New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-01-05
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

love of the laws of the nation. Religion
is manifested in obedience to and love o.
the laws of God. Love is the leading i'm
pulse and soul of obedience, and will flow
out to the nation when it recognizes right
and just laws, and to God when it realize;
his character to be good just, and holy, and
the laws proceeding therefrom benevolent
and meIciful.
The religion of some men consists Of love
to the nation alone, and looks no higher
the religion of others takes in the nation
and God and can not divorce the two, OIL
rather looking upon both as one, will recog
nize no laws of the nation that are not also
clearly laws of God. Religion is the
deepest part of mans nature-deepest
in the savage and deepest in the saint. Il
links man with God, treats of his relations to
God brings God down to man, and lifts man
up to God. 1t makes him a "oitizen of the
| universe" as patriotism makes him citizen
at heart Of the nation. Religion takes in all
the universe of matter and mind and spirit.
1t is the soul of science, the soul Of philoso-
ply, the soul of art. The protoundest
skeptic, if he be sincere, is profoundly
religious man. With his whole nature he
loves truth, and truth is the soul of God.
"Creeds, says profound writer, "shrivel
like leaves before frost at the door of the
observatory" But religion widens and
deepens as knowledge and science advance.
1t will not be confined by human institu-
tisns and precedents; it cleaves straight to
the heart Of things, and rests only on the
bosom OF advancing truth. The most
Insignificant act may be inspired
by religious spirit which broods over
all the common affairs and little details of
life and duty, as well as the grandest efforts
of the will in arousing rebellion against
unjust laws, and marshaling armies in
defense of righteous principles. The great
revolutions of the world through which
greater liberty of human action and human
thought were obtained, were all inspired
and driven on by the spirit of religion not
the religion of creeds but the religion of
light and knowledge, continually hungering
to know the eternal reason and purpose of
things. Creeds are but definitions Of the
day, and change and pass away with the
day but religion is eternal it can not
change its quantity is always the same,
its quality always the same. 1t is spiritual
force, and like material force it can neither
be created nor destroyed; neither be dimin-
ished nor increased. Balanced between
and spiritual forces God has placed
the human Will. All men find it to be free,
but Can not explain the mystery. In
order to create a moral being there
must be an interval of time between temp
batioz and choice. The reason of man de-
nands this. Men feel themselves to be
moral beings, feel themselves to be free,
will fight and die in defense of the feeling.
Balanced, therefore, between material and |
spiritual forces is the human will. Mate |
'ial force obeys it, and the moment its |
urking plan is discovered becomes an che |
lient slave to man. 1t carries bis thoughts |
'round the world as rapidly as they can be |
conceived and is continually at his side to
10 his slightest bidding. Spiritual force
likewise obeys the will of man. With it
nan can make himself q demon or a saint;
With it man can ill himself with the ethics
If hell or the religion of heaven; with it
nan can rise and enter into the very moral
)eing of God himself or sink int the soul
If fiends. Spiritual laws play upon and
constitute the soul Of man material laws
play upon and constitute the body
If man. The will can choose between
hem. 1t can be the sovereign over or
lave of both. If sovereign, both will aid
a building up man in the perfect image of
God; if slave, both will hasten the destruc-
ion Of that image. Religion blends
piritual and material forces. The soul
,leams through matter and its character
whether good or bad writes itself upon the
ines Of the face, the movements Of the
,Ody, the whole person Of man. Religion
makes the countenance Of man CLEAN with
CELESTIAL light; it conquers pain, sorrow,
and achieves its final vic
DRY over death and the grave. What has
t not done2 What will it not do for man?
I can not be defined, it needs no explana-
ion, twill obey no creed. Its scope is the
Universe. 1t looks upon everything created
md pronounces all good. 1t sees divine
md holy purpose in all things and if it
AN net always find out the order of that
purpose it rests satisfied that it Is SUI
'remely wise and benefcent.
Patriotism and religion are the two high
'st states Of the human soul. Both are un-
elash, both pure, both elevate, both trans
igure, both save. GaribaldI in the love
4 bis country and people, was supremacy
lappy in the dungeon; Christ in the love
# God and the human race was supremely
iappy on the cross. The devotion Of one
nay have been human; the sacrifice Of the
ither may have been divine. We viii
lot enter into or attempt 10 explain
he mystery. Enough that religion
nd the good Of man inspired both, and in
. effects upon them became a source Of
patriotic and religious inspiration for
'thera. Garibaldi inspired nation ;
Jhrist called out to the world, and is call
ng still And his voice will be heard
'long the agea, not opposing but encour-
lging progress in all i'd. phases 7; in science.