The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-19
New Phase I'm Religious Morals.

New Phase I'm Religious Morals.
It is impossible to read the proceedings in
the case of Bishop Onderdonk. without arriving
at the conclusion that there is screw loose in
the framework Of our religious institutions.
Here is prelate of one of the most respecta-
bic of our Christian sects, who was suspended
from his sacred functions on charges of the
grossest immortality, seeking restoration to his
diocess without either an acknowledgment of
the justice of his sentence or of penitence for
the offences of which he was found guilty. He
evidently calculates ON the altered character Of
religious feeling and discipline in the church,
OF he would not have ventured to make an ap-
peal for the removal of his suspension under
such circumstances What, in plain terms, does
his petition amount to? An insult to the House
of Bishops for it tells them distinctly that he
is in no degree changed from what he was
when he fell under their interdict, that he has
no professions of repentance to offer them, and
that tits from them and not him, that PREPARATION
is due. Now, considering the overwhelming cha
racter ofthe evidence on which he was convicted,
the imputations Of perjury which he threw out
against the respectable ladies whom he had out
ragged, and the impartial and purely ecclesiasti
cal constitution Of the tribunal by which he
was tried, il is clear that he must calculate on
greatly relaxed state Of discipline and moral
feeling amongst his religious brethren to ex-
pect that the petition for the removal of his
suspension would be attended with success.
We are afraid that the Bishops hopes were
based on but too many well founded indica-
tons. 1t has been for some time past remarked
with grief by the friends of religion that whilst
tendency was being INDUCED by the Episco-
pal and other clergy towards Puritanical and
irrational distractions, but little effort was
being made to give practical effect to Christian
doctrines or to promote the principles of
sound morality. Thus, whilst they were de-
voting their time to getting up agitations
| against the running of railroad cars on the
Sunday, the indulgence in innocent and
Of the poor newsboys to pick up q
few cents by the sale of newspapers,
but few attempts were made by them to
check the vices that were really demoraliz-
ing the community and altering its religious
constitution. 1t is to these facts that are I'M
doubtedly to be traced the profigacy, dis
honesty and shamelessness of which we have
daily such affecting proofs in the upper as
we'll as in the lower strata of society. Peo-
pies notions Of morality have altered so COM
pletely within the last few years, from this ne
glect Of their duties by the clergy, that Bishop
Onderdonk may well be excused for falling
into the error Of supposing that offences which
were formerly deemed of the most heinous cha
racter had come to be regarded in merely a We
NAL light
That he was but too correct in this conclu-
sion we have seen from the action of the
large body of clergy and laity by whom his
petition was supported. They evidently do
not think that the lustful practices of the Nor
mon bishops are sins of any very great degree
Of gravity in the prelates of their own church.
How else are we to interpret their jealous in
tervention on behalf Of man who had
| brought disgrace upon their denomination
by offences which still remain unatoned
for, either by acts Of contrition or by repara-
ton to the witnesses whose feelings he had
| outraged and whose characters be had sought
! to blast. Nothing, we repeat, can more clearly
mark the lax state Of religious feeling and dis
| cipllne in our community than the facts con-
nected with and the names attached to the
| shameful memorial sent to the Convention on
| his behalf
| Fortunately, sense of the duty which they
| owed to their own high positions, and probably
dissemination to their again coming into per-
sonal contact with person who had been thus
degraded by their own sentence, prevented
the bishops from complying with its prayer.
Had they, in the first instance, made that judg-
| ment, what it should have been in view Of the
| gravity Of the offence, a final one, they would
have escaped the pain Of this second decision.
Like all compromises however, which are
merely cvasions Of principle, it only served to
bring embarrassment upon themselves and dis
| credit upon the church.
In the condition of society which these facts
| indicate, no event, however singular or unna-
| tural, can Of course excite any great degree Of
| surprise. Thus we hear of seductions assassi-
| nations, forgeries and defalcations of the most
colossal kind amongst the educated classes,
without any of those feelings Of alarm or con-
| Germ which would be experienced elsewhere.
| Why, in community thus constituted, our
| Custom House authorities should take It upon
themselves to coniscate indecent stereoscopic
pictures, or other similar objects, we are at a
loss to comprehend, unless, indeed, it be to
appropriate them to their own use. They
clearly can do no harm in a city in which the
nude effgy Of the Goddess of Love is enshrined
in its public places, and where females and
ciergymen are to be seen amongst her most ad-
miring votaries. After all, it must be admitted
that the latter are consistent in their actions.
What they do not think wrong in bishop they
have no reason to feel scrupulous about in