American Cultural History And Cult of Matthias
There had been many changes occurs in terms of the progress of the economy, population and intellectual abilities during the 18th century and these could be considered as the possible reasons for the evolution of a fresh thinking in all the various spheres of life, and this pertains to religion as well. This was in complete a need for change and a great desire for bring about changes. To a certain extent, this was considered to bring about the end of earlier concepts of religion of pertaining to the thought that it can be handled only by the privileged classes also ended. This led to the emergence of certain new religious thinkers and practical leaders like that of Mathias as leaders like him could not have become popular religious figures in the previous era. The line of thinking of Matthias was very much different from that of the ideas and thoughts of the earlier leaders.
Analysis:
This was the age when the truth of what Ralph Waldo Emerson said in his essay named "The American Scholar" had to be thought about. It was felt by him that men around him saw the scholars as being impractical and recluses and thus unfit for doing any physical and practical work and may be thought of being like a penknife where an axe is needed to do the work. This is the reason why practical men feel the scholar to be of no benefit and since they are busy in speculation and seeing, they would not be able to carry it out. During that period of history, the clergy was considered to be the best among scholars shown their inferiority by being addressed directly as women. As scholars they were not supposed to listen to or speak in the language that ordinary men talk in, but talk in a language that was low and "more civilized" and possibly more suited to a woman. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
Since they were scholars, they are often not considered important enough to be given consideration and not considered human enough to lead a normal life, but society promotes the concept that they should live outside society, in a celibate manner. This was the general feeling about scholars -- they were felt to be very important for society, and yet not a part of it. The scholar is not supposed to be capable of taking action and yet, if action is not taken what is the value of thought. Without acting on the thoughts that are given, the truth of the thought itself will never be known. Of many things in that age, society was very critical and one of that was sex. At the same time, it is important to understand that sex in itself cannot be bad. Thus viewing sex as evil is probably trying to defeat the purpose of life and sex in itself was then giving thinkers serious embarrassment. This brought up the concept that searching for pleasure was evil in itself and the results were then seen in the men of that time. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
The picture is clear in view with the action of slave owners prevalent in those days. The slaves had been set free according to the laws of the time, but however action could be taken and this could be witnessed as when a slave was trying to shine his shoes since he wanted to go as per the promise given by the master, the master killed him by the struck of a blow. (The Project Gutenberg E-text of The Narrative of Sojourner Truth) Such cruel acts were the sort of actions that the men of those time took, and this is not permitted under any law nowadays, whether it is civil or ethical or religious. It is thus clear that a religious man during those days would not be in a position to take such a brutal action, and would hence be considered to be unsuited of becoming a householder.
Now it seems that this revival of public interest in this religious leader should be explained. It is not that this leader was the first or the last one to try his hand at reviving religion in United States. The authors of one book, "The Kingdom of Matthias" are historians in Universities and they are Johnson and Willentz. They have written this book about the revivalist movement that took place from the period 1820 to 1840. The entire country was then going through a period of religious revivalism, and...
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