The New York herald., 1873-09-29

lessons which we all may pro6tably study.
Rev. Henry Powers thinks the crisis was
the consequence of impatience to be-
come rich, because wealth alone in
this land gives platform upon
which happiness can be established. Men
are not content to make money slowly, but
they must embark in wildcat speculations.
The ability and the desire to do this, Mr.. Pow
ers Thinks reveals the fact that there is too
much faith among us. A hundred years ago
it was not possible for such panic to come
upon a people, because they had not faith
enough in one another to allow Of such e1-
tensive business intercourse and transactions
as exist to-day between. man and man. Yet
faith in large measure is necessary to the
carrying out of the great enterprises of the
day. Mr.. Powers recipe for the full restora-
ton of confidence is very simple one
namely, honest dealing man with man and
the fulfllment of every obligation, and thus
give to every dealing solid basis of integrity.
These are very simple principles and within
reach of every man, and they should at least
have fair trial before they shall be con-
demned
While fortunes have been lost during the
panic great deal beside has been saved.
The only insupportable loss as DR.. Bellows
declared, is not capital or immediate credit,
but reputation, and what is better than
reputation is, right to repu-
tation, whether one has it or not. When men
of solid and sober business habits are involved
in calamities which do not touch their own
honor and conscience they have the best
part of the interests left-self-respect, q
conscious claim on the sympathy and
consideration of their peers and an un-
broken spirit and the heart to begin again.
But the only principle that can make US
cautious, moderate, sef-respectful, tender in
conscience and shrinking from inward blame
is the sense of duty. 1t is the pilot and the
goal and the anchor of lifes voyage.
Idol worship is, without doubt. the most
popular, as it is the most natural to every
man. But, according to Mr.. rockingham,
the greatest idol, and that which is the symbol
of deity in this age, is wealth. Idolatry, he
declared is abominable, and yet this idol,
Wealth, builds railroads. erects the telegraph,
subdues the ocean and brings every point of
the world together. If the common people
will only believe that wealth can be shaken,
that nothing in this world succeeds
but justice, and that no one can enter into
vast speculations beyond their depth but will
be drowned man or clique Of men or q
whole nation may defraud for a while, but in
the end perfect justice will be established
Mr.. rockingham would like the power to
strike this idol, Wealth, on the forehead and
dash it to pieces, that with it its COM
panion, Show, might also fall. These. two
idols are building magnificent churches in
New York, not because religion is growing
simple or purer-oh, no for it is decaying-
but that it may appear there is God where
there is none. 1t is all for effect. These are
serious charges and the churches should look
we'll to their standing if the charges are in
any sense true or well founded.
Rev. Mr. Rogers, in the North Dutch
church, prayed that those men and families
who had suffered by the panic might learn
from it the lesson that there is wealth which
endureth forever, and that they should seek
that rather than the riches which take to
themselves wings and fly away.
DR.. Talmage believes in the power of Chris
tian song, and if the "Old Hundred and
''The Doxology'' could be rolled through Wall
street it would put an end to the panic.
There is an excellent opportunity now to try
it. Indeed, it might have been tried any day
during the week past if only the suggestion had
been made and some one had had the boldness
to start the tunes and send them rolling on.
And then if some of the half score ministers
who are daily in the street dabbling in stocks
should hear the good old song at some time
when there is no panic it might remind them
also of the true riches which they too oft
forget exist There may possibly be some
connection, and doubtless there. is, between
the secularizing Of the clergy and the lay type
of piety in the churches to-day. So poor in
deed is it that, as Dr. Talmage says, men
actually caricature the idea that there is any
such thing as q higher life. He thinks we
might trade off some Of our stale prayers and
whip out our temptations and then march
onward toward higher state of Christian
character. This is undoubtedly the only
refuge from storms-fnancial, commercial,
national or spiritual.
This is prominently fast age, SO DR..
White, of Brooklyn, tells us, and we have
every reason to believe him and every evil
dence of its truth about us. The driving is
like the driving of Jehu-furious. Reason,
God, morality and religion are alike disre-
garded in the purpose to crafty human de-
sire. Popularity and display are paramount
to all other considerations, and sometimes the
Church Of God exhibits the same spirit. This
crash in Wall street the Doctor believes was
due to the furious driving of commercial
gamblers with speculative stocks in railroads
on paper, who, deluding the unawary with
promises of speedy wealth, had upset the car