Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-08-29
ED ena0nayoe s. g. AOausp go, 1885,
THEGENlUs OF. CHRISTIANITY.

L
T-Itsbas been well said Iha,'eishteen cen.
lurie4aso Christianity was recluse, that
froHta rec'use it became ~ philosopher.
and ffoin philosopher it changed Io-a po.
liticiab. The politics uf the present age
havesfor their basis a real faith. a fixed be-
liefinthe capacity The race for ultimate
happineSs: And this exalted faith springs
framahc religion which at the hour of its
birthPredicled a coming time when each
man zsbnud he to his fellow rs brother.
wben,lhc sword of the warrior should be
beaten into ploue hsharc. and when the
lion5Rfd the lamb should lie down together.
TheTaivine idea, which in an obscure cor
erdFhc world was first promulgated try
the inspired -sun of'iIie poor Judeun car
pentefs has through successive ages con.
linueltto ilumiue The human-miht, until
! il holds dominion over "Ibe laiGesi parts Of
The sarlh, andIhe mosI civilized portions
Of mADkird." 1t has survived The rise,
,he.plpgress. and The fall Of empires. The
sneefsSd skeptcism. and the Attacks, of
infideiity.,' Ii has rescued society from the
darkness Of barbarism. has taught humility
10 kings, and infused hope into the bosoms
Of aIlgnen. Ii has told the people that he
"Wiso views wi,li'eqlal eye as God Of all, :
hero perish, or sparrow fall. }"
knows$no distinction between the high and
the loiW, The rich and the poor, the weak
and1he powerful. All this Christianity
has eGecled. because il contains withis
itself aiprinciple which appeals not only
10 thesreason. but TO The very Ia'ure Of
man, a principle of universal charity which
fiLds a response in every human breast.
The systems Of philosophy invented by
Zeno and Epicurus, Plato and Pythasoras,
only serve to amuse Ihc leisure of the s'u
dent, while shey have ceased TO exercise
any influence OH society. They have
passed; away. because they attempt 10
prove the benefits Of morality by the same
cold and rigid formulas with which ma
,,heinalician would demonstrate problem
in geonlelry. Christianity is The only re-
lgion which incu!caes virtue for its own
sake, (which touches the sentiments as
well asthe reason, which teaches that all
men sayeEborn equal, and hat offers 4 pre-.
cepi ,rhirll, if universally prdclised, would
raise ltS& &lowesl to the elevation Of the high
est, ,antrsl..fl4I .E--:-!,4.--sii
social inequality. The philosophy of The
Greeks. laugh, that justice should be rem
dered 10 all, but Christianity teaches that
we should weep for the suffering through
out the world, aud that we should do unto
others rs VIC would ourselves lie done by.
II is this principle thai is destined to be the
great reiormer of mankind, for when pre-.
cepl shall hccnme practice. when what is
row admitted as al abstract truth shall he
considered an unavailable duty, and shall
constitute ne rule of action of every mans
life. social progress can go M farther, mise
ry and vice will he among the things that
were. and"Iber,y. equality aud fraternity
ill reign on earth. Then. when The subs
lime truIhs,whch were first procleimed by
The fnnnder Of our religion shall be uni
versal'y accepted. the divine mission of
Christianity will he accomplished. Aud
who can duubl thai that tire mus come!
Thrones and empires may pass away, the
monuments Of human genius may crumble
into dust. but truth is elerndI.-New Or.
leans PicHyune,,