The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-24

Polity, which Bishop Potter classes with
Shakespeare and Milton. But If practical
knowledge of the constitution and laws of the
countryi an acquaintance with domestic and
foreign history, many branches of science, aud
most walks Of art; q far cisser because practi-
Cal study of Shakespeare, Milton and the great
masters of letters than any priest can possibly
pretend to; finally, constant aud intimate in
tercomse with society Of every kind, and
habit ct interchanging iieas and
opinions with intellects of The highest or
der; if those be the proper attributes
of the educated man." thea most asslr-
eddy the press would occupy far higher
place in the scale than the church. There may
be among us less black letter lore than among
them, but there is more knowledge of men
less antiquarian research, but q clearer insight
into the future; less information about the
world to come, bat far better acquaintance
with the world that is. Any one can decide
which set of qualities is best calculated to
enable its possessor to forn sound Judgment
on the war in Europe.
We have no design however to sound the
merits of our own calling. That can vindicate
itself; and certainly needs no defence against
such assailants as bishops 1t seems to have
been the design of Providence to counterfeit the
effects of churchmen's blaneless lives by en-
downing them with unsound judgment in tenn
poral affairs, lest the rest of mankind, won over
by their amiable department aud many virtues,
should fall into the error Of worshipping them
Theocracies have invariably been the worst
possible governments and, as rule, whenever
the church has made an Independent step, it
has been on the wrong side. Every schoolboy
knows what meas the Pope has always made
Of his dominions what ruin the Inquisition
Jesuits; what mischief the old abbots Inflicted
on England what folJies and cruelsies were
committed by the theocratic government of
New England what havoc the priests are
working at this hour in Ireland. Wherever the
or Standardization or
Christian-has got the upper hand, all
history shows that temporal concerns have
been badly ordered. Nor is there an in
stance in the annals of Europe or Anne
RIGA where the church came forward in
opposition to any other body in order to sup
port the cause of civilization, truth or good
government. On the contrary, from Saint
Dunstan to the priests OF Illinois in our day,
the clergy have invariably been found on the
side OF intolerance, Improvement and lille
gaiity. The fact is, living as they do out Of
the world and among their books they do not
really belong to the age they live in. We have
no doubt but Bishop Potter is very wor thy
man, but he belongs to the seventeenth not the
century. So Archbishop Hughes,
who is distinguished prelate in his way,
ought to have lived in the fourteenth century
They are all the same. VINO can doubt for an
Instant but Theodore Parker belongs of right
to the twenty.Hrst century of the Christian
era?
the war in Europe, we have said over and over
again that the people of the United States
have taken no side, and the press expressed no
prejudice or prepossession in favor Of one or
other of the belligerents. When England, and
the toades of England in this country repre-
sent the contest as one in which civilization is
engaged against barbarism, we expose the
faliacy, and correct the impression it might
create. We point out that Russia is only full
filing her destiny in expelling the Turks as
Spain fulfilled hers in expelling the Moors
from Europe; and that Euglauds cause
for which according to Bishop Potter the
educated men and the clergy Of the
church offer up their prayers is in reality
The cause Of the mosque and the harems,
the cause of immortality, bloodshed, tyranny,
and vice. Far deeper than any stains left by
Russian excuses is the blot left on Europes
face by the loathsome corruption of the serag-
lios, the ruthless despotism of the Pachas, the
stolid baIbarism of the Mahomedan faith.
When, therefore, England calls her defence Of
these monstrosities defence of civilization, we
scout the imposture and bid her champio
speak truth. She will confess, sooner or later,
what all men see, that she is fighting for fan
ciful balance Of power and then how ridicu-
lous will they seem who have been trying to
excite feeling Of sympathy for her efforts on
this side of the Atlantic? We take no part with
Russia; feel no sympathy for the Gear; but the
tack of praying for the success Of the allies in
upholding the harems and the mosques aud the
bowstrings Of Turkey We leave altogether to
Bishop Potter's educated men, and clergy OF
the church"
SENIOR ARRANGoE AND HIS CoMMIsssIoN.-We
have published, recently, several letters and
extracts from our Mexican correspondents and
from the Mexican aud New Orleans journals
relative to the final disbursement of the seven
millions of dollars paid by our government to
establish the rairn of his Serene Hiahnass An