The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-01-09
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century, and that, too, a century when arts
science and Individual liberty have been widc.e
ly disseminated, Why isit SO When the
mind and body ofsp,an is canfned in3the legal
and religious tenets ofSdespotis govern
ments: religious feelings are governed blythe
toiHof one, not all, and one great cause of scep-
tcsm is the undue restriction of thought on
religious subjects in early life. The conse-
qaence of this often is, that when r,per years
claim greater latitude and independence of
reflection, the mind itself never having been
| habtuated to judge for itself rushes into ex.
travagance of sentiment The notions it had
previously held are early cast off, because
they have been imposed rather than adopted,
and because, neither conviction, nor regard
to consistency, is interested in their retention.
1t is in speculative affairs as in those relating
| to politics;-long submission to tyranny is
followed by licentious outbreaks, not only
f.om the ctiervescence occasoned by feel
ing Of triumph, but from want of skill in the
exercise Of the newly acquired power. as is
strikingly exempiied in both these respects
in the present French government When
the blow at tyranny was struck, counter
one was aimed at religion and behold the re-
sul,;-athcisn and communism rule the lard.
In our own republic, where reason and pru-
dcnce guided the helm, the result was not at
first so dcplorablc. But look at the picture
which it now presents, and review the past
conformity. Mormonism and Socialism at the
| nj III
at the East, stand as The land-nlarks of
Free thought a history of religion mpos.
lures would from q library of itself The
human mind, like straw in the wind, seems
wonderfully susceptible delusi0n and impo-
sition of a subject ofall others, the most i'm
Por,ant both for time and eternity. We are
led TO these remarks by reading of the death
Of FATHER MILLER, SO styled, whose crusade
was the destruction OF worId-bu, the world
still stands and he has been numbered will,
the dead. From the time Of Paine, TO the
advent OF Mormonsm, not even excepting
Matthias impostures, had creduty out blush
ed itself than through the instrumantality of
this man. He, under his new creed in pre-
dieting the end Of the world, and even naming
the day, brought more misery and distress
wherever his doctrines prevailed, than any OF
the numerous fanatics who have at different
periods agitated the world. Under the i'm
precision, that the day named would be the
end of tho world, and that the faithful would
ascend 20 heaven, many distributed their
wealth among their friends and relatives, the
biggest knaves getting the largest portion,
for which the zealots, happy i'll anticipating
the approach Of that day which was to watt
them to everlasting bliss, prepared their as
ccnion robes, and men and women wore
them, waiting patiently for the last trumpet
to sound, and the approach of tie Angel Ga
brlel. The day arrived and the sun rose and
set as beautiful as ever, The earth gave no
signs OF trembling, and The heavens 10 signals
oil dissolution. The creduious fools laid aside
their robes and Miller postponed tho advent
TO distant day, but he came to his end and
not the world. The result OF this fanatclsm
was painful and distressing. Awakening from
the dream folly, many OF his disciples found
themselves reduced to bcggary and want
those who accepted tho transfer Of their pro.
pcrty, fell 10 disposition to restore it when
the prophcsy OF Miller had become falsiiied,
and many still remain anxiously looking 10
the skies for invitation to ascend in which
they still reposc confidence Woman, credu-
Ions woman aided this man, for two-thirds OF
h disciples we're females, of all minds, that
Ut the female is most eXcteai.le on religious
topics, aud IL is well that il is so, for they are
the pillars OF the church; but man, what a
grc.vi"us sin thou hast to answer for pervert-
ing il from its true course. Credulity al
ways was their share from Mother Eve
downwards. This extraordinary man died in
the State OF New York on the 20lh inst, in
the 6Sih year OF his age. lie was native
o! piltsteld Massachusetts, and was cartain
iii the army OF the United States in the late
war with England, and behaved with bravery
nj the battle OF P!at,sburgh. Happy indeed,
were the dclusion to die with him, bnt no,
there are others TO rise up in his place and
continue the farce little longer. Brother
| Hines, or the "AIcssiah Sno,c," or George
! Munday, the haiic<s prophet, mny receive the
| mantci otAliler, and wage war against be-
| i.ei. And ye; while we look with rcgrc,
the dciusions of the past, the present mani
| tests contcmpla,ve picture-M Mormon
ism, which openly endorses depravi,y and
immortality, has located itself in the west and
is daily receiving large access ,ons, from Eu-
rope. Socialism, divided on, the God-head,
| b,u h,,ui.bpI an infi,lol voctipu tr onr stc->c
| lcarianism, Fourierism and the other belle
OF the French atheists are daily growing more
hIdcously distc c-.cl by new accessions OF
crcduous and knovish persons. The crusade
must be preached, tho war of words commcn-
ed, the press and the pulpit must arm or the