The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-01-01
nfsderk Reforners.

decidedly az specimen OF humanity.
Phrenolo speaking, cOmbaia'isehcss
and destIac.yeness are his predominant
trsits Of character. Conscientiousness is OF
but little value, and anything like Rever-
ence would be entirely out Of place. His
whole object and aim is, to tear down exist |
ing institutions and destroy the present form
Of society. Whatever is time honored, is
to him hateful. Whatever was reyerenced
by the fathers is in his eyes, .unsightly and
deformed. In the forms Of religion aud
church government which have withstood
the influence Of time since the birth Of tile
Saviour, and through which the world has
been enlightened and humanity blessed, he
bekolds nothing but systematized corruption.
The monarchies Of the old world he con-
demns. The republics Of the now world
he abuses and ISLANDERS. lie is in short dis.
satisfied with everything in the world bvt
himself and he dsoank that BY finding fault
with everything around him and above him,
BY questioning the motives and movements
ti bis superiors, by CHALLENGING" "lhe
world and the rest Of mankind to meet him
in public encounter, be will necessarily be-
come noted--c and greatness is, in his view,
notoriety.
Hardly day passes but some scheme Of
reform is presented, but it always consists
simply in destroying what ia already estab!
lished. We would not oppose any rational
improvement anywhere eitherin agriculture,
mechanics, politics, society or religion
The nation and its people are progressive,
and ought to be; but we are heartily sick OF
the eternal cry Of "rSform" coming up from
men whose only capacity for leadership is a
crack. drained enthusiasm. or an inordinato
desire for notoriety. How many insane and
impractical propositions are started every
dayl We have the advocates OF the Maine
Law, Christian Union, God and Liberty, and
and il one were to judge by professions oI
their capacity and good will, the world woult
be reformed and man regenera,ed in few
days. But the world moves on in its annu.
al round and no miracles are wrought, nc
translations effected.
We have studied ths history Of moderr
reform movements carefully, and are us ye
unable TO perceive any practical utility
The Maine Law has accomplished moth
Ing for temperance; the Christian Union
has only divided the church and increased
the sum Of practical infdelisy, and the shouts
for God and Liberty instead Of accomplish
ing anything for rational freedom, are every
day tightening the chains Of the slave, ont
adding new fuel to the flame of internal anc
civil discord which is now burning in the
land
What good has ever BEEN accomplished
by the dissemination Of wild impractical
theoriesl In the rice and fall OF these ultra
reform parties since the government wus
framed, what has been secured for the per.
manent good OF humanity! True, reforms
and changes are needed. Inlemperancc and
vice are stalking abroad in tho land; discord
70 in the churches and infdslty is incrsas,
ing. Slavery Is grinding its victims day by
day under its iron heel. Reforms will be
accomplished in regard to oil these, but nev.
er BY ertreme measures or by trtrems men.
The calm judgment OF the people must DO
reached by other means and sseucies.--
Their sense must be appealed to-the chill.
dren Of the country must be educated The
old fashioned Bible and the old fashions d
Church must be called again into SERVICE
The principles and sentiments Of tho fathers
must be applied and adhered to in the nd.
ministration Of government and the organi.
cation Of society.
Wise ns the present generation msy think
itself TO be, it may still learn invaluable les.
sons from those which have proceeded 1t.