New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-10-06
SIGNIFICANCE OF sTEBPLEs.

A willingness to expend money freely
in proportion to ones means is apt to be
considered a pretty fair evidence of zeal
in a cause, especially in a mercantile com
munity. According to this test we Ameri-
cans are a religious people. We subscribe
literally to the erection and support Of
churches, the maintenance Of ministers,
the spread Of the gospel among the hea-
then; in proof Of which behold the nu-
merous steeples that rise from every city,
town and village in the land, and read, or,
If you have not the patience, listen to the
reports of our Bible and missionary socie-
ties. It is subject of astonishment to
foreigners visiting this country, and accus-
toned to see religion in their own sup
| ported by the State, to witness'the readi-
ness with which Americans usually re-
spond to calls upon them made in the
name Of religion. ''Surely, exclaim they,
before they have lived here long enough
to know better, this is a people whose
God is the Lord. Religion is the ma
tional passion. Behold the many
steeples, pointing heavenward, the
churches beneath supported by the yolun-
tary contributions of the devout Here
we have something Like a return to. the
zeal Of primatiye Christianity. Among
these brethren love must certainly be the
rule Of intercourse, making justice a SUI
perfuous virtue Small need in SO reli-
gious community Of prisons and police.
Some buildings of the sort there are
doubtless for the unconyerted, but surely
their numbers must be insignificant, for
Christianity acted out as'it doubtless is
by the worshipers in all these voluntarily
established churches can not fail to exert
q regenerating force through every atom
of society" Guileless, unsophisticated
traveller! Follow these worshipers to
their homes to-day; to their places of bu-
siness tomorrow morning; to their places
of amusement tomorrow evening; what
evidences of practical Christianity will
you then see? Love, forbearance, truth,
and interest in each others spiritual well
fare, a self-forgetfuI devotion to each
others happiness in the family circle,
strict honesty, unfinching uprightness,
lnselfsh public spirit on change and
2 politics? Il society, neighborly
offices in the yicinage, charitable ones to-
ward the needy, teaching the ignorant, i
gently reproving the erring, consideration 6
Tor interiors; among equals lofty social t
communion or pure mirth in which an t
gels might join; toward all diffusion of t
oeneVolence as all pervading as the atmos- |
ohere: Are these some of ''the evidences" G
# Christianity set forth among the church. t
,oers whose money helped to raise those 1
heaven pointing spires? Yes, these evil ;
lences Of Christianity (the only ones of i,
much value) are undoubtedly to BE seen !
Z many home in our midst; in some n
chow fewD perhaps, even s
a some shops, counting houses and public 4
fices, though this is very doubtful; but Il
ae man who would expect to see them a
itfused as we have indicated above, il
ould be regarded as fool or fanatic; b
le minister who should aim to produce il
lch results in his congregation would be fa
igmatized as s'hypocrite, censuEed as a Il