The New York herald., 1870-05-13
THO May Annixer snrics.

"">~-~~~' c~oooA4
versaries-which frequently opens amid spring
showers or chronic rainy weather, commenced
this year under slightly more stimulating aus
pices. TO wit--gin and milk. The anniversary
season was inangurated on Sunday before last.
On that day the Rev. Mr.. Smyth, having invited
leaky reporter to partake Of some refresh
ments after his (the reverend's) usual piquant
aersnon, the aforesaid reporter made o
supplemental report thereon, in which he
portrayed the divine at feast In rsstau-
rant. at which sgin and milk" verb the prin-
cipal features Of the bill Of fare. With SO
stimulating an Inauguration it was reasonable
to suppose that the anniversaries would pro-
coed without cdd water being injected into
them. And it seems that the deacons OF the
offending clergyman's church helped to this
conclusion by, as It were, pitching their un-
fortunate pastor out Of cauldron OF boiiihs
Presbyterian birthstone and landing him high
and dry upon the cold slab Of an unsympa-
thizng, anti -giu-and milk drinking congrega-
ton.
Even with this spirited start it is difficult to
discern whittier the enthusiasm which usually
attended these May anniversaries in times gone
by has taken lis fight. The HERALD report
ers have given ample and comprehensive de-
scriptions Of the various anniversary meetings
thus far held, but they all are barren, ssiale,
fiat and Improbable" 30 far as the exhibit 10
the grand old cause of Christian progress is
concerned. The Rev. Boss Smyth's weakness
for gin and milk has given way to sort Of
milk and water arrangement all round the re-
ligious Sanhedrims Of the current year.
What's the matter? What's the cause of this
depression in one Of the most holy of causes,
the most sanctided Of occasions9 We will
endeavor to explain 1T Is because morbid
and diabolicai sentiment of free love and un-
cleanly afinities in the flesh has beer
allowed to creep into the community
to the Generalization of Christian and
to the annihilation Of domestic ties and
! affections. 1t is because q wicksd and unscru-
! p lous press, the organs OF Beelzebub in hit
most wrathful moods, has spread upon its bat
winged messengers of thought the most devil.
| ish, the most atrocious dogmas that ever
cursed civilized society and sent it headlong tt
perdition. It is because our fashionable
| church worshippers think more of ''style," o
silks aad satins, of diamonds and rnbes, ant
of bird Of paradise feathers, than they do Of I
paradise of eternal peace, loveliness ant
purity, s'where neither moth nor rust dotl
corrupt, and where thieves do not breal
| through nor steal" It Is because on
rulers are corrupt and corrupting; tha
money changers have crept back into tn
tabernacle Of the Law, whence they were one
driven by an outraged public opinion, and tha
| general social Generalization and rottenuess ar
allowed to exist without the Christian Churcl
piunging in "a sharp, incisive" knife an
| cutting out the cancer at once.
Thus to gin and milk cocktails for cler
| gymen, milk and water sermons for con
gregations and q wretched and infamou
| press that advocates or screens the commits
sion Of criminal commerce between partie
bound together by all laws, human and divine
may we attribute the existing lukewarmnes
in the May anniversaries thus far the preser
year. Between free love, lax morals, corrup
officials and gin and milk there is no wonde
there should be subsistence in the spir
which hitherto has led our Christian fello,
citizens to remember the poor heather, t
clothe, instruct and educate him, and, takin
an African turn, remember, in the words Of tn
lamented Mungo Park
He had no mother to bring him gin and milk,
| No vie to bring him corn.
| Amen