The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-07-10

next, Presbytery is On the verge of rum, because
the Baptiss have established another seminary for
boys and girls Jealousy, rivalry, strife, all uE-
charitableness-theses seem to be the leading vir-
tues of the sects, judging from the newspapers.
Meanwhile, thousands all around us are perishing
in hunger, thirst, and nakedness, and ignorance
of Christ and his gospel!
If we go to the pulpit, do we find anything more
consolatory and cheering Alas The same un-
christian spirit which animates the sectarian press,
breathes from the sectarian pulpit. American
preaching has sadly fallen of of late years.
There was period in the history OF the
churches Of this country, when liberal,
vigorous, robust, genuine Christianity, characte-
Ized, to very great extent, the pulpit mlnistra-
tons of all the sects. In this metropolis, some
years ego, not few great men-men whose hearts
had owned the blessed influences of the true faith,
and whose sound heads rejected the puerlllties and
bigotries of a later day-reasoned every Sabbath
with their fellow men on righteousness, tempe-
rance, and judgment to come" with power equal
almost to that of Paul, when Felix trembled before
him, and was fam to dismiss his monitor until
more convenient season. But We fear that 1t Is
not so now. Now, you have, either the one
hand, polished harangues, which drop in honeyed
accents from the lips of the oily preacher, never
once offending the incest taste or woundng the
most tender conscience; or, on the other, you have
fierce phppics directed against rival sect,
Numbered forth with appropriate vehemence, and
reassuring the self-compacent congregation other
sole and inaenable right to the kingdom Of hea-
ven. Meanwhile, thousands, all around US, are
perishng in hunger, thirst, and nakedness and ig-
norance Of Christ and his gospel
R,,t, a nU lin
nto smile of ineilabe dsdain, scctariansm
points to the splendid temples which ornament our
streets and squares, and dares us to doubt its faith
and piety. 1t is true, that our churches do rival
in magnifcence the costly structures which the
heather raised to the gods of Greece and Rome.
All that the architect and all that the builder and
all that the arnfcers IN gold, and IN silver, and in
brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in pur-
pie, In blue, and in fine linen, could do, has
been done, in order to beauty these temples of
modern Christianity. In splendid edifces where
all the propriehes of the sacred theatre are most
scrupulously observed, and seated on luxurious
cushions, covered with the costliest velvet, Wall
street, and Cedar street, and Union Square, and
Astor Place, every Sunday utter, with no vulgar
pebelan vehemence, but in soft and arist9cratic
accents, their responses to the ritual of the
fashionable expounder of that genteel Presbyte-
ranism which has driven the horrid, shocking,
coarse, startling, disturbing system Of Knox and
Luther from the field Silks and satins rustic
bravey in those aristocrac aisles. Delicious
music occasionally falls gently on the ear. No
vulgar creature dare obtrude itself into the sanc,u
airy of Mammon. All is hushed into dreamy re-
pose and poor, frail, erring, sinful, blind hui
manity, comes away Enreproved, unmoved, unre
pentant; but charmed, delighted, satisfied, dead to
all danger, again to mingle with the world, and
gather fresh foulness in Its turbd stream. All!
yes, we have magnificent churches! Meanwhile,
thousands all around us are perishing IN hunger,
thirst, and nakedness, and ignorance Of Christ and
his gospel
But the truth is not left without witness De-
spite OF the sectarianlsm, cant, and pride Of so
many protesting Christians, the gospel of peace
and charity is making progress in the world. Sci
ence is every day exploding false views, which had
cast discrcdt on the sacred scriptures. The inlu-
entail secular press Of the land exhibits profound
veneration for Chrstianity-that is the Christian
iy which was taught by precept and example on the
shores Of Galee and the streets of the Holy City,
the Christianity which feeds the hungry, clothes
the naked, visits the widow and the fatherless in
their sllliction-the Christianity which seeks to
emancpate men from error and vice, and incul-
Gates The lesson Of universal love and brotherhood
More, the independent secular press is gradually
breaking down the influence of mere ecclesiastc
systems and organizations. Christ and his Cos
pei, and not the church, ought to be the teacher
and the guide Of all men and let all good men
labor and pray for the day when that teacher and
that guide will sway the hearts and consciences of
the whole human family. Then sectarianisu,
cant, and pride, will disappear, and thousands all
around us will not be found pershing in hunger,
thirst and nakedness, and ignorance of Christ and
his gospel
The UNITED STATES Navy AND THE TRorBLrs