Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1853-10-01
Fashionable Religion.

Why should not religion be fashionable ?--piety,
the distinguished characteristic Of well-bred man?
Is there anything, which our Father requires of
US calculated to lower US in the estimation of
others? to unfit for the duties, or the pleasures
of life May we not enjoy His gifts all the more;
if we observe His laws? Think of this, my young
friend. Think of this, my aged friend.
We are to despise the world. But how Pin
what way? BY undertaking Gods gifts? by
stopping our ears, and scaling eyes against the
revelations of his love? No indeed Next to
ovcr-valuing the world, undertaking it, must be,
and if to Judge of him by his works. and
providences and teachings, will be most offensive
and affronting to him, the t'author Of every
good and perfect gift Is he not reader to give
spiritual gifts, than any earthly parents
are to give good gifts to their children?
What he requires Of US, therefore, is neither to
over-value, nor to under-value the world. If We
under-value it, we dishonor him-if we over-v value
it, ourselves. But he would have value it
Alright. We to let it SO for all it is worth-and
no more. If we do this, however much VIC may
prize it, we shall not gIeve, nor offend our most
merciful Father; nor be the more unwilling to ex-
change the world and all its glories and allure
ments, for something we know to be better. Hav
| ing a Just idea Of the worth of all things below,
but enables US to Judge the better, of their valHe
in comparison with what he tells US cannot be val
ued
That there is such a thing as a fashionable re-
| ligion may as well be acknowledged first as last
Everywhere it is to be found-among the great
and the fashionable, and the well bred, and the
rich and the powerful and for the present. there
seems to be help for it, unless God in his great
mercy should choose to call them forth by his
judgments, and shipwreck them summer sea-
or in some other way bring them to a sense Of
| their helpleSsness and sinfulness.
But there is vast difference between fash
onable religion, and making religion fashionable.
What we would have is not conformity to the
fashion of the day, even in matters of religion,
lest for the same reason that you are Roman Cath
!. olcs here, and Unitarians there, Episcopalans
one day and Presbyterians another, according TO
the fashion of the neighborhood where You i've,
, you might become Jew, or Mussulman, if your
lot were cast among the Rothschilds and Gold
f schmidts, or among the jewellers of the Alahanl-
bra-but fixed and settled belief, attended BY
| correspondent action that 10 man deserves to be
f thought well bred, who is not really and truly 4
christian-whle every man, however humble, OF
poor, or uneducated, if there be no guile in hin
and he is really and truly christian, so far as
are permitted to Judge, by his Weakness and low
! illness and patience, and kindness and love, is
E well-bred manor in ether words, gentleman.
e Let such characteristics as are supposed to dis
tingush the true followers of Christ become fash
r ionable--and why should they not 2-and We shall
: have new type. Of humanity towering over th,
heads OF the multitude everywhere like Saul anon;
It the princes and prophets of Israel Ckristiai
gentlemen, and Christian gfatlsWomeR.