The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-06-03
The Anniversaries.

The second week in May annually witnesses
the anniversary meetings in our city of nearly
all the great Religious and Phianthropic asso-
Citations of this country which are sustained by
that large and influential portion of its Christ
ian people, whose faith is substantially express
ed in any of the creeds of Protestant orthodoxy
Baptsts, Episcopalians Methodists, Lutherans,
take part in these meetings, though the more
direct and literal followers of the RefOrmer
Calvin in their two all but nominal divisions
of Presbyterians and orthodox Congregational
lists or Independents, take the lead in them
For Baptists, Episcopalians, Methodists, have
several; anniversaries apart from these, while
Presbyterians and Cougreg ationalists originat-
ed the annual meetings in our city, and, with
more or less aid from other denominations the
societies which hold them. And though Colo
nization, Temperance, Abolition. and other
philanthrop:c enterprises, hold their anniver-
sarles also here simultaneously. yet these must
be regarded as incidental and subsidiary to the
longer established and better supported organ
iZations. whose common object is the diffusion
| ofChristian knowledge and the evangellzation
| Of the world.
These associations are of great value as
proofs of the practicability and efficiency of the
Voluntary System in religion. The Protest
ants in communion with the denominations re-
presented in these Anniversaries, are hardly
half Of the American people. They first tax
themselves heavily TO buiid churches. pay cler-
gymen, and support religious ministrations at
homeland. owing to their minor differences OF
creed. as many as six or eli ght orthodox church
es and ministers are sometimes supported by a
rural township of two thousand inhabitants, all
but five or six families of whom must labor for
their daily brcad-and after this they cOntr-
butte something annually to the support OF the
Bible, Tract or Missionary Societies. The sum
of these contributions, aided by a few legacies,
is not less than two millions per annnm, about
twO-thirds of which is cOnfded to the Societies
which hold their Anniversaries each May in
this city.
These bcnefactions have other beneficial CT
fects besides those contemplated by the donors.
\ The habit of giving in aid OF a great cause, en-
larges the conception and cnnobies the aim OF
the givcr. lie better appreciates generosity
and philanthropy in others who has himself
made what arc termed sacrifices for the cnlig ht-
eminent and blessing of men whom he has never
SEEM and never in this world shall see. So the
nation, whose citizens contribute of their sub
stance to relieve the moral and spiritual dcstl-
tuition of others, will be certain to gain in mo-
raj influence and power by such liberality.
Thus every missionary station on the globe.
sustained by the Christian zeal of any portion
of our citizens, is radiating center OF Amcri-
can IDEAS principles and power. By such
means the Sandwich Islands have already be-
come American in all but the name !; the stag
nation of China, though forty centuries old,
scclus to he yielding to kindred influences ;
while OIL the western coast of Africa the found
ations are being laid Of a Christian Republic,
which, more faithful than our own to the pr!n-
ciplc proclaimed in our Declaration of indie
rendcnuc, shall cause the name OF America TO
be respected in the strongholds of utterly say
age Pa5anisnl, if we do not persist i'll discredlt-
ing it by our own rccrcancy and apo>tacy to
the gospel of Human Libcrty.-.N. Y. Tribune.