New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-09-12
Social Christianity No. IL.

praciicabiiv and success lie tells of ike scheme
which some indiyiiualS tried but failed 70 put n
operation. few years S-nce. | should TANK u
sufficient reason Tor The failure n no other nal oeen
Sven that they attempted 20 realize u by the GO
CDcrat on OF Leading c.erGymcn.' staining. my sea-
20 Is certain UDMeatoneC relation 20 tnt clergy, l.
btscems not ne 70 SPEAK III of them. Yet. while A.
a. body, mace Up az men Of noble md >eitcenvng
spirit. ready % lend a hand 20 every good WORK. Il
cannot be denied that they are Oxen too closely
welded 20 their peculiar tosmas-t0o much Ike 4
certain mouse N0f or which. born and brought NJ
IN close granary was completely astountot one
Jay. on peerng through chInk. 10 ant cutie guam
tiry OF space outside his tOmc Thanks also % he
aisrm-leu. rurg bv Archbishop Hughes and 20 the
leading artc.eS II his co4t'uforS, The NGr-Nork
Hcrrif ard Nrr- 1T Ctesrrfr the Clergy are on the
alert. ana smell N every such movement LarA talni
of Socialism. The fat l.. n such an organization
ever exists. It must start on - own footing. And
must Sprnc. Is al such great movements 90. nom
the place where tie ant tNl>>-irOm ile hearts OF
the people. Men must rl>e up from the people
men. Who 6arlng 70 breathe IN the radical spin, OF
Christ shall be able - apply That spirit 20 The rcgl
Gus and physical wants, which Others feel but hardly
express, and who shall 90 forth a> ml>Slonanes az
home, declaring he Kingdom OF Heaven Al hand
Your correspondent, moreover. questions the
truth OF nv sentiment. that there m our country
ten thousand hearts yearnlng fOr higher develop
meut OF the Kingdom OF Christ" | meant not BY
THIS statement that 80 many were anxious or ready
10 ON IN new Christian organization. Men Tee!
the need of something they nave not. though. as
vet. unconscious Of the nature OF this need and
whittier II tends. THIS need manifeStS itself without
the Church m that unea>lneSS and discomfort Which,
~ Srte of our material prosperity. i RE IN the
community IL man tests Itself within the church
IN ihe growing Consciousness OF all CHRISTIANS,
whose eyes and hearts are open 10 the signs ana
forces of the times that Christianity = not dong all
her work. Sire claims 10 be. and history declares
she has been, ana every earnest CHRISTIAN ieeS she
must e. TIE chief and rantest agency IN upralslng
ard lettering mankind And yet the fact cannot be
cloaked thar modern civilization has IN great de-
gree estrangcd iseif from her. In ali It's vast pro-
ect> and energies. II rarely asks for her confidence
and council ami feels little OF her influence. Hence
there has grown up mthe church consciousness,
which has scarcely vet found fuil expression that
Christianity must soon answer the question whether
she Will be spurnod ard cast of as used and use
less mistress Will. like noble wife long eStranged
from man. win back ms favor by the deyoiedneSS
and selsacnfce OF her love, and be the priced con-
sort of his manhood. she was the FIRST love " MS
youth.
A. many persons deny that modern society has de-
velopeG any bew relations. or called torth any new
wants which Christianity IN the old form is unable
to meet propose to set forth few thoughts on the
SUBJECT The thinking student of history is often
struck by the strong and wholesome influence which
the Church # the middle ages, with all rs corrup-
tons, welded upon AL the relations OF Socety-upon
the State. the School and the Family lttaught bar
baIouS Barons 10 feel The supremacy OF Divine law
II hello out IL hand & raise up the o"ntroiden
vaSSal. II opened asylumS 20 the oppressed, and
gave bountliully of lis treasures to the needy 1t
founded religious orders to mlnSterto the neglected
II met every man, with It's mniStenng hand AZ ms
BIRTH al the marriage altar, At the cCmnunion-tabe,
al his death. I'm short, II brought Itself INTO relation
with he individual az every important turn OF ms
hie and with society 1t every exlgency. Hence It's
mighty energy and success, IN training and ennoOhg
the savage hOrde> of Europe In the early history OF
our country. the Puritan Church imaking all
deductions for Blue Laws, salem Ntchcrats,
and Quaker porSecunonS) had IKE dlrect ana
whole some influence upon all the relations
of society So that man could hardly nave liyed IN
\.u En- 40
religious IDEAS. and acting from religious motives.
