The New York herald., 1876-01-02
Now Year Thoughts OF the Relig-
tous Press.


Most Of our religious exchanges this week
indulge in New Years comments and reviews
with more or less hopefulness for the future
The Independent cannot recall anything
specially notable in the dead year, except
the continuance of commercial depression,
a scandal or two, and the purchase by
Great Britain of the Suez Canal The new
year will be one of excitement, according to
the Independents outlook, because it will not
only be our centennial year. but will be the
Presidential election year also. This
journal looks with pleasure upon the relig-
ious successes of the past year, and with
hope for the future. The Methodist attempts
briefly to recall the century's progress in re-
ligion, intelligence, commerce, manufacture,
&C., but stops because the story of our
growth could not be half told in a
day. The work before US rather than
that behind US commands our attention, and,
according to the Methodist the most impor-
tant feature of this work is in education and
morals. We shall have to bear a strain in
these departments within the next quarter of
a century that shall tell for veal or woe on
the hopes of the Republic. But the editor
has no fear that we shall be able to bear
the strain. The Christian at Work regrets
that the New Year call is not what it once
was, as Irving pictures it in the simplicity
and dignity of the early idyllic life in New
Amsterdam. The day was once poetic, rich
in the warmth and color of sentiment re-
union and solemn pledge of friendship a
perpetual vow that however, the flying
time might be divided the Fates
should sever no tie of the heart.
Now, the New Year call is scientific,
enumerated on prepared list of availables,
its limits sharply divided, its funereal for
mality religiously observed and its conversa-
ton guided by certain fixed laws of human
stupidity. The C1.,rc.m1n thinks the new
year will be an eventful one because it is the
legal majority, so to speak, of the nation.
Hitherto the American people have been in
state of moral and mental pupilage. Say
what one will of American ideas, they have
hitherto been put forward very much with
an idea of what ''the old folks at home will
say when they see this" The undivided
thought of what is best for national civiliza-
ton and development, the graphing with
immediate and personal problems, have yet
to be undertaken
The Importance Of time as an element in
human destiny is ably and philosophically
presented in the Christian Advocate by its
editor. Most Of the days and years are lost
to the world because the great mass Of hu-
man beings do no more for themselves or
their fellows than the vegetables of kitchen
garden Living without purpose, they die
without fruit. The idlers of the world can
be counted by thousands while the industri-
Gus cleaners of the moments are as rare as
diamonds in the sand. The uncertainty of
the year on which we are entering, says the
Advocate, is one of its most serious aspects
We need to enter it with reverence because
Of the veil that conceals the future from us,
and yet with confidence, for we know
that the trusting heart has nothing
to fear. The Jeaoish Times reviews with
pardonable pride the outgrowth of this
Republic from the monarchies of the Old
World and traces the springs of its origin to
the political philosophy of John Locke,
lin and Adams, the three men most con-
cerned in preparing the immortal Declara-
ton of1776. The progress of mankind has
since that time been most wonderful The
bell of Independence Hall not only pro-
claimed liberty throughout all the land but
the birth of new civilization also. which
should embrace all mankind and disenthral
the human mind from the dogmatism in which
it had been held. In this view this centennial
year commentaries one Of the grandest
epochs in history, and all Europe must join
in celebrating it as the memorial day of the
birth of the mother of modern progress. The
BoptiSt Weekly takes a parting glance at
the old year and finds that it has wit
messed more of disaster to men engaged in
commerce than most years which have
preceded it. In the religious aspect of the
world there has been much Of hope Of re-
vival, and as the year closed it promised
well for the extension of Christs kingdom
in the land. The year." says the Weekaiy
''has also witnessed fresh manifestations of
Romish arrogance in giving us O Cardinal
prince of the Church protesting at the same
time to be citizen of the Republic" In
seeking our moral publication the Weekly
would have us diligent, and especially would
it have its coreligionists active in every de-
partment of Christian work in this centen-
nial year. The Freemdn'S Journal would
have its friends in this New Year at peace
with God, standing alert for duty, resolute
for all that God in His providence
may call them to do, and ready and
anxious for every new opportunity to earn
merits for heaven. The Christian InteA-
gencer would have its readers review the
past and resolve for the future to grow in