The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-12-03

dHidsiCC Will TeHSlnn TcifSlOn can gam
none in her unearthly purity and spirit
ual power, by an alliance with politics.
" bat that Gospel which is the power OF
God unto salvation to every one that be-
lieveth, needs, is, unrestricted for
the doing of its work That it has here
Aud where 1t has had time and opportu-
! nifty, IL has lnanlfcstly done vigorous
| eevatin. and saving work. The vitality,
| and subduing power Of American Chris
| tianIty seems to me scarcely surpassed by
| that of any past period OF the Christian
| era, If | ought not TO except the age of
the primitive Church. | know very well
when | say this, that there are intemper-
ance and profanity. and sabbath desecra-
tion. aud impurity and infdelity appa-
ral.tly flooding our land But, my hear
ers, is Sabbath breaking the result of
| American Professionalism 1t is mani
| testify an e,rottc, transplanted from the
old world, which our religion would kill
and root out, If its powercou be brought
to bear, and Will as soon as its power can
be brought to bear, upon it. There are
| denominations of Christians, Protestant
as well as Catholics, which deplore the
apparent increase of infidelity in our land.
| Aud so to them it must appear 1t
| doubtless is true that vast multitudeS who
have come from the restraints of State
religions, and religion of authoritative
control in other lands, when they have
come to free America have thrown rudely
off the restraints of religious domina-
ton. Shaken from the faith to which,
before, they had been moored, they
have lost confidence in all religion.
and have d.ifted into the dreary haven
less sea Of intdehty. The trouble seems
to be, not that they have been democrat
lied by coming here, but that here the
| spiritual decentralization of state religions
and haughly spiritual control, is made
manifest. But, notwithstanding these
qualifications, which [ have thought it
necessary to make, | am led yet to say
that in my opinion. ourAmeric Chris
tianlty Is as vigorous, active, and efficient
and far reaching as the past fifteen CEN
centuries have produced. Within the
past fifty years, of immigrants from the
old world, and Of their children born here
meantime, there can not have been very
much less than nine millions Of souls
And yet during that same fifty years, it
seems pretty certain, from statistics east
ly reached. that the proportion of profes-
sors of religion, belonging to Evangelical
Protestant churches, to the population of
our land has increased. OurAmerican Pro
testant Christianity has outstripped in
its ration Of increase, the ratio Of the in
crease of the population of our land,
Notwithstanding. that during that time
about three million Ronlanists must have
been added princi pally by immigration
10 our population. This result which |
deem susceptible Of satisfactory proof.
although this Is not time In which
can stop to present it, Is result very
! grateful to such hearts DIS have been led
to feel that our American Professionalism
is after all the great conservator of all
that is precious that belongs to our ma
ton. 1t is growing, not only absolutely
but relatively, i'll its strength and over
mastering power for good. For the most
part, it Is, IN It's polty III harmony with
the institutions OF our country. 1t lay,
hold OF the conscience even where tie
heart is not yielded, and receives a liber-
al voluntary support And so long a.,
abjuring state aid, 1t is content to do the
work Of Christ, employing no authority
but the constralnts Of devoted selt-sacri-
fcing affection, SO long as abjuring forms
except for the sake of the spirit, it Is
willing to ABIDE III our land as one who
serves and not as one who rules, the
heart Of this great nation. in It's rapid
growth, will be laid upon her altar The
giftS of this rapidly analsing people will
be consecratcil il rich abundance to her
-,--~,"s and from this. her, ere long,
chief a.,,, - "|o will r"tn hcn
benign Influence tell to the ends q the
earth tS the welfare % man, to our honor
and to tile glory vi her Ii edeener.
1t is thus, my bearers, that | have
briefly invited your attention to aspect.
of Gods goodness to our land which
should make ours the spirit of the Psalm
lists Thanksgiving, if not his words, a>
he gratefully exclaimed. He had hot
dealt so with any nation" Gods gift tc
us Of our large domain, of our rapid
growth in population and in wealth, hi,
assignlng to us, lii the orderings of hi.
providence, such civil heritage, such
educational advantages, such transform
ing, blessed and blessing Christianity. are
aspects Of His abiding goodness, which
taken into connection with our review OF
the special mercies of the past year
should conspire to fill our hearts with
swelling gratitude. and tune our lips tC
haIlowed praise.
/ did deoig n to dwell upon some
| views, which some are inclined to take
which in their estimation, are adapteu
to compel Us to deduct somewhat from
hi, estimate OF lhc Ineiclc> VIII Oh Goo
has estowed But fear that | cannot
| with prnpriety tax your time AMI patience
sufficiently 70 answer fully the suggestion:
Of fear that might be made As an ex
ample of these deductions IRON oul
estimate OF Gods mercies, which some
are disposed to make, [ might mention
nue which heard stated [ suppose ovel
hirty ears ago SAID ii revereI Clergy
man of that time: 1t is impossible thai
lur country can always remaia unbroken.
Its ter itory Is so vast, it, extremes :,
distant, its interests will be SO varied, il
must follow i'll its experience that OF al
the great empires Of antiquity Oregon
can never be governed 10y IL central pow
er at Washington, it is so distant Blu
any hearers We see how Oregon is to be
nearer Washington in time then Cleve-
land then was Rail Roads are to shorten
space in a tenfoid proportion, While tele
graphs are to annlhilate time and we car
see how this one of the most formidable
of difficulties to the hope Of an unbroher
Union, God is setting aside. as rapid,
As our necessities require. No Interests
could be more conflicting, as it woulc
seem, than those Of slaveholding South
and freedom loving North and yet one
of the most powerful rebellions on recorc
was subdued III the interests of humanity
aid with the determination that thi
great Union shall be preserved 1t would
seem impossible that another SO great
peril can threaten our government a
that through which we have triumphant
" passed | know secta ians, are some
times alarmed lest in the growth Of ;
Ronanist influence our country will be
subjected to religious danger, as erea