Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-08-07

The fallacy of relying upon aesthetic cul-
turc, which is so highly priced by one school
Of the progressionists, to effect a moral
change and to elevate and reform society was
also pointed out. The example OF Ilaly
whose art he's not saved her from centuries
Of degradation, and Of Greece whose fall
was not prevented by poets or sculPtors, the
most renowned the world has seen, were /
cited as refuting the notion that beauty can /
ELL the place that belongs to religion.
Political economy again, upon which an
other school Of thinkers rely, while excellent /
in its place cannot accomplish what Is
claimed for 1t by the advocates Of the pro-
grezsiye theory.
Commerce, another important agent, seeks
It's own ends and is not as the philosophy We
are considering would claim q moral agent
necessarily.
The orator proceeded to speak Of Sara
scenic civilization and sketehed its progress
in Southern Europe and Africa from the
eighth to the thirteenth centuries, showing
its iuadequacy to elevate socially and pernaa-
nently any portion of our race.
The theory Of progressionists was shown
to fail at every point, and turning from this
the speaker proceeded to enquire whether
the theory of the renovatists would bear the
test which history affords. While the pro
gressionists ask that ages may be taken into
account while man is developing from the
age Of stone to the age of bronze, and so on
up to the age of dencency, that civilization
which Is moulded and energized by Chris
tianity, has transformed within brief pc
Rod the ancient Briton with his barbarism
to the cultivated Englishman Of to-day. In
der our own observation, it has changed the
Indian tribes and Bushmen sayages to peace
ful industrious and laboring communities.
But rising above the low ground Of mere
economies, where the opposers of Christianity
have chosen to consider the question, and
mounting to those heights TO which the
christian pills, pher may ascend, the ques-
ton nav be made a moral one, and the tn
umrh Of christian truth shown to be com
plete in finding solution to the problem.
The Gospel meets ali the conditions and will
accomplisI sD,i,l elevation, not by progress
ion, bat by moral renovation Of the indiyld-
uul, and through him Of society, Already II
is approaching the hour Of its final and COM
plete triumph over opposing systems reli-
ii ms and nationalities. The tramp Of ar
mics moved by a mighty but invisible power
is heard, and the spirits Of evil complain Of
the power that assaults them, and ask
Hast thou come to torment u5 before thC
time?" The power Of Mohamedanism Is now
broken, and it lies bound and compelled {.
obey the behests Of christian power, anC
India with her superstitions gives her lie rs %
hostage to England The strategic network
Of forces Is at last closing in upon tie pow
crs Of darkness, and accomplishing the re
novation Of the world, and establishing tina
moral order which can alone make sll thing
new.
The address was an able and cxceedingl,
interesting one, dissecting in a mastery man
ncr the theories Of Buckle, DraIerand Others
andwas aptly and forcitly illustrated through
out by anecdotes and quotations, to at
tempt the transfer Of which, in our hast
abstract, would be only to spoil them.
Celebration of the Literary Societies
the celebration Of the literary societies Of
Tuesday afternoon WIS fully attended Rev
Z. H Byins,on offered prayer. D.. }. 6
II ,llani Of Springfield M,ss., was tie orato
ofthe occasion an Rev. NJ. S,utsln also d
Springfield, the Poet. We sketch very bFiei
ly D. Il ,lItnl's Grafton.
DR. HoLIANp's GRAFTON.
at is as well to be out of the world as GU
of the fashion," is a very old and a yer.
mean adage While it is in some cases true
it is in other instances emphatically false
1t may be asserted that it is better to be on
Of the world, if that is the penalty. than t
be in some fashions. The rule Of fashion i
matters of dress and manners, is not SO i'm
portant as to Justify our statement, but
should he remembered that fashion extend
its sway to matters Of higher import thai
these, and even disputes supremacy witt
christianity in the most important affairs O
life
1t i well to distinguish at the outset b,
tween fashion and public opinion. The tw'
are essentially distinct and in many Instance
opposed to each other. Fashion is thu
stronger Of 4 tw1 and rules in all or nearly
all classes Of society. 1t is aristocratic, de
pending upon the dictum Of a few. while
public opinion is demOcrati; expressing the
preference Of many The reverence which
most men feel for those high in social posi-
ton gives to fashion its prominence, and
aIl1vs it u hold imperial sway. This god
dess holds in her hands the key Of destiny.
The place where she stands becomes thence
forth holy ground; that which she embraces
is sacred and that which she shuns is spurn-
ed. Hence it follows that VIC have fashiona-
bic sins and fashionable follies, fashionable
churches and fashionable schools, fsshiona-
bic books and fashionable mag zines, fash
ionable authors and fashionable preachers,
fashionable watering places and fashionable
hotels, fashionable streets and even fashiona-
bic sides Of streets; there is no department
Of life into which FsIion does not thrust
its hand, there is no class Of society, unless
it be some such conservatory OF culprits as
may be found among those whom Fashion
terms fanatics, that does not bow to It's sway.
4 fashionable manhood and womanhood,
fashionable social life, and a fashionable