New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-21

of language enabled him 10 grasp auu W Pio-
sent the Christian religion in all its force and
tenderness, and to attract people to 1t as few
other men could do. But his insight or
bumor or eloQuence or his daily life did not
make the Christian religion one whit more
true; and neither if he were guilty could his
adultery with Mrs. TiltOn cast single shadow
on it. If the Beecher family had been born IN
Shanghai Mrs. Hooker would have taught
ancestral worship instead of Free Love, and
Mr.. Beecher have been most eloquent OF man
darins; but for that, would Buddhism be less
false! If some religious teachers are unduly
perplexed in this matter it is high time that
even secular newspapers should point ont the
difference between the saving principle
left by Christ in the world and the practice
of those who attempt to preach 1t.
Since the beginning OF the world there mas
been long succession of scientific men and
authors and artists who have tried to study
and explain the secrets and beauty OF Nature
to the world; and we all know that though
they live falsely to their own rules, or die one
by one, and are left little heap OF cOrrup-
ton or dry bones on her breast, Nature
remains the same, calm, unmOved, eternal.
But when man who has been probing into
the secrets of the other half of Gods creation
the region of spiritual neutrality-suspicious.
that he is a poor mortal creature, we stand
open mouthed waiting for the heavens OF truth
to fall
Just as unreasonable or the other side is
the recent outcry denouncing all ministers
as a sort of Don Juanish wolves simply
because they wear the sleeps cljthing which
&C al,
are warned against intimacy or familiarity
with their pastors" as the surest road to
ruin. Now, common sense dictates the limits
of this relationship as plainly rs every other.
The pastoral Office means nothing if it does
not mean advice, encouragement, and help, as
well out of the pulpit as in it, to every
struggling soul trying to come closer to Its
Master. Whether the soul be that of a woman
or man should not and will not matter to
pure minded pastor. There is the affection
"and intimacy" too, which naturally Is felt
toward the man who has blessed our marriage,
given our children to Christ or laid our dead
in the ground, which ought to subsst in all
honor Unfortunately, however, women OF
emotional natures, lacking sympathy at home,
often bestow on their spiritual guides an
efflsiye personal confidence and regard, which
though perfectly pure in ITSELF is of real
benefit to neither one party nor the other.
married womaus difficulties with her husband
will only be increased by taking any other
man into her confidence, and the morbid
longings of younger women for comprehension
usually need the cure of work rather than
sympathy In short, as regards secular matters,
the clergyman has not as good qualifications
for adviser as ordinary men, and the feminine
habit of constituting him perpetual cOntidant
and referee, usually places him in false
position, ridiculous if no worse, in the eyes OF
the world. We know of one instance where the
influence of powerful and earnest Christian
clergyman was irreparably injured by tho
"ntimaces" thrust on him by crowds of silly,
admiring women. Such friendships, however
pure, are certainly selfish and incxpedient;
in fact a certain reticence of both word and
feeling invariably renders the sincere regard
of woman stronger help to either friend or