The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-02-16


their supposed enemy's side and watch and ex-
anime her to their hearts content, and doubt
less do so for months to come. Their presence
will give America handsome opportunity to
present Europe with a brilliant example, and
show her Powers how an honest nation can at
once afford to be generous and great; to disre-
gard the evil treatment of the past in order to
establish good example for the future.
The Season OF Lcnt-Its Advantages Aside
from Its Religion Character.
It may fairly be questioned whether Pro-
testantism has not gone too far in its rejection
Of the forms and observances Of the older
church. We can understand the fierce spirit
which moved the Presbyterian to retort intol-
erance for intolerance, and to cast away all
that belonged in any peculiar sense to Rome;
but we may doubt whether his almost savage
zeal directed him wisely. He went SO far
sometimes as to be contradictory. Thus, though
he came to America as Christian, he even
denied Christmas, and in Massachusetts, threat
ened penalty of fine and imprisonment against
any one who should be found keeping Christmas
Day; and though he believed in the efficacy Of
extent OF naming special days for 1t, yet he en-
tirely rejected the season anclentiy set aside for
that purpose. There is the more reason to regret
this denial Of ancient 0bservances when we
remember that SO many such institutions have
in every age had in them more than purely
religious significance; that they have been
often unpalatable but necessary usages, COM
mended to the people in religious guise-
whether it be the Christian Lent the NOLAN.
medan Ramadan, or the strange sorrows of the
Eleusinian mysteries
Perhaps even Sunday is of less value for Its
religious significance in the Christian scheme
than as day of rest for the people-a little
season Of salvation for the worn down body
and the burning brain. The great Hebrew
legislator, who studied the necessities and hap
piness of the people in all the moods and
lenses of human life, named Sabbath to be
kept holy in one grand way-by abstaining
from labor; and he gave as the reason that God
also gave up his labor and rested on that day.
1t was q primitive idea of God, but great
statesman's idea of the necessities of the people
Christianity names another day for another
reason, and so through all creeds. Every day
in the seven is kept somewhere, and whatever
the reason given, the people everywhere
get day of rest. Human necessity is
thus respected by all the religions. Moham-
mechanism endeavors 10 enforce tempe
rance. All the religions of hot countries
enforce cleanliness by making the bath almost
as important as prayer. The Jews and some
others were forbidden to eat swine, because
the ancients doubtless knew as much as modern
science does of the diseases communicated
by that animal, and less of the means to pro-
vide against them. Seasons of fasting ore good
things on the same principle. They are an
enforced physical publication. The great
Oriental fast Of Ramadan, instituted, as Its
name indicates, for the hottest season, was
simply . provision against the indulgence OF
the stomach in so dangerous . time as the ter
ribly hot days Food could be taken ut night
only. So with Lent, whether instituted, a.
alleged, by the apostles or centuries later, or
whether the modification Of an ante Christian
usage, it was established to regulate. the sys-
toms of gross eaters and drinkers, and TO secure
public health by preparation for the changing
season. There was in those times but little
other provision to be made for public health
than such regulations and there was no power
but the Church competent to enforce sue rules
Lent has its own peculiar adaptation to our
society, though we are not as people so ad-
dicted to the pleasures of the table that We
need much restraint in that respect Accepted
by the Episcopal, as well as the Catholic Church,
it comes with authority to the larger part Of
the fashionable world and sets an easy limit
to the designations of the winter. 1t cuts
short that round of delusive gayeties that
saps the vital powers Of so many brilliant
belle, and restoring for q time the almost
primitive habits of our ancestors, the regular
daily routine and the early hours, 1t gives
many life one more chance We cannot
doubt that in this single respect, and quite
aside from its effect as religious observance,
Lent does much good in our society. There
fore we regret that the sweeping negations Of
Professionalism have deprived 40 many Of its
benefit, and we are glad to see that it is more
and more observed every year.
REAL ESTATE SPEcuIATIoN.-Speculation in
real estate appears to have assumed all the
wild and rash features of gold speculation. II
is the ruling madness Of the hour, as the late
auction sales pretty clearly show. There seems
to be neither caution nor Judgment exercised
by the bidders, as we can infer from the i'm
mense jumps which the bids take the moment
desirable piece Of property is put up. For
example, bids have risen from two thousand to
ten thousand dollars In less than two minutes.