New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-30

tho, 10 one to whouwe were all vastly indebted
tn Chi; orher Columbus the daring Ccnnese naEsa-
tor who discovered the New World. In hrs own
native Genoa and other quarters in which ne sought
aid to carry out his great designs he was looked upon
.s mere visionary geographer. Through the aid, how
ever isabella wife of Ferdinand Of Spain, he was en-
abe TO prosecute amid many dangers and vcissitude,
the enterprise that eventuated in the discovery OF this
vas, continent Instead, however, Of being acknowi'
edged as the worlds benefactor through the Machine
tons of his enemies he was brought home in chans and
died almost broken hearted at the injustice OF the
spanish Court Thus, It wa. with Hampden and
SYDNEY, and Lord William Russell So with all
the heroes that participated in the life and death
struggles Of the civil and the Commonwealth from
Cromwell and the regicde judges, down TO the hum
hest soldier Of the Parliamentary army -revled rs
traitors regcides in those daysheir ashes dragged
from the grave be scattered in the winds they
row regarded almost universally as heroes. Who thst
perceived the influence OF our steam marine would
believe that John Fitch, the father Of steam navga
ton, after having made boat to run upon tie
Delaware at the rate Of eight miles an hour could
obtain carry out bis plans lever Observed
when speaking on his favorite subject that the time
was not far distant when the Mississippi would be
igated almost exclusively by steamboats,, whereupon
lowis crazy Finally, neglect and misfortune pressed
soheavy upon him that he unfortunately argc
y in drink and ended his sad career by punsing into
the Anegany River The lecturer then referred to
the lives of Elisha Whitney the inventor Of the cotton
GIN and De Witt Clinton in illustration Of the general
idea he intended TO convey of neglect, derision,
caurnny &c. attending the lives Of those who subse
ouenty were acknowledged to have largely benefited
the community Allusion in this connection was also
made to the hero martyrs of the time OF Charles H.
and of the early days of the Reformation, all OF whom
suffered much for the truth and for conscience sake
among others 10 Welt John Huss, Jerome OF
Prague Luther, Baxter, and Bunyan. II was proper,
observed the lecturer, to notice the reception that
philanthrophists with in their attempts to
promote human reform. The abolition Of the African
Slave trade by the British Parliament was one
of the greatest moral reforms OF the century.
Among the most conspicuous IN eiectng the
passage of that measure were Thomas Clarkson,
Granville Sharpe, and the welknown William VIII
berolce-ihe first out of Parliament the two latter in
that body Whilst engaged in this holy work, those
devoted phIan.hropsts subjected themselves TO the
most opposition, and their triumph was only
achieved after twenty years contest for the slave
trade closely entwned aroundt moneyed interest
Of the country. The Duke Of Clarence (aterwnrd
William the Third violently denounced Wherefore
in Parliament as an agstor and denagogue; and even
the pulpts denounced all those who favored the abo-
lition of the slave trade o. fanatics and Methojiss,
and Intermediates 1t was scarcely necessary to refer
to the Temperance movement when it first sprung
up here We all recoected with what aversion it
was received oftenties leading violence and riot
GUS assembeges Those who advocated total abstinence
were put down as fools hair Drained reckless imprac
tcallc fanatics We need not wonder tina. those with
whom we were acquainted seldom appeared great, or
that those who earlessy exposed the abuses of society,"
ecldom were considered wise. Those who set out on
the reformation of society," had to come in contact with
the old habits and feelings of the of the people and
an opposition 10 their teaching presented by
the ignorant the wealthy portion Of the community
New views in morals politics always affected, If car
RED into operation the interests of some class or in
dividual, who consequently trembled for their for
tune or reputation, and in the controversies that
necessarily ensued it was improbable that justice
would be invariably done TO those who advocated re-
formation. The Jews could do justice to the ancient
prophets, but they were not at all DESTROYS OF re-
ceiving favorobly the man who exposed their
trsnscr eesions So we could honor Christ and
his apostles, and the martyrs in science, politics
ard morality, but unfortunately were blind to the
merits of those who were treadng in their
footsteps nowadays. What made the martyr-whst
occaoned the violent death persecution of the great
and the good 1t not that man did not admire alb
stracttruih but that slower to admire truth in
the concrete And what made the heros heutrnate
judgment Of the same world when no longer biased by
interest and passion. Human nature did not become
purer or clearer, but self was no longer III
volyed in the contest. Hence we should learn
selfdistrust and humility, and be careful how de-
nounced those who were engaged in the work of re-
formation the present time. 1t could not be denied
there were many corruptons still in the Church and
in the world even If we could not them, we had
every to think they existed. IL was likely then,
that God in his good and wise providence, would
raise up who will bring those evils TO light but no
doubt their views would at first seem unreasonable
and ncomprehensble just did the ideas of martyr
reformers in former ages We had need then, in view
of the experience Of all prior ages, not to turn
needing to the teachings of those who sought to
correc, abuses lest should be found fighting against
truth. But not to receive every truth because
it unpopular, should reject every truth on
that ground Lethose who stood aloofrom the reforms
ofthe day ponder things and fthey be
living instances Of the inconsistencies expressed Was
there not something significant in the fact that nearly
all the progress the world had made heretofore was
through the works Of those who had been denounced
frnatics and stgmatzed foos. Let men examine
ard if the objections made against modern reform
ers rot almost verbally coincdcn with those ad
vsnced against the ancient resormers Christ and his
apostles put to death but were univer-
sally honored among men; were reformers rcviled,
illuminated oppressed and disgraced for asserting un
popular truths in former days bur the light of their
fame would shine forth from the pages Of future poes
and glow among the records Of coming historian
Tie lecturer concluded his observations with beau.
tful and appropriate quote.on from Polloks Course
Of Time"
Socrates.
TX REV. THOMAS STARR KING.
a. - 1. II II 4