The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-08

yet be model TO Its sisters, both IN this cOun-
try and abroad.
Our Religious Sects-Interesting Facts for the
Historian.
Ifany Ofour readers have over s.me the dispust
which the proceedings of the CT NV peoplerecent-
ly assembled at Hartford hav created In their
minds; if any possess SUFFICE ,ss self control to
lay down the paper calmly, &nd philosophise on
the fact as phenomenon in social history ;the re-
suit will necessarily have been deep feeling of
satisfaction at the consci' Isness ofthe bolndless
liberty enjoyed by the people of these United
States. Here we have hed a parcel Of hnatics
and frebrands congr egsted together in the
heart OF one OF the most moral States of the
Union, Tor the set p npose Of uproosing our re-
ligious belief and casting ridicule' on the faith
to which we 1--WE comfort IN tribulation and
hope in the hour OF idcath. They have not pre-
tended to offer II "a substitute for the book
they revile or t Aecrced they denounce. Their
motto has be sn destruction: and had their
power been as great as their will-had their
intellect equa He'd their malice-it is beyond a
doubt that t aey would have unsettled the con-
vlctlons OF many minds. Fortunately, Heaven
has IN me- icy counteracted their evil designs,
by stampi ng their words with the indeilible
stigma of'uniruth and folly. They carry with
them tn ,ir own refutation, and among reasoning
men wi II only avail to prove their utterers in
sane.
Sti IL, though the intelligent reader will de-.
rive nothing from the reports of the Hartford
Cor lvention beyond a conviction that the fool
pr eponderates over the knave in such men as
arrison, Davis. and Barker, it is an event of
20 slight significance that they and their fell
ows should have been suffered to vituperate in
public conclave, the truths that we hold most
sacred, and the faith that we are taught from
our cradle to cherish as our life. The times are
I not SO far distant when for 1.-THE Of the infdel
language uttered at Hartford, men have been
sacrificed by mobs. or burnt at the stake. In
the compendium Of common law that is daily
quoted in our courts, the crime of profane bias
| phemy is denounced as scarcely less ;heinous
than rape or murder, and judges are enjoned
to visit it with penalty scarcely less rigorous
| Spots are still shown to tn. traveller on our
own coast where our ancestors indicated their
religion by putting to death human beings
whose reading of Saint Matthev was different
| from theirs.
| Now, we may not only deny Saint Matthew's
gospel, and all the other sacred books. but we
may call public meetings in the heart of popu-
lous and intelligent community to give sol.
emn significance to our sentence of infamy on
those who read or believe in the Bible; and
4 oh Z ~ no n a
right-minded that men cannot taste of freedom
without degenerating into icentiousness, the
unrestrained follies Of the Hartford assembly
are really gratifying proof of the liberty we
enjoy, just as rank, luxuriant growth of weeds
IS evidence of a prolific soil. The same in6e-
| pcndence of thought under which their minds
run riot, serves to develope and strengthen the
| germ of manly enterprises and noble aims c
souls Of q higher stamp. We Americans owe
much to its agency. Let US not, in view Of the
tares forget the wheat that it ripsns.
! A curious task indeed will devolve upon the
future historian who shall portray the eligious
sects of this period. Forgotten in great mea-
sure. perhaps-certainly distorted 10y THE re-
fracting medium of time-how few cut Of the
number will be painted in their true cdors
Sincere enthusiasts will be described as shcewd
hypocrites designing knayes as unfortunate
onomaniacs-powerfuls ects as insignificant
stray gatherings as important parties. Still.
amid all the errors which are inevitable in the
performance of such a task. the main truth
our unlimited freedom of ccnscience-will
strike the. historian al every step. Mornons.
Shakers, Fourierites, Perfectionsts, Rappists.
New Harmonyites, and all the other sects of a
like character, repudiate some essential doctrine
of hristianity-profess opinions which the
bulk of our citizens deem hostile to the we'll
being Of society at large and still enjoy nndis-
turbed license to do as they please.
The Mormons deny the New Testament. or,
rather. interpret it as licensing polygamy.
Their high priest has seven wives and some
thing less than forty children. which, as he is in
the prime Of life, promise well for the territory
of Deseret. They believe that Joe Smith, whom
we know only as bold, inscriptions adven-
turer, is entitled to the devout respect and
worship of the world. They establish form of
government for which no model can be found
out of the ancient theocracies. Still. they
thrive and prosper-the flag of the United
States covers them, and in case they were as
sailed the people Of this country would protect
them.
The Shakers, concerning whom we publish
some interesting details in another column de-
part less widely from the beaten track. They
accept the main articles Of our belief but seem
to have adopted the ancient Rabbinical theory,
that the first human creatures were /" anandro-
gyne," or Of both sexes; that the separation of
man and woman was the fruit of SIM and the
necessity of marriage an infrmity which it is
laudable to restrain. Hence their aversion to
the nuptial tie, and its substitutes. They are.
in Short what the monks and nuns were two
centuries ago. in Europe-devotees voluntarily