, 1876-04-03
actor drawing ito lights and inspiration and sub-
lime fuwor from tho great Christ standing bo-
trenr nnrkll aud heaven.
CHARACTERIZATION.

NEW 1ORRt NlArGO XIV ibfOs-Mf LEAH 6lNt
vds aurprtscd and grlevod tofsarn that the tax
alton OF church ediflccs lad boon seriously and
oven enrnostly advocated before sao Committee
Of Ways aud Means ln tho Assembly. It ID rir-
tuslly q proposition to lmpooo Il tax on tho wor-
ship of Almighty God, unlosa II ts roadoscd 10
Tho open air Or in some building already subject
to taxation. No ono ohJacss to tho taxation Of
church properly devoted to secular usca. It is
tho imposition Of taxca on houses OF worship
that tB 30 objootod to Rs profanAuon Of that
which should bo hold sacred.
Ono OF Tho n1vooatos OF the moaauro coul-
mnnda 10 un the example OF tho primitive Chris
tlans In regard to outdoor service, M II par
allcl could 10 drawn bctwoan tho climate Of
Julen, radiant With sunshine and perennial
bloom ali the year round anA ours In which
Extraordinary sonsoua c1coptedO wc aro buried
In snow two or three months, and pinchod with
cold, oven WHEN unaor co7or' two or three
moro, ..
Another rays that tho Aposslea aohlo,cd shclr
SUCCESSES without ohurohcs.
But theso foferonose 10 tho habits OF tho
carly followers Of tho Savior manifest an OK.
tronely superficial knowledge Of ecolcslastical
history, Tho last supper WAS admisscrcd by
Him io al upper room. and most of Htu ssaoll-
lngs wero lu the aynsSoGues ihe hctA. OF no
1t Jerusalem, whcnover they we're n'lowcd TO
do 80, aud In tho sypagosnaa Ut Au-
tioeh, Theasalontca. Athons, Coriht', Eplo-
r. and o,s wherever Hor.o. oso on9 S5 Mont
they had mono Of their own. After tho rscen-
aton Of thoir Divino Master lila followers wero
for O loug period Of timc tho tho objects q Jow-
iah md Pagan persecution. sustained BY tho
duetcd IN biding. places, sometimes IN eatacomos
blcsscd With tho religious to1oration which NO
enjoy. and had possessed ois wealth sne[e i IS
built houses OF worahip ns tasteful aud costly %
our own. Ths Instinct OF oil communities OF
mon is to erect for the Worship Of their Creator
seS rospGndE E tS Soasssss h @.ro Of s
as VIC. all know. moro Inexpensive than
because, in the gront natqritY Of roll
gons Sss e sasSs nSs i i obsns q ss i. L do do
nominations that thor expenditures for religious
worship arc only limited bJ their rocuulary
rnenus We cannot doubt TINT thd primitive
Chrlstlaus cntcrtasnca as oloyhtcd vt"wa OF tho
| Father as their Isrnelitio predecessors, who
built tho Temple Of Jerusaicul. The Divano
| Founder Of our faith gave M impressive PROOF
Of Ills conception OF the ehcrod ohafacser t Of
driving tho money-ohhngcrs out Of tho temple,
tho only net Of violence In Hts mock and cotn-
! passionate lifo; and I trust NO shRtl haye
courage and reverence enough to initiate His
|
getting foothold In our houBoa Of worship ind
converting them into dens Of thieves.
| As suou ns the primitive Christians ceased to
DO objpcts Of persecution and wore protected by
| their civil rulors, they began to croct expensive
houseb of Worship; and from tho era Of Con-
stautinc they converted aplondid Pagan temples
10 the service Of their Maker. There aro now In
tho City Of Home aeyeu or eight OF these tom.
p,es reclaimed from heAthenlBm aud oonaocratod
10 ChrIstinn worship. From thnt day to this
during tho lapse Of nearly 600 yoars-no Gov
crn1ncnt hnA undortakeu to make church edaticcB
pay tribute for tho privilege Of worshlpioe God.
