The Woodville Republican, and Wilkinson advertiser., 1853-07-05
Religion in California.
OF THE MISSOURI REPUBLICAN,
sLN FRANcIsco. April %

now, and the moral and religious sense Of the
people is improving every day, The Metho-
dsts have their conferences their circuits, their
stations, their preachers and exhorters All over
the country. The Presbyterians, ever vigil
ant and industrious, are in all the cities and
towns acquiring an influence and swaying the
popular feeling to great extent and the
Baptists are equally industrious, if not so nu-
merous or influential. The Episcopalians
flourish in the cities, where they have able
ministers and the handsomest churches; and
the Catholics are prosperous at the old mis-
sions in San Francisco and some other places,
The American population complain Of lack
of talent in this church among the "fathers."
The emigrant need not fear being 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-
way Of holiness :" and each line is furnishing
suitable cars to accommodate the travellers 10
eternity" who start for California.
Do you see those plain-looking cars yonder 7
That is the Methodist train. The little, noisy,
strengthening locomotive you see there is the
"John Wesley" 1t always starts off with a
tremendous load. The road runs meandering
up and down the rivers, across the praries,
through the woods, by all the towns, along all
the settlements, past every hut and to the very
| tops of the mountains, and the train stops at
every place for passengers The conductors
are plain, practical and energetic men. The
passengers are Jealous and enthusiastic. When
they start they give loud long shout and
you would think ''the kingdom of heaven suf-
fered violence and the violent (were about to)
takeit by Storm" On their banner is inscribed
religion in earnest" aud as they pass through
the woods they make the welkin ring with the
song
Bright Canaan, bright Canaan,
We are bound for the land of Canaan"
Yonder is the Baptist depot. Their car
are stout the seats uncushioned, the conduc
tors exacting and circumspect and the pas
sengers numerous and pious. The train is
drawn by the "Baptisto," "a Greek word, "a
immerSe) Iii surprising how so small a To-
comotive can take so heavy train over such
rough road. They have tunneled "moun-
tains Of sin," and bridged the hollows of 'ini-
quity," but water has no terors from them, and
hence they go plump through the ''river Jor'
dan"
"To Canaan's fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie."
But see there do you notice that beauti.
ful train ofcap yoDder, with handsome gothic
windows and velvet cushioned seats Do you
see the snrplice, the silk gown, and the gol
den cross That is the Episcopal train.--
That gorgeously mounted and smoothly run
ming locomotive is Henry the Eighth" i
sweeps over the solid t rail as if propelled by
Ericsson's new "Motor." There is large
sprinkling of lawyers in that train, 1t is The
most fashionable and genteel train that runs
out of California. (The Unitarians are moi
fairly under weigh yet) They take towards
heaven vast amount Of worldly wisdom
theological learning, and pious gentility. i
is supposed that St. Peter, who has the keys
is of opinion that the passengers who come il
these cars are his relatives and descendants
albeit he doesn't like the name Of the locomo
tive "Henry the Eighth" in his opinion hav
ing been a great scamp.
The Presbyterians, however are doing th'
best business in California They train th'
mind inculcate inhexible morals, have skill
full engineers, intelligent conductors, and wei
arranged cars They run through hostile
country; they come in contact with Sabbati
breakers, gamblers, and drunkards, and pounc
on the "hosts of sin" every where. They ar
skillful in maneuvre, and disylay superior gen
eralship in a fight. Their road runs througl
all the towns they have missionaries in al
important places; they have colporteurs
runners on the steamboats, beating for pas
sengers, and Satan himself cannot get up al
enterprise without danger of having Presby
terian after him to spy outhis plans and =
: borrow his thunder.
But listen to those chimes the Cathoi
J train is about to start. Those old cars lool
! as though they were made thousand year
ago-antiquated, dark, gloomy, and rusty
but very stout old cars. They run full, how
ever. See the crosses and Latin inscriptions
and see those SISTERS" bonnets. The NOR
one looks around here, the more he sees :
interest him. The road from California cor
meets with that old line from Rome, whic
was started eighteen hundred years ago, an
is supposed To be the most direct way to Hes
ven. 1t enters at the front door, while all til
other lines "climb up some other way. 5
I they say.
l ~-~-~-~---~-~-~-~-~-~-~~~
- Shdyp.-A shrewd gentleman Of th
Lo..s and orooaa ha,-inu fccasion 10 leay