New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-11-07

4. an Annual Meeting Of Friends Of Human Progress n.l
s.;h mouth 1856 p.per Auuemen,' adopted By the as
P,unsylyaria Yearly Meeting Of Progressive Fcnd wa
tTsced 10 Il, ana the iudcious dscmns ions and
eopde rs with which. The treatment Of THIS ~
80. q. spproya and Commend. It 70 the Alteration q
the friends Of husn prose.. Ane development N ne soTS
VI "-'' THoS WcLINTock' Clerks.
Amuseneuts are rarely spoken Of in religious assem-
bes. except 70 be deprecated and denounced. Inc
sects. with scarcely exception, regard them VII"
a suspicious and unfriendly eye, IS beneath the dg
pty Of man. at wal with piety, and perlous 10 'he
soul Agsirst them preachers and elders III up theH
warrirc voice ecclesiastical conversations proclaim an
urdyirg hostility tract societies utter their solemn de-
horatorS and religious periodicals swell the voice OF
r.buke and condemnation. The American church
which can see DO crime in selling the image ot 1od IN
the shambes, and even finds in the New Testament a
charter for bondage and benedctlon tor the slave
hunter-frowns upon the dance ssan ottnse to Chns-
tianity and a sin against God
Whence arises this hostility 10 amusements Il IL
founded in reason or is it, ike many other prevailing
idess and customs the result of msconcepton of the
nature of man and of religion The question which
ever way il may be answered is one OF great practical
in portsnce ard deserves the serious attention OF
religious society organized svowedly on the prlncPe
OF progress rossnc allegiance 10 creed or custom
of The past but 10 follow with revereDt step the hg1t
of Truth whithersoever II may lead the way III
amusemeuts are sinful, tending T. undermine the
,urdatious of religion and good morals the Progress
i've Fneno. should promptly unite with other religious
bodies in discouniensncing them. Ii. on the other
band they are not only innocent IN themselves, Out
conducive 10 mans happiness and normal develop
mept we ought to encourage them among our'eives'
and labor in all proper ways to avert from them the
hostility of others.
Ttsttbere il in human nature for dness for amuse-
mel is a conscious want which nothing else can sup
ply yi not we thin k be denied. This want IL mani
tested in our earliest infancy II mperous nj It's cray
ings during the period of youth,
.Whpu ike a fountain sparkling from the Earth -, ,
Bursts bubb.us from the breast the melody 81 nl'1'
il is deeply f when the abors, perpeNties aud dsap-
noi,t,p MS of adu, life severely tack our powers ssd
however ster1y it, pesdgs may have been repressed
or a. MED il nt quite dies out even In Oh age OF III
the hight of ones righteousness. On his p)mt We may
confidently appeal TO universal Xperence and ooserS q
tiou What snail say then Shall We afnrm that
his wbpt was implanted in by our beUeicent Gre
ator 70 IL eek ana tanaiZe Us Might we not as ration
ally conclude that the love OF society, the 'hFs'
for knowledge, or any other naturai ueste'
whether Of the mind or the body, was designed,
Lot TO minister to our cnoyU through its
qualification but only to develop within Us the power oi
.elEGcnisll What iDpiety-nay, what inh1eIty-s
involved in this Impeachment of the DIVINE wisdom
and goodness, When shall comprehend the fuil
significance of the truth that we are the offspring Of
the living God and created in his image and likeness
When shall learn that bis will concerning US Is ex-
pressed in the nature he has given that every nor
nal want of mind or body is nfslibe revelation OF
Divine lava revelation transcendng the authority
of aIy creed, tradition or parchment however sacred
or yeners bic In the practical concerns OF lie, now
often s this only authoritative revelation set al ntught
Institutions and customs adjudged 10 Dc night or
wrong not in the light of this primary and iundemen-
tal tes but according to their conformity, or want OF
conformity, to the arbitrary maXims OF conventional
morality 10 the dOgmas and traditions OF oehigneu
and degenerate Church. Taught In the school of a
false theology to regard human nature carnal aud
"delreyed !" we sthe her voice in the DIN and CHATTER
Of conflicting or. eds dshOnoring our immortal BIRTH
right by unmanly -ubservency to precepts ana
be gotten of ignorance and superstition ana enforced oy
tear With atheistc iniatuatlon we avert our eyes
from tn light that streams into our minds and hearts
from tie Sun of Righteousness, and CLOVIS with a
Divine eulgerce in every par If our physical organ
i'm end III the bewildernent hat follows, we surren-
der Ourselves 10 the guidance Of priesthood arrogant
and presunptuous and without illumination, save from
sparks OF their own kindlng.
