Page:The collected works of Theodore Parker volume 7.djvu/161

business, to wood other old fields, or to break up new land, each man following his own sense of duty, and for himself determining whether to go or stay. But at tho same time an attempt is made to keep the company together; to cultivate a denominational feeling; to put hooks and staples on the shields which no longer offer that formidable and even front; to teach all trumpets to give the same sectarian bray, all voices to utter tho same war-cry. The attempt does not succeed; the ranks are disordered, the trumpets give an uncertain sound, and tho soldiers do not prepare themselves for denominational battle; nay, it often happens that the camp lacks the two sinews of war—both money and men. Hence the denominational view of religious affairs has undergone a change; I make no doubt a real arid sincere change, though I know this has been denied, and tho change thought only official. The men I refer to are sincere and devout men; some of them quite above the suspicion of mere official conduct. This sect is now the loudest in its wailing; these Christian Jeremiahs tell us that we do not realize spiritual things, that we are all dead men, that there is no health in us. These cold Unitarian Thomases crowd unwontedly together in public to bewail the spiritual weather, the dearth of piety in Boston, the "general decline of religion" in New England. Church unto church raises the Macedonian cry, "Come over and help us!" The opinion seems general that piety is in a poor way, and must have watchers, the strongest medicine, and nursing quite unusual, or it will soon be all over, and Unitarianism will give up the ghost. Various causes have I heard assigned for the malady; some think that there has been over-much preaching of philosophy, though perhaps there is not evidence to convict any one man in particular of the offence; that philosophy is the dog in the manger, who keeps the hungry Unitarian flock from their spiritual hay, and out straw, which are yet of not the smallest use to him. But look never so sharp, and yon do not find this dangerous beast in the neighbourhood of the fold. Others think that there has been also an excess of moral preaching, against the prevalent sins of the nation, I suppose—but few individuals seem liable to conviction on that charge. Tet others think this decline comes from the fact that the terrors have not been duly and sufficiently