New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-27
RELIGIOUS MONOPOLY.

Lie Ic1USdl VI Iuc duIAOAAIASn W 'AAo'
Moody and Sankey 20 hold religious
meetings at Eton. in England. appears
strangely inconsistent with the progressive
ideas OF the nineteenth century. At the
last moment these gentlemen were notified
by the governors OF the college that they
could not hold service there, and they ac.
cordingly repaired TO Windsor. showing
Difference to the faculty, and conducted
meeting at the town hall in the latter
named place, near Eton. It appears the
Eton boys went to hear them, and the
Bishop Of Chichester expressed dis
pleasure that the revivalists should be
allowed to work so near as Windsor. In
an after.dinne. speech at Ardingly, the
bishop contrasted the weakness Of the
authorities now with the vigor which had
been shown in former times. ''Then."
says the Bishop of Chichester. of the
established Church OF England. ''Moody
and Sankey might have fallen on their
knees before such privilege as that re-
Gently obtained by them would have been
granted" This was said because they
were not driven away from the vicinity of
Eton.
The bishop simply made himself, his
church and the school appear ridiculous.
If Eton were nursery for weak-minded
young men, it might be proper to guard
the students. as we wonld guard hyster-
ical young lady. from religious or other
emotions. But we understand Eton to
be school for the education Of the scions
Of aristocracy. 1t is filled with muscular.
well-developed. red-faced young cubs, who
play cricket. football. and other athletic
games, boys who ride. row, box and fight
with fists in the hearty way Of young
English gentlemen. Can the bishop tell
us what harm Mr.. Moodys Bible stories
or Mr.. Sankey's sing caa do to such
as they? After hearing the gospel with
out scollops. plain as Peter gave it when
called from his dsh-nets. some Of the
Eton boys might decide not 70 become
clergymen's apprentices: but an Eton
boys mind could hardly be spoiled by all
the gospe! Mr.. Moody could leave in the
town.
Moody and Sankey have worked 20.
gether in Scotland. Ireland and England
for the past two years. Crowds every
where gather to hear them. They are
Evangelis,s working for no particular de-
nomination. They awaken an interest in
the teachings Of the New Testament; they
make converts and leave them TO join what
church they will. Moody is not an edu-
Gated man according to the standard of
college learning. He is no. a clergyman.
He is simply man who thinks he has
Gospel message to deliver. When he was
here and preached to the people in the
Congregational and Baptist churches he
preferred 10 stand outside Of the pulpit.
He wore whiskers. a business sack coat,
and never had on SO much OF clerical
uniform as white necktie. He reads
and holds to him bis Bible as if he believed
every word Of it. and loved it. He is q
man thoroughly in earnest. and his sue.
cess comes from being so. He believes
there is burning hell and q personal
devil; that there is heaven and Christ,
and that natural men must needs change
their hearts to avoid the one or gain the
other. He believes that. and he speaks
to men about it as he would speak to one
who was walking on railroad in front of
an approaching train. He is SO earnest
that he startles sinners; he makes them
look around to see where they are. and
leaves them to do their own getting up
and getting by taking any side switch off
from wicked way they choose. Now
Moodys preaching never hurt any one in
New Orleans. and we can not see why he
should be run out of Eton. There is no
patent right to religion. II a man
is not blasphemous, coarse. and in
no way interferes with the local
government or the institutions of .
land there is no reason why he should not
preach until he is hoarse. it he SO chooses.
wherever he is invited to speak. Ser.
geant Bates is allowed to carry the Amer
ican flag wherever he will. What should
prevent the progress Of Moody and his
New Testament His practice is differ
ent from that Of preaching in States
prison. No one need hear him if other
wise inclined. and he certainly should
have chance to speak.
1t is possible the bishops Of the Estab-
lished Church are jealous Of the American
preacher. or perhaps they think he is
Plymouth pastor, which is unjust. Or
perhaps they fear that dissolution of
the government and the Church Of Eng
land will take place at no distant day.
Rev;vals of religion are likely to hasten
such an event. In that case, when the
monopoly of religion now held by the
in England is broken. the
Methodists. Baptists and Presbyterians
will have chance. and preachers will
have to depend upon the will Of the
people and their own usefulness and
eloqueuce for livings rather than upon
political appointments. The State should
not pamper. feed and salary one set of
preachers at-public expense, while those
Of another ,mination. quite as near to
Christ. are iged to go about doing |
good in their xyrt sleeves. Such ruling is
to people. It would not be