Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-18
SUNDAY READING.

The Lenten season justiiies itself,
thus far, hereaway, by the loneliness OIL
The weather and the calm and temper
ale purity of the air, the sunlight ano
he general cheer which the lace oil ali
Nature wears both night and day. AS
10 whether our people more generally
or faithfully observe the religious tia
dj,ions and usages of the season iiian
we are quite at loss To
but we do know that there
has come upon the habits and do
meanor of the citizenry OF our vicinase
Of late months, a sobriety ard co''ii-
nence of habit which betoken decent
toward, if not a wh"ic-
some regard for, the steadier anu more
moral phases of daily life and social
duty. Perhaps this is phenomenon
Of the prevalent depression 81 the
times; for wild gaities and a disregard
Of the more decorous habits and OBJ
seryances Of society are not induced,
or encouraged by state OF
the money-market which derresses
trade and makes needful if not imper-
alive the adoption of habits ofquielude
and frugality. We may not expect
the recklessness OF flush times with
stocks at zero and the ,"x-collector
rampant. Adversely i prolihc
breeder OF sobrietv ii no; If abstinence;
and the gulf which separates GOOD
morals from thai suhdued temper
which is bego,t-n iy misfortune Is
neither very wi,ic nor very deep. But
we will no, scrutiuize too closely nor
suffer our urchari;y "a have too large
an influence in determining our opln-
ions: but, c.ri,a;i-s appearances at
the best, an,. :! lw:mg u disposition to
accept all indi,s,, ms of an improved
popular tone at their face value, let 1t
he said that our little city Of Carson
has in her wisdom Of years. conform
ed, with gracefulness and becoming
recognition of that which is best, to the
growing reluirments of morality and
the outward seemings of religious liv-
ing and appearance. "The ruling
mind of modern society" says one OF
our best thinkers, "is not irreligious.
It has passed through the phase of the
former generation, and by dint OF GU
ture and enlightenment has emerged
upon higher plane OF faith. l do
not say that it is Christian. or likelyto
become so do not think that it is.
Some thinkers regard Christianity as a
impressivetot the sensitive;
others kind Of superstition others,
again, rs an institution important for
/ he preservation 'of order in society.
As a system of faith it is, by thought
full and cultivated people, dismissed.
But a oh ase of irreligion which was
prevalent half a century ago has pene-
rated to what are sometimes called
the masses of society-the working
people. the unframed. unrefined. The
untausht have caught these ideas
which have been dismissed by the ed
ucated and refined; consequently this
is one of the peculiarities of irreligion
that is. religion among the people.
In the last generation the thoughtful
turned their backs upon IRE
Iigion, and the people-the working
.lass-were devout. Now the thought
III turn their faces once more toward
he light of faith and the people turn
heir backs to it," If this be true II
simply proclaims The fact that as edu-
.stion and refinement are advanced
he value of religious teaching and
,abit as adjuncts to a well ordered life
ire the more willingly recognized by
o>e whose recognition is social law
md tacit authority. An intelligent
.stimate Of what is called religion is
safe from the impertinen-
les and offendings of charlatanry and
,retense and when we can have our |
morals SO winnowed of all the chaff |
# hypocricy and cant as to be reason
lbly concurrent with our notions of
good taste, good neighborship and
rood cheer, we shall find ourselves
Wiling to be cured of many bad hab-
IS and to forego many damaging and
wen venial vices.
1t is an edifying and thought-inspir-
NC event when AN evangelical "cler-
lyman, like Henry Ward Beecher,
ives us leave to question the validity
1 the doctrine Of the Trinity, as he
loes in a sermon delivered in Plym-
nth church on Sunday, the 18th of this
Month, and from which we quote as
pillows:
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
nd thy neighbor as thysslf," was
that Christ came to teach as the un-
erlving basis of manhood in its efforts
, develop. This was the centre of
UNIVERSAL moral government as it was
evealed in Christianity and was fun
amental to everything. The Trinity
ras not fundamental except to the or
bodox system. 1t was not known
uring the first one hundred years OF
,e Church, and even now to ninety
- ,~o<,lo oot of q hnn6r rod il WAS