New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-22
FREE RELIGION.
TIE FAITH OF THE TIME: TRUE THEIsMITlli
REV. SAMUEL LoNGFELLOW ON THE IhAN0
FORMATION OF PIETY."

TIE FAITH OF THE TIME: TRUE THEisM-inh
REV. SAMUEL LoNGFELLOW ON TIE ihAN'
FORMATION OF PIETY."
Tosroy. Jan. 21.-The fourth course OF sun
day Afternoon Lectures at Horticulture man, un" w
management Of the Free Religonsts, was opcneu ."'
year by the Rev. o. b. rockingham OF your cry, W.
brilliant paper entitled "Three Short STUDIES Vi
Ch-,stonitvD The Rev John Weiss followed last Sun
day with Religion US sentiment I" and TO-DAY tne
Rev Samuel Longfeow has delivered tho thrd-so GEAR
a statement of the faith OF o devout hauontnS. ~
feel constrained 10 send you an abstract OF l'' no ~
titled It "The Transformation OF fleS' INV
this title seemed to him to DO JusVei
abatement of the present condition oi oiins'
than would be the Decay of Pety," which somo CRITICS
might at first sight pronounce to be truer expression
Perhaps the phrase Rational Pety might be Detter e
but however state it, the fact cannot well DC ueo
that our time is not notably devout age MOI arc ~
zeal Believers marked as prominently as some otlers W
love for the special expressions and acts OF oeVouo
feeling They do not care to have schools PUBIC meet
incs or lectures opened with prayer Family prayers
are not the custom OF their families Prayermectmg'
are unknown among them, and in their Suhuuy Sei'o'
the three prayers of the churches reducedto one
PINT not only among Radicals Liberals Ia this aDatc
ment of pietsm observable Even the or1nouoA
churches which hold strenuously to the old FORMS nave
Loaf uch Of the intensity Of the old spirit The Roman
Catholic Church shows to-day Saint Theresa ana no
Ioyola Puritan congregation now would Ill endnTe
prayer Of an hours length such as ther ioreIahoiS
heard when the minister had "great assistance OF inc
Spirit" Nor does the orthodox minister OF the present
snend ono day of each week in fasting and hu-
initiation as did they Of old time. Inc causes u
all this arc not far to seek. II Is partly reactloh
partlv orderly growth partly change OF ideas ana
phraseology The multiplied activities OF our day aD
sorb much Of the time and interest when coulu III
gueter periods be given to purely devotional eAerSes
Amid our abundant books lectures concerts DISCUSSIONS
reform meetings benevolent enterprises we DO not "ah
TO hear so many sermons and prayers, though we may
want better ones Even the active humanitIes wlch
geek to become the human Providence OF the neglected.
may tend TO make men forgetful OF the divine
Another cause is to be found in the increased pursuit
of physical science Its instruments are the senses anu
the understanding which, OF course have nothing 10 90
with humility aspiration holiness Its triumph Is III CD
servaton and analysis The Ia out OF its sphere
Tho pbosophy which allies itself to this science OF Ma
ture ignores the spiritual side OF human nature ueheS
the validity Of intuition makes spirit product Oh mat
ter thus bringing the greater out OF the ess ana KNOWS
no God superior to humanity, or declares hat we can
only know Him to be the Unknowable Its tendency Is
therefore TO discourage the deyout affections when rest
in the 10y and peace Of communion with Him who Is
spiritually dscerned.
Finally our notifications OF theological belief tend
away from tho ervos OF piey and its special exercises
and phraseology The belief in literal contest between
God and Satan for mans soul, with literal hell and
heaven hanging the result in the infinite evil OF every
sin and its desert of endless suffering; in probation
closed at death in tho wrathiu justice OF Cod; III
salvation depending not upon human character put upon
the mercy God and the merits OF Christ IN special
Judgments" independent OF natural aws-all TINS was
calculated excite intensity OF appeal and mportu
nity and a scripuous observance OF forms OF piety.
Not one OF these things does tho Nationalist OF to-day
believe; and with the belief in them must needs pass
away the feelings and expressions allied to them But
in this transition deyOutness OF faith need not DO
lost Believing God not remote from the universe
but its ludwelling Spirit close TO every atom ana TO
every soul yet governs the world not by special
determinations but by omnpresent law whose unchanged
beness is our safeguard; who nils all things with the
s1nctity or a Holy Presence, and reveals hnseI 10 anu
through all souls In proportion TO thelr openhess
md In this belief the spring OF peV
inward and perpetual; continual frame or reverence
aspir,Ou love ard trusti without reverence. our lives
must be sOrdid and low. without love- they must oe
cold aud bleak without trust, they MiIl be broken ana
dcsoae We can indeed reverence the highest IN our
selves. and in noble men and women, ev ry~here we
human friends; we can trust our own energies,
and lean on Strong Helpers But none OF these VIII
serve all needs Only that OF which the best Ol cart
is but an expressionthe Infinite ana Periect-can sur
fee .,-- -
Tie language OF pety not the language OF science or
OF the understandings II is not exact ana critical nut
emotional imaginative, tgurative. Nor need We lay
aside the old, tmeendcared expressions or deNOuOn
ONLY we can use thu without superstition. But beyond
all language deeper than all speech TO Despokeh o. per
hans only 10 the most intimate in rare aud precious
because OF their sacredncssle the scntl
ments of Reverence Love. and Trust not to be seen OF
man, but dfCsc their elevation ana Their WdIHln
through every action Of cur daily life. l. c. NJ
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