New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-12

let loose. We must mount and ride tnem,
not every man for himself, not by
patchwork legislation, not much longer
BY the Summary decision OF moral ques-
tary necessity. Such decisions are likely to be
only the least of several evils Let us hope
that our Affections on account OF them may
prevent our forgetting the principles bhnked
in them. The chronic and acute affections
of Arkansas, South Carolina and Louisiana,
to say nothing of other States, are enough
to prove that we are not yet that "nappy
people, whose God is the Lord" Young
men OF means and manly enthusiasm and
courage would not give up the battle if
their burdens did not seem greater than can
be borne successfully. And old men would
not be heard remarking that they did not
believe God answered prayer, when they
looked at the present condition of the South
The too prevalent listlessness in the matter
of spiritual religion, and abandonment to
life Of pleasure or idleness Of some, and
their supineness for any moral struggles,
speak volumes of instructive despair of the
foundations. Nevertheless, nevertheless,
'..the foundation of God standeth sure. !" we
must not only recover slowly from the lnevl'
table effects of past events and impOrtatlons
OF crude or Grass materials, and from Things
dOre hastily, under stress of weather but
we must begin to recover right; and get
past the necessity of doing things hastily;
if We can last long enough in manageable
and salvable condition to accomplish so
much.
First, and most important of all, De 1t
said there is 10 bottom to the quagmlre
unless pure and predominant religious
life in the hearts of the people can be Sc
cured speedily and permanently. Shall our
country become as certain also, OF our own
poets have said
1.-THE land of broken promise"
which
To teach the old world how to waltz
This by the supineness of the conscientious,
by a'superfcial policy. or the greed OF the
constituencies, by lack of faith in God and
the efficacy of his salvation "for the life
which now is" until righteousness and
peace shall have kissed each other, mercy
and truth be met together and clasp hands
across the land.
Shall we repeat the role of those years
of the Christian era even, and of other ma
lions and the Church itself, when rem.
nant only, larger than ever before, but still
a remnant, have been called out to possess
the future
1t is first for the truly religious people,
the thinking people, the serious-minded and
not despairing nor Over-cOntident men and
women to answer the question. Let nOtthe
latter fiirt away fanciful existence IN list
less love of admiration. Let not the men
say, ooh, it is of no use to seek God; what
profit shall we have if we serve him! There
Is no hope; but we will walk after our own
devices, and We will every one do the i'm
agination of his evil heart Hear what
God says:
''If that nation against whom l have pro-
nounced turn from their evil, will repent
Of the evil that thought to do unto them.
And at what instant shall speak concern
ing a nation to build and to plant it; if it
do evil in My sight, that it obey not My
voice, then l will repent of the good where
with said that would benefit them"
Only by the deepening and purifying Of
the springs of our religious life shall we |
have the strength, the calmness, the wis
dom and the will to cope successfully with |
our errors, and the obstacles, the calami- |
ties that here and elsewhere are heaped |
upon us, one after another, as if that horn |
of plentiful disaster would never empty.
Many may despair of praying; but only,
repeat it, By prayer and humble, holy |
work, and calm, determined watchfulness, !
will we have the strength to cope with the |
earthward tendencies beneath US in our
own fallen natures and population, ana the |
ills that are flung upon us by careless, in |
tidel or ignorant hands. Ensnared some. |
what already, tempted at times BY De- |
lilah seductions of wealth, tied down by |
new green wilkes and hempen cords of |
ancient barbarism-the enemy of all right
is ready to hiss exultaut in the |
ear of the somnolent giant: "The Philis.
tines be upon thee, Samson Only by pray |
erful cooperation OF all Christian souls,
whether secretly such, hitherto, or openly,
only by profounder piety, deeper huml-
ation under the Christening hand of God,
1neeling upon the rock of our strength, |
which is in Him, can we throw off those |
bonds, as tow consuming in the flame and |
assert anew our undlminished and increas-
ng manhood. May God help US so to do!