Weekly Trinity journal., 1858-02-20
Morality OF Public Sentiment.


We heard reverend gentleman remark, not
long ago, that he believed the people of this coun-
try averse to the advances of religion, and to the
reading, or even endurance OF religious literature
We do not think the better portion of our people
are so, or that they are more infldel in belief or
that they lack more Of respect and admiration
for Christian religion exemplifed in the life of
good man, than do the citizens of other States.-
There is less reading of Theological works. for the
readers are young and, as they believe, far from
the state of being to which such information re-
fers In their solitude and isolation from friends
they seek antisernents, rather than the soemnties
Of a future state, expecting at some more conve-
nient time to study the charts which they will
have more use for in the fogs of age.
But after all, these people who had rather read
Bulwer's novels than Baxter's Saints Rest, Pill
grim's Progress or Wesley's Sermons, acknow-
ledge and reverence an overwhelming Con, and
in great distress dangerous sickness, secretly
petition the Deity of whom they have been so
seemingly forgetful. There are but few Atheists
among civilized men man must have some Su-
peror Intelligence to worship, sin against, and
fear
An evidence Of the influence Of long-ago teach
ing is apparent in this. When stranger comes
to reside in a mountain town, where ordinary
business is done on the Sabbath, and where but
few attend church, if he make himself notorious
for recklessness and disregard for the propreties
Of society, people look on him with suspicion
] -, L.
moral in department, industrious in habits, and
respectful toward the outward ordinances of
Christian faith, he will find help, encouragement,
and friends in time of trouble. Again, respect
for religion is beautifully manifested in the pub
lie ceremonies Of the benevolent Orders that bless
our land. One of their emblems is the Book of
Life another the All-Seeing Eye, and all are de-
rived from the Scriptures which infdels affect to
rdcule But when a brother dies they uncover
their heads, pray over him, and pronounce the
sublime inspirations of Israe's prophets, and their
ceremonies, quiet and undemonstrative as they
are, impress the beholder with solemnity deep
as the slow Ginning Of cathedral bells. In these
observances and in the practice of the scriptura
iniunctions of Love and Charity, Fraternity and
Mercy, the Masons and Odd Fellows hold a pow
er which no national convulsion can destroy. In
the storm and tempest Of battle the sign Of Fra
ternty turns aside the weapon swift and nervous
with anger, and the stranger, pershing in squalid
poverty, so unsightly that even Christian charity
would fain pass by unobserving, can call to his
pallet of rags the young The rich and the great,
and can demand of them not charity, for the
love of Cod but justice to your brother = And
these Orders are founded on precepts which the
Christian minister is required to teach, and of
which religious books and newspapers treat
The reason why many religious publications
fail to be read is that they affect too great aus
terty, too much of the gloomy, and show moth
ing of the sunny side of the Christians inheri-
tancc. For attendance at theatres or dancing
parties they threaten accommodation and eter-
nal death and one who interprets their theology,
literally, is half inclined to believe that they de,
mand a pilgrimage through a rayless vale Of
tears, with sackcloth on the pilgrim, and with
nails in his sandals to torture him at every up
ward step.