The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-11-12
A Dangerous Erpedient.

Nioih uiN oiOW W tOuIttIhtt Jlt Whiiulll Va |
the feminine heart, susceptible to the in |
fiuences OF religion. Even when men grow |
slack IN their attendance upon church and |
give hospitality 20 rationaistic views of |
breeds mud religious observances, their |
wives and daughters are act TO keep their |
faith undimned, and their sense of obliga- |
ton to take advantage ~ tho ceremonies of
the church remains FIRM and strong.
The bulwark of 'hle Christian Church is
formed out OF tie devout hearts and spir-
itunl aspirations of women. They render
an obedieI sce to religious precepts and
usnpes, Doth ready and unqucstioning.
Ih'y may not Chide the colder regard or
eve n the positive skcptcism Of their hus-
-,onds, but for themselves they ask no aid
from reason when their affections lead
them TO PROSTATE themselves before the
Christian altar Moreover, in the COM
muniou of the Church they are the spir-
itual cquals. nay, the spiritual superiors of
men; ard they know aud value the ptivi-
lcge it offers them. Add II this the wo-
manly susceptibility to the emotions, de-
vout. cXaltug, mysterious, and aesthetic,
which divine service engCnders, and also,
the feminine love OF forms and ccrcmo-
MES, and we have nj least partial ex-
PLANTATION OF the almost universal habit Of
good women to be regular nj church.
This i well for the race. The coolest
slxcptic, II he is wise, will rejoice that II IL
so. The mothers by whose side childhood
walks and from whom il gains its first
lessons OF the mysteries Of this mys-
FERROUS life OF ours. are better Mt
ted for their holy duty, If they
have their thoughts raised to the con-
temptation of heavenly things. They
can thus better teach the questioning
minds of their children, and instruct them
as to the significance OF those spiritual
glimpses which oftentiInes constitute child
hoods earliest manifestation OF intelligent
life. The mother fnd child are sympa-
thetic in their unquestioning belief in that
spiritual existence which underles rs the
true substance the seeming realities of the
material world Thus early the child il
taught to regard the ideal life, to cultivate
while yet the mind IL fresh and plastic the
religious virtues. out Of which spring the
best fruits Of earth y existence.
But MouDY and SANKEY have under
taken To make the women who attend
Their meetings active prosclytcrs among
their own sex, and among men bv the force
of enircaty and argument, as well as secret
prayer. They are not content to make the
women themselves better, so that 10y the
influence ~ their characters they shall cle-
waite the tone OF their home lives, aud shed
over their households the lustre of de-
vout behavior. They would make them
exhorters of their male and female ac-
quainiance, and drag them from the scc'u-
sion of their homes to propagate religious
| teachings 10y admonltion, cntrcaty. warn
ing, and doctrinal eNpounding. This will
never do. 1t nvcrts the relations Of the
soxos, IL sure To foment family discord,
ami apt tn drive the hard-headed man into
worse opposition than ever to religion. He
does not seek wife to be for him "a ruli-
gious dispu,aut, nor found home to be
! thesccnc of feminine proselyting efforts.
Mr. MooDY the other day turned all the
men out Of the BROOKLYN Tabernacle,
locked the doors 20 keep out the masculine
maranders. and then told the women that
they must bear more of the burden Of the
revival; that they must work at home
and abroad, organize To recruit audiences
| for the Rink, and gather at the Meth odist
church TO talk TO inquirers. He wished
the women TO draw IN the people, get
them religiously aroused, conduct prayer
meetings, and then turn over the fruits OF
their abors TO the clergymen. who would 20
around and call upon the women, and SEE
what impression they had made. Now, this
is not women's work. 1t is not their office tc
conduct rcvvals, however much they may
all l,,. IA i'll 4 IA.
indirect result OF producing "A good effecl
upon those with whom they naturally ano
IN the true sphere of their activities com,
in contact. Some heads of families. vi
have no doubt, would not welcome tn,
clergymcn when they called to scrutiniz'
what their wives had done for the saliva
ton Of their souls. They would not wisl
to encourage such mcthodical inter
ference with their households, howeve
jealous the clerical caller might be. No
should we blame them.
II IS n dangerous Thing, even on the pie;
of religion, 10 moddle with families. TIL
home is sacred from intrusion. 1t Is no
the business of outsiders 10 enter II to pro
mulgutc religious doctrines unless they mr.
sp, cially invited to do SO. Clerical intlu
once over the wife apart from her hu-
band is an evil only II little less scrou
than irrcligion itself. Indeed, the yer,
centre, the foundation stone of religion
in family poaca and order. shake that
introduce dI-cold, even though it be rs T.
the husbands souls welfare, and true re-
, lgion suffers along with the domcsti
f. tranquility.
We object totally 10 Mr.. MOoDy's cours
in this matter, ana see in its employment
, n resort 10 means which husbands ma
I well regard aS dangerous and ineXpcdicu
. Trust To the women 10 help you, Nj
MOODY, 10y exhibiting the alTices and chn
e. titles of a Christian life, and do not pu
them TO the task of oyaugchzing from doc
to door, or setting mp an inquiry mcctn
I in their homes. That IL not their function
: The sweeping victory achieved in Mi
sissippi by the Democratic Conservatives, AS Il
r opponents Of Grintsm m that Sta tie call then
u selves, whl give that party the choice Of a Sen
tor 20 succeed Gov. ALCORH, whose term e,
, pires on March D. 1877. II Ia gratifying To kno