American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-04-04
q N TO N. Nj IS y.
nEsrAL AND RELIGIOUS CULTURE.


mental culture and refinement are
greatly rrOmotive OF a vitalizing
christianity, and that it is much
easier for cultivated in'elli gencr
to embrace and practice its sacred
prec~pts than it could possibly I've
for = mind that had been denied
auch educational advantages. THIS
- grave error, one that is neither
aastaimed by logic, observation, or
the teachings of history. 1t is well
knows to every intelligent student
of history that the most refined aud
cultivated people of ancient and
modern times. male and female. were
net only infidels, dei>tS, and atheists,
hut the most reckless and abandon
ed of profligates. A man or woman
Of high mental culture, when truly
religions, can WELD a greater infiu-
ence for good than one of inferior
intellectual endowments, but we
contend that meIe mental force and
cultivation never yet made the
heart better, or gave to it a sub
stantial promise for the things to
come. Religion, as we understand
it, addresses itself first to the heart
and conscience, and afterwards ap-
peals to the reason for it's sanction.
It's business is chiefly with the
moral and spiritual nature of man,
and not the graces and refinements
Of bis intellectual faculties. If, as
it is contended, that the unreined
and uncultivated cannot be the
subjects Of high spiritual develop
ment, then the Gospel is a failure,
and christianity cheat. But such
a proposition cannot stand the lest
Of rational investigation; it is op
posed to the Bible, to history and
to common sense.
II mental culture and refinement
arc the best promoters of moral and
religious principle, then ought
Greece to have been the most moral
Of all the nations of earth, and her
women the brightest exemplars of
sirtue and morality in the annals of
the world. But how will this prop
osition appear when examined by
the light Of authentic historyi Let
rs see. 1t is universally conceded
that Greece was at one period the
most refined and cultivated nation
on the globe, and yet that renowned
people were swayed and Influenced
by courtesans. among the most Gel
ebrated of whom may be numbered
Phryne, Lais and Aspasia. This
latter Milesian cOurtesan, one of the
most famous women in all Greece,
was the presiding priestess of
bagnio. and lectured regularly on
rhetoric and philosophy to the beau
tiful inmates Of her palatial home,
in order to render them more at
tractive and fascinating in the eyes
Of the distinguished visitors who
fr~quented her gilded palace. The
marked ability and eloquence dis
played by Aepasia in these lectures
drew around her some of the first
intellects of Greece. including So
crates, Alcibiades and Pericles.
Such was her influence over Peri.
cles that he divorced his wife in
order to marry her, and was ac-
cnsed, not unjustly, perhaps, of
allowing her to govern Athens, then
at the height of it's power and re-
nown. Phryne, Lais, and others had
their satellites, and welded a potent
sway, where purity, gentleness and
goddess were ignored, if not de-
spised. Indeed, these base, but
brilliant and accomplished women,
constituted an arsstocracy that ex-
ercised controlling influence over
the national policy and social char
scter. and mingled conspicuously
in the grand march of Grecian in
tellect. Historians, orators and
POETS all lent their commanding
talents to extol their physical and
intellectual charms and graces, and
to give them rarked prominence in
public estimation. Now, if great
mental culture and refinement are
real promoters of virtue and relig
ion, why did not these celebrated
women embrace the doctrines of
their mOralists, and lend their pow
erful influence in exciting the moral
and social character OF Their sex ?
Similar instances might be adduced
from Roman history, but we pass
over them and come down to a more
familiar PEI iod.
If the proposition We are consid-
eiiDg he correct, why was it that
many of the profoundest intellects
OF Europe and America were inf
dels, dtists and Atheists Why
were the great powers OF such men
GN:II.on