Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-06-26

brated by his discourse proposing 70 make
the theater means Of grace, or at least
school of morals, which is one of the evil
dences of grace, or ought to be. Inc
orthodox world came down on the Doctor,
somewhat, for this proposition, insisting ON
preserving the drama as purely means oil
damnation. The idea made the Doctor the
patron saint of the dramatic profession for
short time, and he was honored by an invi- |
tatiou to deliver an address before the associ-
alton for the relief of superanuated actors,
or actors widows; then the project for re-
forming the theater dropped.
After this sensation had subsded, the Doc
tor appeared before the world with prop |
osition for establishing Church which |
should take in oil sects on certain broad
Christian principles, allowing liberty in nom
essential differences of belief 1t was also
proposed to bring into the service of the
Broad Church the advantages of splendid
ritual and imposing ceremonies for impress
ing the imagination and superinducing the
devotional feeling. There was nothing rash
in the project. 1t was not proposed to set up
any other authority than the Church to de-
eide what beliefs should be essential, and in
what there might be latitude; nor was it
proposed to concede any more freedom to
skepticism. The ultimate of the Broad
Church, after sitting the plan from its broad
and glittering generalities, was to believe
what the Church pronounced essential, just
as in the present gauge.
e The Doctors project touched responsive
chord in every denomination. All admitted
the necessity of Church broad enough for
Christian unity, and deprecated sectarian
divisions Each offered the Doctor his track
as being the very gauge that he had de-
scribed and each was willingto switch all the
other sects on to its own, as the veritable
broad-gauge. Indeed, the Doctor seems to
have been the only one really conscious of
travelling in narrow-gauge Church. Find
ing the world so well supplied with broad
Churches, he seems TO have settled down
contentedly on his own narrow track, and to
be now chiefly occupied in making it mar
rover.
DR.. Bellows is u cultivated elocutionist.
His opening prayer at the evening service on
Sunday was a finished and artistic piece OF
execution. 1t has often occurred to us that
our preachers might vastly increase their
power over their hearers by taking lessons OF
elocution from the theater, provided it could
be done without running their standing in
the church; which of course can not be done
in this city, especially if they should happen
10 sit in the pit with boatmen and common
peoples but actors even of fame might have
improved their art by taking lesson from
DR.. Bellows's execution of that prayer.
1t will, of course, be said, that prayer is to
God, and should take no thought of men, and
if it is sincere, the manner is nothing: but
prayers are also for the editication of the au'
dience, and an impressive delivery may unite
the hearts of the hearers in the supplication
while a disagreeable delivery will drive de
votional thoughts from their minds o
The Doctors text was, "Behold, lay il
Zion, for foundation, stone, tried stone
a sure foundation" &c. The theme was, thu
necessity of making righteousness the found
alton of character, both personal and in thu
State. He argued that if there was a bat
foundation-stone at the head of the govern
ment, the whole nation would be corrupted
and he illustrated by the corruption in ou
National Administration, which he said
during the last FIVE or six years, had demor
allied the State and Municipal Governments
and extended into private corporations AM
grms, and into individual character, until tn
whole people had been corrupted by the rot
ten foundation-stone at the head of the Gov
ernment. This is the popular Jeremiad; ant
evidence to show this political demoraliza
ton is hardly thought necessary, especial,
when it falls in with the simile. If mankin
had degenerated, physically or morally, il
any ratio that was believed to be going o.
in any generation of the world, the rae
would have run out before the world ha
been thousand years old. Popular tradi
ton always makes demi-gods of the peopl
who lived few centuries ago. The nation
no more corrupt now than it ever was. N
worse things are said of Mr. Buchanan tina
jefferson said of Hamilton, who was the cor
fdential adviser of Washington through h
Administration, and to the end of his life
NO W 10 ONSl oO pibtCAiJ a.
tackled as that of John Quincy Adams whic
is now quoted as the model of purity. SUI
pose it is replied that it was pure then whs
acondition of political morality it shows
the politicians and people, who could brea
down such an Administration by charges
every corruption?
As gross corruption has existed in variol
State Governments at almost any time,
now in the general Government, and it
even now model of purity compared wi
what the New York City Council has be,
for more than fve or six years. But the on
relief from destruction that the Doctor CT
discover is, that the people who have be
corrupted by the Government shall arou
themselves and restore it to purity. I'll
certainly is taking a short turn on the SINH
The foundation-stone is rotten, and the sup
structure must replace it with sound o.
The fountain is corrupt; therefore, the stree
is corrupt, and the only reliefis for the stree
to purify the fountain. The sad fate of
simile suggests that its application to the c,
ruption of Government is wrong. sa.
The people are the cornerstone of t
Government, and it win always represe
the average of their intelligence and homes
The idea that righteousness is the only II