New-York tribune., 1885-07-26

of n man Of tho world. would not venture 10
guess his exact age, but he seemed to be IN tne
Of life. The hand which he extended 70 me was
slender and noticeably clean. ana tno '"i0o :"
which he bade me welcome was low ana sgreeapio-
tho voice of culture and refinement His bearing was
at once fastidious and genial he put you AZ ea"o'
and vet kent you on your best behavior. Looking
at him could not help admitting that the so-called
witohcraft delusion of tho Seventeenth Century,
against which our Cotton Mather so obstinateiy ses
his face. must have been. to say the least Oh H.
a sin for whIch allowances could bo made.
"Ab YES but 1t was mistake-a sad mistakc!
observed Mr. Black Though l had not spoken
aloud. at was grotesque, it was violent, and
worst of all-it was vulgar No ono deplored it
more than myself. and had moro to do with put
ting stop to 1T than my friend Cotton Mather was
quito willing to confess 1t was the first Grade out
break of o perverted thirst for knowledge and
power. and was participated in chiefly by coarse
and degraded class Of persons However we
MANAGE that matter much better now. -
I am to infer, then. that the practice still con-
tinues7' .v.,
NV instructor bowed and smiled family; "ion na
paw mo a graceful compliment SIT. NO nrcs are
lighted now on alOws Hill there Is no more nom
sense about flying broomsticksand forest meetings;
but en still exist who secretly sia m trntb nna
the inculcariOn of sweetness and light. Ihey are
in minority as yet; the age Is still given over TO
that one little leaven will one day eaven the whole
lump of error and fatuity. Long as have labored
for that end, ! have seldom found moro S'''o
Pardon me for suggesting" interposed. tnat
to my upaccustomed ears the word nope, coming
from your lips has somewhat ano,gubs y;ng his
head with an air of kindly intelligence am
used to being misinterpreted. oven by those VINO
object. briefly stated is to convince the human race
of the paramount Importance of leading virtuous
and bameess lives of rcstraining-each IN the In
terest Of his or her individual saivaton,tho COM
mon impulses to vice and crime in word, OF SUD
Ordinating all things to preserving their souls rom
the defilemcnt of worldly temptation. Numerous
as are the deficiencies of modern civilization, It's
merits, such as they are. arc due to my efforts"
Really, / must once moro ask your PARDON" l
exclaimed, " hut it is generally held that Won are
the author of the very temptations which you say
"I ana fully aware Of it," returned he. In the
gentle % amsbor me yS ASK
l hastened to absolve him from any sucn Imputa-
tiop; a .,
unimpeachable authority that man Is by nature ut
terly depraved. 1t Is the dictates Of this nnIcgen-
erato nature that plunge him into sin. Did l de-
sire such q consummston, my ofbce would be
sinecure; it would amount simply to leaving man
to himself 1t is because constantly and unflinch-
ingly oppose and combat this fatal weakness that
am called the enemy Of the race. 1t is because
virtue seems difficult and hostic-so destructive
of all that mans nature finds sweet and desirable
you with these dry syllogisms"
On the contrary, you startle and interest me
profoundly. But does not your argument. II car:
ried to its logical conclusion, prove too mucb
the transference rather than the abolition Of the
titles you have Just repudiatedf"
CLOSELY reasoned" said my entertainer. with a
sympathetic smile "but must decline to follow
YOU into such speculations. take the world as l
find it and nay only concern with II Is to Improve
il, am what you see-s student and a recluse.
devoted to the cause Of spiritual exaltation i
suffer many defeats and disapp0intments; but, on
the other hand. not few Of the most eminent and
honored names Of history arc inscribed IN my
book"
NAV ask which religious sect has your pref
"Sectarlanism,n responded His Hgbncss els
an educational expedient devised by myself. Ac-
upon its present under various aspects
Discussion follows and discussion is the life of
faith. Men are born with different aptitudes and
capacities aud what is invisible to one fills tho
whole view of another. Were ali of ono mind the
spiritual lehargy which is akin to death would be
inevitable: Yon VIII comprehend, therefore. that
attitude. Doubtless see greater progress made in
some directions than in Others and perhaps the
one form of belief than by another but this - the
same as to repeat that men arc of VARYING calibrs
and insight hope to 500 ssctarlans e, ,ha .1 attain
the day arrives when each individual shall bs the
exponent of his own private and distinct religious
"What effect will the modern scientific gospel
have upon the theological creeds
'Scieuco Is but religion Disguised" was the re-
ply. Many of its foremost disciples cultivate IL
in the very spir. Of Paul. of Augustine and of Lu-
tlcr Phiosophicaly speaking thoy deny the sub
stance and affirm the shadowErejeci spirit and ac-
origin of the lattSr IN the former. But science.
even for its own sake, has my cordial approval.
Dominion over nature implies spiritual dignity
the secret satisfaction Of pswer and superiority.
What matter the means Dy which this result Is
gained the effect upon the character is the same.
II fha~e m haf acien
would overthrow religion-that IL would finally
put an end to mans sohcitude about his immortal
sOul-I should denounce and oppose 1t with all tue
pseans at my command
II am vcrv glad 10 hear you say so,' I remarked
earnestly: ''You exactly represent the enlightened
Wow of the orthodox aud respectable portion OF the
cnriosity.on anot her point How happens it that
you nave fixed your headquarters in this country
Are you In sympathy with democratic prnciplesf or
are you come with the iutenti0n OF modifying them
70 suit higher standardT
that the principles Of democratic governneat. as
expressed in the Preambles and Declarations of an
earlier generation, failed somewhat to command
INV sympathy. But the common sense of the
American people, in dealing practically with these
abstract propositions. has already nearly shorn
them of their Objectionable features, and with an
admirable fe icity and subtlety, has transformed
them into what should call an almost ideal poti-
cal form. do not speak. OF course. Of the deplor
which have been allowed to creep into
The varions administrative bodies. They
deserve unquaihed concentration, and ars.
[ trust, but superficial and temporary
stains No; 1t il to the attitude of the people at
large that refer. They arc reproducing, on moro
refined and spiritual pane those distinctions Of
caste, that becoming respect for power and inan-
ence and that graceful Difference to the social pre-
cedeptsof older which ther foreahers
inudiciously aimed to destroy. And because this
reproduction Is spontaneous and uuc0nstrancd,
therefore do / believe 1t to be genuine and
perma nent II is always the unwritten law that
receives unqualified obedience. An aristocratio
or m0narchicai government which is upheld by
armies and State decrees Is never secure for men
viii always resent outward compnison, even when
applied IN "a wise direction but when the indi-
viduals O. Nation are a law unto themselves the
millennium cannot be far distant. To my mind,