Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-08-11

retic and actual facts can be made to
prove anything to the satisfaction Of
sufficiently eredulous people.
It the theory Of most people, as
critic OF the Sun points QUE, that sui
eides bear an intimate relation to
financial depression. The theory seems
natural and logical, and yeti Is all wrong.
We have very full statistics Of suicides
in New England during the panic year
OF 1873, and from these statistics it APP
pears that 10 that section there were
only ITO suicides in 1873, against 1876
the year before, and pa the previous
year. AS the Springfield Republican
says, was there ever a greater diverg-
ence between statistics and mere
theory2
Take another theory. 1t is believed
that marriages are less numerous in
hard times. We have not the figures at
hand, but a report printed some time
ago shows that there are fewer maria
yes during a period OF prosperity
than during a season of depression.
And now we come to another interest
ing matter. Generally after a great
panic there is a religious awakening.
Following ths panic Of 1857 was one OF
the greatest revivsls ever known In
America. Even the theatres had to be
utilized for religious services. But this
year there is no such movement In sight.
The New York sun attempts to explain
the situation by claiming that we have
drifted away from orthodoxy. 1t says:
In 1857 all the evangelical Protestant
churches believed absolutely In the Bible,
in heaven and hell, in the immortality OF
the soul, ia a personal God, and in the
scheme of salvation as proclaimed by or
thodOXy, both Protestant and Roman Cath
Ollie Iu 1898 that belief has weakened, or
il is lost altogether among a great part OF
the descendants Of the men and women who
went down on their knees thirty-six years
ago 70 pray for succor from above.
This is startling enough, but here is
another. statement on the same line:
Unbelief prevails in the ministry itself.
and heresy trials awaken more interest
than efforts for tue propagation Of faith.
The revolt against the doctrine Of hell IS
widespread, and il is freezing an impulse
necessary TO religious awakening. Protest
antism is preaching the doctrine 20 longer.
Clerical Biblical scholars are telling the
people that the Bible is Of human and not
Of divine authorship, and consequently
liable 10 err, and does err propOrtiOnately
to the limitations Of human knowledge.
Many people having lost faith in the au-
thority upon which their whole belief de-
pended, are now doubling all the dogmaS
OF religion, the personality Of God, the i'm
mortality Of the soul, redemption and
damuatiOn.
Our contemporary after surveying
the field comes to this conclusion:
Accordingly, the present depression in
business Is not leading 70 any general ex
preston Of faith Ike the great awakening
Of 1857. IL is occurring amid prevailing
religious tOrpOr, rather. The looking for
relief is not 70 supernatural agencies, but
70 natural. IL is change which indicates
a religious revolution Of tremendous i'm
pOrtance. Instead Of crying out to God
AlE nClHa hAA9 hA1AAhk lAON h9h0 ~ NAhGA
hope than that they may be able 10 save
themselves by their own exertions.
The sun is always pessimistic and I'M
orthodox when IL touches the subject Of
religion. In this instance it is misled.
1t makes the mistake of supposing that
small cliques Of free thinkers in New
York and New England represent the
American people. 1t ignores the great
west and the great south, and II does an
injustice to the millions Of old-faShioned
country people in the Eastern States.
Great religious revivals come when
least expected. They cannot be forced.
When the time is ripe for one Editor
DANA will fnd the Christian sentiment
ia as active and as orthodox as 1t was
a generation ago. The liberal and loose
thinkers whose work in his estimation
has accomplished so much have never
recruited eOrporsls guard from the
American masses. They have disturbed
those who already doubted, and they
have won those who were more than
willing 20 go with them, but they have
not reached the people. Editor DANA,
himself, does not believe the half Of his
pessimistic deliverances. If he did he
would convert his property into cash
and seek a home in a land where his
life and hls possessions would not be at
the mercy Of the infdel rabble he de-
scribes.