We assert with confidence that the prejudice which
places of amusements i'll the list OF things forbidden
a. its in the asceticsm which dlshgures the pop
ular faith, and which, instead OF giving scope tor
the normal activity of all the elements OF human
nature puts class of faculties under sentence
of outlawry sDd teaches us 10 employ another class
whit divine IN waglDg against TN I'm fatrcl.
dal and exermlnatng war. In this unnatural, and
therefore imJ iOus conflict We disturb the heathiul
into all the arrangements of society. The mud, thus
violently restricted in direction and cruelty per-
yerted IN another, becomes too often the prey of NOR
bid accessibility and malIgn passion. Thus IA life
DO soned at the tountathus all its sweetest juices
turned into gall Piey which should be the redOence
of a character developed into every manly excellence
a crow Of 10y, winning the heart of every wanderer
from Gods fold by its aLsastyng loyeiness and
besutybghted by ascetcism, becomes bideous spec
tire, grotesque sepulcbral and fantasticts song All
unnatural whine its voice amenscing growl appealing
only TO our feaIs.
The piey inculcated by Jesus il not, a. many seem
TO suppose fanatical ecstasy the mutlation or
destruction of part of faculties but the eores.
cence of our rhOle nature, barmoniousy developed,
every faculty OF mid, body and soul active according
TO lie special law, and contributing something to
the flower without which its form were less perfect its
hue lees heavenly its fragrance less divine. II is not
by " fs'ts and forms, and ostentatious sempostons'
aid 'courgngs that we cen hope to winthe favor of
God, but by chez rful obedience 10 the laws of our
nature, by lives coDsecraed to purity and truth. To
ut Ourselves for Heaven il not Necessary to AXE our
seyes uncomfortable on earth; for " gJdiness hath
the promise of this life well a. of that which is TO
come, giving Us " thousand fold" in the one and
everlasting joys in the other. Religion rightly un.
dersood does not contract but enlarg.s our capacity
ior earthly Enjoyment, lmparting more exquisite
feh 10 every pie .sure OF mind and II not
designed 10 mske us sorrow fu melancholy and cadav
erous, but iound-feced, happy and joyful. modern
writer as eminent for his piety for his intellectual
attachments, has Illustrated this point with such strik-
Hg Gle arness and beauty, that cannot torbear TO
quote bis words.
ITO some, perhaps to many, religion and Amusement
mutually hostile, and he who pleads for the one
may fall Under suspicion Of unfathfuness to the other
But TO fight aganst nature ia serve the cause
of round morals. God, who gave us our nsture, who
has constituted bsdy and mind incapable of cou,ioued
effort, who hss implanted strong desire for recreation
after labor, no has made for smiles much more
than for tears who has made laughter the most conta
gious of all souDds, whose Son halOwed marriage
esst by biz presence and sympathy, who has scot he
child fresh from his creating hand % develop ts nature
by active spCrts and who has endowed both young
end old wIh keen susceptibility OF enjoyment from
Wit and humor-He. who thus formed U.s. cannot have
intended H. for dull lnonotonous life, and cannet
irown pleasure which solac, fatigue and reue.h