The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-13

tunate condition to-day it is because of this
linking of religion and avarice in a single given
direction; and before we see her emerge from
her present troubles and launch into the re-
publican orbit for which she aims we shall see
desperate warfare waged under plea Of re-
ligion, but really in support Of avarice.
Nor have we to look entirely to Europe to
witness the effect of the union of the two most
powerful elements Of our nature. In Spanish
America we have seen 1t unfolded in It's most
prodigal form. There it has fourished without
contact with the growing civilization Of the
nineteenth century, which, in Europe, now
threatens it with complete destruction by fore
ing morality to rest upon its heaven-born
merits and avarice to sink to it's proper level.
Perhaps the most prominent example of mis-
fortune which has befallen a code Of morals is
to be found in Mexico. There the precepts of
Holy Writ were made the focus of every imagin-
able crime One-third of the wealth of the
country and nearly one-half of its territory
accumulated in the hands of the clergy
swamped completely all religious purity and
made Christ and his teachings mockery
Here we have quoted few examples of the
effects resulting from union of the best with
the worst, the highest with the lowest attribute
Of mans mental force. 1t is strange truth
that at the inception of religious doctrines
their originators and supporters, in looking
about them for the best means of propagating
morals, have called in the very worst feature
of mans organization to their assistance, and
while they have pretended to kindle lofty
spiritual feeling in the human family have, at
the same moment, through avarice, created an
immoral counterbalance against which true
struggle. In fact, in this view of the matter
we perhaps owe more of present human purity
to the march of modern invention, tending to
national and international development, than
we do to the religious systems which, up to
the present time, have planted themselves in
the van, assuming to lead in all that is benef-
cial to our race.
While Europe, which we call retrograde, is
cutting off these abuses from her religious
orders it is curious that in the United States
we are allowing the different sects to absorb
vast estates and accumulate property to such
an extent that the spiritual system, even though
not at present linked with the State, will finally
become national curse. The estates gen.
orally absorbed by the different religious socie-
ties are almost as completely held in mortmain
as ever they were in Spain, Italy or Mexico;
and even to-day we might point to societies
where men seek high position more for the
for the salvation Of their souls or the benefit
of the Lord. Church property is generally
favored in the United States, its taxes are
most always RENTED and concessions granted,
so that private worldly corporations can have
little hope of competing financially with spirit
ual ones in any given direction. We venture
to say that it would surprise any man were we
to give statement of the vast estates and
wealth held by the different religious corpora
tons in the United States, showing thereby
the accumulations which are the most potent
element for the corruption of these societies
and their consequent future destruction.
1t is q strange fact that Mexico is in advance
of us in respect to the laws upon this subject.
Her constitution Of 1857 prohibits any religious
denomination from holding, directly or indi-
rectly, any more real estate than is absolutely
necessary for purposes Of worship. 1t would
be wise measure for those churches among
us which really prize morals and true religion
more than avarice to petition Congress to in
corporate similar law into our own consti-
tuition.