Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-12-22

ty, but for reeonsructing 1t on false philosophi-
cal idea: it is this Humanitarian, panthestic i'm
nge-the unknown God which wo ignorantly wor-
ship-tbat insensibly weakens our hold on The Di-
vine realities, and consequently unscttles our
foundations. 1t has already as in tho second
class above described class above described, turn
ed liberty into lcentiousnoss aud looscned some
foul tongues in blasphemy, "setting on fro the
course OF nature and set on fro Of hall"
However self.eyident tho fundamental axiom of
our Declaration may have seemed to its illustrous
trainers, or however, trueit would be If mon
were Divine and existed as n community OF Gods,
or us deyelupcments OF tho Divine essence, IN our
present actual world it can work out only coniu-
sion and arrangement II has in fact, done 81
wherever experience has ticd, or history has de-
scrbed it. Yet. it is the political Gospel of New
England. True. it is contradcted and counter
vailed to n great extent, by tho Constitution and
tho laws, and nl the necessities OF social state,
and could not To otherwise il we would have
social state ut all. But yet tho fantastic image
figures in the common mind. 1t captivatcs tho
common fnncy. 1t expounds so far ns it can, at
WILL tho literal statutes aud docress, which for
tho government of life. II works unseon in our
speculative theology, and shapes that now dnc!lle
science to the visionary idea of the ability the en-
pnbility, aud the perfectbity Of man. and infces
twith IL sentimental univorsali-tic element that
deprives il Of its former power. II reduces our
ethics to the level of more expcdiency. and pre-
poses utility and happiness as the end of liie and
n cunning policy u- its rulo II dcgrades our
politics to eager subscrvency not to n righte-
and benevolent or lerng Of affairs, but the SC
curing of spoils 10 intriguing nnd iattous parti-
zans. The pulpit, extensively secuarized 10y tho
press encouraged by tho pulpit, usc it often. in
deed, from generous instinct, but moro for the
ends of an cphcmeral popularity amongst tho un-
discerning portions Of society under tho desccra'
tel names Of patriotism, phan'hrophy and re-
ligion. |, is our idol. The painted goddess of
liberty naunts ON eur high places We do her
reverence, and go nway drunk with the wine OF
her spiritual fprncaiion. Without return to
the first principles Of natural aud revealed rcll-
gion, we ecoull not long survive the unpcrceivcd
destructive influence Of this lattcr-day sophisry
and chcancry. lts consequences unchecked could
only be the deterioration of one OF the best people
Of the earh tho loss OF their national freedom, and
probably the last demonstration to the universe OF
the folly of human wisdom and tho weakness Of
human strength.
This is not cheerful prophccying- But from
my point Of view. | can scc nothing better in tho
distant future Elects will follow their natural
causes. We have gonc on swapping our cordH
for fifty years. and settling down to successive
stngos Of spiritual ilolatry, The elements Of dis
cord were never active ns they are ut present,
and ns to any earthly recovering power who can
locate or define it, | see it not IN the people who
nre every year increasing their confusions. see
it not in tho leaders who arc more ambitious and
unscrupulous rs their conscious power nccumula-
tes. ! zee it not MS it ought to be in our repre-
sentative institutions of learning md religion
for they gradually yield here little and there IL
little. to the outside pressure, and under specous
prctences accommodate their measures to tho
spirit Of the times, The current sweeps along
What can we hope for when not revelation but
philosophy is the guide of life, and her pro!essed
aim is not tho humbling but the glorifyng of hu-
=. Al. ,sa1 l,,
the light Of Christ, but the igncs tafui which have
lured anteccdcnt nations to the abyss? Flowery
it is and beautiful. We aro captivated by new
delights at every stage. and imagine that to-mor
row will be rs this day and more abundant though
experience u,ters no voice but that Of warning
which we heel not, and Scripture rciteratas its
threatenings but to be scorned.
But our time is not yet. | look for eeto1rals
and reactions The sea Gibbs and flows during
its appointed time. Neither the North the
South nre yet ready Tor dissolution. Thcy could
not effect it nov. There is too much at stake for
both, for all, to admit Of any violent disruption,
and nothing but violence could part us, There is
too much in jeopardy, not only Of principle which
we are losing sight Of, but Of property which We
hold in more account and Of safety and happiness
which are above nll price. We start back when
we look into the c;asm of daunion. The bollcst
quail before its unimaginnbe terrors llarpers
Ferry is u providcn,iul omen enough to all
bat the hopelossly insane Thoss bewildercd
men, who have played consciously unconscious
" into the hand of fanatics, and driven such men
as Brown to tho gallows, and Gerrt Smith to the
Asylum will e,rent, with rs much grace pos
sible from their false positions. They will, in
deed, shoot back their harmless arrows rs they
hy. and persuade whom thcy can that not they
but their adversaries hnve been ut fault for tho
murderous ioray. Bnt their zeal will sackon
ana many will go back to find the only effectual
,I,,C Il ~, old thor
thnn the new specifics. The people yet are too
wise and virtuous, or, at least, too calculating, to
encounter tho crisis Of revolution The present
furry, like that OF Southampton, will soon be
over. Perhaps few more Presidential campaigns
will pass without disturbance. But the popular
idol is not broken. The groves are not cut down.
The high places yet smoke with unhallowod in
cense New temptations will consequently arise,
and the demorazed forces of society will yield to
more seductive influences or overwhelming onsets
Every successive fever Of course wcakens more
the constitution, nnd the fatal paroxism comes at
last. Tho same law is upon nations as indvid-
dals-"ashes to ashes dust to dust" The wise
and good may defer the catastrophe, but cannot
avert it; and they will have their reward. But
woo to the empires who cling and stimulate and
swent the patient, through all his stages till the
silver cord is loosed and the golden bowl is bro
ken. Would to God that we might have the balm
of Gilead, end the Physician who is there. But
he comes not to reluctant homes He administers
not till unhaowed specifics are renounced.--
There is no fellowship between Christ and Belial,
whose children cruelty their Redeemcr and make
Barnbbas-the robber-the murderer-their hero
their Saviour and their God.
But whenever dissolution comes it will be gen.
eral, not between the South and North only, but
the confederation. For it is not supposabe that
in such issue all classes will be equally re-
creant to first principles, to the old covenants
which have bound us SO long together. The law
less and malignant passions which should provoke
the fatal controversy would meet resistance
Ra.ical phrenzy. on the one hand, would stir up
conservative Indignation on the other. These ex-