The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-04

put forth by our correspondent, but quite con-
sis ent with LnaJ OF the G0ctrine when he comDats
and uenounces. And they are found IN and are
supported ny many similar passages IN ne WORD
OF Co.. to wnich ne appeals Tor tae JUSTIFICATION Of
his own theory.
THE CONFLICTS OF THE AGE.
TO TIE EDITOR or THE HERALD
The present is a period OF unrest. Few minds
are satisfied with the existing condition OF things
and yet lew, If any, are able 10 defne exactly tue
changes wnlca they would deem desirable. In the
general aspiration or mankind, however, Two op-
posite tendencies are moro or less conspicuous "
would that the desire OF one-hali OF our people
Is TO have their present fixed thoughts, on all ques-
tons or religion, politics and social institutions,
reauced to some stereotyped form demanding TIE
assent. not only OF this, but OF all future ages,
wnie the other half is inclined 10 disregard all old
lanamarks, TO deny all Old faiths as supersti.
lions and iollies anu TO rush iortn, each man by
himself, into new fields oil thought and specua.
ton, under the supreme guidance oil the ave
senses. Tne first these general classes OF minds
are just now making strenuous efforts to have
the recognition oil The God OF their concep-
tons embodied IN tue national constitution.
The second are lADoring, covertly and openly. TO
upro0t the very foundation oil Christianity and To
substitute universal scepblclsm and materialsm
in It's place. To neither oil these aims we
yield our approval and Tor the reasons which iol-
loT:-rae existing agitation to procure the Tor
mai recognition OF God in the constitution (con-
slderlng tAls as a general type OF all other ten
denotes to religious 1ossllllzauons) is open TO
criticism first, as an utterly useless measure. It
would accomplish nothing either Tor religion,
morality or goo0 government. We cannot less-
late the Denef IN Goa into the minds OF men. The
only constitution into which that can be put with
any effect is that unwrltten constituuon-.he
hearts OF the people. That all our appliances. OF
Church and state have failed TO redeem tine
world IRON degradation cann0t be denied, bat
this Ii plainly owing to some radical defect in our
ecclesiastical, social and political system. We
may give an apparent sanctity TO these defects by
eInDodylng the formal recognition OF Coz III the
constitution, bat ~ VIII DC saam and delusion,
COu htaself Will not necessarily lie there because
Ills name Is written there. Inc letter kileLn IL
Is the spirit that gyeth lie. Aud that spirit
must De wltnln the hearts o. the people, IN order
that II may nave any manifestation IN political
And tnen look at another aspect OF the ques-
non. what could De more absurd tnan 10 at
tempt, Dy any form OF aecrees or legislation, TO
cOmpei ourselves and tue people az large 10
acKGo Fledge tae creator aud sustalnor OF the
universe WHAT could 0e more repugnant 10 tae
religious liberty OF Walch we BoasG3 There
those OF our fellow citizens VINO not nationally
convinced OF the existence OF a God, anu 10 compel
them 10 an allegiance 10 an instrument OF which
the recognition VI COD y a part, Noald not Do 10
convince tnem, but to make hyp0cntes Of them.
That the truth snal be universally recognize q, and
the word Ny Its means upllted from Its moral
degradation. is TIE devouI aspiration OF every
rIgnt ed person. But coercion Is not leforma-
ton, aud COnpulslOn never dId and never can
maze anytAng but slaves. We submit
whether ia thus or any other loIm, upon the
sphere 81 secular government should be nrm,y
dlscOuntenanced by an enlightened people as
promising no good results. while tending, how
ever remotely, 10 reina1gurate the Intolerance
anu perse cuti0ns vi past ages. Bus let US look at
the opposite element Oi the worlds conflicts and
unrest. Inc writer vas recently assailed 81 .
sceptic, who maintained that our discOrdant state
was produced BY Christianity. TuIs 1 40 most
empaatlcaIly DENY. Ga tne contrary, 1 maintain
that the evil referred 70 ~ tie outcome OF lack
OF C0rtsL anlty In as primitive state tue CHRIS.
tian religion was power winch made Itself lett
Dy all us believers. They wero peculiar peope,
endowed with the spirit OF God. wnicn ac.uated
them Ia all things. Ihey were Wiling 70 die Tor
the TIE principles which tneIr religion lneulcated.
gVou ADD TOO true l0r the majority vi tue
people oi our times to receive. IL At prevailed In
It's lull Ner, justice, fraternity and peace would
be established among men, and we would have =
heaven upon eartn. Bat IN addition 10 that spirit
Wblcn would peJriiy CHRISTIAN tbetsm into a dead
form, ana That, on the Otner hand, which would ex-
tnguish tue very form OF christianity Itself aud
have only cold, selfish maieliallsm ia It's place,
there ~ another spirit abroad making itself more
and more conspicuous, and m this lies the hope II
the world. EinphaticaIy Christian In It's iunda-
mental spirit principles Il inyoke s the lgnest
nghts 0l science ana the experiences OF past ages.
reJecJs aud exposes error In whatever idol
lied forms II may have been ensnrined. IL
pTocaims The Day o. Judgment as az hand,
when the wheat and cnan OF all religious crecds
and existing human Institutions small Oe separ-
Aled. ~ recognizes every numan lnstt1tion as
the rlgnt Of any institution 10 continue 10 exist
alter II has ceased 70 perform some service to hu-
manly And when new aspirations ORR aud
new mental, moral ana social wants arise Il seeks
TO supply them. Tue scientists nave done muca 70
bring ABOUT the existing c0a1icts an the worla Of
thought aud &C the same time 10 provide ways Tor
their final settlement. They are accomplishing q
glorious work aud deserve to be recognized as
benelact0rs to manknd.
without Q scientific analysis and classification OF
the different forces OF nature, mankind CAnnot
progress tremendously In the science oil lie.
When these men snail have Accomplished their
Iabors In the neids Of ultmated matter tney WILL
yestigate tbe nature Of tne human spirit Its mis-
sion In tnls world and It's luture destiny. but at
present scientists, Tor the most part, are dealing
only with nall truths. 1hcy believe IN nothing
winch cannot De recognized BY some one or more
OF the ave senses. la this respect they are In
superstition; whe theologians, on the otner
hand, ply them WITH texts of scripture and de-
nounce them as inhdeis. COnnnng themselves
TO a strictly physical basis OF reaaOnInR, sch
entsts ON tue one hand. are unable, at the
last analysis 10 account Tor q single lOrce OF
nature or for the primal cause OF any form OF
outer creation, wniie the theoogian, from the
concerning tue naturat history OF the external
univ rse. There ~ point At watch botn may
meet, ana al tnls point both science ana tbeOoav
Will undergo that modification and expansion
winch Wil unite them together as the Two IA u
OF one grand system OF trutn on whion the hoe
mOny and peace. Ana tolls will be the new era
TO which the world is slowly but surely tending.
and g. hasten the advent Of winch AL should uilb
gently labor A. JOHNSON.
THE USE OF THE REvrvArIsT.