, 1873-12-28
AMERICAN CHURCHES.

AMERICAN CHURCHES.
Views OF .Dr. Dorner. OF Bcrlin--Con.
uitaoM Of Religious Affairs iii This
| Country. Quite Different from What
ahe Ger1nhna Supp0se--A Tribute t1
tho Piety OF American Christians.
Berlin sop. ao Correspondents ef the Neto Fork 140
| % ttns.
DR.. Dornor mot some Of bis brother Gormau
theologians and churchmon at little assombly
/ III Berlin wook ago, and addressed them OIL
the Evangelical Alliance, from which lo had
| just returned; or rather on Lis own impressions
Of American Christianity. A literal translation
-excepting fow statistics with which Ameri-
I givon:
| ADDRESS OF DTl, DonNER.
The circumstance Of many religious parties OF
sectH in North America, their differancos and
| thor Independence, Us woll from ono another az
from the State, have given OCCASION hero in Cor
many to that perverted picture Of church rola-
tiona thoro which is often briefly expressed in
tho phrase "Amorican peculiarities." By this
is meaut ~ that partition into religions factiona
between which we assnmo hostility and
t!sa,. the jealousy Of spirit 1 which waatcs
bio to found 1 church, to bring Onriatianity
to national existence, which ought to bo aimed
at oven whore thcro is no State Church (3) tho
state itself ia heattlon ono. bccauee toro Is no
national organization of tue Church, and tho
mnRsos wander in unbeiiof mud arc lont to CAris-
tiauity.
Theao are In substance, tho views wl,iol,
are spread among us about the United statos,
md which aro not corrected by our public Jour-
nails, because, they DO not trouble themselves
about such things, mud hnve, moro
ovor, no trustworthy sources Of information. 1t
s On ogresablo fduy not only Of gratitude
clear up publicly somo Of these errors. Tho
measure Of our relations oanuot Of course. be
applied to Anerica indoed, they are not so puro
that they can bo nude m universal rule. Wo
aud her history, ! shau begin with tho peryor-
sion and degradation OF tho massca in that
"l,oathen 6tato.
r, There certainly aro in Amorica, especially in
church rotations; but tho guilt lies chiefly on
the immigrants, and not tho Irial, for they oboy
thoir priosts,- but tho Germans. Tho Germans
trouble themselves little during the first years,
TIE fact that tl,oy arc not Obliged to have any
thing to do with tho Church. Those can really
not he driven to Christian morals md order.
They are not left to themselves, however, but
rEo an, worked ora; t. Upon BY the ssyor denomina-
at Wards Island whore tho State OF New York,
at her own cxpenBo, provides physically aud
spiritually for the atrapgers,- OF tho noblcst
enterprises with which am acquainted. Now,
tho number Of religious sects interferos in no
Wise with tho 6ucces8 Of this hunlane institution
On the contrary, their zeal is beneficial to tho
objects Of their care. And in regard to the re-
suit, tho American people llavo u wonderful
power Of assimilation. Aftor M interval, these
adopted citizons come again undcr tho in
the efrorta Of tho Hcct,a md alopt
American religious manners, s,-manners which
aro not ordained by law, but aro rooted in tho
nHEf0Dn1 nra a1trnx
tatnod .withoet strife with tho spirit Of lieenBe
brought by tho immigrants. TO tneHe habiis be-
iso,ngs s,t,g especially regularity in attendance on
Of tho Sabbath, which bring holy and l healshs a
ft1l rest to tho busy aud energetic Yanlseo. A
populous district in this land cannot long want
religious influences, for tho different socfs sock
80 earnestly 70 givo It the mcans Of spiritual
itself among the various denominations,
Although then tho State will not mako itself
legally Christian ono, tho settled character OF
tho entire American population ia something |
like Now York makoa on Sunday, through tic |
peace and quiet OF its strootB, as we'll as the |
crowded churches, very different impression |
from Berlin Further the principles Of Chris
formally recognized by tho Slate; , and tLo tic |
duty Of educating youth Is in all .states-though !
not formally, at leaat practically adopted. Tie |
Their State is not yot admitted in the Union.
Quo can learn iu the United States that unity Of
church organization is not indispensable to a
national or popular Christianity. But no fur
thor, and maintain tl,at It is tho Eyango]ioal |
Protestant form Of Christianity which, for The
moat part, determines tho character Of tho North
American people. This Protestant ciaraotor
sows ;,l ; itaelf q in tho doop study Of the Bible
al character of Amorioan piety, sinco tho Amer
tcanH suffer thomBolyeato bocomo attached to ono
communion not simply through family tradi-
tions, hut quito ~ much through individual
choice; (3) in the fine aenBo Of family Bpirit. |
Shoroby the fathor exercises freely Ills piouB
~ tho stroHH which IL laid on tho
personal consciousness OF tho truth Of ChriAtian-
lty. 7 add that out Of jealous intoroat for tho
Freedom aud independence Of rollglon, tho
americans look mlfagorablo on our church lawu,
Az Roon however, ~ they learned that tho State
lla not intorfere with tho inner organization Of
Ilo Church, but simply aimed to protect its own
nights, tloy camo oVor to our views. alld oYon
admitted tlat the growth OF JesuitiHm might
,ompol thom to tako tho satne measure.
Tho eohism and fracture thoro IN church ro-
,uulber OF roal denominations ia not 10 worry
argo. Beside tho Catholics aud Iuthoran Coz
nanB, there arc tho DaEttst. Congregations
Iletholipta, CongrogatonalisH, and Episcopnl-
ana. All these laYo a trainod clergy. aud III
tltutiona for their training. m we'll nj a
raditlon. Roally thcy aro not Boots. hut
muoh 10 TINT they regard
no anotAor as ohnrohos anu have little =
narrow scctaran spirit. American .Proteat-
M Wig A"9at' 9hst e lehiad ''i t1as " vsaity sss'y
t church organization md part Of doctrine
here IL n substantial unity Of faith and loyo
'h!o IL not hidden, hut revealed III many ways.