The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-06-17


and correct public sentiment. lie who speaks
for truth, for country and for God. no longer
addresses the community in which he resides,
g no pent-up Utica contracts his powers" but
his words almost before the sound thereof has
died away, are caught up and hurried OFF to
every nook of the land Leading minds are
also enabled to act in concert, and thus with
multiplied forces move upon the mass. Should
the Senate House be cursed with demagogues.
ready to act the part of Arnold the traitor, and
to break every national compact, and tear up
all ancient landmarks for the sake of promot-
ing personal ambition, their schemes before the
consummatiOn takes place are made public. and
though they may succeed in obtaining major
ity to aid them in the Senate, in the nation
public sentiment has been aroused which will
sweep them from their political spheres as
chaff is swept by a whrlwind. As long rs there
are public thorOughfares bringing into close
communion the citizens of extreme sections of
the Union. if there is any true patriotism We
need not fear dissolution of the United States.
Though heated partiZans may create tempo
rary excitement, the voice of the free minded
will at last be heard, q correct public opinion
be formed, and the people will rcpudate all po-
ltical aspirants that would array State against
State. and introduce discord among brethren.
The most important aspect ofgrcat thorough
fares remains to be noticed They are invalua-
bic aids in the promotion ofPure and IN
defied religion.
First. They draw the cmigrant popula-
ton to certain localities Bt fore the noun
tans were depressed, and the valleys exalted
and the rough places made plain. the roads
we're so unbrOkcn that the farmer moving in
to new land. was not attracted by the beaten
path, but he branched Off in the direction in
clination prompted. Settlements consequently
were much scattered, and it was difficult for
him who longcd to proclaim the unscarchablc
riches of Jesus Christ TO discover the abiding
places of the lost sheep of Israel. 1t was al
most impossible in the first period of the settle
ment ola new country to pass from house to
house. on account of the impossible state of the
road. But the condition OF aiiairs has chang
cd.
The emigrant population Of the Atlantic and
European states are drawn as if by magnetic
influence along the great iron railway leading
from the Eastern cities of commerce to the re-
hottest West. In this way. made acquainted
with the sections of land in the vicinity, and
knowing the advantages of a railway in finding
a market for produce they settle along the line
of the great inland road, and the labOrer in
Christ's cause, finds the fields white for the har
vest, and numbers in the same ncighborhood to
whom the gospel shall be preached. by these
highways he is enabled to advance along WITH
or before the wave of emigration, and COM
mence turning the wilderness into the garden
of the Lord, before the rank weeds of error hay
taken deep root.
Had the means Of conveyance to this town
not been expeditions, the ministers of Jesus
Christ, would not have been here at the laying
of the foundation stones of our territorial OK
istencc and years would have probably elaps-
ed before so many temples erected to the wor-
ship of the true and living God would have
been visible, or the community reached its
present position in the scale of civilization.
Secondly. They aid religion by proving
antidotes tobigotry. When the wagon drawn
by oxen was the mode Of conveyance to a new
country, but few penetrated the wilds of the
West, except those who had been driven away
from the homestead of their fathers by poverty
or other misfortune.
Far away from all refining influences, they
rapidly dcgenerated. their children debarrcd
the knowledge of the common school, grew
up without education and were sem-barbarous.
The only religious teachers they possessed were
those who came to them because they knew
they were Ignorant and ripe for error, or because
their own ignorance had rendered them unfit for
the exercise of the ministry where there was in
tclligcncc. Under the guidance of these. they
grew up with strong pryjudiccs towards those
who attempted to present the truth in q differ
cnt light, or more polished dress, or wore a
blacker coat The religion they possessed was
tincturcd with the quinteSscncc of bgotry.
Through the influence of railways and steam
carriages, this state OF things has been almost
dissipated.
The very year town starts into existence,
the inhabitants are visited by religious
teachers of various schools of belief. The stu
dent who has been disciplined in the college.
and who has studied the Bible Systematically
as well as he who has hurried from the work
bench into the pulpit, stand side by side.
lie who defends the general teachings of Cal
win, and he who eulogiZcs Wesley appear be-
fore the same audience, perhaps upon the same
Sabbath. 1t will not do for either to show an
improper spirit, or an unwise scctarian zeal.
Men who listen to the herald of salvation In
such circumstances are not won to Christ by a
minister of the gospel deprcciating his fellow
ministers.
They are impenitcnt under dicourscs in which
there is an attempt to prove that none are safe
out of the line ola certain succession, or off of
certain platforms of faith.
They demand that those truths shall be preach
cd which will convince them that Religion
is adapted to expand the mind, and promote
mans highest well being. They became ac
quaintcd with the writings of Fcnclon and
Pascal, Leighton and Taylor, Edwards and Chal-
mcrs, Wesley and Fletcher. and love them not
because of dcnominational pcculiartics, but be-
cause of their likeness to Jesus. The contract
cdncss that in days gone by was manifested in
places that were settled almost exclusively by
Scotch Presbyterians, English Puritans, and
Wesleyan McthodiSts, in this progressive age
will now disappear. and religion will assume IA
higher and more effective, because q more
type.
NATURALIZATION is promoted by the con-
struction of expeditions routes of travel, be-
cause there is a great sauing Of time. The
days that were once lost by a minister in pass
ing from preaching station to preaching sta
tion are saved upon line of railway, or q ii
Yer navigated by regular steamers. lie can
in few hours what once occupied
as many days, and thus he has more time for
study. prayer and meditation.
Under the improved system of travelling a
man, like the eloquent DR.. Duff, can cross the
ocean. and one Sunday hold the attention of
thousands on the Atlantic coast, and on the
next be discoursing to an audience equally in
tcrested far away in the valley of the Missis-
sippi, and ere long divine can pass his third
Sabbath with the future jewellers on the noun
tain tops Of Oregon, and the fourth Sabbath,
address Il congregation on the Pacific coast