The Hartford herald., 1879-06-25

Spain and Scotland i'm this respect, "A
most erroneous view / think. As for
superstitious servility to Priest-craft, the
history of our Kirk, and a century of
death struggle for religious freedom Is
sufficient denial Of il. In Spain the
common people are willfIlly kept in
ignorance by their priests. In Scotland
the clergy, from John Knox to the pres
ent time, have fOstered and helped for
ward education, encouraging reverent
spirit of enquiry on all matters of faith
and doctrine. If the people invariably
choose and follow their ministers. as
leaders il Is because the ministers have
ever identified themselves with the
cause of the people, and time and again
have manftlly stood forward and suf-
fered and died in theircause. All honor
to them. Are We gloomy fanatics then?
Ii il two or three hundred years, more
or less, since the Frenchman described US
as a people who "take their pleasures
sadly" The Scotch are a grave, unde-
mOnstrative race, reserved, silent. This
is not mere habit acquired by long adj
herence to gloomy ealvinistic doctrine,
as / think have heard Ii stated. But
the result of an intensity of thought and
feeling, rather, that can find no reliefin
small talk and badinage. But why do
I bother you with this? Because, unless
you understand the characteristics of a
people you will never understand the
institutions and customs by which they
surround themselves. Consider this
fragment of portrait of a typical and
historical Scotchman, by our most Illus
trous living Scotchman. "They go far
wrong who think this Knox was a
gloomy, spasmodic, shreiking fanatic.
Not at all. He is one of the solidest
of men. Practical, cautious, hopeful,
patient; most shrewd, observing,
quietly, deserving man. In fact, he has
very much the style of character we
assign to the Scotch at present; certain
sardonic taciturnity is in him, insight
enough, and a stouter heart than he
himself knows Of He has the power of
holding his peace over many things that
do not belong to him." This strict OBJ
servanc of Sunday is not imposed upon
an unwilling people by a dominant
clergy, il is the genuine outcome Of the
temperament of the people, and can
only exist here as law because il already
exists in the minds Of the people. To
ScOtehman, sunday Is distinguished
me imtensity or his feelings ieads nm
unccHsciously, but poetically toascribe to
nature the mood pervaiding his own
mind.
Many gross custOmsstill linger among
us, we have many faults and failings
that can only be deplored; but have no
feeling other than deepest respect for
the sturdy righteousness of my fellow
countrymen, all the deeper, perhaps,
that / am sadly conscious of my own
deficiencies in this respect.
Now just one word ON that phase of
the Sunday question at present engaging
the attentions of your citizens. As
might be expected, / take somewhat
stricter view of the case than you seem
to do, vet, /, too, am liberal-at least
think / am, for people sometimes figure
themselves on qualities they do not
possess-I claim for every man the lib
erty to spend Sunday, and every day, in
whatever manner he can best reconcile
his conduct with his sense of the rever-
ance due to his Maker, and the Maker
of all things always, that
he shall do nothing in public 10 offend,
much less to outrage the sense of de
cency and the religious feelings of his
fellow-citizen, and then / draw the line.
To stay at home, or to walk abroad and
quietly enjoy the beauties of nature, is
often more profitable ito some) than at
tending church. 1t is never inconsis-
tent with devout feelings, and can give
no reasonable cause for offence. But
what can be said for this organized beer
swilling, fiddling, ''and lowest class Of
theatrical shows" going ON while around
thousands of earnest souls are on their
knees? Only this can be said, these
II
men show respect neither TO God nor
man. The only men without religion
are those who do not care for religion,
and when these grow to be numerous
they are dangerous element in COM
munity. To stamp out this evil seems
to me to be clearly the duty of your cit
izens, not as a mere matter of policy to
prevent disorder, but in the solemn fear
of Gods righteous judgments. Judg-
ment Is an ugly word? But God Is great,
and history has its lessons for those who
will read them. Grant thatthe story Of
Sodom and Gomorrah is a myth, what
then? Is there not deep meaning TO
be found in it as in all myths? Should
not a man have as much soul in him
as will serve the purpose of salt" to pre-
serve him from rotenness and becoming
a centre of moral plague? Ii would
even W PCOIAC W AOe@'e
them. Many will cry liberty who mean
license. And as for those who cry ''tol-
eration," would say, in the words of a
wise man, "Well, surely il Is good that
each of us be as tolerant as possible;
vet, at bottom, after all the talk there Is
and has been about it, what Is tolerance?
Tolerance has to toleratethe unessential,
and to see well what that is. Tolerance
has to be noble, measured, just in its
very wrath, when il can tolerate no
longer. But. on the whole, We are not
altogether here to tolerate. We are
here to resist, to control and vanguish
withal. We do not tolerate falsehOods,
thieveries, iniquities, when they fasten
on us, we say to them, thou art false,
thou art not tolerable! We are here to
extinguish falsehoods, and put an end
to them in some wise way?'