which they hold tho tonp!os dedicated to thoil
idsls, manifest moro reverence than tho pro
n,otors OF thtg RAID upon religious Worship
No movement has given auch encouragement
ovory possible impeachment to tho pfogreas Of
Christian tohuhlng, Us this proposal to tas
Church oaiflces. Sectarfan discussions hnvo at,o-
cecded Ia driving religious instruction out Of tue
| nubi,o schools: and now ourdity mud unbolICi
would break down tho Sunday-sohooiH by pocu-
niary ,mpositions upou the oa!lcca III Which
they ara hold. nndsot communities and noighbor-
hoods at work to caibulato tho oarh value OF 70.
liaious worahip. II IL difficult to conoolve thai
tIo proposition could havo had It's origin In any
otler breast than QUO unfftonaly 70 81! church
organizations, or ono iu which tho love oil
money Is the prodon. liant passion. II those
who have set on foot this movement vaut mort
money, lot thnm tax their rum, their tobncoo
tho!x pictures, fask horaos, gamodogs. liquor
saloons, dapce-louscB, clube. thoatre1, diamonds
J equpnges,-overysh,ng, In short, which minls
} tors to their pIeasureu, thor sastes. and thou
sensual tnauiGenoes. Nay, let them Tax thell
seminarics Of learning, thelr institutions do
voted to human soionee and ey0n tho ground'
| In which tho unconscious bonee Of their AnecB
J tors 1opose. rathor than invala with mercenar,
e1actlona the edi1oes devoted 70 tho worshiP Q
Almighty God and 70 tho teaahlng Of our dut,
10 Him and our noighborn.
Some OF tho abbettotR Of this movement hav'
t,n ti,o r. lat Ia mir r3F nj
they arc ready to compromise With the bovoreigl
Ruler. They will Maka toaa0nhbln couoeyslonH
They will allow Sl, 600 OF the yalue Of eaoh o
His Churches to be exempt from saxation an
only exact Of Him payment On tho residue
!. They may perhaps, 80 70 FAY rs 70 allow Hin
S2,UO0-aa much as It would coat u woll-tod
farmer to house hls horHes and hozned. d.castle
:l'hsro ~ degree Of sublimity IN thia con
! diamiss it. With those who think tho Alinight
, homage n buildings no batter than barn
aud oushousos, no mattor how abuudan
. tie peouniAry means OF tic woFahtpers. ant
who attach no more eancttty to ono class o
' those sdidcea than to tho othor, 1t would b
: equally fruitless and humiiiastng to hold 40
coutoronoe, 1n manifold inatanoes, both in u
0 IL called tho houao Of God, aud II is hlwsy
1 named With appropriate expressions Ok rover
b opce. The universal heart responds to thi
I designation aud 90 matter how humble tt
|
within its hAlloved walls feel mora seusibl
t than thoy do amid tue turmoil Of the cute
! world that thcy arc in tho proaeaoe Of tie on
o nipotenk Boing, by whom the greAt toroes OF th
!, | universe a1o moved and controlled. and that b
iguorlng Him thsy senounce all hope Of highs
i etato Of o1intenuo.
o The schono should bs 1epudiated and dt
o nouneed In all lta parts. One cat hardly dehai
i. it Without feeling Of abaAoment. It u not
& subject for hum&n logic. II ID not problem (
Q profit and loss, to be argued by religious obiig'
Y tlon on one side aud financial onpldity On tt
Other. It Ia q matter OF instinct. OF iuborn 70,
Is otoure. OF tho consc!ousnasa which oveEy min
j. not perverted Try the soph[sticatious Of world
u scionco. hAa Of iA o"n in,ne asureabIo nfefio.l
i, to tho Sovereign lsuloT Of the universe and I
It tho homage II owea Him ~ ita creator and r
" deemor. There 10 oomething rovolttng 20 Il
n moral Benao Ia its noruat state In tho idea
"a mnkiug = morceuary profit out OF IN sdiloe CO..
\ Bao.ated To His sorrico. When this inner seu
3 iu wanting, arguments ts frui.less.
IL Tho most attractive objects which meet ue
l..