputable.

Missionary Socity, was preached last evening in Dr.
Coxs church, in Brooklyn, by the Rev. Edw N. Kirk
of Boston. "The church essential to the republic"
formed the topic, and the text taken from Mat
thew 9th chapter, and 18th Ye are the salt OF
the EARTH &c.
The reverend gentleman commenced his discourse
by stating that God has ordained the State the family
and tho church to be the most important institutions
in human society According to his wise counsels he
has given to the church its peculiar functions, and
certain degree of Importance yet men sometimes
think that it depends themselves what this impor
tance influence should be 1t may be well to remind
those who think In this way that this influence
the will Of the Creator The ignorance scepti-
cism of men would alter annihilate this influence
which Is conservative power man, but they
not do it and 1t Is to illustrate this pow
which is the object of the present exercise He
and the Church. and said that the first embraces the
smallest parts into which the nation is divided the
republic comprehends all the citizens fur relates
their judicial executive and magisterial functions
and the Christian church for the purpose of
ing the worship of God and for extending his kingdom
throughout the world Many imagine that the found
ers of this republic solved the question of the relation
between the Church and State. We have, indeed, in
two three instances. done So The pilgrim fathers,
considered that the Church was not the common
wealth, argument which has produced disastrous
results. Our revolutionary fathers chose diff
ferent course making the Church and State diff
ferent empires occupy the territories but not
to know each others existence. The time appears to
be approaching when discussion will be necessary to
ascertain the foundations and the boundaries Of each
In this argument he said he intended to make CON-
parison of those organizations and to remind his
hearers that the church founded previously to the
State and that the republic its efficiency to Chris
tianty The nature Of has yet baed all power of
his research The speaker then depicted man with
religion and without it, and said that paganism exats
the individual but not the soul Its objects are deter
mined by human authority and depend on the acct
dent Of birth-for man born under pagan insttu-
tons would believe in pagansm In the same way the
Papacy exas the hierarchy but Christianity places the
soul of man before God Republics modelled by Chris
anity, exat the man, but only in his political rights
but political system it does not come be-
tween God and him. 1t protects his property and
his liberty and watches his tomb after he is
dead; but to the departing it is ght-it offers
word of hope Some twenty millions Of the huma n
race now occupy this domain of and for seventy
years our political system been growing in impor
lance. 1t is now extending its influence over oil Eu-
rope and many of those who were opposed to 1t fall
ing that in fact at the present time, this Is the
most envied nation in the world 1t is natural that
the oppressed Of Europe should look to
the best system and know that 1t Is favorable to
the highest condition of nknd France is free,
but not hopeful she is sick at heart The present
condition Of own country as acknowledged by po-
Htca men, shows that civil freedom and popular 60
vernments but negative good. Is there any sell
fish spirit among us! Is there any departure from
our primitive greatness =? Are all statesmen
socitous to strengthen the State injure it!
This argument he would not 80 into further than
to show that the republic needs the of the church
for those interests of which the State takes
And this brings him to the next point, which Is
the interests of families The State will provide against
oppression, and government will provide protection for
life liberty and property but the State is divided into
families within whose peaceful circles spent the
most interesting portions of life. Whatever elevates
them elevates the nation, and to affirm that
but from the church the great body of the families will
be able to realize the end Of institutions. Let
those who question this, enquire into the trans
planted English families. Nay, more, If you have
not the church, the next best thing, it will be
said, is philosophy, infdel, of course, because it
must come in by banishing the church, which has not
stopped short of denouncng christianity. He aludes
not to the German philosophy but that of the English
without the church, but school will be religious
when religious to control it. would be the
power Mr. Kirk then referred to the influence Of the
church the State ITSELF and said that country
afforded strong confirmation of the good results Of
christianity this The State of Illinois barba-
enough to repudiate her debt; but the very men
who voted for taxation to discharge it, control
the of that part of the United States and
the tendency of the country is not downwards,
but upwards. The Spanish and the French came
and settled here; but what marks have they left
ed here There are, he said, but two advancing
nations in this Hemisphere and they are Teutonic.-
formed itself into independent nations but what has
become of Spanish America Of Spain herself Where
France with her three doubtful revolutions! From
the day Of first revolution, have risen to the
highest position in the scale Of nations and have been
the schoomaster to the world Our revolution, in its
wonderful character and wonderful results. shakes
the European continent and will shake 1t until every
government shall be the defe and not the oppres
ser of its citizens Mr. Kirk then read from the London
Chronicle article the excellence of American in
stituions which has already appeared in the Herald
and also extract from DeTocQucvilles book Amer
Mr. Kirk let the tauntings of older nations
cease. They must We have history ond
past well other nations 1t is to the principles of
religion which guided foreathers, and not to
military resources that all the happiness
joy free people and religion Is the secret of po
ltical institutions We do not owe 1t to peculiar
form of government for other nations have copied
institutions and failed They cannot ascribe their fail
ure to the want of example, for we first plunged into
revolution We differ I'M no respect hut in the RELIGIOUS
character Of fathers their first settlement here
The Others are papa countries-we are a protestant
,,1o hn1.
gorics and this is destruction of individuality and
is folly for Roman Catholic countries attempt self
government. She can live under a free cover nment
when it has been formed for them by others 1t is
other fact too, that protestant nations have higher
moral tone than any others; and If effects can
be traced to their cause, trace peculiar his
tory to our peculiar religion. Let point to
institutions to our Washington and say there
the solution. 1t is to religious character
to God the effect of transition from colonial serv
tude to national independence De Tocquevillc Of
the most impartial Of travellers, does not doubt it,
Persons from foreign countries ask how law here
be powerful without any physical power and for
answer point them to our habits-we can show
men weekly to bow down and honor God, the rich man
and the poor meeting together before their COM
mon bencfactor, all learning the same lessons and
trusting the promises of Gods word There is not
a department of State in which the conservative
power Of the church is not felt. The influence
Of the religious press the teachings of the sacred w
tings in the church, and other inhuences-all these
give strength to ALL restrain the lust Of power tend to
keep the passions of men in check and thus facilitate
then spoke Of the evils which exist here and said they
must be remcdicd. and the remedy must be personal
and spiritual. There thousands cmigratng to the
West where they have little leisure for reading the
word Of God and where much Of the preaching is
hurtful than beneficial Our population is increasing.
territory is increasing. We have got Texas and
are looking for part Of Mexico, and If you in
the arteries of the country. you must also in
the heart There is indication Of danger and
II seemed to him that christianity atheism must be
the controlling religion in this country In
quence Of scarcity of room we obliged to condense
the remainder of the gentlemans remarks to much
greater degree than have the preceding, and
cude by saying that Mr.. Kirk dilated very forcbly
at length the necessity of providing the
Of religious instruction in every part Of the country
church must be erected In every district He spoke
ut length on the feasibility of doing IT, and the
ner in which 1t could be done.
Annual Evangelical Anniversaries.
The first Of these important meetings took place last
night in the Rev. Dr. Potts Church, University Place.