The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-05-09
The Anniversaries.

With the return of smiling May New York
city again finds itself crowded with parsons
and priests and other religious deputies. May
is the season of Christian reunion, and New
York is our American Jerusalem. Hither at
least once year the tribes come up. There
is this difference, however, to be noted be-
tween the two Jerusalems. The Jews went up
to worship and to make their offerings. The
religious pilgrims come to New York from all
parts of the United States less to worship and
present gifts than to replenish their purses
and see what is going on in the midst of us.
They come to take, not to give. New York
in this particular is a London, an Edinburg,
Berlin, rather than Jerusalem, Mecca, or
Rome.
We are glad, however, to see the religious
societies in the midst of us, and it is crafty
ing to know that the object for which they
come seldom fails of accomplishment. 1t will
be seen from our religious intelligence to-day
that though the societies which present their
claims for support are not quite so numerous
as in former years they are here this year in
goodly numbers. DR.. Thayer pleads the cause
Of the Presbyterian Board of Missions to-day
in the First Presbyterian church. The
claims of the New York Bible Society are to
be set forth at different centres by Drs.
Hastings, McVickar and Foss. DR.. Cuyler
of Brooklyn, will make an effort to get at the
hearts and the purses of New York merchants
in the interest of the Seamens Friend Society
The causes represented by the Home Mission
airy Society and by the Female Guardian So
ciety are respectively to be advocated by DR..
Storrs and Mr.. Eddy Of Brooklyn. Thus the
campaign is to open. During the course of
the week the Anti-Slavery Society, the Tract
Society, the National Temperance Society, the
Bible Society and the Congregational Union
will hold meetings With one exception these
societies are all doing good work, and we shall
be glad to hear that they have not appealed to
the New York heart and purse in vain. We
make one exception for, now that slavery has
been abolished, we know no good reason for
the continued existence of the Anti-Slavery
Society. OF mutual admiration meetings they
have surely had enough. 1t is time they were
devoting their energies to some practical end.
OF the progress of vital godliness and
Christian benevolence throughout the
Union we cannot write until the
reports of the different societies have
been submitted We have little doubt that the
reports will be encouraging, and we are certain
that New York will not be slow to give what
may be necessary to send the brethren on
their way rejoicing. II, however, the parsons
and their lay brethren, who have come up with
them, will step into Niblo's and take peep
at the Forty Thieves most attractive
company Of vagabonds-they will see that in
spite of all their eloquence, and in spite of all
that the HERALD has been doing to assist them,
the cause Of Satan is still powerful in the midst
Of us. We dare not advise them to go; it
might be dangerous; but the devil has some
temples in New York in which they might
learn something Nothing like being well
posted. To know the strength of the enemy
it is well to look at his strongholds. We shall
have more to say of these anniversaries before
the appointed weeks are ended.