The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-11-10
TIE SECULAR SIDE OF IT.
From the New York Tribune. Oct. 9th

TIE SECULAR SIDE OF IT.
from the New York Tribune, Oct. 27th.]
The public attention continues to b,
engaged by the preaching of Mr.. Mood,
and the singing Of Mr.. Sankey. This is
hardly the place in which to analyze and
estimate religious emotions, experiences
convictions, always to be regarded with a
certain degree of respect and good will.
In this world we must take men at their
word. He who announces that hereafter
he means at least to try to live a right.
eous, sober, and godly life is entitled to
our confidence until he has done some
thing to forfeit it; and perhaps he will
be less likely to forfeit it if, instead of
Struggling our shoulders and predicting
his failure, we shake hands with him
cheerily and wish him well on his new
way oflife. This we may do without any
hypocrisy or pretense, even though we
may be quite unable to follow his ex.
ample. There is no surer sign of
coarse and vulgar nature than contempt
for that spiritual earnestness which it
cannot share. One may be saturated
with human philosophy, dexterous in the
well.worn dialectics Of unbelief, quite
comtor able in his slough of negations,
satisfied with his theories of imposture
and self.deception, skeptic by nature,
confirmed in skepticism by his educa.
ton; yet if his head has not quite got
the better Of his heart, he will hear with
pleasure that any fellow creature in this
woeful and weary world has found peace
for his soul. Why inquire too critically?
why predict relapse too confidently ? why
be eager to hope for it why submit these
awful phenomena to the frigid test of the
understanding F.! why be ready with ridi.
Guile when mortal, believing himself
brought face to face with judgment and
an eternal death, violates some rule of
fnlcal decorum as he wrestles with the
enemy of souls and fights the battle
which is to save him, if only he can win
it, from fate too dreadful to be calmly
considered?
Apart from the more solemn professor
of the religious convert, is his promise
that he will be honest and kindly; shat he
Will neither lie nor cheat or steal; that
whatsoever of good his hands may find to
do, he will do it; that he will refrain
from the vices which degrade and impov-
erlsh and kill that he will no longer be
selfish and ungenerous, and that his
works shall prove the vitality of his
faith. There has been so much loose talk
lately about religion and churches and
preachers, that we are in danger of for
gettiug that all our lives we have been
surrounded by the thousands of excel
lent men and women made gentlemen and
ladies by grace. full.hearted and full
handed helpers of the sick. and needy,
and the suffering. doors of the work when
ever and W herever opportunity has offer
ed. lovely in their lives and credible be.
cause Involuntary witnesses of the reali-
ty Of their faith. To the number of
these season of marked religious inter-
est unquestionably must make large ad-
ditions; for though the week may fall
away. though the most vociferous may
grow silent and the warmest cold, there
will always be a remnant Of stronger ma
lures abiding to the end
1t cannot be denied that 'srevival of
religion as it is called, adds largely to
the merely moral strength of society and
increase the number Of those who honest
~ mean to do right. Every reader has
known within his personal experience
more than one instance Of bad nature
made better, Of degraded character
elevated, of an unwise life made true and
rational, by the acquisition Of religious
motives. Hypocrisy, humbug, concsit,
vanity, fanaticism - these are words
which fall easily from our tongues but
the fact remains that hundreds and thou
sands are really in earnest. These Access
sions to the ri ht.doing side of the popu-
lation cannot be otherwise than of good
import. 1t is unfair to weigh ordinary
spiritual experience against that OF larger
natures-of Fenelon or of Pascal, Of We
ley or Of Charming. The real question
is, Have we here man who has resolved
to walk upright in this world for the rest
of his days! If so, then society gains a
good man in the place of bad one, or
one who might at any moment have be-
come bad: a good citizen instead of a
possible felon; faithful machanc or
tradesman instead Of a cheat an honest
merchant instead Of fraudulent bank
rupt; devoted instead of a neglected pa
rent; a good Samaritan instead of a liver
Tor self alone. These surely are acquisi-
tons which even the world need not des.
pise.
THE SCOTCH JOHN BROWN
The London correspondent of the San
Francisco Nescs Letter gives an anecdote
showing the extreme confidence which
the queen vests in her faithful servant {:
i. Johns affection for Her Majesty is
very great. 1t Was Prince Albert who
first took the man, simply because he
was straightforward and extremely indie