The New York herald., 1868-05-08
Tho RELIGIOUS Anniversar rie..

The country parsons are coming to town
some In black broadcloth, some In white
chokers and some in siken gowns. They
come here annually in this season of May, like
the spring blossoms, or like green peas and
new potatoes from the South, or fresh salmon
from the Penobscot, or fresh shad from the
North river. What dish to set before sim
ners. Green peas, fresh salmon, new pota-
toes and good fat parson! But this year the
royal dish is to be garnished with an entirely
new delicacy-the new religion of Auguste
Comte, which calls things by their proper
names, and mixes the material with the
spiritual, as one Of our bar princes would
fashion a mint-julep by the infusion Of some
prime old Jamaica.
Some of our contemporaries contend that
these anniversaries are useless, that they do
more harm than good, and tend to retard rather
than accelerate the spread of the Gospel among
the heather. We do not agree with them.
The evidence, in fact, is otherwise. Look at
the lively religious revivals going on the past
year in rural as well as in metropolitan
districts. Look at the unusual accessons to
churches of all denominations, to the number
nations to theological institutions, to the fact
that even the finty heart of Wall street has
been struck with the steel of remorse and emit
ted spark of divine charity in the shape Of
generous donation to we'll known religious
establishment. Look at the magnificent fields
opened to missionary labor in Africa by the
explorations of DR.. Livingstone and the more
recent expedition Of the British General
Napier in Abyssinia, where, by the aid of Arm
strong twelve FOUNDER tracts, the light of the
gospel according to Queen Victoria has been
dispensed among peoples who, strangely
enough, were discovered to possess some tradi-
tions of early Christianity, and that, too, in a
land sacred to the memories of King Solomon
and the Queen of Sheba But the valor Of
this race of sable Christians was found
to be lamentably deteriorated when compared
with that of their colored Christian brethren
in this great land of freedom and religious
liberation. Under General Grant the Ameri-
can sable Christians were reported to have
''fought nobly;" while under the British Cen
eral Napier the Abyssinian sable Christians
are reported to have done nothing Of the sort,
but to have submitted, like primitive Chris
tians as they are, in spirit Of heavenly meek
ness to the dissemination of Christian doc
trnes from the mouths Of Christian British
cannon. When smote upon the right cheek they
not only turned the left, but, like the Prince of
,ln, Lo ~ t,,1@ roI
locks into the lap of General Merewether, they
gave cheeks, head, greasy chops and all.
There's meekness, there's humility, there's
Christian charity for you!-truly an example
worthy of imitation in lands more renowned
for Christianity and civilization than those ruled
over by the late lamented King Theodorus.
Therefore the country parsons will come.
There being much to be grateful for the past
year they can prepare programme and
raise supplies for the coming one. If they
want purse of two millions it will be contri-
buted. They can find out too, what the Devil
has been doing in this city during the interim
of their twelve months absence. They will
ascertain how Satan tempted certain di-
vine to preach contrary to the oanons of the
Church, and how he was admonished therefor
by the Bishop and what came Of it, They
will learn how Beelzebub has been raising the
mischief among the Epscopalians and tempted
them, in the syren form of ritualism, to depart
from the venerable usages of the past and to
initiate the rites of the terrible Roman Catho-
lie Church. Not to put too fine a point upon
it, they will learn how many yards of black
and white cambria and how many wax can
dies constitute the distinction between the
Church of Rome and the Church of England.
Our country parsons WILL also, beyond doubt
open their ears with wonder when they hear
what the Devil has been doing among our
church choirs how the sermons have been
curtailed to give more time to the artistic rem.
dering Of sacred music, and how the heart has
been led away from the solemn teachings of
the pulpit by the sublime aras Of bcwitchng
prime d0nne. They will likewise look with
4mazement upon what the Devil has been
doing with the ladies' church toilets how he
has perched saucy little imps upon dainty fab
rications which an Irish fairy would scarcely
call bonnets how the same little imps play
and dangle among the long tresses Of the fair
ones, and how they hover about and cling
around and climb upon the brocades, the
satins and silks, with trimmings Of rich
lace and brilliant ornamentatons of diamonds
and mother-ofpearl, which constitute the
Sabbath costumes of fashionable lady de-
votees at q grand fashionable religious
matinee or soiree. They will see, also, how,
as Miss Clack would say, the Devil has got
into the church sofa cushions into the vel
vet carpeting soft as the treacherous paw of
a cat into the purple pulpit trimmings into
the smbazoned choir surroundings; into
the gorgeous upholstery trappings generally,
and set his face, in the shape of stained
cia 40 ,r;ndow ooainst Tho n,ro and han;gnant