But now the tendency OF things is eNac'Iy the re-
verse-to educate men without religious influences
use the word educate, here, IN It's Droalest sense
that of dr0lr1ug ont and developing the man. such
an education depends not on the number OF books one
has learned by heart but upon the loving and active
relations IN which he stands 10 the family the scno0l,
the community and the state In times past the
family was the strongest means of religious educa'
uun The father was the priest OF the family the
SCRIPTURES were read and explained daily, the fire.
SIDE circle was focus of religious interest ana con
yersation. Now the father Is often dlStanced IN IN
teihgence by hls children in their teens the charm
of the nrcslue has been stolen by the public meeting
and tie society hall. 10 religious Instruction at all
Is GIVEN IN The greater par of families. and IN the
rest only a sIuat erng of dogma and catechism In
the public school seCtaran jealousy SHUTS out an re-
HplOus education, and the sunday scnOol dduS ltue
more than fresh dose of caiechl.In In the cOmmu-
plty the Church concerns itself with the spiritual AMI
the future interests OF these men. and even OF only
portion Of the whole number. BY the separation Of
neSs has gained o freedom ana the Ony rene OF
their old conncctlOD the oath. seems 10 have lost ITS
vitality. Men may now be born, marry, vote, hOd
Office make laws, Judge IN court ana dle, ana
scarcely be brought IN contact with a rehgOus nnu-
ence from the state. Now II would be as useless as
II Is absurd 10 Quarrel with those Observation-Disclosures
which nave thus reyolutionZed the INSTITUTIONS OF
soctty-Wllh the common school, the newspaper,
and the ballot BOX. with the counter ana the machine
shop We only say that these and other means have
completely changed the relations OF men TO one
an Oiher and that those organized forms OF 'hrlS-
tlanlty which were suited 10 give men religious
ucaon in The old relations are, utterly unSuitedto
The new Christianity therefore must either lose
lis hold upon the great masses or must brng 10 pear
upon them som. new development and application oil
he sprt and Truth OF Chnst
cni tho social and material side the new wants
produced by modern civilization are quite as obs ious
suppose the most perfect society "Ould De thal ~
which every INDIVIDUAL j. most dependent upon ana
takGS the most active interest IN the acu'lty anu
highest welfare of every other and OF society as
wno.e Now. the tendency OF modern cIVihzaIoh'
with rs division Of labor IN the workshop ana us
competition OF puces IN the market WINE u mas III
yersifec the relations Of men 70 one another, mas
heeu also "a st them m AntagOnlsm to one anOlher
H. feeling and interests. The few, VINO nave been
favored by wealth. fortune or cunning, become ncn
and honorable, ana IN great degree independent ana
needless OF others save 50 lar as may De necessary
10 gam their own revenues or hOnOfs. ne many,
crushed ty poverty and ignorance or lIo"Heu upon
Nv fortune, are thus completely Isolated ron the So
ton OF servants and hlrelngs 10 employers. Hence
result numberleSs evils az the two opposite poles oil
society The rich. Oh the one hand, ireed rom ne
ces,ary dcpenCeuce upon the poor and from me ne
ce>.y oi acting for the good Of others irter away
their wealth and time and demoralize themselves
bk dissipation and frivolous pleasures me poor,
on the other hand. bound 20 the uch Only Dy the
Lavish necessity Of worklng;o wages, ana depraVed
byyriOuS associations, exc og scanty uFelhOOd Oy
lqroDle toll and BRING up their families 10 oe3gary
and wee II Is startling fact, YET one tnat forces
Itself upon the mind OF every observer that the TWO
strongest principles that now hold society together
n. me thirst for m0ny and tie necessity for Dre1d
Need We say that such a state Of society IN a race
which has one common OrgIn from GO1-One com
r,.,,r rtrht of oNufrshIp il Gods earth-a common
Possibility Of redemption IN one thrsi, - unchrls
TAN and heathenlsh-nay, that II Is eafIhly sehsua
and deylllsh f ,-h-,..,
Now II has always been characteristic OF ,hrisu-
nif, and one Of the strongest proofs OF us DIVINE
ness al every AeWly-arlslng want ana eXlSehcy oi
,,rttrd IN reveal itself In a FORM and shO" torth
InIeht AMI a majesty equal 10 the occasion Ana
nall She fa.l man now, n the time o! Ms greatest
t,srn. rFI TOR