The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-08-23

turned them out cOld ana glltterlnS all
over with prismatic rhetoric. The
Secretary of the Navy printed these
prayers, and the New York Christian
Advocate printed them. The Independ-
ent says: I'VE have perused them with
great edification, and are prepared to
pronounce them highly artistic and per-
fectly orthodox productions. If the
prayers Of Rev. Edward Everett were
the most eloquent petitions ever deliv-
cred to a Boston audience, the Polar
prayers of DR.. Newman may fairly be
ranked among the most successful ven
lures in the doctrinal line that have
ever been addressed to the newspaper
public"
The Independent is severe on DR..
Newman. THE prayers are three in
number. The first, a Prayer al Sea- is
remarkable for nothing" which we
think to be somewhat characteristic of
DR.. Newman,s performances. The
second, a Prayer on Leaving the Ship,
contains some useful information" 1t
opens with a clear and particular state
ment to the Almighty Of the reason
why the crew Of the PolarIs are there
and not somewhere else. The prayer
seems to have been constructed upon
the probability that Captain Hall
would find Polar God who knows
nothing of the rest Of the world, and,
therefore, DR.. Newman provides a
PRAYER for tie first interview: We are
here to explore the unknown regions OF
our earth, to enlarge the scope Of hui
man knowledge and advance the best
interests Of mankind. Others have
persisted in the noble but perilous at
tempt, etc" Be..pleased to suggest to
us the direction we should take, and
point out the path which will lead us
to the desired destination, that our
hearts may be glad and rejoice in the
consummation OF our plans. The In
dependent blandly suggests that the di'
rection to the North Pole is not so diff
feult to find that it must be sought for
in inspiration. The Independent evil
IDENTIFY thinks Captain Hall ought to
take northerly direction, and, upon
reflection, we think so, too.
But the third prayer is the master
piece. at is a Prayer at tie NORTH
Pole and well deserves to be called
the PRAYER of faith. Here DR.. New
man is in his glory. The idea OF the
chaplain-or We should say the fancy,
Tor ideas are not his forte-that the first
literary and dramatic performance at
the Pole shall be of its composition ;
that his voice shall 20 out at the end OF
the ether, and his rhetorical capers be
cut on the extremity OF the globes great
axle: that his sonorous sentences shall
be the first he raid Of a civilization that
is to cover the frozen earth with cabbag c
and corn, and to use the enormous pow
er of a revolving world to run wooden
mills and to peg shoes 1t was won
derful jet of steam upon the rhetorical
piston, and it works powerfully for a
drawer, but turned out conservation.
in thy name, o Lord, we consecrate
this portion of our globe to liberty, ed
ucation and religion, and may future
generations reap the advantages of our
discoveries.
However eloquent this Is, and wor-
thy to be published in the New York
Adcocate, we confess that we do not see
the point of it. We cannot but think
there is as much liberty at the North
Pole now as there ever will be. Any.
BODY is free TO 90 there if he can, and
to stay as long as he pleases, and do as
he may be pleased. The whole OF that
portion of our globe" is free to actual
settlers. The land is unclaimed. No
BODY pays taxes. There is no law and
nobody. What more liberty can Captain
Hall confer? As to education, unless
the enterprising Americans can teach
polar bears to dance, we are at loss TO
know what kind CONSTRUCTION DR.. New
man consecrates the North Pole to. AS
to religion, we confess to utter lncapac-
ity to understand what the North Pole
has to do with it. The prayer that fu-
ture generations may reap the advan-
tages is prudent, for certainly the pres
ent never Will. .,,
But DR.. Newman proceeds: Bless
the nation that sent us forth Bless
the President o; our Great Republic;
Bless all the people of our favorite land
whose national banner We now wave
over this distant country" The hide
pendent profauely says: 1--WE cheertull!y
acknowledge that this is as vigorous a
scream as we ever heard in a PRAYER
from the Bird of Freedom. The Chap
lain of the Senate andthe Pastor OF the
President never fails to magnify MS
Office" As the politics Of the lndepend-
snt are the same as the Chaplain's, we
preIer to express our own feelings on
This and similar abuses OF the prayer In
the words of that paper:
1--WE might not have ventured to
deal so freely with these devotional pro-
auctions if they had not been made
nnblic property. The publication OF
prayers NAV not be in itself an evil
The words in which devout soul
makes expression of real want may
furnish to other souls in similar cases
the fitting and graceful utterance OF
their desires. But when prayers hKe
these, which were composed In colo
blood for a hypothetical occasion, ana
which have no sort Of relation TO the
EVERYDAY uses Of men, are printed IN the
newspapers, we suppose them to De put
forth AZ mere literary essays, ana as
such they are no more sacred tnan .
scbool.hovs composition.