New-York tribune., 1876-08-19


ing letteM with great many little anecdotes
in this same general direction. He is in his
way an apostle of new gospel. Not an apos-
tie of the old stiff fashion, but pleasant
| fellow full of agreeable gossip, the most racy
and Guoabe of letter writers, and wlthai a
sincere believer doubtless in this gospel OF his
own. 1t is gospel largely OF neSations. 1t
il above all hostile TO the Christian Church ana
the Christian faith, in all their various forms
and phases 1t denOunces as superstition not
only particular systems of dogma ana ccre-
mony, but the simplest and most eiemehtal
beliefs of Christianity; the beliefs wlich 10
most dspassiOnatc observers seem TO be Closely
interlinked with popular ideas of morality ana
duty throughout England and America. Inc
belief that sin issan evil TO be mOrtally feared
and avoided, that Divine help is given to men
who are trying to escape from it, that hoiy
and loving Father is ordering this world, that
infinite issues beyond the grave depend on the
right conduct of this present life, that mankind
has found no better or safer guide III It's
highest concerns than Jesus Chrlst-this whole
system of faith, and every item OF It, Is reJecteu
with lofty contempt and active hostlhty Dy the
apostles of a new f'religiOn," which Is 700
philosophical to repent OF sin, too sclf-satiSied
to desire Immortality, too wise to learn OF
Jesus Christ, and too manly to need DIVING
Father.
II is not the part of this journal to do bat
tie for any article of religious faith. 1t does
belong TO its work to claim absolute freedom
of speech alike for Christian and intidel, thelst
and atheist. More: we believe 1t 10 be de-
sirabe for truth and for religion that every
thoughtful man who has reached deep ana
abiding convictions on these great questions
should candidy present his beliefs, and receive
considerate attention. But, in the name not
of Christianity but of the common welfare, let
us have these topics treated with some due
appreciaton of the effect of our discussions
upon our audience. If the dearest faiths of
mankind appear to us to be deltisIonS, leu us
still hear ourselves not only sOberly but ten
dcrly toward beliefs which as yet are to most
men the great incentives to honesty, purity,
and unselfshncss. Can any sane man really
suppose it would be service to the American
community to sweep away at a Dlo", II IL
were possible, by sheer negatiOn and deStruc-
ton, all belief in the Christian iellglonf Does
any student of religion fail to see how much
easier it is to destroy an old falth than 10 I'M
plant n new one and how utterly demorllH-
ing is the loss Of religious convictions When
unattended by a new and higher moral im-
pulse? And can any thoughtful observer OF
The times fail to see how dangerously III mat
ters of religious belief the forces of demolition
and destruction tend to predommate over the
positive and upbuilding forcesf
II is easy to snecr; it is easy to point out the
follics and weaknesses of churchmen; 1t Is
easy for skillful writer to give, in light
and seemingly unintendcd way, the impression
that all highly intelligent people regard Chris
tianity as an outwOrn superstition. But Is
there ANYTHING especially serviceable to the
community in this7 Is there not, III the dex-
ferrous. unobtrusive, but persistent assault on
tbe foundations of religious belief, something
suggestive of an old proverb about him who
"scattcrcth frcbrands, arrows and death!'
The world has become somewhat enlightened
As TO the vices of religious prOpagandlSm- Its
crcdulity. its bigotry, its sacrifice OF charity to
zeal. The world is right in reckoning
these to be grave faults, even where the
propagandists believed they were working to
save mems souls from sin and misery unend-
ING. Certainly they are none the less faults
IN the apostles of n purely negative and de-
s;ructiye creed. The ianatlclSm OF religion Is
nm evil but the fanaticism of unbclief Is less
cxcusablc and not less mischievOus.