Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-08-05
Correspondence of the Missouri Republican.


Correspondence of the Missouri Republican.
RELIGION IN CALIFoRNIA.-San Francisco,
April 22.-The time has been when religion
was scarce article nthis country It's better now,
and the moral and religious sense of the people
is improving every day. The methodsts have.
their conferences, their circuits their stations,
their preachers and exhorters, all over he coun-
try. The Presbyterians, ever vigiant and in
dustrious, are in all the cities and towns, acquir
ing an influence and swaying the popular feel
ing to great eXtant; and the Baptsts are e.
gully industrious if not so numerous or infuen-
tial The Episcopalians flourish in the cities
where they have able ministers and the hand
soonest churches; and the Catholics are pros
porous at the old missions in San Francisco and
and some other places. The American popu a.
ton complain Of lack talent in this church a.
mong the feathers" The emgrant need not
fear without his accustomed church privileges in
this country. The greater danger is that he
Will leave his religion behind him. There are
several ways leading out of California to the
"great highway" Of which we read in the good
book.
The Methodists, Baptists, Episcopalians,
Presbyterians and Catholics, all have their
lines, which they say connect with the "high-
suitabl cares to accommodate the ''traveler5
to eternity" who start from California. Do
you see those plain looking cars Wonder? That
is the Methodist train. The little noisy, strong
looking locomotive you see there is the "John
Wesley" 1t always starts off with a tremen-
duous load. The road runs meandering up and
down the rivers, across the praires, through the
woods, by all the towns, along all the settle
l,,4 H. e
the mountains and the trains stop at every
place for passengers. The conductors are plain,
practical and energetic men. The passengers
are Jealous and enthuastic When they start
off they give loud, long shout, and you would
think "the kingdom of heaven suffered violence,
and the violent (were about to take it by Storm"
On their banner is inscribed "Relgion in earn
est" and as they pass through the woods, they
make the welkin ring with the sound
"Bright Canaan! bright Canaan!
We are bound for the land Of Canaan"
Yonder is the Baptist depot. Their cars
are stout, the seats uncushioned, the conduc
tors exacting and circumspect and the paSSen-
gers numerous and pous. The train is drawn
by the "Baptisto," Ia Greek work, to immerse. }
1t is surprising how so small locomotive can
take so heavy train over such rough road
They have tunnelled mountains of sin" and
bridged the hollows ''iniquity," but water has
no terrors for them, and hence they plumb
through the "River jordan
''To Cannan's fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie"
But see the7e Do you notice that beautiful
train of cars Wonder, with handsome gothic
windows and velvet cushioned seats? Do you
see the surpilce, the silk gown, and the golden
cross? That is the Episcopal train. That
gorgously amounted and smoothly running To-
connective is "Henry the Eight" 1t sweeps
over the solid 7 rail as if propelled by Fire
sons new "Motor" 1t is the most fashionable
and genteeI train that runs out of California
THE Unitarians are not fairly under weight yet J
They take towards heaven a vast amount of
worldly wisdom, theological learning and pious
gentlity. 1t is supposed that ST. Peter who
has the keys, is of opinion that the passengers
who come in these cars are his relatives and
defendants; albeit he dosen't like the name of
the ocomotive-"Henry the Eighth" in his
opinion, having been great scamp.
The presbyterians, however, are doing the
best business in California. They train the
mind, inculcate inhexible morals, have skilful
engineers, intelligent conductors, and well ar
ranged cars. They run through hostile coun-
~; they come in contact with Sabbath-breakers,
gamblers and drunkards, and pounce on the
Ghosts of SIM everywhere. They are skilful in
a maneuvre, and display superior generalship
in a fight. Their road runs through all the
towns, they have missionaries in all important
places, they have colpteures or runners on the
steamboats,, beating for passengers, and Satan
himself cannot get up an enterprise without
danger Of having Presbyterian after him to
spy out his plans, and to borrow his thunder
But listen those chimes the Catholic train is
about to start. Those old cars look as though
they were made a thousand years ago-anti-
quated, dark, gloomy, rusty, but very stout old
cars. They run full, however. See the crosses
and Latin inscription, and see those SISTERS"
bonnets. The more one looks around here the
more he sees to interest him. The road from
California connects with that old line from
Rome which was started eighteen hundred
years ago. and is supposed to be the most direct
way to Heaven. 1t enters at the front door,
while all the other lines = climb up some other
way" So they say.