The New York herald., 1850-12-17

dens; the other peopled the desert with anchorltes
who dispersed the things Of this world, tilled the
cells of the convent and the monastery with noble
spirits, who, for the love Of God, devoted them
selves in every manner to the aid and service OF
their fellow beings, and sent abroad the patient
and alLenduring missionary, to carry light, and
hope, and salvation To benighted world Ihe one
presents vice in beautous forms, and worships It;
the other tears away the silver veil from its hi
deous counteRance, and exposes il in all its deor-
nifty TO the abhorence OF the SOUL The one
bounds all its means, its DESIRES and its fears within
the narrow confines Of the earth; the other has It's
contemplative eye ever fixed in wrapt devotion upon
the great centre and author of the glory OF heaven
Which of the two spirits predomlnate IN TINS, our
age! Is II the spirit OF the Christian or the sprii
of the gentle civilization BY its fruits ye shall
know it. Rise for a moment upon the wings OF
thought, to some sphere above this earth, and look
down with meditative eye upon its busy and
troubled surface. See thence its bosom heaving
and tossing with the lire OF human passions that
burns within IT, See thence the myriads of human
beings clustering thick together, and toiLng-some
for wealth, some tor power, some for staIion some
for glory, some for visionary perfection Of the
race on earth, but nearly all rushing madly on,
with their eyes closed upon futurity, and seeming
never to dream of life TO come, even while they
tremble on its brink. But let US look upon our
land, where peace and plenty reign, where content
ment and happiness should find their homes, where
political and religious freedom should renew the
fabulous glories OF the golden age-and behold
dissension and discomfort overshadowing the ma
country, where moderate toll brings its sweet and
ample rewards, pouring in thousands across the de-
seTt marked by the deaths of their predecessors or
over the waters Of the ocean, to heap up gold on
the banks of the Sacramento, at the risk OF life.
of health of happiness-as if gold were the end of
mans existence. Mr.. McSherry continued, in
strain of great eloquence, to condemn the passion
evinced by both the American and British people,
for the acquisition of wealth, while they neglected
the substantial pursuits Of religion and virtue
He then reviewed the present convulsed state of
society in Europe and insisted that it sprung from
the lessons of false guides and unsound leaders,
who taught their people TO look for their chief
good upon this earth; but, when disappointed n
up the bonds of society, topples thrones into the
dust, and seeks to trample upon the glory of God
himself What q scene of terror and confusion,
said Mr.. McShery, did that distracted continent
the head Of the church an exile-holy, religious
priests driven ANONYMOUSLY from their cloisters-
churches sacked and despoiled, and altars desc
crated-kings and queens flying from their thrones
before the shouts of infurated mobs-minsters
who dared to be honest, slaughtered in their robes
of efce, within the very precincts OF the legisla-
tive halls-the miltary and Populace in daily con.
fiict, flooding the streets of almost every capital
city in Europe with human blood-law order and
religion forgottep and murder, riot and revolution
reignng triumphant the most civilized nations
of the world. "Man will not need to believe in
heavens of bliss hereafter" was the proclamation of
of the leaders of the crusade against society
and God, ,for We will, said they, "make him para
disc on earth" The Lecturer attributed all these
disorders to modern philosophy, which superin-
duced spirit of materialism, that only regarded
wealth as the chief end of mans existence. 1t was
this spirit of materialsm that brought communism,
fouriersm, and all the other perncious systems OF
the day, into existence. The lecturer continued
for nearly two hsurs to address the audience, and
al tho conclusion of his lecture he was loudly
cheered.