The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-05

sin and purles the heart / do moi rnsa, n canrsa
that laws may not be detective and that great good nay
rot be done by their amendment l do not proOosa
that should become preachers the GOSPEL in
order TO remedy social evils The true mission a. u
the existing state of intelligence and virtue among ~
people But what do say is, that the reason why wa
depraved, and the why we do not have Ien Of
them is because instead OF recognizing this fact, We
rely too much upon what called social reforms and
TOO little upon the Ienovating power Of the Gospel
The idea OF social reform Is very popular
one at tho present day, and there rs no end 70 the
schemes for this purpose which suggested Come
proceed upon the idea Of tho rectitude Of hu-
man nature and that we have only 70 allow II free de-
veiopemeht and the result viii be perfect state Of
cety The holy name Of liberty Ia invoked 10 break on
the shackes OF restraint and leave every
perfectly untrammelled and FREQ Our feelings and syn
as those We have an innate love 81 freedom whScn
gives plausbity TO such reasonfngs until we nnd hy
bitter e1psTlence ihss they proceed upon fase ass q
too often man, when most free, rs least 70 DO trusted.
Men talk sometimes without qualification Of the universal
reign Of freedom, and wish 70 shape all institutions % -
to subserye that fesult But manesty freedom 70 do
wrong and TO nure society not desirable, and yet this
ssncs Of restraint The problem OF the wise sts.sS
man is not to remove restraints, but 70 nnd
on, Just that amount Of freedom from restraint
dom is no. in itself, without qualification thing either
SAFE or desirable. II Is safe ana desirable Just as II u
people And see the truth or what sav when ssk ysS
what would become Of domestic and the interests q
property sucn ineas were fully carried out and all tho
restraints on these points removed day2 Ii not ue,
then that freedom Ia safe for only 10 far as we know
what right and have the disposition practice 10 And
what ask you atentivey to consider rs this, that do
Gospel Of Jesus Christ furnishes the only method Ov
which, through the specification OF the heart we can aE
sire TO perform ~ We may dismiss at once all schamen
of social reform as false and dolusive which noe
based, either directly or by implication, upon the great
fundamental facts OF the depavfy OF man and his
demption through Christ Raiso tho tone Of Christian
character and you may DO suro that the votes Of m0
will be right and their various duties citizens be faith
fully and wisely discharged With deeper Of
Christian obligation viii como higher standard Of th0
duties which devoivs upon Us az citizens Christian.
viii feel that In government like ours they cannot
DO absolved from the most serious responstbM-
ties and obligations. II Is bensuse religion haD
been too much divorced from social REFORM thus 1es
ing il upon Q merely human basis, Mat we have sur
fered 80 much from tho corruption and maladnnn1-
Tsan Of % nm Ue ns o mrs; duties q o.
charge that by his acts and bis influence AZ citzcn,
he need not wonder II schemes OF reform which hav4
religious basis become the order Of the day, en0
work themselves out to their results. PRACTICAL,
iarge-hearted Christian patriotism D emphaticalfy
what s needed now in the settlement Of existing diff
hculties But social reforms must not only rest upon
Christian basis but they must be prosecuted In Chris
tan spirit s1c1 spr mas been 90 ss
tlculary that great question upon which We are a.
nation divided lido not speak Of this justification q
nishes no such Justification only speak Of 70 draw
attention to the fact that great principle will
general thing, be unsucessfuly maintained, II 10 b
maintained IN an unchrstian spirit Let me not be
understood saying, however, that the principle Of
hostility 70 slavery has been maintained universally
lions most numerous Of those who are conscten-
tousy opposed to slavery and desire that u should cease
end who nevertheless gratefully recognise the Christian
character OF the South and, while hsmly holding and
expressing their own views occasion may require, do
IL Without bitterness spirit humility and 6ve
But certainly the most promnen, aspect o. The cOntr0
fruits are such as nigh, reasonably b. EXPECTED In con-
siderng this portion Of my subject 1t mag BIO VOL per-
haps, TO say something in reference 70 the position u
the pulpit In regard questions OF social reform.
consider no subject which relates TO tho mo-
raj welfare Of man AZ inappropriate In tho pub
pit and the preacher Of the Gospel cannot be Indifferent
10 the progress OF great measures Of reform.
