The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-01-26

to their prating.
We say It deliberately, new order OF
affairs must be inaugurated, or the influence Of
the pulpit 10 gone. In New England the people
as rule are in thought ahead Of the pulpit;
In New York the people have no sympathy
with the morbid nothingness Of pulpit takers;
and in the West the tendency to speculative
scepticism, just beginning to crop out Is
stronger than the whole army Of clergymcn
throughout the Union. Everywhere the pulpit
is inadequate to the wants Of the people, and Is
likely 90 to remain until 1t studies the people
and draws the inspiration Of its thought from
their needs, and not from Carlyle, Emerson.
Parker or theological dogmatics. aa1t
Tho war In ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ON the
Eve Of Battle with TheodOrus. ss
. By special telegram from Abyssinia, for.
warded by way Of London and through the
Atlantic cable, we were enabled to announce
Yesterday the important fact that the British
expedilionary army, under command Of Major
General Napier, marching from the place Of
landing at Annesley Bay, had arrived in sight
of The camp Of King Theodorus, fixed in posi-
ton near to and most likely covering his pala-
tial stronghold at Magdala. General Napier
had thus, with that promptness which charac-
terized all his movements in India and China.
narrowed the difficult question existing between
Queen Victoria and the African potentste to .
very simple point--ths release Of th> prison
ers, complete indemnity, Of course, - battle.
As our special despatch was dated at hntlla ON
the l4th inst. 1t Is very probable thu ) result
has been already obtained. The coiist may
have taken place and the prisoners r ssd,or
they may have been summarily exec Cd even
before the engagement commenced. As the
most important consequences will ensue from
either event later advices from the seat Of
war in Africa will be looked for With great
interest.
King Theodorus is placed in very difficult
position. Surrounded with Jealous and rebel
chiefs. he is called on by the representative Of
one of the most powerful military nations in
the world to do an act at the point Of
the sword to which he haughtily refused
10 accede through diplomacy or Christian
suasion. Yielding or vanquished, his illus
trious ancestral claims, his dynasty, his reli-
gious halo discipline and sclfdenial avail
HIM nothing and he will have to endure the
modification and humiliation Of beholding
his more docile countrymen subjugated and
"put TO work" universally, and the most
ancient Continent on earth fall gradually under
the dominion of the plain matter Of fact, yet
unsatisied, masters Of Hmdostan. The glories
of thousand years of successful defiance 10
the warlike Mahommedans on the frontiers
will have been dissipated and In his hands
Easy, good-natured people have imagined.
indeed, that the very appearance of British
troops in Abyesinia would have accomplished
all this. 1t is prudent, however, not to ven
ture too far on theories and chances in calca-
lating the consequences Of this war.
The English expedition to Abyssinia is Z
difficult undertaking, and the selection OF such
a man as Sir Robert Napier for its chief com
mand proves Of itself that the difficulty was
duly estimated by the authorities. King Theo-
dorus may endure series OF defeats in his
mountain defiles. In such war England can
suffer the loss Of only ono battle. The under
taking is not popular with the millions in
the cause OF an addition to the income tax and
their inclinations prompt them rather to save
that extra penny Immediately and postpone tho
CALCULATION Of the prospective profits OF the war.
The expression and tone of the most recent
mail advices from England on this subject indi-
cate pretty plainly TO US that the country
would scarcely bear the publication of news
OF a victory by Theodorus, and changes, politi-
cal and social, OF the most marked character
might follow all over the United Kingdom
after the announcement The ministers OF the
Crown would be held directly responsible for
loss or blunder by some very plain express
sion Of public feeling; so that it is Of the
utmost consequence, both TO Queen Victoria
and Earl Derby, that General Napier should
be completely successful over her Majestys
sable admirer from the very beginning.
Whatever can be accomplished by twenty
thousand brave soldiers, supplied with all the
modern appurtenances of wsr--whatever
English "pluck," endurance and good general
ship can do will be done. and the British In
Abyssinis must, we think, rely more on these
then on the promises Of African rebels or the
expected exhaustion OF Theodorus. In con-
srmaiion Of the accuracy OF this view Of the
case, we need only refer TO our special tele-
gynm from Senate, published to-day, which
informs us that the hitherto avowed friendship
Of one OF the grea. Tiqre chiefs for the Eng
hsl " doubtful.
Musical Publicaiiens.