Smyrna times., 1870-01-12
Unsectarian Christianity the only Reli-
gion for the American Republic.

The Rev. A. ID. Mayo, of Cincinnati preach
ed recently in DR.. Belows's Church, New York |
city, on the above named subject, from which |
the following extract is made:
And now ] meet squarely the great issue of
this day and this land, and declare that this
unseclarian, absolute religion, is the only rei-
glOn that can save this Republic from atheism
and social anarchy. Sectarian religion may
perhaps be safely cherish' d 10 Europe while
longer, because it is logically consistent with
the imperial and aristOcratic organization of
European society. But if all men are endowed
with certain inalienabe rights, then the ma
jority that, as the representatives of the whole
people, administers our Government has no
| right to recognize any religion save that which
by its very nature is as universal as humanity,
founded at once in the very constitution of the
human soul and the Divine Law of God. The
intoerant side of New England Puritanism
has filled New England with men and women
who are not willing to stand up before the
world and say they believe there is God. The
sectarian wing Of Presbyterianism, ten years
ago, had driven that glorious old church among
the breakers, where it would have gone to
pieces had not the people come to the rescue
and in the name Of Him who walked the waves.
warped the grand old ship once more out into
the open sea, trimmed her masts and headed
her toward the universal religion of love to
God and man. The Methodist Church, warned
in time, has called upon its laity to build its
front facing the rising sun. The Episcopal
Church is just entering the conflict which will
declare whether it shall sink into a petty &C.
clesiasitcism, or expand to a vital branch of the
universal church Of Christ. The Congrega-
tional Church of every type, orthodox or
liberal, stands on the verge of the declaration
that there is but one religion, love to God and
love to man, and to that platform it will vel
come mankind. 80, just now, comes up the
great question-Is there religion, which is
not sectarian, which is consistent with the
rights of man and the best things in .he pres
ent age, which can become the basis of every
American institution, the soul of our public
and private life? This question divides the
nation into two great parties.
We are on the eve of conflict OF opinions
in this republic, which will finally decide
whether we can have any acknowledgment oi
God or religion anywhere outside the private
life of the people. If we persist in our un.
! hallowed and obstinate worship Of sectariar
| Christianity, our retributOn will be that we
shall leave all confession of religion itself ou
t of the whole public life of the nation, and this
Is just what two classes of people nO-a days arr
e urging US to do. There is large class of sec
D tartan bigots among clergy and aity, including
a the vast majority Of the Catholics, and too
many PrOtestants of all denominations, VIII
: say, " If the people won't make our sectarian
ism a virtual State religion, they shall hav
n none at all we will put even the acknowledge
+, ment of God from the school and the State
n and compel them to come to our church for a.
u instruction on this great theme. Then there
o another vast body who believe in no religion
q or are Indifferent or hostile to it, besides clas
u of liberals who take bigotry at its word an
r say, eyes; there is no religion that is not SEQ
e tartan: it is always narrow war of little sect:
priests and churches, and we will put it all on
Is OF public regard. And these two classes wi
unite all over the land, and wage war to tn
ID death to make our whole public American iii
as barren of religious faith as granite rock {
E. foliage. The same class will conspire TO driv
a. all religious obligation out of p ivate seculs
ID life. Business shall not be responsible To r.
is hgion. Social life shall steer by Paris, not !
r. the Kingdom of Heaven. Literature sha
y have its own law; science shall be goddess
r education shall leave out God there shall
d, no religion anywhere outside the churche
e, where sectarian priesthood, claiming infal
D, biity for creed, a FORM or a church, sha
r. label and ticket their disciples for sectaria
heaven. What can such wrstched caricatu
of Christianity as this do with the great ragin
goddess, daily life of America to-day? Wit
all the power of government, education, bus
e ness, society, and culture thrown on the side
utter indifference or hostility to religion, wi
of will go after the faith that will be driven
or shelter in sectarian churches2 Will the gre
ed railroad kings-Fisk, and Gould, and Vande
nd bilt-leave their Offices and 20 up to ask
of stout man dressed in lawn at ST. Albans,
of clad In the parti-cOlOred vestments OF Rom
ad and bowling before an altar with his back
m humanity, what is right in the new raIlro
lst speculatiOn2 Will the jolly bulls and dlsn
lat bears of Wall street wait for telegram fr"
he the professor out at Princeton, who interpre
he the Westminster catechsm, before making
rs, new corner" in the Gold Room Will Tai
re- many Hall adjourn to wait for q settlement
If the claims of rival candidates from learn'
d. pundit, whose eyes are woTn out with chasi
ed . Greek accent through a pile Of old man
l." scrips for twenty years2 What hope have "
be Of getting hold of the myriads of sensui
he ambitious, money-crazed, selfish violent you
to men and women Of this great city, it you wi
Ter till they can comprehend the mysteries OF .
on Trinity, the sacrifcial atonement, or any of {
ed elaborate creeds on which no two great schOla
70 agree2 You may get few clergymen a.
Of deacons together on of these little sectari
:" platforms, where everybody will forget then
but the great American world will roar on
lar Goddess as ever. No. friends, only when
can unite on the unsectarian religion OF Chri
.w. the religion Of love to God and man, can
Rs. make head against this union OF bigots
INV Atheists 10 bereave us of all public faith q
of Christian morality. II is high tune we kn'
nv this, and went about the work OF reReneratll
es. this people, The whole world is upon US, a
of we are getting sadly confused in our MOI
lt: bearings. 1t is just as possible Tor this peoE
re. to run down into the slough of unbelief a
NV universal unbelef as for any nation that ev
existed on earth. But, God helping Us, oh
D.. shall not be. Now is Christ risen, as from {
6le dead, saying to u.s. as of old, Love is everla
In ing life" Aud in his great name will gath
ar a growing multitude, who will give sin and u
Yel belief no rest until this people is regeneratC
and this Republic becomes the Kingdom
re- heaven. l...4 ........ ,..
asuI