The New York herald., 1869-06-14
NATIONAL S u.s."
Lecture Delivered by the Rev. III. ID. North-
rop Before the SONS Of Tempernnce.


rop Before the Sons Of Temperance.
The Rev. ii. ID. Northrop. pastor Of the West
Twenty.third street Presbyterian church. last even
ing delivered a lecture before the Sons OF Temper.
ance In Dr. Burohard's church. in Thirteenth street.
between sixth and Seventh avenues. The reverend
gentleman began his lecture by taking for his text
Proverbs XIV. 34-"Righteousness exalteth nation.
but sin Is areproach to any people," They are poor
patriots, said the lecturer, who go crazy on the
glory OF America, but never get disturbed by reason
OF her shame. The creed OF many is TO praise every
thing peculiarly national. The best creed In TO
praise what ought to be praised and condemn what
ought TO be condemned. BY righteousness men.
toned in the text may be understood obedience to
Gods moral law. 1t includes justice, honesty,
purity OF morals, regard for religion, liberty
OF conscience. IL IL assumed that our
national resources our silver and gold, our
thrilling history, our impetuous march upon the
road Of empire, our education and literature, ere the
glory Of our country. SO they are; but there s
glory brighter and higher. IL s that virtue without
which governments are as unstable as bubbles, and
the welfare OF the people Is insecure. The preacher
proceeded to point out some Of the evils most appa-
rent at the present time. First there Is too much
ooseness frequently in the home, both In teaching
and living. The nation Is made up OF families, grows
out Of them, and Is nothing but large collection OF
them. What the families and homes are the nation
Will be. The people make the laws elect the rulers,
WELD their own sceptre, decide their own destiny.
Take care Of them as individuals and you have
taken care Of the country The place for doing this
Is the home. Structures frequently passed upon
the family training OF the old Purltains but many Of
their children have turned out remarkably well. III
there we're any evils In their system Of training we
IN these latter times are not In the slightest danger
OF falling into them. For instead OF being trained
up the children frequently train up their parents
and not always IN the way they should 90. Secondly
1t is certain that there would be love for virtue
In many families II there less love for the cor
rupt literature OF the day. The magnitude Of the
evil is prodigious. The newspapers sent out from
New York every week are an index OF the character
Of the American people. The press is far m,ghtier
than the pulpit IL reaches . larger number OF
people, and that every day. The whole world reads
Every night Is impatient for the next mornings
news. The press IL the potent engineery for nations
elevation or q nations ruin. II IL Il corrupt the
Infection viii spread through the system Of the body
polite and work disaster. While we have pure
and virtuous press, 1t is notorious that we have
press which is just as impure and unvirtuous
as II dares to be. large part OF the
responsibility for this rests with those who
supply this literature; but not entirely, for the
supply In no greater than the demand The shop
boy who buys the low paper is responsible, and so