New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-06
Sims IN RELIGION.

Sims IN RELIGION.
The festival of Easter Is hardly over, and on
next Sunday comes that of Whitsuntide. So
many people in American cities now observe
| these religious anniversaries that they make
an important part of our social life, and some
reference to them is due from even secular
newspapers. Tho general observance of these
days is owing not so much to the increase of
the old historic churches, where they have
always been kept, as to a growing disposition
among educated people to express thought and
belief in symbols and in formulas which APP
peal 10 the feelings, convictions and even taste.
! THE TRIBUNE from time to time has called
attention to this change in religious expression
with approval. Why, for example, should not
| the principal events in tho Saviours life and
| their meaning be regularly brought before
/ the young with all the force which earnest
! teaching or a stately ceremonial can give
Why should we keep the birthday of Washing
! ton the anniversary of battles, and pass UNI
noticed the day when the Saviour gave His life
for mankind
This argument is good and forcible, and no
doubt the great majority of Christians who
keep these DAYS do it with reverent sincerity.
But il is just rs certain that there has gathered
about them an enormous amount of tomtOolery
and sham amounting at times to blasphemy.
Nothing, for example, can be more significant
of the universal love and peace which came into
the world with Christ than the giving OF simple
tokens of affection between friends and to the
moor But what has that to do with the Treten
tious Gifts, wing with each other IN cost, the
parade. the guttony, customary on Christmas
Dav7 There is every reason why the day on
which Christ rose from the dead should be one
of rejoicing. II this man in Gallee did not so
rise and conquer death for Us, no man or
woman that has ever been in the world has had
n right to believe that he would come out Of
the wormy darkness into which all go together.
1t is the one trembling hope the single GER
tainty upon which the future Of the world
rests. But what has it to do with displays of
new bonnets. eggs, little ducks, hen-cocps, and
all the other idiotic hubbub that accompany
Easter7 The approaching feast of Whitsun-
tide is not SO well known in this country, and
hence is neither 80 much kept nor so much
dishonored 1t Is the day set apart Gin
remembrance of the descent of inspiration upon
the ignorant followers of Jesus. In some parts
Of Europe it Is Il season of unlimited drunken
ness Manufacturers here who employ German
or English workmcn always count upon losing
two days for the "Whitsuntide spree" Why,
because the Spirit of God brought truth and
purity and civilization into Syria eighteen hun
dred years ago, men should make beasts of
themselves now In America is difficult TO ex-
plain.
We shall be told that these abuses of rcig
ious feeling come from outside of the churches:
from silly women who fast in Lent and put on
gayety on Easter without any real feeling, but
because it is tho fashionable thing to do, and
from men who regard these holy days simply rs
DAYS when they are Z" of work" That is true
bu. only measurably true. For example Whit
suntde is held to bo an appropriate time for
confirmation or the public profession of Christ
by Young people. What can be more solemn or
pathetic than this first approach of young men
and women strong in their youth and purity TO
their Makerl What is the pertinency, then of
the newest styles of shirred confirmation
robesD which stare at us from the shop win
dowsY It is true that our stern old Scotch
PRESBYTERIAN grandfathers preached religion
so hard and bare that they drove men back
from Christ. 1t is probable, too tnat their own
acrid, unforCivng natures shaped the heaven
aud the hell in which they believed. But at
least they were genuine ana honest In their
futh. They did not cover the cross of Christ
with sham, trumpery fal-de-lals.
The whole of this tendency to debase into
pettness and vulgarize the awful trnths of the
Christian faith is an outGrowth of the prevail
ing modern love of show and pretentious gilt
ter. We betray in our whole lives the disDo
sition to be satisfied with forms and appear
ances which impress the public rather than
realities which satisfy our own souls. The
Young man is more anxious to make dashing
display among his fellows from day to day
than 10 lay solid foundation in money. knowl-
edge or character for his future. lie does not
marry The girl of his heart because lie cannot
live without her: he makes an alliance with
young woman of fortune because he cannot live
without her money, they do not offer their
friends in the true sweet old sense the hospi-
tality of their home. however poor it may be
they gather them into a cafe or hotel and pay
for meal for them. And so on through life.
Every Inan must choose for himself. If he pre-
fers the good effect of to-day and the applause
Of his little public to the realities OF life, no one