New-York daily tribune., 1843-01-06
p;.h., uur.e.,. Lee.ure.


intended mainly TO show that for the blessings OF
Civilization which ;he world enjoys, 1T is indeo'ed
10 the i5lueoce Of Christisniry. He did not pro-
feaa he said in this TO present the highest vsins
s Christianity, which was lis relation to our eteFai
destiny but only It's isdiree, temporary socini Ell
feet Ii I'll remarks upon this subject, he wished
II borne IN mind that Christianity only points out
The way 70 hsPpiness-!eaying Man free TO pursue
it or not: so that Christianity should By 40 means
be heId responsible for the evil that exists what
ever Of good there is in the world should rather be
ascribei 10 it, and the evil attributed TO The cer-
ruption OF the human heart. Il is remarkable fna'
in the recorded words OF Christ and in the writings
of his Apostles there is not single word concern
ing the social changes that should be effected by
his doctrine, nothing said of The bad governments
70 be overturned, or OF wealth and honors e be ac-
quirea; ttoughi II might easily be seen even then
that if, By any possibility, the principles then esta0-
lished should take root ell these consequences
would inevitably follow.
In entering upon the historical sketch Of the
progress OF Christianity, which formed the main
portion OF his Lecture, Bishop HUGREs showed
that in all ancient history, in both Greece ard
Rome, Man was regarded as in himself OF no
value. The most bloody and cruel laws were put
in force. and slaves were bought and sold and
murdered at the pleasure of their masters. The
grave Roman Senate once ordered the massacre of
400 slaves merely because none of them could tell
who had assas.inated their master; and this was
in strict accordance with the law Of the time. The
same rigor aad barbarops cruelty existed in the
family relation, and the wife and children were
the absolute property of the husband and parent.
But as soon as Constantine professed Christianity
laws began to be enacted FOR the benefit of slaves,
for the care of the poor, and the general elevation
OF Humanity.
After the wreck of the Roman Empire By the
irrup,ion of the Northern tribes, who came like
mighty tides as if to wash out all traces of her
bloody ambition, the Church and State became
closely united, though there was in truth 10 real
connection between the two; and if the Pope, who
was first Bishop, and the authorized successor OF
him who was by divine appointment set above lie
rest of the apostles, became at that time al I'M
portant parsonage, 1t not by any right whicn
ne received from his divine appointment. But in
The chaos that then existed, II being the duty OF
the Christians to ming lie with their fellow men,
they would naturally become, first arbitrators, and
then magistrates, from their superior knowledge,
and their vastly superior integrity. If, then, they
became dominant in state affairs, this should be
ascr!bed neither to ambition nor TO cunning,
though they were not free from the irfrmities o.
other men If from that time find Bishops
taking part in political affairs, it was because the
kings were ignorant, and the Christians far wiser
and more humane.
The institution of the monastic order, whichfcl-
lowed in due succession having lis origin IN a de-
sire OF retiring from the world and serving God in
solitude, proved to be of high benefit by the pre-
servation Of ancient manuscripts and the transmits
sion of all that possess of the literature and
history of Greece end Rome. They whom many
in these days are accustomed to call lazy monks,
were in fact the only carriers between the ancient
and modern world and if they became wealthy
and occupied larger space 10 public affairs than
would seem proper, it should be accounted no fault
on their part, but among the resultset their indus
try ftuculitv, temperate habits, and OF the un
broken life of their ordcr-kpowins ne childhood
or youth, and setting value for their own sake
on the things of this world.
Coming down TO what we cali the Dark Ages,
not 80 much because they lacked light as because
nee are in the dark respecting them, we iiitd all
through that period the same working out of the
period when charitable institutions were first
founded, when an order Of men and women, sacrl-
fcing ease and pleasure and all the comforts OF
life, devoted themselves TO solacing the woes OF
afflicted humanity The Crusades also, which soon
occurred and which have been SO severely censur-
es by the superficial critics of modern times, did
much for the advancement Of civilization. Had 1t
not been for them the Mahometan power would
in all probability have overspread the western as
il had then the eastern nations OF Europe. The
scrfs who had then never known freedom, were
taken from the soil to accompany their masters on
their sacred Crusade: they were then valued for
their power and skill, and when they came back
they were scrfs no more.
Soon after behold Universities rising up I'M
der the patronage of the Church. at Paris, Oxford,
Cambridge and all over Europe. Every monas-
tery had lis school, every shire its seminary, AID
had it not been for subsequent events, would have
carried it much farther forward than we behold it
now. Prosecutions and cruelty existed then as
they do now bur with scarcely greater violence or
Intolerance If we look for the origin of the Trial
by jury, of the Common Law and of the theory of
Representative Government, we shall find them all
in the Christian Church. The CortcS of Spain
and the Parliament of England each grew out OF
the Councils of the Christian Bishops. The
States had no such Councils of their own, and ii
needed the influence of divinely instituted as-
se,nbly to persuade men TO yield any obedience 10
It's dc sons.
Look too at the intellectual progress efFasted by
,he Church in these ages. The Cathedral, the
Illuminated manuscripts, the Gothic Architec-
ture. the art of staining glass, now lost, nu-
sic in It's highest forms, painting, sculpture the
domes suspended in the air which nen of the p.1-
sent day scarcely know enough TO take down Us
they certainly are not able to construct them again,
were all the growth of the spirit of Christianity in