TELEGRAPHIC RELIGION by Editor

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 26, 1858

TELEGRAPHIC RELIGION.

By Editor

"At the Fulton street Prayer-meeting on Saturday, a gentleman introduced the subject of the Ocean Telegraph as one of the great instruments of extending the knowledge of Christ among all nations, and proposed that, in imitation of the Andover meeting, all should rise and sing the long metre doxology,

'Praise God from whom all blessings flow.'

"It was done, when Dr. Marsh led in fervent prayer and thanksgiving. The subject gave great life to the meeting, and, at the close, a gentleman proposed that, as soon as it should be in working order, a message should be sent from this meeting to praying brethren abroad, not merely to one city, but to distant nations, saying, Let us go and pray speedily together before the Lord."—Tribune.

Query: How much life would have been given to that meeting if some one had arisen and announced that the second advent of the Saviour was nigh at hand? How long before such testimony would have been silenced in anger or contempt? The professed christians of modern times have a very great love for their Lord, provided he will keep a great way off. But their love is not of that kind which would long to behold him in glory, and welcome his approach. In view of these facts, should the announcement be made that the Saviour had actually made his appearance in the clouds of heaven, how suddenly would the most vigorous union prayer-meeting change its character to a meeting of weeping and gnashing of teeth! Yet the piety of these assemblies is put into a wonderful state of activity by the success of the Atlantic telegraph. What must we think of a piety which is put into vigorous exercise by an event like this, while at the same time it grows sullen or feverish at the idea of the glorious advent of the coming Messiah—the being whom, above all else, it professes to love? Such hypocrisy is too glaring to be covered up, and too transparent to deceive.

Another remark of Henry Ward Beecher's we must chronicle in connection with this event, as we may soon have occasion to realize its fulfillment. He says, "What is spoken at 12 in London will be known to us at 8, according to our time; and the enterprises of all the commercial centers and political capitals of the world will be known to us in less than one hour's time; and when revolutions shall move the old kingdoms, when these throes begin to be felt, in one hour we shall feel the same apprehensions and torments."