The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-12-10
aMiOoIrburp Aroistrr
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1872.
The Church as an Economical Instr
tuition.

TUESDAY. DECEMBER 10, 1872.
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The Church as an Economical Instr
tuition.
As conductors of secular paper, it
may not be our duty to read u lecture to
the church. lit would doubtless be deemed
tho exclusive property Of tho clergy to
do that. For that. they are educated,
and for that have becn duly installed in
their sacred Office. Generating the pro-
fession, and respecting every incumbent
of the sacred calling, who honors it, and
so far as he honors it, we turn not aside
from our usual line OF editorial remark
comment, or criticism, in what we may
say. We read no lecture to the vener-
able Institution for suchTwe regard it,
viewed as unit, an undivided and
regular constituted institution, n vital
organism, coming down from the past,
triumphant amid multitudinous conflicts.
yet experiencing great vicissitudes, va
rieties Of fortunes, severe conflicts, great
Expressions, and great victories. As, in
a human point of view, the citadel OF
Christianity, the ground aud pillar OF vital
truth, both to the individual and society,
the focal center whittier much, if not all
that is good 10 human character concen-
tratc, as the radiating point from which
is sent out that law which represents the
lupremo Will, and as tho depository,
both 10 an outward aud inward sense, OF
that truth, which, as vital whole, per-
meatcs society with healthy fear Of
retribution, with an encouraging hope oil
reward. with the cheering promise Of
Immortality, with much in these things
to even the scales Of Justice, keep open
and free the fountains Of Purity, illustrate
and solve the problems OF Truth, and
diffuse through society the reconcling and
viviiying element Of Love,--as all this
the church, as au institution -co.ordinate
and co.eval with those Of the Family, the
School, the Market and the State, does
or promises, aud was divinely organized
to do, it is one in which we are all per-
sonaly interested. both for the security of
our public and our private interests 1t
is therefore, 10 certain sense, the proper.
ty OF society, as are the other four organi-
cations we have named 1t ministers to
the welfare of all. 1t sends out it's mani.
fold and divergent streams Of influence
to bless every mans estate and augment
the value Of every msns purse. 1t does
this more directly, more powerfully, and
generally than most people arc aware.
1t is easy to make people interested iu
the welfare of the Family, for all live
there in the Improvement ofthe School,
for all have learned there the tables Of
interest in the Market, for therein PEG.
pie make their fortunes; and in the State,
for that is the vigilaut and watchiul
guardian of our persons and our effects.
But little reflection will convince every
man, that all these much valued and uni
versally priced institutions of society,
inevitably fail of their real and benefcent
designs, if they are not pervaded by
moral sentiments and religious principles
and tina; they are useful and productive
of sweet and happy results, just in pro-
portion as the irrigatiug currents OF pure
and vital Church elements, flow through
and affect them
With this view Of the Church, we can.
not but be interested in her prosperity,
and cannot but deplore and lament every
thing that tends to empty her of her vi
tally and denudc her Of her attractive.
ness, beauty and power. We say this,
as the drift of this paper goes to show
not as church-men, for as such We do not
speak-but as political economists. For
inasmuch as the text books Of political
economy are wont to place the clerical
representatives. of the Church, among the
very first classes OF producers, because OF
their conservative influence upon morals
so we claim that the Church III all be al
active. positive, earnest, growing power
in the community, that society may re-
ceive the very highest benefits and the
largest share OF gifts possible from that
source. We claim it as measure Of
social economy. We claim it as mean
and as the most legitimate means Of pub
lie prosperity, and Of private and personal
thrift, as defense against crime and as
heavens only real safeguard amid mul.
/ hilarious evils.
] A bad family we deplore and poor
school is a calamity dull market il
nsuiferablc and corrupt state icarfu
evil and what more can be said of at
inert aud unproductivc church? Is no,
that something to be lamented ? Active
NJ ar;I oro. :, ia ,h;s ,yorld from uh.,
ever cause-we only note what is patenr
to everybody-and ready to seize upot
everything which may servo os an oc
casion, or opportunity, or means for it,
extension, we cannot but demand Of every
institution, which is in its nature calcu
lated to protect US from the wanton at
tacks Of the lshmaeltes Of vice, to bt
ever in state OF highest productiveness
that virtue may be encouraged and NOR
ality promoted. For whatever Other
institutions of strictly moral character
we may possess, wha'ever other organizes
tons form, whatever other means employ
il the Church be what she claims to be
Gods particular depository Of moral anc
religious power-the nourishing mo,he
of all. other moral agencies aud ins.-u
ments, then is she just as vital to III
wel.being of society, as a watch.spriDI
is to the orderly and time.keepiug move
ments Of a watch.
We need the Church. We need he
power. Her influence is indispensab G
We have right to expect that her larg
claims in behalf Of the public interests
we, as the conductors Of the press, labo
to promote. shall, by herself, be honored
We do not say that they are not, w
are in no iault-6nding mood. We ar
only jealous for the welfare Of our com
munity; and in this busy season of socia
life, with the opportunities, which tn
long evenings afford, we are anxious tina
the highest interests of that communit
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