The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-30
CHURCH OF ALL SOULS.

DIR. Bellows on Our American Instttu-
characterization and the Colleges q
Sure Support OF Our Liberties.
DR.. H. w. Bellows delivered very eloquent SER
mon yesterday, a. his church on Twentieth street
and Fourth avenue, to fine Summer audience.
He took for his text Isaiah, xxxiii., 6-"And wis
dom and knowledge shall be the stability OF thy
times and strength OF thy salvation"-and on this
devoted his discourse to the subject OF
AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS"
He said that the anniversary OF American inde-
pendence would be celebrated next week
throughout the country with the ardent thanks
which the blessings OF our national life called
for. Here, for the first time In the his
tory OF the world, race OF enlightened men,
descended from the most civilized people
OF Europe, had fallen heirs to virgin hemisphere,
unvexed by old traditions, unbound by slavsh re-
spect Of customs or old families, and had set up
the new experiment of free republicansm IN o
continent almost boundless and unclaimed by any
previous civilized people That handful Of people
had increased and multiplied, until 1t now cov-
cred, trinly or thickly q territory extending from
ocean to ocean and from Pole to Equator. Within
its limits was every degree Of climate, from the
rigid to the tropic; snow-clad mountains, such as
the Rocky and Sierra Nevada ranges mediterranean
rivers, thousands Of miles in length, and an in
denied coast rich in safe bays and harbors. Ii the
49, 00O 900 OF people not all prosperous it is not
the iault OF nature. God and nature have done
their best for America.
OUR POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS.
And when, in addition to these natural advan.
tages. we look upon the priceless institutions
which the enlightenment Of her people has be-
queathed 10 our countryside equal institutions,
where all are on an even footing, OF whatever race
or color, the sovereign States tree and indepen-
dent in themselves yet integrated IN one free ana
supreme general government; universal Suffrage
which, so far as men are concerned, at least
secures to every one his dearest right; no custom
children are educated by the State; an absolute
freedom of political conscience, so much SO that
place without fndlng artificial obstacles in the
way; religion unbOund-surely no land In the
ss SO spser ao
! VIII not say that Americans have
tailed to improve or to realize the great adv a
cast repr0ach upon our saxon origin, upon our en-
lightenment, TO intimate that but it is not too
much to say that we have disappointed the world
oil those who III the older countries have watched
our experiment. They have not understood the
dangers and temptations which nave besct u.s.
THE DANGERS OF FREEDOM.
1t must be remembered that freedom has its own
dangers. An experiment so vast as ours OF self
fail to attract to its support those eager alone for
sell gain and to meet In its new path a thousand
wealth, the lack OF old customs and the want
OF presidents, the exercise OF power by classes
unaccustomed to it and other difficulties
without number have threatened its sue
cess TO our worst critic we might say
'rou are not half acquainted with our
difficulties ard disadvantages. We have aban-
doned that respect which the educated feel for old
traditions" They belong now to the "Old school,"
The Old arstocracy OF culture, the men who loved
spected art and high breeding, have been pushed
from power, and the ruder classes, who despise
ala, anffN nlvynr ~ Nna
and who think tneir own opinions as good as any
b0dys, have risen TO power.
CHICAGO AS AN EXAMPLE.
Take new city like Chicago, settled recently by
the rougher classes OF foreign birth and the more
enterprisiDg portion OF the young men OF our own
Eastern States. There there are no traditions no
art, no aristocracy, no Old customs. Public men
are criticised freely almost beliously by the low
est the law of libel is loosely enforced that it
opinion is OF the freest kind. Religious theo-
ries are announced on one corner, denied on the
next amaiganated on third, and all religion de-
nOunced on fourth. Does 1t not seem that a
miracle alone keeps such community orderly and
view OF religion and that thorough enlightenment
OF education with which the mass OF Americans
have been imbued from Americas early struggles.
RELIGION A NECESSITY.
No intelligent man in Europe with whom have
conversed-and have discussed the subject with
intelligent men Of England, France and Germany
none OF them can understand how religion can be,
as 1t is here supported by voluntary aid alone.
have discovered that religion is not police and re-
strant alone but that 1t necessity OF life, hope,
a iaith, an unwavering support.
NEW YORK AND PARIS.
Things that would scandaze Paris occur every
day In New York, and are recognized as beyond
preacher walked with me some time ago through
the streets OF New York. and said :-"There Is more
open wee here, more general display OF indecor-
GUS proceedings, and greater exhibition OF that
which decency should hide than In Pars~'' '.Yes,n
said l. "and there s more virtue, more charity,
more humanity. While we do not repress vice, we
stimulate virtue We have ranker weeds, but we
have ten times more wneat and by the influence
Of widely increasing education we are roofing out
found here in strange neighborhO0d to each other.
No place in the world has more charity, purer
q larger population living In comfort; but we have
also paupers in abundance, vicious, untouched by
the law young growing up IN a. Ignorance ana no rank
OUR EVILS
Controlled as we have been by vicious "rings"
strange If it were otherwise. The ;act has doubt
less been fatal to the esteem Of our foreign
friends. We have not the art, SO efficient in coun
tries ruled by one head, OF depressing vice, Of
smoJhering disorder, OF making things look decent
on the outside. l do not mean to say that we have
not an efficient police or an honest Judiciary, but
that we have not learned the me thod OF filming
over our vicious spots. The best qualities of New
York are hidden under the surface. The worst are
to be seen IN open day.
THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.
Know That there are reasonable complaints to
be made OF the freedom OF the press among US.
Even some oil the announcements OF subjects for
Sunday. discourses in the Saturday papers are
at the free handling or sacred topics,
the leopening of old questions long ago
settled, and the vicious presentation of
subjects that should be closed from the public
eye. But this very freedom OF the press, abhor-
rent and disgusting as 1t Is, educates our people
to know those things which they are pledged to
mend without being contaminated by them. Pub
lie virtue and chastity have intrinsic worth,
and when brought into contrast with their oppo-
sites this worth Is shown in clearer light
WOMAN.
In some countries OF Europe an unmarried
woman Is hedged about by such convcntionalities
that she must be all her unmarried life under the
eye and the protection Of relative, and II for one
hour she escapes from this surveillance and Ia for
Of any man other than her fatheA> or her brother
she Is q suspected woman. In HIS recent novel.
."Kenelm chillingly," Lprd LyttQR advocates tbs