American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-10-30
From tie Golden Prize.
THE MONEY CRISIS.

tention OF our readers to the following
powerful discourse by tho great Icon
oclastic Divine, Rev. Theodore Parker,
of Boston, delivered last Sunday, the
report of which we copy from the Bos-
ton Bee. .r
Theodore Parker OIL Tie Present Com.
merCial Difficulties. .......
Rev. Theodore Parker preached YES
terday, at the Music Hall, "Sermon
OF Hard Times" which was listened
to by one of the largest congregations
ever assembled in that spacious Hall.
lie took his text from 7th Ecclcsiastes,
l4th versc-"In the day of adversity,
consider He commenced by saying
that it was the duty of the man of sci
ence to interpret the world of matter to
other men, and tell the meaning and
use of things; it was the duty of the
astronomer to report of the heavenly
bodies, telling mankind the facts con-
nected therewith-their use for mans
material business, their meaning for
his spiritual development and delight ;
it was the duty of the botanist to deal
with those bodies which grow out of
the ground, the water, the air, learn
what they are good for, and how they
grow 1t was the duty Of doctors to
study human bodies, learn their struc-
ture, set forth the conditions of health
and long life, and warn men against
what will shorten their days. All these
men would make mistakes, observe
wrongly, analyze imperfectly, reason
amiss, and so fail of truth, though aim
ing at it, but their very errors were
steps towards it, and if they stumbled,
they fell forward and upwards. So
the minister was to study the phenom.
ma and essential nature of the human
spirit. lie should use all thing to en-
large the amount of such knowledge
as IS useful in the conduct of human
life, and to deepen the consciousness cf
duty. lie should show the use of all
great events for mans material busi-
ness, and their meaning for his spirit
ual development should point out the
eternal law, the providential purpose
in transient affairs. He, too, should
inform mankind, on passing events,
and give them cast forward in the
great journey of human life; should
translate the brute facts of history in
to the ideas of philosophy, and bring
them to human consciousness, and
thereby teach men prudence for their
material business, wisdom for their
sprlsual conduct, and so help large
development Of mind and conscience,
heart and soul, in the community where.
IN the lines Of bis lot are cast, and
which gives him his daily bread. As
the Rocky Mountains take hold of ey-
cry cloud which the Pacific sends thith.
er, and wiring the water out of it to
moisten their own soil, and fertilize the
valleys below, so to-day they would
take hold of this commercial cloud
which comes up from the great Pacific
ocean OF American business, wiring the
meaning out of it, learn its whence and
whittier, its use for their daily busi-
ness, its lesson for their religious de-
velopment. In speaking of this sub.
Ject, Mr.. Parker said he should have
to speak of some things not often spo-
ken of or Sundays in the pulpit, but
very often thought of in the pews.
we are in state of great general
prosperity. There is no foreign war
to waste the mind, body, or estate of
the people. There is no domestic war,
except what the Slave Power is carry
ing on in Kansas, by the show of the
ballot.box and the reality of concealed
bayonets. There is no pestilence :;
births bear large ratio to the deaths,
and emigration enlarges our number
still more; there is no faminc--an a.
bundant harvest is gathered, or waits
Tor the. sickle; We have no great for
elgn commercial debt, which must be
paid, and so will consume the harvest
gathered from the soil, the mine, and
the sea, or manufactured thence. The
imports of 1856 were $500, ,OO0, 900,
but the exports were two millions more,
and it SGO,OO0,O00 thereof were of
gold, it should be remembered this is
as much staple of American produc.
tive industry as coal is to England, and
so, II we manage rightly, it is no more
loss Tor us to export our suberhuous
gold than it is for Sweden to export
her suporAuous iron, Brazil her hides,
China her teas and silks. Take inner,
,ca as whole, and the demand for Ia
Dor IS greater than the supply. This
is shown at the South by the constant
increase in tho price Of slaves, and at
the North by the continual increase of
wages, and our anxiety to make such
machines as, in short time and cheap.
ly, shall do tho work that else would
require the costly toll Of human hands