The Portland daily press., 1871-04-18

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make conscience of their yotes2whssnt TO
question OF public social morality should sn s,o
ter into political discussiOn-wben oosna,
principles should regulate the municipal and
civil practice of professors, and when the
highest law of love to God and man Should
override and subordinate to itself all usages in
.uhsissent i with its practical recognition as the
-. am very far from invoking the enactment
mote or ,e OF any human law to pro-
ha,S mote OF 10 protect the sanctity of the Sab.
uath . day. And for this reason tbat raaI Co.,
isGs,a, 10y ,enurely beyond the province of human
.Siasop' oanctity is condition of The n,;,d
ano such legislation can never nnr;,,, niu, ~,
tnougnls nor spiritualize the affections no. a.,
any way, nj up the soul into commnnion
with God. But human law can aniop reDanan.
recognize the divine law with reierencs ~ ana m
Sabbath as day of rest 1t can and oucbt 1o ,o
protect the Christian citizen in his eniovnsrW, ~
of this weekly season of retirement from The
business and the cares of life. The sights
and sounds which publicly and glaringly oh.
trude on the quietude of public worship and
which are clearly at war with the peace and
order of social life, should be unsparfngly re-
pressed and If persisted in should be duly
punished. Such law can do at best but little
to prevent Sabbath desecration; but this is
not, on that account, the less subject OF just
lamentation on the part of all who honor
God and desire to be honored by Him. Min
listers are perhaps of all men the least compe-
tent to bear personal witness to the Sabbath
breaking, bv the population of a city, vet
tney may personally know enough, and more
tnan enough to justify the affecting thought
mat the Sabbath is truly and sacredly obsery-
ca Dy Dut portion of our population. They
cannot be blind to the fact that very many Of
our young men have, on the Sabbath, other
HIacQq Of fbou he
er practices than those of social worship,
tnat the ONCE, the saloon, the bar-room,-
tnougn closed, 1t may be and shut from pub
nc gaze, are yet frequented by many, who are
lovers OF pleasures more than lovers of God.
CrediDle witnesses too bear distinct and
ABUNDANT testimony to the fact that, on no
day OF the week-nOr usually on all the 9TH
er DAYS OF Its there SO extensive a requisi-
uon for public vehicles, conveying the youth
OF both sexes, by the hundred, to places of
recreation and to some of notoriously bad re-
pute! without any more minute and spe-
cihc reference to the Sabbath practices OF
professedly Christian population, NAV we not.
must we not take these into account as pro.
digiously swelling the account of iniqaity and
quit, and offsetting, proportionately, the won
derful forbearance and long suffering of a holy
God? '
Among the ingredients of that cup of ini.
guilty, which divine forbearance permits u.
TO MI up, is the countenance given, by popu-
lar sentiment, to certain forms of error under
the name OF religion, but the direct influence
OF which goes to eradicate whatever is wor-
thy OF the name. These doctrines of demons
for to such an origin may some of them, at
least, be confidently ascribed-are permeating
the consciences, pollutiDg the hearts, and de-
stroylng the souls Of many of our people.
Even little children are brought within their
influence, and progressive schools of practical
ungodliness, are even, on the Holy Sabbath,
with those opened for conducting the lambs
OF the flock into the fold of Christ. Absurdi-
ties which shock the sensibilites of reason
blasphemies which fill the Christian mind
with horror-pretended communication
from what is called the spirit world, which
show how little common sense is LETT TO the
supposed disembodied trends of miserable
dupes or more miserable knaves-these have
actually taken the name and form and out
ward semblance of religion, and claim, for
sooth, to be, as such, respected by a people
whose heads are upon their shoulders, who
con use their senses, and exercise their rea-
son, and assign their proper place, in the long
catalogue OF human fOllies to these almost in
credible absurdities. Yet the practical effects
of these absurdities are fearful. They are
bringing into disrepute, with the credulous
and simple, the hOliest lessons of divine
truth. They are gradually leading the unwa-
ry OF both sexes, into the abyss OF goddess
immortality. They are sighting against God.
