The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-03-04

FOR TIE INDEPENDENT rREss. I

MR. EDITOR cannot have escaped
'ne observation OF the rejecting mind, that
'he cXpcd'ents rife, not only in this, but
''so IN other countries, for the purpose OF
eHect'ng moral reforms in social life. are
mnl'lfar'ous, and, some of them, Mt least,
sufficiently arrogant in their claims to con-
s'derat'on. These expedients have their
day, and, in some instances seem. for q t;mo
to oe productive of hcneficient results, then
pass away, and are consigned 10 the tomb
OF all Capulets.' Like the transient meteor
they attract, for time, the gaze of the adj
n'""g multitude, but quickly decline, and
become as though they had not been, bav.
ing achieved, for human kind, no perma.
nent good.
We have, for years, been in the habi, of
making observations on the practical results
OF the schemes in question and willie wo
are very Tar from impugning the notires of
'he aoetters of some Of them, we have
reached the conclusion, that they will all uI-
''mateIy prove ahortivc, that mere human
devices are inefficient for the achievement
ot the renovation Of the moral world. ard
that nothing short of n supernatural AGENCY
IS adequate to such consummalion. or to
tn" production of a radical, or permanent
reformation on human character.
The following paragraph. from one of rpIip
'ons wcckIies Of the dav, is so much in uni
son with our own sentiments. touchinn this
subject, that we speak for it place in the
columns Of the independent Press.
J. s. p.
CHRISTIANITY THE TRUE REFoRMAT1yE
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Christ, by beginning
with the 'ndtpidunl, rcn"vating his nature.
purifying his heart, and mpantinr in his
bosom love to God and Man, and thus max
ing him religious as well as moral. has
shown us the onl v true method of reform,
and the only true system of reformation
and all our modern attempts at reformation
IN society which have been unallied will,
religion, have failed or are failing, and the
Key to the failure may be found in the fact
OF this non-alIance. They rejected the
system OF Christ and undertook to accom-
plish the work with half the motive mower
They separated Christ's morality from his
religion, destroyed his system, and under
took TO reform men by morality without re-
hgion. They tried to warn men by phos.
phorus instead Of fire; to galvanize them
instead of giving them life. The attemp,
has failed, is failing again, and will as often
as made. They dig cistcrns with in.
Unite labor, bu, they hold no water. At.
tempted retormations of society will ALWAYS
ta'I' unless allied with the religious princi.
pie 1t is time the Christian world b,d
learned lesson. You will not permanent.
'y improve the morals of society by the
mere force of legal restraints, restraints Of
public sentiment, or any restraints whatever,
unless you base your reform upon that re-
''glous sentiment in man which alone can
give vitality and force to morality. The
Church Of Jesus Christ is the only indepen.
dent and permanently successful reformatory
in the world. We are long time
learning this lesson, but are surely coming
to 1t. Christianity laughs to scorn, and vet
p't'es those Observation-Disclosures who,
her aid, attempt to mend the
morals Of society by tinkerng her institu.
lions, who attempt to renovate the consti-
tuition Of their patients, by application of
and cataplasms to his overcoat-
after all their efforts, the disease lies un.
touched and bdrrowing in the system. Re-
'gIon must be, and is the vital element of
all true reform. That simple. elemental
principle Of the Christian system.
'ooc tn Col and Nan, that divine charity
which abideth ever" is worth moro for
morality than all tho teachings of sages,
and reformers that ever lived.
No reformer can be found worthy to carry
he Sandals after the Reformer of the ROYAL
inc of David. The Man of GalHIee still
stands in unaPproached pre-. eminence in the
work Of renova'ing society, and curing that
'ppatllHg consumption which pcrvaded all
is ranks at His advent. And it is a re.
fact that at the end nf eighteen
entur'es' there is nowhere in socie:y any
manifest improvement in it's moral condi
ion, except where Christianity has exerted
er benign and heavenly influence.
..., REV. r. DUNNING.
A Capitol joke took place recently, in a
ourt-roorf', A woman was testifying in be. :
alf Of her son. and swore that he worked :,
u q farm eupr sin1,o h., .z.s. L.