The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-02
when the hounds were leading the way across
country of ploughed ground, stone walls and
fve-barred fences. Let all bachelors pray for
the repose of barrister Jencken.
Religion Among tho Worldly.


preacher with his favorite philippe and the
cynic with his finest sarcasm. Ever since the
early Christians debased the Lords Supper
into coarse love-feast sensuality and fashion
have lurked behind the pillars Of the sane
tuary, and constituencies Mammon has sought
to monopolize every prie-diea. But is it not
wholesome and practical to turn for while
from the contemplation of so old theme to
the consideration of one at least as interesting
and not quite so stale? If it is true that the
Church teens with worldliness, let us inquire,
on the other hand, whether any religion is
found among the worldly, and if so, how
much and of what quality. Do spiritual facts
never impinge upon the society-woman's con-
seriousness? Does breath from diviner world
never blow across her life's gilded aridity? Do
the shadow of the Cross and the reflection of
the Passion never fall through the enervating
sunlight of society successp Are none Of the
religious impulses of the age responded to in
the hearts of those whose field is the drawing
room and whose ambition is limited by fash
ionable coterie?.
For our part, we suspect that there is good
deal of religion among the worldly-religion,
not in the sense of belief in definite creeds and
the shaping of one life to accord with ones con-
victons, but religion, in the broader sense-of
habitual INTEREST," in spiritual questions, thought
full curiosity with regard to the ultimate des-
tiny Of man and the condition of future
existence. We have almost as many churches
as drug stores and nearly as many clergymen
as apothecaries; and the result is that some of
us get spiritually poisoned by too blind con-
adence in the integrity with which our theo-
logical prescriptions are prepared. The pain
that ensues has the admirable effect of putting
others upon their guard; and among many of
our fashionable churches may doubtless be
found the girl and the woman of society who
ponder spiritual things in their hearts and
evolve an Independent religion of their own at
the moment when their neighbors give them
credit for debating the latest style in bonnets
or the newest caprice Of etiquette The re-
ligion of the worldly, perhaps, leads to no
very valuable result. It's influence is negative
and prevents their becoming quite so worth
less as they might otherwise grow. They are
not the sort Of believers who go rejoicing to
the stake and comfort themselves in affection
with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.
But, possibly, they are just as far from that
lapidescent stage Of the heart in which church.
going is only form and words of worship
vain repetition. They pay Providence the
compliment of thinking of Him with rev.
erence and specializing with honesty about the
mysteries of life. Shifting fashion up
with one nostril, they sometimes get
a Whit of genuine. piety through
the other. Life is to them like double
yolked egg; they break il open, find God
and Mammon enclosed in the same shell, and.
feeling it impossible to choose between them,
eagerly open their mouths to both. But the
religion of the worldly man is certainly prefer
able to the worldliness of the devout It at
least claims our respect for its honesty, though
its weakness may attract our pity. The eclec-
ticism of the man of the world who reverences
personal piety and spasmodically tries to
protect it is one of his most ingenious traits
On Saturday evening you observe him at
"Leo and Lotos;" on Sunday morning St.
Adams church witnesses his genufec-
tons. He scarcely scruples to attend an
opera bo4fe ball, and acknowledges to being
fascinated by Mr.. rockingham and the
Religion of Humanity. Between his diamonds
and his divinity it were hard for him to
choose. He fuctuates between the 'Acts of
the Apostles and the Letters of Lord Chester
field, and when he repeats the laws of etiquette
he thinks he has said the Decalogue You
suspect he would have to pause before de-
Gliding whether the Apostle Peter or Beau
Brummel were the greater man, and had
Count d'Orsay and the beloved Disciple been
contemporaneous with him we may feel sure
he would have cultivated both. He might
shave his head tomorrow for righteousness
sake, but that would not prevent his buying
an invisible wig the day after.
A Frenchman's View OF America.
We cannot see why the American colony in
Paris or Americans at home should be in
Autter about what the irrepressible Sardou
may say of them. Most of the tribe of French
taerateurs and play writers to which he be-
longs manufacture sensation without any
regard to facts or common sense. He knows
little of the world outside of Paris, probably,
and less of the United States than any
other country. Ignorance is bliss, in fact,
to such sensation mongers, for they can draw
with more ease upon their imagination.
When Sardou says, "This is country of
trafic-everything is ticketed with its price,
even the honor of women" it does not hurt
anybody or make our estimable country
women less respected at home or among those
abroad whose opinion is of any value. 1t only
recoils upon the ibeller. 1t is said Sardou
has agreed to expunge this and other objec-
In, AZ L.