They are doing the work of the evil one,
whose active agents, carnate and incarnate,
are seeking, like himself, whom they may de.
YOUR. Let us recognize their true character,
their actual tendency, and too well known
results, and see, in the fact of their existence
and even partial prevalence, the proof of
guilt attaching to us as people, and illus
trating the long suffering forbearance of Him
who hateth iniquity and cannot look on sin.
1t is matter Of just coneratulation, that
Slavery is no longer the standing topic of
complaint on these annually recurring sea.
sons OF professed humiliation. But facts, too
well authenticated are now transpiring in DIFF
ferent parts of our common tonntry, which,
as citizens, as men and women, and as Chris
tians, we should deeply and unfeignedly de-
plore. This matter of just regret, that, in our
highest halls of legislation, outrages which all
should instinctively lament and unsparingly
cenGemn, have come into the category OF
party politics, and become the occasions OF
acrimonious invectives greatly dishonorable
to the chosen representatives of a nation such
as ours. Who does not wish that all our ma
tienal legislators would practically acknowL
edge the paramount claims and righteous ju-
risdiction OF the God Of love? What is, or can
be gained by the bandying, in those high
places, of appellations and epiihets which would
disgrace the lowest OF all human coIvoca-
tions. How can men, OF intellectual power,
Of acknowledged condition, and of highest
culture, stoop to the employment OF hostile
weapons which the most ignorant and vile
and vicious of their race have practically
claimed as their own monopoly What must
be the moral effect of such wretched exhibit
tions ON the juvenile portion of our popula-
tlon? Is this the way to impress them with
the dignity of Congress, and teach them to
associate this idea Of honorable and praise.
worthy conduct with the public relations and
duties of the representatives of the sovereign
people? Is it thus that we are to conciiiate
and preserve the just esteem OF other Nations,
and perpetuate the inestimable blessings con.
ferred upon as people? Those men Of high
position should remember that they do not
and cannot stand alone in the spirit they
| manifest, and the course which they pursue
| that they are influencing the opinions of their
| contemporaries and of posterity-and that
long after their earthly relations have been
| sundered, their example for good or evil may
| affect the character and destiny of this coun-
try which some of them have In this instance
SO previously wronged and so grossly misrep.
resented.
Meanwhile, must not the intelligent, can :
did, law abiding and truly pbilanthropic men
OF all parties, mourn over those atrocities
which are credibly said to be perpetuated by
our fellow citizens, and to such terrible ex-
tent! Do they not add to the already fearful
accumulation Of National iniquity? Do they
not call for deep self-abasement before God
Do they not magnify the grace of God in bear
ing 50 long with the waywafdness and wick
edness OF those who are so entirely depend
ent on his power? Do they not loudly appeal
to all lovers OF God and of Mankind, and call
for the diligent and persevering diffusion of
the everlasting gospel-that heaven-appointed
remedy for all earthly evils-that only reliable
and safe guarantee for the happiness and high
est welfare of individuals and nations?
How impressively is this last lesson taught
us by the events which have transpired dur
| ing the last ten months, on the continent OF
Europe, and especially by the demoralizetl
| and almost desperate condition at this mo-
l ment, Of The country and the capital OF
France! What was said of her more than half
a century ago is as true now as it was then.
"France wants religion" This witness Is
true. France wants a religion, not OF barren
forms and unmeaning ceremonies, of presump'
tuous and blasphemous assumptions, of priesi
ly craft and cunning, but a religion which
| taxes hoid OF her man-nature in its most rad =
icaI elements of thought and feeling, ami
moulds and fashions them according TO thts
will of God. The religion wanted by tina /
and among other people upon earth, is thas
of heavenly light, OF i.oly love- of life purchas.
| ed by Christ, infused into the soul BY grace
divine, and inspiring that soul, first with SUI
| preme filial affection to God, and then with
| fraternal sympathy to man. Beloved friends,
| whilst duly humbled before God in view OF
individual, social, material, and universal
| quiet, let us be ferventy thankful for our
possession Of that gospel, which reveals the