God will finally establish earth kingdom in which
Justice and holiness shall prevail and there are mdca
tions that this nation, II she s true 70 herself may b0
permitted to aid powerfully accomplishing this result,
But there such thing, may bo sure, in this
make use Of only subserve his purposes. He
delay the fulhment Of designs which, but3for our
Welcomes no might speedily have periTrmed There
gods grind slowly and ST. Augustine beautifully express
similar idea when he says"God rs patient, because
ny in Carrying out noble SYSTEM Of Christian progress
and reform but strive 70 accomplish u by methods
take Il from us and leave Us to reap the inevitable effects
OF folly and guilt Yea, though He tenderly loved
and guided our fathers and blessed the work a. their
hand, sHe will bruise with rod OF iron, He will
dash us in pieces like potters vessel" We have ths
considered certain moral hdrances 10 the funment Of
contributed 10 involve difficulties and dangers BY
which are now besot II 10 too htc 70 change any
We may summon ourselves 70 the performance OF
duties in the future. Is that We may DO he'd TO do Gods
viii, as nation, hereafter, that we have been called
together to-day We 10 confess sins, TO wonder
at our ingrattude when remember the unexampled
blessings which God has conferred upon MS, and TO i'm
pore him to the judgments which seem about To
burst heads. This Ia time when it will be well
for us seriously 70 examine hearts and find out
whether the motives BY which we are influenced N TINS
will ba
him to listen favorably TO our suppoations. Why
that wish this Union TO be preserved Is II that our
national pride may be gratilcd2 Ia because u fur
nshcs with conveniences for amassing wealth. Is
II because fear that in the hurricane and earthquake
Of civil war; possessions will be wreckedY III We
have higher motives than these these most
prominent our hearts our prayers this day have pre-
solicitude br inc interests Of truth and holness-fear
ing lest wccfne should nightly peva-and str living
with the whole energy Of our being for the building up
OF Christs kingdom of peace and righteousness In THIS
ruined world u in that spirit alone that
ceptabiy pray that beloved Union may be pre-
served II such is spirit, it will not BIO difficult for
be willing 10 take in the settlement OF these difficulties
For this is no subject with which we have nothing 70
do. Every citizen should ondeavor 70 have an en-
lghtened view of IL, and thus help TO make up that
public opinion by which tho whole question must
y and decide justly in this natter are bound TO
deavor far possible with Northern PROPOSES
the South is taken of this subject Such endeayor
would lead perhaps to more kindly and charitable feel
rgs part, and aid favorable solution Of the diff
Guilty. see 10 change the ground taken hero
on Thanksgiving Day-that the exigency demands tho
fulfment on part, of all our constitutional obnea
tons, interpreted by tho constitutional tribunal aad
in frank generous spirit towards the South. say
the exgency demands- mean, rather that independent
iy Of any exgency honor and justice demand u. Ihs
bound 10 douo less, more. Other Concessions,
II they to DO made, are to be made, not
because they are due as right, but are 70
be granted a favor. Tho South has claim
to the fulhment OF constitutional obligations,
and TO kind and faterna treatment She has no other
clam than this. The South should be ashamed 70 ask
any unmany concessions, sacrifice " principle on
the part Of the North any giving up OF tho inarcnabp
rights Of free speech and free press, and tho North
should be ashamed to yield any such CONCESSIONS a
they required No pride OF consistency should pre-
vent the North from dong what Is Jnst and right even
should II force her 10 retrace her steps. The south
should not hesitate 10 acknowledge that m the heat on
passion she had acted indscreey and so return GLADLY
10 her duty and allegiance There Is one favorable ea-
ture in this case which facilitates the settlement OF hH
difficulty and that that the questions 70 be settled 70.
late to the construction 10 be put upon our constitutional
obligations. This may relieve the case very muoh 70 -
view Of that large class OF persons at the North
v,cff hlghQ