Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-09-08
FO,. The Spectat
For the Spectator.
Of Religion as the Great Sentiment
of Life.
BY A. A. Sewers.


BY A. A. Sewers.
1st Cor. 18th, 19th.-If in this ife only '0e
haze hope in Christ, 'ce are OF all men
most miserable.
There is nation in modern times, OF
which it is constantly SAID that it has no
religion, that IN this life only has it hope.
One Is continually assured, not by foreign,
ers alone, but in that very country-l need
not say that l speak of France-that the
people there, have no religion, that the re-
iioious sentiment, has become nearly ex-
tinct among them. Although there is,
doubtless, some exaggeration in the state
ment, as would be very natural in case
so extraordinary, and the rather as the rep
resentation of it comes from people who
are fond of appearing an extraordinary and
wonderful people and of striking the world
with astonishment yet there is SO much
truth in the representation and it is thing
so unbeard of in the history of all nations,
whether Heather, Mohammedan or Chris
tian, that one is naturally led to reflect upon
the problem, which the case presents tor
our consideration. Can nation 60 on
without religion? Can people be devoid a
of every religious hope, without being OF all
people the most miserable? Can human
nature bear such state This is the prob
lem.
1t is the more important to discuss this
question, because the very spectacle OF
such nation has some tendency to un-
hinge the faith the world. The thought
less at least, the young perhaps, who are
generally supposed to feel less than others
the necessity of this great principle, may
be led to say with themselves, is not rell-
zion after all an error, delusion, super
siition, with which mankind will yet be a.
bic to dispense? A part of my reply to
this question, propose to draw especially
from the experience of the young. For
think that instead of this being an age
when men, and the young especially, can
afford to dispense with the aid and guidance
of religion, it is an age which is witnessing
an extraordinary development of sensibility
and is urging the need of piety perhaps
beyond all former ages. The circumstan-
ces, which have led to this development,
arc the diffusion of knowledge, and the new
social relationships introduced by free prin-
ciples. ;.
Can the world then 60 on without reli-
glon? l will not enquire now. whether hui
man governments can go on. But can the
human heart 60 on without religion? Can
all its restless energies, its swelling passions.
its overburthening affections, be borne with
out piety, Can it suffer changes, dlsap-
pointmcnts, bereavements, desolations, los
ses-ay can it satisfactorily bear over
whelming JOY, without religion' Can youth
and manhood and age, can life and death
be passed through, without that great prin-
cipie, which reigns over all periods Of life
which triumphs over death and is enthron-
ed in the Immortality of faith, of virtue, of
truth and of God? -, ,t..
I answer, with confidence that the
lapse Of hundred nations into Atheism
could not shake, that it is not possible; In
the eye of reason and truth, it is not possi-
bic for the world, for the human heart, for
life to 90 on without religion. Religion,
naturally, fairly, rightly considered, is the
great sentiment of life ard this is the point
which | shall endeavor to illustrate.
What mean by saying, that religion is
the great sentiment of life is this-that all
the great and leading states of mind, which
this life originates or occasions in every
rejecting person, demand the sentiment of
religion for their support and safety. Re-
ligion, is considered by many, as something
standing by ITSELF and which man may
take as the companion of his journey or not,
as he pleases; and many persons, some
calmly, some .contemptuously, leave it to
stand aside and by itself, as not worthy their
imitation. But when they thus leave it, |
undertake to say, they do not understand
the great mental pilgrimage on which they
are going. If all The teachings of nature
were Withdrawn. If Revelation were blotted
out, if events did not teach; yet the very
experience Of life, the natural development
of human feeling, the history ofevery mind,
would urge it to embrace religion as an in
dlspensable resort. There is thus, not only
kind of metaphysical necessity in the
very nature of the mind, and moral call.
in all It's situations for religion but there
is wrapped up within the germs of all hu
man experience, of all human feeling, JOY
Gus or sorrowful; there is attending the very
development of all the natural affections
want a need inexpressible, Of the power of
that divine principle.
In youth, that is to say somewhere be.
tween the period Of childhood and man
hood, there is commonly stiking devel-
opmeht Of sensbility aud Imagination
The passions then, if not more powerful
than at any other period, are at any rate
more vivid, because their objects are new;
and they are the most uncomfortable, be-
cause neither reason nor experience have
attained to the maturity necessary 10 mod
crate and restrain them. The young have
not lived long enough to see how direful are
the effects Of unbridled passion, how base
less are the fabricks of ambition, how liable
to disappointment are all the hopes of this
world. And therefore the sensibility of
YOUTH is apt to possess character OF strong
excitement and almost of intoxication. |
never look upon one at such period, whose
quick and ardent feelings mantle in the
cheek at every turn, and flash in the eye
and thrill through the nerves and falter in
the hurried speech, in every conversation
yes and give deeper tokens, in the gather
ing paleness of the countenance, in speech
less silence and the tightening cords Of al
most sufocating motlon-I never look upon
such an cne, all fresh and alive, and yet
unused to the might and mystery of that
power thatia working within them-a being
full of Imagination too, living life, but half
of realities and half of airy dreams; be-
ing, whom thousand things, afterwards 10
be regarded with grayer eye, now move