Year: 1868

erumenb consclentl0UyS. W 80 -


of native musical talent IN otner countries
individual effort should accoA apisn nere' II
would be graceful task to resoSntzs ana
bring forth the vast amount Of ffnS talent that
is lying partially perdu in our midst, and we
trust that the suggestion will not be over
looked.


Monarchs and the Principle Of ToIcyatisn.


Among the many peculiarities Of the pres
ent age there is one which has as yet received
but scant amount Of attention. We refer to
the absence Of actual persecution for religions
sake from ths policies Of almost all existing
governments that can properly be included in
the category OF civilized. Persecution for the
sake Of religion has long since disappeared
from the United States. We have still in the
midst Of us a certain Puritanic feeling
which sighs for uniformity and protests against
ligious but witch burning has long since
been thing Of the past Persecution has
never from the first been compatible with our
republican institutions, and 1t is not too much
to say that the example which we have
set before the world has been instru-
mental above anything else in begetting that
spirit Of liberation which Is now more or less
characteristic Of all existing civilized govern
ments. For conscience sake was once a safe
passport to the stake for conscience sake
now means that man is . man and can think
for himself


One Of the results Of our example is that
even the monarchs of Europe have learned the
lesson Of toleration. At least one Of the
English revolutions was owing 10 the fact that
the monarch for the time being differed from
the dominant Church Another, and certainly
q more important revolution, was owing to the
fact that the monarch for the time being diff
fered from his people. Henry the Eighth DIFF
fered from the Papacy, and the Papacy lost
England. James the Second differed from his
people, and his people cast of James The
Second, Nothing, however, which had pre-
viously happened in Europe was SO powerful in
establishing the right Of individual opinion in
matters Of religious belief as the establishment
of American independence. 1t was successful
resistance as much to ecclesiastical as to civil
tyranny. In the American republic an asylum
was found for Protestants in the largest sense Of
that term If it was judged . sin to think for
oneself, the unhappy individual at least know
where home might be found.


In nothing, perhaps, has this new state of
feeling been more unmistakably revealed than
in the change which has passed over European
monarchs. Time was when, in matters of reli-
gous belief especially, the will Of the monarch
must reflect the will Of the dominant party
in the nation. It was so in the days
of tho Spanish ascendanoy, the times
of Charles the Fifth and Of Philip
the Second. 1t was 80 in those terrible times
which witnessed st. Bartholomew in France.
I. was so in England in the days Of the bloody
Mary, and almost 80 in the days OF James the
Second. federation then was thing almost
If not entirely unknown. How different is it
now!


To confine our attention TO Europe, how few
Of the monarchs can be said to hold their
royal or imperial seats in virtue Of the ancient
state OF things! The Czar Of Russia is the
only ruler who at all embodies the ancient
principle. The root and branch, the hip and
thigh system has there very definite meaning.
But even in Russia large amount Of tolera-
ton is necessary. The Gar cannot afford to
insist on uniformity. The knout, so far as we
know, has not been tried in this direction, and is
little likely to be. Sweden is a Protestant coun-
try, but it Is ruled by Catholic king, and the
Catholic king Is acceptable-even popular
The recent success Of Prussia is due to large
extent to the fact that she has learned the true
principles on which alone modern society can
be succ cessfully governed. A Protestant mon
the best interests of Catholicism. Austria
once the most genuine friend Of the Papacy
and the most rigid stickler for uniformity, is
no longer ashamed to have q Protestant for
Prime Minister. Belgium is now ruled by
Catholic king, but in the days Of the
late King Leopold Protestant interests were
never supposed TO be compromised. The
King of Holland is Lutheran, but he
rules peacefully over many Catholic subjects.
The Emperor Of the French is o Catholic, but
he is the heir Of the "infdel revolution" and
the in6del element which helped to raise him
TO the throne Is still found to be useful. The
Queen Of England rules over ten millions of
Catholics, fifteen millions OF Mohammedans
and more than one hundred and fifty millions
of Hindoos. Persecution, however, IS we have
said at the outset Is comparatively unknown.
II Is impossible, looking at all these things to
resist the conclusion that the principle Of
toleration is now fairly understood, and that,
n grandcr development Of the religious prin-
cipls under fairer and happier auspices.


Real Estnte In New York.


Within the past ten years there has been an
;raxnonaa incraaso In lha xriao of soal astofo