New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-10
Nftp3lork DAILY Gxibn,te
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
COMMON SENSE AND RELIGION.

Miss Beecher has occupied so conspicuous po
stion before the public, both as an educator and an
authorizes, that the exposition of her ideas on qes
tons of vital religious import cannot fail to awaken
deep interest with large class of readers. Her
family pane, too, is identified with the support
the prevailing theology of New-England; no man
has welded more potent influence in promoting
the reyiyals of religion, which few years ago
were regarded as the glory of the churches, than
Der venerable father; and of all persons not many
can be named who are better entitled than herself
TO challenge the attention Of the public on the
theme TO which this volume is devoted.
In the introduction to the work, she gives deep
" interesting chapter from her spiritual auto
biography, which is not only curious in itself, but
valuable as an illustration of the social condition
and the dominant habits of thought, during her
childhood and early youth. .........
The native tendency of her mind combined the
practical character of the people of New-Engand
with sipgularly vigorous development of the
imaginative faculty. From the time when she FIRST
learned to read, she had no love of books, except
ing those of poetry and romantic fiction. Don
Ouixote she devoured with so much eagerness that
its contents were almost entirely imprinted on her
memory. With these strongly marked tastes, she
early formed habit of reyerie and castle-buiding
as her chief source of enjoyment. Until she
reached the age of eighteen, she had written moth
ing except few poetcal fragments and second
hand dramatic ESSAYS Her sense of justice was
stropp though her conscience showed no unusual
tenderness or delicacy-she had great energy Of
character, ndoptable selfreliance, and spirit of
hope so strong that she could never conceive the
idea Of danger or i'll success.
such was the mental constitution of the young
girl, who was placed in the very focus OF modern
Puritanism. But her severe religious training
made little impression on her feelings She refused
10 listen to what seemed 80 stupid and uninteligl
bic. Her own creed was strictly orthodox, but
she had no sympathy with what she deemed its dis
agreeable nculcations. The efforts OF her parents
70 bring her to saving reception OF the latin were
~;tbout efect At the age of fifteen, she had never
.;ven so much as an hour to serious thought, with
sbe execution of one abortiye attempt to experience
religion according to the scheme laid down in Dod-
dridee's "Rise and Progress" I'm the earlier
periods of her training, she gathered from her
hxmus and catechsms that God exercised the feel
mos of father toward his children-this was
pleasant impression-but as she grew older and
came under the influence Of 80 revival preaching, "
her views were entirely changed-she was taught
10 look at her Maker as mighty moral governor,
intent on maintaining the dignity of his law. She
found that there were two kinds Of right and
wrone-tbe common and the eyangelical-and ac-
cordinp to this distinction she felt that she could
net do right in the sight Of Ged until the renewal
Of her heart by special act of divine grace. She
was greatly perplexed as to the mode of securing
CHS supernatural Intervention. 1t was not to be
the result of any efforts of her own. There was
no divine promise to human exertion Everything
depended on the decree Of election. She was thus
Ned to an entire neglect of religious concerns Sal
walton seemed to her so much matter of chance
that che csud find no motive to attend TO the care
Of her soul The loss of her mother produced q
Temporary eject upon her mind, but it passed
away, and oil sense Of religion was absorbed in
practical activity.
At the age Of twenty, tragic event disturbed
Che tenor of her life. From the dim illusions to
the subject we are led to infer that an early be-
trothal was Terminated in terrible and heart
sendpg manner After the first shock was over,
ste felt that this grief was sent to save her from
eternal death. As soon as she could do anything,
accordingly, she began a course of religious read
ing prayer, and spiritual conflict. Shut in entire
seciusion, a prey 70 intense mental anguish and
with no light from within to guide her emotions,
she spentNeek after week in reading the stern and
powerful writings of Edwards aud Dwight, and
other works of similar character. Her whole
soul was iutent on becoming Christian. No one,
however, could give her any ineligible direction
Everything was made to depend on the reception
OF divine afiatus which would change the de-
PRAYED heart which she Inherited frem her birth
fet she was told tie fault was all her own. 1t was
only her unwiingness TO do her duty that made the
divine interpretation necessary. This was perpetu
ally urged as the essence Of Christian truth. At
eogth, though she was conscious 4f sincerely desir-
ing change Of heart, che submitted her intAllect
10 the authority Of her teachers and accepted the
creed Mt which her nature reytlted.
But several weary months passed without bring
ing any spiritual balm. The prospect only grew
more gloomy. To such degree did the anguish of
fbe sufferer extend, that reason was almost de-
fhrcned. For some days, she thought that she
sboun 60 distracted. This frame of mind, ut
fpgtb, gave place 10 an oatburs. Of Indignation and
Adherence. While about TO offer her Aabit1l hore-
u.s. prayer, ,be yielded 70 spssu u emotion, ioei