New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-09-22
AN AagpnAY IN EUROPE....iII.
NETTING or SWISS PAsroRs-PAUPBR-
IsM-sOCLAi' LAW.
seseial Coussyondsnes Of rbs ~ T. ''''',"
Gysyya. Switzerland. Aug "a. 1855

he society OF SNib a''"
eluded one Of II. annual session' III 'ni' wv
The only interesting feature Of the session "s
a di.cns.ion which took place on the suo)ess ea
PGupsyism, and which at ali events haa the o.
feet to show that the SWISS pastors arc pesis-
ming 10 consider the social problem. MahS o.
them confessed a well. grounded fear Of thN
phenomenon, ard urged upon the Church the
duly Of giving il the most consc entious atten-
tion. Some Of them were disposed to entertain
the Roman Catholic solution Of the question,
which makes the poor legacy of Jesus Christ
TO the Church, bequeathed to It for the very
purpose Of stimulating its grsces. Others
again insisted that even allowing this solst,ee
TO be true We must yet discriminate Sharply
between Poverty and Pauperism; poverty be-
ing. as Understood them, prcyldentlal infic-
tien 10 which every one is more or less liable
in the present state of tn ngs, while PauPerism
denotes a virtual social caste, to which immense
numbers are annually born, and out OF which
they hsve no power ever to rise. No practical
issue was born Of the discussion, but the SUD-
iect was slightly ventilated, aud it may well %
that msny of these good people viii go home
bsunted by a suspicion that Pauperism exists IN
the social Doc Y BY the same tenure as that which
the ulcer enjoys in the material body, that is to
say. as the sign and expression of profound IN
terror disease which thus sollcts an active sceu-
titic medication. .
At any rate one could not but feel interested in
hearing a subject OF such genuine public pin
numbed by these harmless clerical gums and l.
for my OVID part, would have gladly been Swiss
pastor for the nOnce, in order TO have enjoyed 90
good All opportunity for shedding broad gospel
light upon the grandest of human problems. For
the Church-unless her fundamental dogma, WHOM
is the divinity of Jesus Christ, be- falacious-un-
ouestonaby holds the key of all social science.
and cannot believe the day to be Tar distant when
il shall be splendidy applied to the unlocking o.
many my serles which our present iuperlece ~a0
prOnOunces lnscrutable.
The truth of Christ's divinity has been hitherto
found susceptible only OF ecclesiastical uses. IL
has served 10 discriminate the orthodox doctrine q
the Church from all it's ialsihcatons. and IN tins
vay no doubt has powerfully Affected the interests
of spiritual order, the order OF the other world
But within the bounds of the natural world 1t hS
merely served the purpose ol broom 10 sweep
the Church clean of the cObwebs OF heresy ana
the consequence is that we are al very slow 10
conceive of its ever bearing any larger or more gen
erous fruit. But !, for my own part, am per-
suaded differently | am persuaded that whether
we believe or dsbelieve, this great truth IS opera
tive under all our p, tiCal and civil as well as co
clesiastcsl history and forms indeed the primmm
mobile of that immense social agitation when rs
destined never to cease, but only tn grow until thS
law of human fellowship, or of the exact equality
of man with man. becomes finally realized through
out the earth
Now before | say word more, allow me 10 let
ont that nascent pucker which | see contracting
some broad and handsome countenance. The
"TRIRrNE eschews all theology" say Amen To
this with unfeigned goodwill, because have not
the slightest disposition to Interfere with the
| Tribuntian tactics / am not talking theology. 4
have not the least intention to infringe upon any
| disputed theological territory. mere respectiui
! reference to the existence of an orthodox dogma
will certainly not arOn the gods, men, or columns
| OF THE TRIBUNE If indeed should atterward
proceed to vindicate the dogma IN the interests o.
any ecclesiastical corporation under Heaven, then
! grant YOU YOU might complain. But obviously
such is not my process. On the contrary L SOCK
to vacate the truth dogma merely by wrestling
| il out of its ecclesiastical usages, and giving 1t
public or scientific application seek, IN fact, t0
put sheer end to dogmatizng by proving the i'm
| mense practical bearing OF the Christian TACT and
thus commenting il 10 the strictly common sense
| of both believer and nfdel To theologize means
to construct an otiose science of God, or science
which may be packed away in ones memory with
| out any necessary action upon his life The Devil
hmsef is the heatiest patron of that science, and
| | wish that both you and might unlearn all our
| lingering proficiency in it. We shall probably
neither of us ever earn the ducet dlscredt OF q
| D. D. but yet when think Of the fOurlshing con
| dition of Cniyenalism, cannot torbear slight
trepdation in your behalf Can you say the samo
of me Can you fancy any sect this side OF Jor-
dan to which / stand in any similar relation OF
! danger The question answers Itself MY SOLO
chance of dOctOrate depends upon the disappear
ance of all the sects in the unity OF the Church
universal and this unity will be sure to make all
doct0rates disreputable. Is the pucker OUT
| AHOns done.
| / distinctly aver that the proper earthly issue
! of Christianity isl was very near saying Social
| ism But Socialism means the doctrine OF FOu-
! rer or ST Simon. or COmte-means some spe-
efc theory or other in regard to the organization
| Of society And Christianity does not properly
! issue in any doctrine or theory, but only IN life
a regenerate natural life of man. conceive that
! all the socialists proper exhibit fundamental
nisconception of the constitution OF society.
! They all suppose it to be product Of purely nat
ural laws. They suppose society to have always
been latent force in history like stea in water,
or electricity in the atmosphere, and only await
! mg therefore its Fulton or Franklin to put 1t I'D
! proper harness in order TO give forth admirable
| fruits Thus their whole thought becomes alb
sorbcd in the invention of suitable gearing for so
eiety. while the crying want Of the world Is to bo
convinced of the bare possibility Of society Itself.
| Fourier. for example talks Of organizing society
as clibly as you would talk of organizing militia
~ company Bat ihere is he society ickich is TO be
organi:edi The very possibility of human socie-
| ~ yet remains 10 he demonstrated. Society does
not mean mere mass of men of one nativity, liv-
! ing under the same political constitution. Ii does
not mean the French people, or the English peo-
! PIE. or the people of any other nation IL means
| 81. l.s ITI u