The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-24
Religion and Modern Progress-CouuciE-
and Conventions.

Religion and Modern Progress-CouuciIs
and Conventions.
Religiously the times are stirring. Not in
many generations has there been 80 much
excitement on religious questions Nor is the
excitement confined to any country, to any
race or to any form of religious belief 1t is
everywhere and all through; in the Old World
and in the New; among Christians, Mohamme-
dams, Jews, Hindoos, Brahmans, Buddhists
and the rest; the dry bones are being stirred
up, and we are left to doubt whether the
result is to be life or death.
What is the cause of all this stir? II i, the
same cause all over. 1t is modern civilisa
tion-the progress of new ideas-which col,
lides with established customs, with old-fash-
Toned thought and belief. 1t is the railroad
the telegraph, the printing press, the newsl
paper and the ideas which these have begotted)
that are making men inpatient of sncient
bonds and opening up to ambitious mnd4
spheres OF greater activity, usefulness, CON-
fort, wealth. Everywhere there is antagoni5m
between the new and the old, the past and the
growing future. Men were formerly willing to
be led; now every man wishes to lead
Formerly it was dangerous to think; now
liberty of thought and of expression is priced
eboye all other possessions. The new forces
are proving too potent for the old barriers.
Everywhere the old barriers are yielding.
Let us look at facts. In this country the free
march of thought has wiped out the old
iniquity of slavery and now again, by the
aid OF our Pacific Railroad, we are giving the
other twin relic of barbarism notice to quit
In Great Britain an ancient ecclesiastical
system, which only few years ago was
deemed essential to the life and we'll
being Of the empire, has been unceremoniously
cut of from the State and allowed to ro
its own way. The spirit which accomplished
this grows stronger and is again revealing
itself. We are no longer allowed to doubt
that what has siappened in Ireland will coon
happen in Scotland and England. On the Con-
tinent of Europe we find that Italy and Austris.
and Spain in part have broken from the Holy
Sec, and that the whole Continent has Virtually
become Protestant in the true sense. Every
where liberty progresses and tyranny is
compelled to give way. In the East lslamlsm
is bowling to Christianity, or rather to the new
ideas to which Christianity has given birth.
| The Suez Canal is not merely wonder Of the
age and triumph of science; ii is revolution.
In Asia the force of the new civilization is revo-
lutonizng all habits of thought and forms OF
belief and giving new aspect to the mos,
ancient kingdoms and empires. Steam, the
railroad and the telegraph have already done
much towards breaking up the exclusiveness
| of India, of China aud Of Japan. Christian
civilization ia rapidly conquering Asia, and
| the freedom Of thought which Is now grow
ing characteristic Of those nations gives brigh,
promise for the future. All those movements,
| which are onward and upward, have naturally
| Ii certain quarters given pain. In no quar-.
! ter have they given SO much pain as in those
high places where so-calIed religion has sa
| and tyrannized over human intellect The