The New York herald., 1872-12-15
confirmed scepticism. Like those unbsest spirits
dcscribed BY Milton In his .Paradise Lost"

In thoughts more elevate. and reasoned high
Fixed ass es %iiI SSssnowsase ABSOLUTE
And found no end in wandering mazcs lost.
Among this host OF balefui Thinkers who have
carried ruin and destruction In their train, we may
refer to voltaire, Rousseau and the Encyclopedi-
asrs In France; to Kant, Fichte, SchclinR and
other thinkers In England, and to Emerson,
Theodore Parker aud others In America. The tend
ency OF the writings OF those men OF unsanctiaed
mind has been to throw doubts on the divinity OF
the Christian religion and to bring it into con-
tempt.
Germany, England and other nations OF Europe
who have subjected the Holy Scriptures to
keener and more critical scrutiny than they ever
that at the close OF this trying transition age in
which we live they will come forth unscathed from
the ordeal and gam greater influence over the
source Of the irreiigon OF our age is to be
found in the apparent conflicts between science
and the sacred Scriptures which have shaken the
belief OF many OF our people. Representatives OF
this class OF men are to be found In the Huxleys
and Tyndalls and Spencers and Darwins OF our day,
who bring sCanty acts, now dimly seen in twt-
light, in the undeveOped fields OF natural science,
and arroganty range them In antagonism to the
dd sSa
explorers in the future will, no doubt, as on
former occasions, bring out the divine harmony
between the works and the inspired Word OF God.
But still deeper and stronger cause OF the prac-
ttcaun godliness OF our day Is to be found in the
natural alienation OF the heart OF man from God as
mounted by the supernatural operation OF the
spirit OF God and the earnest and habitual use Of
the means OF grace.
We may startie many Of your readers when we
speak or the practical ungodliness or this age.
They win point us to the great number Of churches
cities-many OF them crowded with people belOng-
ing to the various circles OF society. They will
point us to the number OF Bibles and other books
to be found In our families they will call our atten
ti0n TO the numerous Sabbath schools in our
land, attended BY hundreds Of thousands OF
benevolent institutions and public and private
charities. These, no DOUBT, plainly indicate that
we are professedy Christian nation. But they
by no means decide the presence OF so large an
amount OF vital piety among us as we ought to
possess. We're we to analyze the members OF our
Christian congregations we should find that com.
paratively few OF them carry out consistently the
principles OF the Christian religion in their daily
life and business; that very few OF them live habit
the world to come; that very few OF our house.
holds attend to the duties OF family worship, but
God e and without hope 20 IN the word y of resting IN
some delusive hope without any solid foundation.
What we need, then, Is to have the moral sense
community more deeply impressed with an
abiding sense OF the presence Of an over-ruling
God and OF the certainty ofa world to come, and to
have the momentouS truth proclaimed to them,
with the most impressive earnestness, that we are
by nature rebels in the sight OF God and require to
be recOnciled to Him by the blood OF His Son, our
merciful Redeemer, and to keep in mind the
solemn fact that each one OF us will have to appear
before the judgment scat OF Christ to render an
world. They should be made to feel that we are
here under the providence OF God in sphere of
probation, with an eternal destiny before US OF
Were our popular ministers to keep these tre-
mendOus facts steadily before their minds 1t would
arouse them to greater earncstness and faithful
in their high vocation as heralds of the cross.
II would tend to inspire them with an apostles
zeal to seek ana to save the lost
Were our pulpits generally to be filled with faith
ful ministers OF the Gospel fired with zeal Tor
Redeemer ard with burning love to the souls OF
our fellow men, we should have them Sabbath after
Sabbath, with their various orders OF gifts and
graces and requirements, preaching sound Cos
pei to the people and proving themselves able
fishers or men, new era would soon burst on
our city and nation. Practical gOdliness would
flourish more in our churches; missionary enter
prise at home and abroad would receive new i'm
pulse mightier than the world has ever seen;
higher morality would everywhere prevail in our
social and business circles and martS OF COM
merce; corruption would hide its odious head in
our political government and shrink from the
light OF day, instead OF walking, as IL does now,
with stentorian tongue and brazen 'front.' and
disorders aud crimes would almost disappear from
our streets
Then we shall find that an honored Gospel
ministry is the palladium OF our land, and rgnt-
eousness the true foundation OF our national great
ness. FRIEND.
Methodist UniHcation-A National Assem-
bly, of the Several Branches Sug-
gcsted-vicvvs of Leading Ministers and
The great question OF forming closer union be-
tween the great Protestant denominations for the
purposes or general action has extended to the
Methodists, and the subject has been taken up with
earnestness by the press and ministers OF that COM
munion. Last Sunday the HERALD called attention
to the movement now agltating the Presbyterian
body having for Its object the assembling OF an
ecumenical council In Philadelphia or i'm some other
city in the United States or Europe, to be decided
upon hereafter. The Methodsts at present only
look to more intimate fellowship with religionsts
who are followers In general OF the teach
ings OF Wesley In America. Rev. Alexander
Clarke, OF Plttsburg Pa, and others have
expressed an anxious desire to see general
Methodist reunion, and have taken steps to elicit
the views OF leading clergymen and journals on the
subject. Rev. Daniel Curry. editor OF the Christian
Advocate, In this city, Is not prepared to give an
unavorable answer nor yet to decline directly and
unqualifedly the proposed measure. The great
difficulty, it would appear Is with the Church
South, which demands certain conditions relative
to property that are considered inadmissible; and
also shows a disinclination to accept certain pro.
posals relative to admitting colored people among
Its members on terms OF equality. 1t may be
stated here that the negroes in the North belong
ing to the denomination have separate churches
ana reDRlOuS organizations from Jne WnlteS.
WARN SUPPORTER OF THE PROPOSITION.
The Methodist, Of this city, referring to the pro-
posed Presbyterian Council. hopes 1t will be carried
out and promises to advocate 1t TO the best or its
ability 1t recognizes its Importance, because it
thinks 1t will be followed by a Methodist council
II is OF Importance to every Christian having COM
mon interests and VINO believes common action
should be taken. Professionalism Is one by virtue
OF its unity in fundamental principles, and should
be more and more one by the operation OF
a common understanding among It's various
branches Evangelical Professionalism will be
stronger by such council. II rests on
Justification by faith alone and the right or
every man to read the Scriptures and Judge OF
their contents Tor himself under personaI resp0n-
sbiity to Cod Our age, the Methodist thinks re-
quires reaffirmation OF these fundamental truths
that the line should be drawn firmly between
sacerdotal and evangelical authority. and that the
difference should be made clear to the common
mind 1t is this service IL liz expected the proposed
council can do. In Cincinnati the ministers or that
city during the past week discussed this very qucs-
tion, and the views expressed were favorable to
closer union between the different denominations.
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY.
noo fba tot aNn