New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-10-23

! in procuring such literary facilities as the
delegates would have required in conduct
| ing the questions which were to come be-
fore the convention And it is probable
| that if the alliance holds to its purpose,
and meets, according to its adjournment,
| in the city of New York, that the occasion
will show such provision in the way OF
books and documents as no country but
England or Germany could approach.
The immense wealth of the Eastern
cities is largely devoted to the collection
| Of literary and artistic memorials. Gen
| tlemen who have retired from business III
! New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Balti-
| more, Washington and the States that
surround these cities, have been the most
liberal buyers in Europe of ancient manu-
! scripts and antique works, frequently out
bidding the aristocracy OF London and
Paris for master pieces of painting and
| for libraries of works that are scarce.
! And if it was understood that the Evan
| gelical Alliance would certainly hold its
first congress in New York, we have no
doubt but that this spirit of literary ac-
quisitiveness would prompt still greater
activity among our wealthy and intelligent
citizens in the purchase Of rare books
| that will be thrown upon the market by
the present war in Europe. Thousands
of volumes will be offered for sale that
would, otherwise, have remained in the
public and private libraries in France.
Alsace and Lorraine are the Old seats Of
learning.
Strasburg was one of the fountains that
supplied France with religious works in
the time of Condo and Co!igny. Hun
dreds of manuscripts were concealed il
private houses from the priests, and from
there copies were made to be scattered
over Europe. They will now be brought
from their hiding places, and beyond a
doubt New York and Boston Will come
into possession of original papers that
were used by Luther himself And we
may rest assured that whatever may be
held in this country by purchase or by do
nation will be placed at the service of the
Evangelical Alliance.
1t has been suggested, however. even
in the United States, that the frs. session
of the Christian Congress ought to be
held in Rome since it is now free city:
and the novelty Of the proposition, it is to
be apprehended, will have great weight
to deprive the United States OF the honor
Of affording hospitality and shelter to the
first meeting of the most important pro-
testant body that has been convened for
centuries: The Evangelical Alliance was
promoted by the ablest divines Of the two
worlds. 1t had the support of the gov
eminent at Berlin, Washington, London
and Brussels. All the leading men OF
England, Germany, Belgium and the
United States were united to support its
proposed alliance between the Christian
Churches Its congress could be held in
the United States without creating a sin
gle sentiment of opposition. al the
appliances demanded by such convo-
cation would be at hand. The delegates
would be introduced to the New World.
Their ideas would take a more liberal !
turn from being surrounded by a liberal |
people. The opposite OF this IS what we
apprenend if the congress cCnvenes at |
Rome. The delegates will be surrounded |
by the prejudices Of the past. Their de- |
liberations Will pe watched over by the
illberality of rega. government, and
the inquisitiveness Of the papal priest
hood They will either fail to go far
enough, or they Will go too far. The |
spirit of deliberation will be dwarfed, or
it will develope into revolutionary
sentiment. Rome offers no such &C
commodations as New York. Her libra
ries are inferior to ours. Her air
is not SO vigorous She is yet pros
trate from long years of inactivity. |
She can help the congress in no
particular. She is physically and mental
ly incapable of competing with the New
World, and the Alliance needs the life |
Of the present to support it. The men,
bers should occupy the highest platform
of advanced thought to determine the
policy they intend to recommend for our
future guidance. Let them not, then, in
spirit of ostentation, risk the hopes of
the Evangelical Congress at any less en-
hghtened point than New York. We
offer them the New World as q meeting
place. 1t is Of the present. 1t is il ad-
vance. 1t abhors what is effete. 1t looks
to the future. Itshould baptize the policy