The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-12
The Religious Press ON Current Tempo
raj and Religious Topics.

Some of our religious contemporaries tins
week take the occasion of the close of the
Stokes trial to comment upon the wickedness
of the age generally.
The Euangelist gives an outline of the fear.
full tragedy, and moralizes upon it as follows -
What mournful lessons does 1t teach US all OF the
effect OF gngoyernedd passion Of fierce vindictiye
tins OF that bloody deed. One is In his grave ana
the other perhaps soon win follow him.. The feel
who can but feel pity Tor one so young and with
such ties to bind HIM to life, with such fair pros
morning Of his careeri Especially do we feel the
tenderest sympathy for that large family
Circle SO cruelty smsten BY TINS fearful
awful hour. God alone can bind up their broken
hearts. We commit them TO His Almighty care
the law be executed. and this man. SO young, Is to
pass from the world let as pray that he may IN
these few weeks that are left him repent Of nus
past life and SO find forgiveness with that Being
with whom justice ID tempered with mercy
The Evangelist quotes from the HERALD GER
tain criminal statistics, from which it appears
that of one hundred and forty-one capital
offences committed in this city during the
past three years fifteen per cent of the crimi-
nails were German, twenty-nine per cent
American and forty-four per cent, or the
exact equivalent of both the others combined,
were Irish. The Evangelist says, if the facts
are as stated they demand an explanation,
and AYERS that it belongs especially to those
under whose spiritual supervision the Irish
are almost exclusively to be found to study
this problem and furnish its solution. Our
Presbyterian contemporary continues
We leave it to them to say whether the religious
influences which govern this portion of our popu-
lation are In fault, or whether the incorporate
habits OF large proportion OF them reveal the Be-
cret. II they throw the blame on the latter then
they are right in urging the claims OF temperance
the support and sympathy Of the entire ROmac
Catholic clergy OF the country.
The Evangelist asserts that 1--WE owe to the
Sandwich Islanders not only the sympathy
and protection due from stronger to o
weaker power, but that respect for their insti-
tutions, as shaped largely by American hands,
which will aim to preserve them inviolate."
1t is plain to be seen from this which way the
wind blows in that Presbyterian quarter in
regard to the annexation of the islands to the
United States.
The Catholic Mirror (Baltimore), in referring
to the happy recovery Of Archbishop Bailey
from his recent severe indisposition, takes
occasion to say
The NEW YORK HERALD has published on several
Condition of the Archbishop, much to the distress
of the latters many friends in the North and to
the annoyance OF His Grace himself, who has been
kept busy answering anxious letters of inquiry on
the subject. That enterprising journal was kind
enough to give our prelate Brights deadly disease,
was mpossbe for him 70 get We'll Now that the
Archbishop is well In spite OF Its mediconews
prophet, the HERALD takes it all back In an
s'Authentic Statement" which 1t would have been
more creditabe to insert as prominently as the
former sensation reports, and not way down at the
bottom Of page among Its advertisements
We trust the conspicuous publication Of the
above will satisfy our Baltimore contemporary.
At the same time we take great pleasure in
congratulating the Archbishop upon his fortu-
nate restoration to his important field of reli.
gious labor.
In regard to the Stokes case the Observer
expresses the belief that there will be very few
to call in question the righteousness Of the
verdict or the sentence, and adds
Should the sentence be carried out, and not BY
the trickery Of the law or by corrupt means
have more hope Of enjoying in the future the protec
ton of their lives by the civil authorities. We have
been living in fearful state of things. Murders
have been committed in open day ana with perfect
impunity, the murderers being shielded from the
consequences of their crimes and society more and
hope that the conviction Of Stokes indicates new
era-that OF law and Of the greater security OF life
among u.s.
The Independent rather endorses the 'snew
party movement started by some erratic
genius out West particularly the ecclesias-
teal planks in the platform. These are
l. That ecclesiastical property should be taxed.
2. That cnaplains should be discontinued in the
State and national institutions. 8. No public ap-
preparations should be made for sectarian, educa-
tional charitable institutions. (The Independ-
emit wants Harvard, Yale and other collegiate insti
services sustained by the government should be
abolished. s. That the President and Governor
shall cease to appoint feasts or fasts 8: Judicial
oath replaced by simple affirmation. 7. Repeating
the laws requiring the observance OF Sunday as the
Sabbath. 8. That laws based on Christian as dis
tinct from universal morality be abrogated, and no
special privileges be granted to Christianity
The Independent calls this chatting radical
Religion" it says, sis not made more sa-
cred, but rather profaned, by becoming COM
pulsion; and, so far from being strengthened,
is weakened by making any king or queen or
Congress take the place of each mans own con-
science as Defender of the Faith" These
radicals may talk and plan as they please; they
will always find that the genuine pious senti-
ment of the country is inimical to their views
and will in all cases overturn their attempts to
belittle Christianity lessen the respect Of the
people as mass for religion.
The Liberal Christian (Rev. DR.. Bellows)
comments at length upon the Stokes verdict
and capital punishment. ''It is great COM
fort, it says, ito the long insulted justice of
this community to find that one jury and one
Judge have feariessly discharged their duty to
the public, the law and justice itself, in bring
ing in verdict in accordance with the facts and
the evidence and convicting and sentencing a
great criminal" The Liberal Christian calls