The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-10
The LATEST FORM OF THE CONVENTION MA
Nave have received the following sweet
sa0rceau for publicaNOn-

NA.-We have received the following sweet
morceau for publication
NFIDEL CONVENTION OF 1859.
The Central ecaiive Committee Of the In1del Asso.
citation Of the United States by virtue OF power invested
in them by the constitution Of that body call upon inn
dcs to meet in convention the FIRST Monday IN October
next In the city of Philadelphia They urge all
very effort the gathering to DO effective both in
numbers and ability, SO that the proceedings may be
diffusion Of truth and consequent destruction Of error
pcciatiy that form known as superstition The Central
Executive Committee will provide suitable place Of meet
ing do all their power to arrange for the comfort
of delegates and friends BY order -, nos,
RonxRr wAIIIS, Secretary.
PHILADELPHIA, August 8, 1859.
A convention of infdels strikes US as being
the height of absurdity. Aninfidel, in the full
sense Of the word, must disbelieve in every
thing, and be liable to the reproof administered
by the Greek philosopher to chap that had
written book to show that there was no such
thing as truth in the world. eff" said the
critic, "your book is true, then you controver
your own proposition, and there is some truth
in the world; and if it ia false it should not
have been written"
In sober earnestness, we believe that the
number of real infdels in this country would
not be sufficient to make up political caucus
for village schoOlhouse. Men and women
civilized or savage, the worst, the weakest,
as well as the best and the strongest
| must have some staff to lean upon, some be-
lief to sustain them, some form of religion to
which they are attached. 1t may be inert, they
| may be far from protesting Christians, or de-
vout Mussulmans, or strict Hebrews or fanati-
cal Hindoos but they still have lurking faith
in the creed of their fathers, whatever that
may have been. They run sometimes after
| strange gods and abase themselves to wild and
absurd idols in the form of false theories, but
they still believe in some manifestation of the
| Divine Power that created the universe, set the
stars in their spheres, and said to the ocean
thus far shalt thou go and no farther.
! But there are always few fellows who are
endeavoring to persuade themselves out Of
this normal condition of belief, and who affect
| infidelity in order to obtain some notoriety Of
| rather questionable character. Every now
and then they appear before the people pray
| ing for some adherents and never getting
them They make little temporary stir in
the papers, and then return into the obscurity
from which they only temporarily emerged.
Such is the cause and such will be the newt
BILE fate of the Philadelphia convention, which,
we opine, will not be sufficiently large in num-
bers to disturb the sad serenity which reigns
in the quiet streets of the Quaker City.
Music IN THE PUBLIC PARks.-This afternoon,
as usual, there will be public music in the Gen.
trail Park and also in Brooklyn, and we have
no doubt there will be as large an at
tendance as on previous occasions. The
idea of music in the open air seems to be be-
coming general all over the country-a happy
omen for our progress in civilization and the
fine arts. From the Washington papers we
learn that in that city the United States Marine
Band performs in the Presidents grounds some
Of the most select airs from the operas. In the
Charleston Is. CO. papers we observe pro-
gramme of twelve pieces, to be performed by
subscription band on the Battery in that city,
selected from the works of Donizetti, Never
beer, Bellini, Mendelssohn, Verdi, and other
composers of the Hottest genius. In De-
troit, in Portland, (Me.,) in Lowell, in Boston
and in Montreal, we perceive that similar per-
formances take place in the open air, to the de-
light and even the edifcation of the citizens
Marches, polkas. quadrilles, gallops, ballads
and gems from the masters of the art are among
the selections.
Thus will the refining influences of music
produce their happiest effects on the rising
generation, elevating them above the low and
debasing habits into which every popu-
lati0n will be sure to fall unless some
pains are taken to present to their
senses and their minds purer and loftier
amusements. Our people have by far too little
opportunity Of cultivating taste for the fine
arts. In Paris every citizen has access, free of
charge. to the great works of the masters in
painting and sculpture, and everything is done
to put the poor man on level with the richest
in forming correct judgment in matters of art.
This is in what is called despotism; and it would
be shame if, in the chief city of the great re-
public of the New World, fewer advantages
for refinement and culture were offered to the
masses of the people than under the govern
nent of an empire in the Old World Let us
at least rival Paris and London in our music
for the million, music in the open air, music of
the best quality, accessible to all and free Of
cost. One great cause why the Germans are
SO orderly, quiet and social people, is their
love and cultivation of music. It produces
melody in the mind and harmony in the public
conduct of men. We are persuaded that there
is no better cure for low drunkenness and row.
dyism than music in the open air.
BEHIND THE TME.-One Of our rural cotem-
poraries, printed in New Haven, is indebted to
the HERALD of last Monday for some valuable
information about the opening Of the fashiona-
BILE churches in the metropolis. The provin-
cial editor does not realize the weight Of the
obligation, however, and says, ave may next