Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-06-08
Feeling not RELIGION.


Plymouth Pulpit for April 8, gives an ex-
cellent sermon from Mr. Beecher ON ''con-
duct the Index of Feeling, from which we
make this extract:
Momentary experiences of strong feeling
are not unwholesome. On the contrary, |
they are frequently cleansing and inspira-
tlonal. But to be under the dominion of |
emotions for any considerable time, which
die IN you as emotions, but produce nothing,
do not change themselves into intellectual
conditions, do not change themselves into
volitions, do not change themselves into
courses of government-that is unwhole-
some.
Every particle of feeling that you have
more than you can reduce to conduct and
volition is so much surplusage. An engin-
eer wants to have head of Steam enough
but he knows very well that if he has so
much that he is obliged to throw it off at
the whistle, at the safety-valve, and at the
smoke stack, he is racking the engine use
lessly. Five pounds more steam than you
want is five pounds against you-not five
| pounds for you. Some men are so cOnsti-
tuted that the least touch of feeling sets
them all Alright. They are unfortunate un-
|
some more useful and practical result than
merely emotion. But that is not the cur
rent impression. People think that that
is the Christian who lies back in his chair
and has glorious visions and experiences.
"Oh! such gOOdtime, such ajOytul time,
as | have had p aman says. Well, let me
see him day or two afterward, and [ can
tell better whether it is d genuine Christian
IpXDprlence or not
/ A MAN UnaU takes MS excess OF moral,
Isocial, and religious excitement, to raise
the tone Of his moral and emotive feelings,
is just as dissipated as if he raised the tone
of his physical feelings by physical stimu-
lants. | am not instituting a comparison
as to which is the better and which is the
worse. | merely say that one is intemper-
ance just as much as the other though one
is grosser than the other, and is more disas-
trous in undoing the very structure of the
body itself. And men ought to be made to
understand that there is such a thing a.
moral intOxication, and that man can
take a religious feeling, and that he can
what shall l say ?-imbibe and imbibe
and imbibe, for no other reason than be-
cause it feels so good. 1t is a self-indul-
gence. 1t is a luxury higher luxury
to be sure. And he imbibes and imbibes
and Is more joyful. He is not a better man
but he is much happier man. And he
imbibes, and imbibes, until by and by he
swigs, and swigs, and swigs; and the man
is besOtted. | have seen men that were lit
orally debauched at the top Of their brain
and who had gone into a systematic self-in,
!, diligence. They never were happy except
under circumstances where they had thi,
peculiar form of enjoying themselves
Ii | found that the whole form OF this en-
joyment was a mighty spring that wa,
pressing them toward self-denial for tn,
sake of their fellow men if | found that i
, was securing their morals as white as snow
if found that it was multiplying the ave
nues of their usefulness if | found tina
they were gentle and meek in followin!
e Christ-then | should say that there wa
no debauch there, that there was moral in
temperance there. Feeling which, begin
: ming as feeling, has transmitted itself int
e life and conduct, and has become wholesom
I that Is genuine piety; that is true Chris
tian character; but the mere feeling with
8 out the transmutation is nothing of tn
kind, and it is not desirable If it Is no
: going to be transmitted into anything bu
i emotion, 1t Is not only an undesirable thing
u but 1t IS dangerous thing.