Smyrna times., 1875-11-03
The Secular Side of It,

Ihe Secular Side Of It.
The public attention continues TO bo ON
gagged by the preaching of Mr.. Moody and
the singing of Mr.. Sankey. This is hardly
the place in which to analyze and estimate
reilSious emotions, experiences. convictions
always to be regarded with 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
10 try to live righteous, sober. and oodlv
NE Is entitled to our confidence until he
mas done something to forfeit it and pcr.
maps he will be less likely to forfeit if if
instead at Struggling our shoulders and nro.
dieting his failure, we shake hands with lin,
cheerlly and wish him well in his new wov
Oh lie. This we may do without any bonoc-
flsy or pretense, even though we may bo
quite unable to follow his eyannIa Tho.o
Is no surer sign of coarse and vulgar
nature than contempt for that spiritual
earneStness which it cannot share, Ono
may be saturated with human nbilosonb,,
l.
ueXterous in the well-worn dialactics Of -,
Oeiiei, quite comfortable in his slough Of
heGatlons, satisfied with his theories Of tho
emotions, deeply read in the history of i'm.
posture and self-deception, a skeptic Inv ma.
ture, confirmed in skepticism bv his oil,
cation yet if his head has not quite not
inc better OF his heart, he will hear with
pleasure that any fellow creature II tL;.
"oeiul and weary world has fouod poooo
for his soul Why INQUIRE too cr;tidaII,.o
why predict relapse too confidently? vbv
be eager to hope for it? why submit tbosc
a"1al phenomena to the frigid test of tho
understanding? why be ready with ridicuIo
"leh mortal, believing himself brought
iace to face with judgment and an ctornoI
death, violates some rule of fnicoI docor,,n,
as he wrestles with the enemy of souls and
nights the battle which is to save him ;f
only he can win it, from a fate too dreadful
to be calmly considered?
Apart from the more solemn nrofa..;on
OF the religious convert, is his promise that
ne VIII be honest and kindly; that he will
'el'her lie nor cheat nor steal; that what
soever OF good his hands may find to do bo
VIII do 1t; that he will refrain from the
wees which degrade and impoycrisb and
XIII that he will no longer be selfish and
unsenerous and that his works shall prove
the vitality OF his faith. There has boon 90
much loose talk lately about religion and |
churches and preachers, that we are in
Iahger OF forgetting that all our lives we
nave been surrounded by thousands Of
'Nceiient men and women made gentle
men and ladies by grace, full.hearted and
ulI-handed helpers of the sick. the neaIy
ma the suffering, doers of the work wbnp.
'Ver and wherever opportunity has offered
oVely IN their lives and credible becouso
Involuntary witnesses of the reality of tboir
alth. TO the number of these n season Of
marked religious interest unouostionablv
must make large additions; for though tho
weak may fall away, though the most
ocherous may grow silent and the warmost
old, there will always be a remnant of
tronger natures abiding to the end.
1t cannot be denied that's "revival of 20.
glon,' as it is called, adds largely to the
merely moral strength of society and in. ,
reases the number of those who honestly
nean to do right. Every reader has known ,
'lthln his personal experience more than
ne instance of a bad nature made bettor {
degraded character elevated, of an nm. q
Use life made true and rational. bv tba |
cquisition ofreligious motives. Hypocrisy, a
umbug, conceit, vanity, fanaticism-these a
re the words which fall easily from our v
1ngues; but the fact remains that hun. /
reds and thousands are really in earnest. $
hese accossions to the right-doing side of t
ne population cannot be otherwise than of t
ood import. 1t is unfair to weigh ordi. a
airy spiritual experience against that of c
rger natures-of Fenelon or of Pascal. of c
esley or OF Claiming. The real question
, Have we here a man who has resolved
walk uprightly in this world for the rest h
MS days? If 50, then society gains n
'od man IN the place of bad one, or one p
no might at any moment have become b
vi a good citizen instead of posi-. .
Q felon; a faithful mechanic or trades. p
an instead Of a cheat an honest mer. 81
laht instead of a fraudulent bankrupt: Il
voted instead of neglectful parent a a
'od Samaritan Instead Of liver for self W
one. These surely are acquisitions which
en- the world need not despise.-N y :,
tjnae "
~. :, - ---- ro
MISS Ida Demorest, whom the Grand m
lko Alexis considered the handsomest bo
man in the United States, has marplad q,