The New York herald., 1871-12-31

Our religious contemporaries seem to have
been too much engaged in holiday festivities
this week to have bestowed their usual care
upon their editorial columns. Most of them
are heavy and prosy, instead Of being lively
and vivacious with the merry meetings of these
happy Christmas times.
The Independent expresses high opinion
of General Grants efforts to improve the
character of the civil service, and says:-
We do not claim that General Grant mas made no
mistakes, deny that the overwhelming party
power OF an evil system has influenced his action;
vet his record shows most c0nclusvely that he has
fully the evils OF the system and endeavored
correct them by attacking them in their source.
ali parties, on this subject. He Is IN earnest to
secure tns much-needed reform. and has given
to II more substantial and practical support
than any other man In the country.
The Independent, like most of the religious
weeklies, has appropriate obituary notices
of the late Sidney E. Morse, who is justly re-
garded as the father of the religious press in
this country.
The Obseruer, of which paper the deceased
was the founder, mourns for him ''as one who
mourneth for father dead" In the course
of an extended biographical sketch the o.
seroer introduces the following feeling cpl
sode -
He recognized ana welcomed to his home. ere he
eft IT, little grandcnlla @ born during the hours Of
perfect health with some premonltlon OF what was
coming, he said t. member OF the family, ut
would not be strange II when the new life came IN
the old went out" He was spared to see the cnild
anu as he ned 1t Tor few moments on his arm
seemed more anected than at any other time during
his brief Illness The following beautiful lines were
written by friend on hearing OF this touching in.
cldent:-
MEETING ON THE THRESHOLD
In that home was JOY and sorrow, where inf ant
first drew breath,
While an aged sire was drawing near unto the gate
OF death;
His feeble pulse was falling, and his eye was grow
He was standing on the threshold when they
brought the babe to him.
| An awful darkness resteth ON the path they both
Who thus met upon the threshold-goin9 out and
Going out unto the triumph, coming in unto the
Coming in unto unto the darkness, going out into the
Although the shadow deepened in the moment Of
When he passed through the dark ports, silent
blessing on his lips:
And to him who bravely conquers as he conquered
Life is but ine way Of dyng-death is but the gate
OF lie
Yet awful darkness resteth on the path we all
begin.
wnen we meet upon the threshold-goIng out and
coming IN.
'How to Run Congregation is the
rather curious title for an editorial in the
Observer, in which synopsis is given Of Dr..
John Hale's address before the students OF
Union Theological Seminary on the 18th inst.
This reminds US of little anecdote. Some
years ago stranger visited an interior town
in Maine, and wishing to attend church asked
a queer looking individual, who sat on an
empty dry goods box whiting shingle,
"My good friend, can you tell me of what
| denomination yondsr church ?" "Waal y
was the drawing reply, accompanied with an
energetic rip into the shingle, ''she used TO be
run by the Hard Shell Bap!ists; I don't know
| who runs her now." There Is but little differ
ence, we imagine. between "running . con-
gregaton" and running Down East church.
The EUangslist comments upon the seer
man Reform movement" 'Provision for the
Laboring Classes" can Ecumenical Presby
terian Council" and, OF course, upon tha
great map Of the Presbyterian Church which,
| IL says, seems to meet with universal accept
ance. In regard TO the reform movement il
| Germany the Eedngetia says:-
II remains TO be seen whether successful revol
from Rome " pobslple On any otncr thaQ suDstan