The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1874-09-05
From the New York Sun.l
EMOTIONAL RELIGION.

/ .See~s SseSASA~sAVANs & gEt
Genuine religion is not so much matter Of
feeling as Of principle. It begins 10 right think
ing. develops itself in right acting, and ends in
condition Of love to COP and good will to.
ward men The attempt to violate this order
and to jump at once into the enjoyment Of re-
suits which are only to be reached by long and
patient labor, is mistake which causes most
Of the discredit into which religion and its ad
vocates have fallen with the world at large.
Tho transient excitement produced by singing,
praying, and impassioned exhorting which null
tltudes esteem the chief element Of religious
experience, is found. in practice. to be of so
little avail in making men honest and good.
that it has ceased to command the respect Of
sensible people, and the real article of which
it is a counterfeit comes to be despised along
with it.
| Whatever gushing orators and sensational
preachers may say tn the contrary. it is no more
possible. in the ordinary course of things. to
pass directly from state of sinfulness into n
truly religious state than it Is for confirmed
invalid to be at once restored to health. There
have. it is true. been cases of miraculous spir-
itual as OF miraculous corporeal healing. but
they do not occur often. The only means that
can be relied on. as a rule. to effect radical
and permanent cure requirestime for its ap-
pl,cation. The spiritual teacher who promises
instant salvation to his followers is as much Of
a quack as the s-f.styled physician who adver-
tises to cure diseases by simply giving his pills
without change of dirt or interference with
business. Both may succeed in giving tempe
rary relief: but both in the end are sure to
leave their patients worse off than they found
them.
In religion, as in the management Of bodily
health, the one great point to be steadily kept
in view is abstinence from sin. Every physi'
clan Of experience knows that it men would
only refrain from improper eating. drinking.
and exposure, nine tenths Of the sickness oi
the world would immediately cease. and the
remaining tenth would not be slow in passing
AWAY likewise. The science af medicine Ii
every day becoming less one OF drng-sis'ng and
NOR. one of regimen. To find out the cause
of sickness and put stop TO It. is seen to be
mueb more sensible proceeding than to let the
cause GO on working and only to try to remed!
i,s effects. When the teachers OF religion
come to the same conclusion. they will have
reason to expect success in their efforts to re
s~u, ,ha ,xorld and not before.
Certainly. the prevailing religion OF this c'un
try. il. as we all know. based upon Judaism
. II. founder emphatically declared that be d''
mn, came In abropate the Jewish law. but t
e,,la;n and amplify it. The basis "f that Law
il the Ten Commandments. which both JeV
and christian accept as still binding. and which
indeed. are an integral portion OF every rehe
i'm in the world OF these Ten Command
m.n,.. all but one point ont sins which are n"
!. to be committed. without saying anytaing
church. going. revivals. prayer meetings.
:. hearing sermons. We are commanded "o'
y worship other than the one true Gop' not
-. u;s name in vain, not te labor on the Sal
hath day, not to steal, nor to tell ''es' nor 10"
= dor nor commit adultery. and finally not
.h.r;.h even the desire Of doing such th'"s
7, r.ou;res no argument to show that II "e
would only faithfully follow these lew s''"p
,r.cep.s. there would be an end Of EN- al
r Garth would become like heaven
te The difficulty is, that simple as these 'aV
7. ,,,ear to be. they are amazingly hard 10 "of
9 ;r nractical life. and all sorts OF expeoe"c''
ID h,re been invented to get around them
4. dsv;.inp these expedirnts none have "een mo
y v..,ous than the ministers OF religion '"e'
..,,.. One fiction which they have pop"'a
;,ed il that it is impossible to obey the ."'
I'D condiments. and that. therefore. obedience
nd not necessary. As If COP would tr'ne WI
nd ri. creatures by enioining upon them an u
:, possibility! Another fiction Is 'na' me"oe
~ hin !, certain ecclesiastical organizations Is
nd orot.ction against the consequences Of o'so'
nd H..c.-a kind of insurance policy. as It wei
~ a he'll FIRE. Another is. that no matt
..h.t aims we commit, JESUS CHRIST has
frred our punishment for us, and therefore
nd h.,, e.cape. To come fairly and squarely
re. 9th III. scriptural doctrine. "The soul u
18th Il .hall die" is the last thing that see
y to be thought OF.
D. of course. it has been found that none
!: .h..e devices are successful in producing =
,e.ce and joy and contentment when arg
fruits Of truly religious me- anu -. ",, 'ae' =