The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-05-25

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The InHdeI Gatherings Mt Eagle Hall.
MRS. FANNY LEE TOwNsEND's LECTURE On MAN
AND HIS pEsTINY-THE ACTUAL AND IDEAL
THE LAND REFORMERs AND INDUSTRIAL ASSOCl-
ATOMS.
A society Of persons, calling themselves the 'lbe
rails" are in the habit of meeting every Sunday
afternoon, at the Eagle Rooms. corner OF Delaney
and Chystie streets, for tho purpose OF free discus
sion, and the calculation of truth. Yesterday, the
great star of the occasion was Mrs. Fanny Lee
Townsend. distinguished member of the Industrial
Congress who delivered lecture on tho above sub
;ect. in style which certainly free-not 70 say
racy.
Notwithstanding that the seats were gratis, and
the public were invited to attend, at the hour APP
pointed only some two or three dozen men wore
assembled, and the increase during the time did
mot exceed fifty, or thereabouts.
Whether the lady's views and principles be vi
sionary otherwise, there is vast amount of sub.
stantnl reality about her person. 1t would be un-
gallant to say anything of age in such case but
She is about the middle height, apparently an ho-
nest hundred and sixty pounds weights but, withal,
most active and energetic. She attired in
Light coored silk robe, rather short, and opening
ment being short black spencer or visette,
trimmed with lace and reddish rbbon--it was in the
style denominated by ladies' Glow Dress" and her
hair was disposed in graceful girlsh ringlcts.
She was attended on the platform by two or three
members of the society, who, however, did not give
her, will be seen, very unanimous or cordial
support. Her first essay was complete failure.
She proposed to open the exercises with an original
hymn, to be suLg by the audience-or any of them
who could sing-the air being left to their own dis
cretion. The ultra tone Of the composition did not
seem quito palatable to some-rhe principal aspira-
tion expressed being that they might continue to
onlrhten the world
Till priestcraft sinks for ever
Into a Of shame
Having concluded the reading, she announced the
From every vale and mountain top,
From the remotest shore
'Twas all in yain-there was response, and some
two three boldly declared they could not sing, at
which she expressed her surprise, and suggested
they should do as some did at the Opera-if they
could not sing, they might do the pantomime 1t
was Of no use3'twas evident they had no music in
their souls, and the project was abandoned.
The next attcmpt-that of organizing the meet
'ing-was little moro successful:
Brother BERGEN invited to take the chair,
but he declined the honor and moved to the body
of the meeting. Two three brothers successfully
followed his example, until young gentleman,
whose name we understood was Smith, being left
solus on tho platform, CALAMITY came to the rescue.
During this arrangement, Mrs. Townsend bore up
against the difficulties with exceeding good humor.
The committee, sho said, should have had the meet
ing at night, when the hall would have heen
crowded by those who did not dare to come in the
rneigh6ors ~ : : '' e' ''' ''''''
The CHAIRMAN commenced his duties by play
full attack on brother Bergen. 1t was he said, the
subject He thought that, in fact brother B. did
agree with them; he only required little more in
genuousness; he was already three-quarters reason
able, and the other quarter would follow, when he
arrived at years of discretion, laughter)-he meant
full discretion he would then be among the flock
Che was now among the goats) and would not be
ashamed to be seen amongst infdels, rs they
called, " OF men who made god Of their reason"
He then introduced the oratrix formally. We will
not say anything of the enthusiasm.
Mrs. FANNY LEE TOWNSEND then came forward,
and having taken the laudable precaution Of depo-
sitting thermometer the desk, to time herself,
away she went. She observed, firstly, that there
might be some there who ght not be so liberal in
their opinions as she'was She there to express
her own opinions and convictions. She had learned
by experience to be at least true to herself Two
years ago. when in New York, q little pamphlet
(Which she produced) had been handed to her, and
she had preserved it among her choice papers. 1t
was the preamble and constitution of this society
g The Order of Liberals. She then proceeded to
read the preamble, which set forth that the object
free discussion and the elucdaten Of truth. She
therefore, claimed right to express herself freely,
and would do SO.
"we shah see anon that the lady kept her wordn
After stating the subject of the lecture, she con-
tinucd The first principle she wished to impress
on her hearers was that the ideal Of the past was
= the present was, would be, the actual of
the future. Some few centuries ago-few as
compared with the age Of the world, whish,
instead of being some 5000, had been shown by all
geological research to be six times 5000 before
the commencement OF the Mosaic account-there
nation which stood up for its religious faith and
glory-the nation of Judea; it was said to be the
glory and light of all the EARTH especially favored
by Jehoyah and the incense of its sacrifices went up
pleasing in his sight In the midst of this glory there
came ayoice ofone crying in the wilderness: Repent
ye, for the kingdom of God is at hand!' They
all thought no was crazy; they did not understand
how John the Baptist, who was clothed with camels
hair and fed locusts and wild honey, could in all
his eccentrcity, speak Of the downfall Of Judea;
they took little heed of him. and knew not what
he meant. He afterwards told them, there
was one to come after greater than he. This was
simply the doctrine OF progrcss--a doctrine which
no religious cant or sectaranism could in any age,
however dark, refute. The other came. They
might not like the name but, by whatever name
they call him, Jesus eame-and John the Baptist
had said no must decrease, and the one to come
must increase, so they did. John the Baptist
waned, for two dspensations could not exist to-
gether. This was the doctrine of progress which
could understand but those who stood on the noun
tain tops and saw afar off. Feebe and mingled
applause md hisses) This was between one and
two thousand years ago, which was but day
in the history of the world, or, as it is called,
eternity who knew any thng Of eternity but as
an unlimited series of time, in which q thousand
years are but as day To-day is the eternity of
the Jews-we were living cut their eternity, the ideal
past of the jews, the actltl of the present-not
the ground of speculative theology, but of religious
science. The Jewish supersttions hai almost past
away-wc were now at the very last closing up
They would see the seats two thousand years hence
IN all the synagogue as empty as they saw that
hall to-day. Cloud laughter) The present
was the last expiring taper Of lamp, which
was burning in All its glory two thousand
years ago; and the next dispensation Of the
Gentiles would pass away in the Same manner
What was the best mode of refuting errsr! Should
We first empty out all the error and then re- place it
with solid truth! '.What is the chef to the wheel!"
said Jehovah, thousands of years ago; and SO she
said now All the error and humbug of the day
was nothing but gas. Q.aughter) Nothing but gas.
Renewed laughter) The mode was to disseminate
real truth, which, being ponderant, would itself
press out the unpondsrant, and afford more comfort
shan all the Holy Ghosts and churches in christen-
dom. There were many shallow minds which could
not bear these truths, as there were when Jesus
called them tsa Inn Of ,nn ;,