American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-06-14
RashiOnablcl Religion.

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True Flag. .shafiri e III
Fashionable Religion.
In high, ariStocratic quarters, hypocrisy
has It's vantage ground. In 'rhe best So
cicty" religion is popularjy and devotional
exercises are essential as contrasts TO opera
lnights and ballroom festivities. A pew. in
church, is an element Of respectability akin
to resplendent equipage or a service Of
plate. Unique crucifofm churches are alb
solute necessities to aristocratic devotion;
and to this end human ingenuity is toriur-
ed to achieve a medieval atrocity Of da-
bolical;uginess and miraculous 'ihcouven-
ience Close upon the conservation this
offspring of a nightmare, comes public
auction, where the rightto worship God in
a conspicuous Situation is knocked down to
the hig hest bidder at SO much per cubic
foot. The election of a pastor is aswork
of great responsibility and accompanied
withintense, excitement, The consrega-
tional meeting is called. Two or three
deluded individuals suggest the propriety
of choosing man of eminent ntpicty,which
meets with no favor, and the mover is pro!
nounced an "old fogy." The seuseo Of the
meeting (meetings are often devoid of the
article approves OF an eloquent satirist,
who has reputation for saying exceed
ingly uncharitable things in avery quiet
way, about sister denominations. Under
the guardianship of this shepherd, the
church commences operations. a. trial Of
the organ is the next imperative. demand,
and, by the aid of the tigurantes OF the
opera, a concert leads off tie attack upon
tie strong hold of Satan.
1t is moi impossible, in view of the ad-
vancing enlightenment of the age, that we
may yet chronicle disappearance of installa
ton services, and, in their place, diiate up
on the graceful waltzing of Miss - - at
the Rev. Mr. ----'s inauguration ball.
Here follow weeks Of animated discussion
with regard to pew furniture. Knots of
jewolled dowagers meet in the aisles or yes
tibules, to Interchange views in respect to
what color of velvet for prayer-book bind
ing, the light streaming through the stain
ed glass window, would cnhancein its eff
feet On the Sabbath morning, flashing
carriages roll up before tie church door,
and set down their loads Of richly dressed
ladies. 1t seems to be impossible for a
young lady 10 get into pew without pet
forming the Jenny Lind trot; and, as pew
backs are usually high and angular, they
doinot exactly accommodate themselvcsto
the skillful execution of that terpsichorean
accomplishment, inasmuch that foot
coming in contact with the cushioned stool,
frequently. facilities the forward move
ment without materially adding to its
grace. The congregation once seated, the
overture is performed on the organ, intro
ducing all the popular airs. from the Katy
did orJullen,, or the latest gem ofEthiopi-
an Minstrelsy, to the sounding diapasons
of Mozart or. Beethoven. A favorable op-.
poTtunityis thus afforded for close obser-
walton ofevery ones millinery and mantua
making before the service begins. Alter
a shortsermon, the audience, as it came
up, rolls of 10 mansions in the west end,
to discuss epcurean delcacies and spark
ling Mosrlle, satisfied that it is highly re-
putahlerto make an outward show of piety
on Sunday 70 shade the. somhre hue of
week day selishuess. ..'7ag, 90
we believe WE. speak reverently when
we say that such areligionas this works
out curse thousand fold more baleful'
than ,he blatant in6delity which those kid
gloves clergy so eloquently.rebuke. FASH
ionable life is at best a sham; but whcnit
carries its corruprng hypocrisy into the
sacred things of life. becomes a me levo-
lent demon, trihing with realities that
stretch intothe unknown hereafter. And
it is the imperative duty Of all who can, to
tear from its face the painted mask with
which ithides its dishevelled deformity,
and hold it up before the world in its true
.light--a cold and calculating fend, work
ing disastrously in all our social system,
blasting with its foul breath the holy affec-
tions that grow green in the home Of the
heart, and sowing the seeds Of harvest
that will be gathered for the burning
Phi. Register '..'' .1.. 2 h-o. q!
A Catholic Priest IN the Watch House.
se The Chicago Journal of the 26th gives
the following account of one of the lfHoly
Fathers" getting ona spree, and finally yinto
the watch house, in Chicago last Friday,
night 1t appears that the. Father Con
fessors are not above temptation, and
sometimes fall from their assumed virtue
and purity, as well as other people:-The
Rev. Father Cayannaugh last evening
wrapped the drapery of his soiled robe a.
bout him, and laid down to dreams in the
sawdust Of the calaboose, drunk-yery unI
manly. and certainly most ,unpriestly
drunk. He made disturbance at the Matte
son House about IL o'clock, demanding a,
room, and after being electedfrom that
hotel; lie, took a zig gag course to the Tre-
mont where he made himself boisterous
and noisy, and having tasked the rforbear-
ance of the clerks to the utmost, ho was Ia
ken in charge by officers Noyes and Mel
vim, who offered to accompany him to any
place in the city. He was still disorderly
and ugly, and was finally locked up, and
paid$lOand costs, OF. 81, sc, for his spree.
The punishment and exposure will prove
salutary. " ''.'rt'