Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1866-02-23
WOrldIfness.
WI tAihAft
roryp~p1y AND LASTLY.

r
will never return, until faith is super
ceded by demonstration. From these
various reasons and others, we argue
that there is no occasion for a line of
demarcation-a wall between the ordi-
nary community and professors of re-
ligio1; aud that when line is .stab-
lished the results are invariably injnri-
GUS to those occupying either side of it.
The essential truths or spirit of Christi
~ anity are not confined to the Churches
Alas, for the world, if the tenor of its
humane, liberal, and democratic teach
ings were so limited, for from them they
-. are too often absent, though forms, words,
:, - and doctrines are always plentiful The
world has had enough of ecclesiastical
8 "ssassumpfio On of exclnsige knowledge au-
thority and intolerance, with the invaria-
~ Bile accomplishments of ecclesiastical
corruption and ineficiency in its profes.
sions. After which the delugeh has never
i, failed; for il true that religious teachers
arg Usually the leaders, and always the
ex,enents of the dominant opinions of
thsir respective times and localities
Hence the necessity of their remember
tiers does not endow them with more
wisdom and authority than when they
were common men; and that to be wise,
raaasit is indispensable that they should be
subject to- or conversant with, all the in
huences that move and influence hui
mainly. Otherwise, they are incapable
rv-of kp0wing the =" aeceitfulness of the
heart, of guarding against Its seduc-
tions themselves, or of warning others
judiciousy The judgment, as regards
every variety of good and evil, depends
upon it, and those who do not live the
ordinary life OF men cannot possess the
= requisite knowledge-cannot have any
true, conception Of the necessities Of
Ecclesiasties, the professors of the
dominant religion and its straitest sects
are seldom--it would not be too much
to say never--above the average of the
communities which they lead and in
struct The spirit of their teachings,
- and the general conduct Of their lives,
are never above the prevalent sentiment
which they assist 10 develop and mains
tain If the people are low in intelli-
ggenee, in social law, usage, morality,
and even in material we'll being-for the
latter Characteristic is usually dependent
on the former-it is because the doc
trines, the principles of policy, and
the methods of propagation are ua-
- reasonable, unjust, or inefficient.
Raa5 It is noticeable that the flock
always follows its leaders; of which we
have had recent noticeable examples in
this country. It would be well if our
reverend friends would sometimes ques-
ton whether they are not blind leaders
of the blind /; whether there are not
other than the lights they carry; wheth-
er they supply the best kind of oil to
their lamps, or whether they have not
sEeen SO dazzled by the efhlgence of Cos
pei illnminatios as TO be unable to APP
preciate what is to be seen by the com.
mon day of the world, or distinctly
through the labyrinthine scintilations Of
its brilliancy. tits possible they may have
neglected many of the means of grace
which growing capacities have unfolded
If mankind had adhered as closely to
old methods of material progress and
productiveness as the churches have done
towards promoting spiritual improve
ment, mankind would have been centu-
tries behind what it is, in every aspect.
IL 10 said the true gospel is to be accept
ed by all the world Let the reverend
brethren conceive the possibility of the
fault of its non-success, thus far, to be
as much attributable to the fault of the
ministry as of the people. 1t is possible
as they are, and have been, but
men, that their stiffneckedness, their
blindness and their erroneous teachings
or Ineffective methods, have rendered
II the truth obscure Perhaps they. have
80 hidden It's essential truths by vain i'm
aginations as TO make them impercep-
II tihle. Perhaps they have not at all times
and euerywhers preached them in puri-
ty. Perhaps reverence for authority,
the seductions of power, or the tenden-
cies and circumstances ofthe times have
not seldom and for no short periods led
them astray;it may be Aaron-like, after
the people, or again occasionally before
All them as leaders. They cannot dispute
such has been their history; and it is
not excessive impertinence to suggest to
them that such may be the case in great
err or less degree in these, and in recent
stimae. AL ~ - y ~Asy-
Their feverences, unauthorized de.
nuociations of various dispositions of
nature and customs of society which
they have assumed to denor1inate "sins"
though they are not xrongs-have
been fruitful of scorn and contempt and
excited enmity towards their legitimate
office and incuications. The fierce as-
sertions OF the inherent wrongfulness of
certain ADJUSTMENTS, acts and customs
which are and commend themselves to
the common sense as harmless. therefore
often inevitably disregarded, sears the
cohsciences, confuses and demoraiizes
the moral perceptions of their peoples.
There are quite enough forms os wrong.
doing in the world, without multiplying
the number By the insertion of those
45 which are harmless. To do so, serves
10 divert attention from avoiding those
which are actually harmful, and renders
she guilt of the one to seem as UenidL as
that Of the other, and as readily com
sar mitted What possible dramatic repre-
sensations or scenery can rival those of
rs the imagination 2 Wherein is the social
hiz7 indulgence of harmony of motion re-
bellIous against the laws Of nature or
- the book, or injurious 10 society 2
Wherein consists the wrong anv more
than in the social participation of har.
mony of sound The one il unit. os
sensuous as the other, is as easiIv con.
yerted to base purposes, and it Is he.
lieyed if it ia not would be so EMPLOYED
much oftener than the 6rst if both were
eonalIy free to be enjoyed VANITY
pride and every form of indulgence Of
positively deteriorating emotion and
acts are as fertile Of opportunities in
the hottest relations, or in the mos
IA sanity assemblies as outside when thess
are desired. Not little vanity, pride
and selfshness is to be observed in the
sss5ssss = = saa1 laia saass
= tNE1A