The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1851-08-15
.e From the Westminster review.
THE INFLUENCE OF THE PREAC CHING
OF CHRISTIANITY, N

THE INFLUENCE OF THE PREACHINt
OF CHRISTIANITY.
When Christianity first ptomulgate
the doctrine of "peace on atih and goo
will TO man"--it was in the bosom Of
social system which recognized no "a,
but the right Of the strongest. The mott
that might be inscribed over all the trans
actions Of that Pagan world, was,
aGive ito me willingly, or else will take it by force
Warriors, priests, and slaves-were ih
distinctions Of The different classes -whel
Christianity came and "preached as on,
having authority" that "man ought I,
love God above all things, ami his neigh
Dor as himself" God knows, that W,
are, alas! long way from fulfilling tha
precepi, but still il has worked an entir,
change in the construction Of society
The shine is taken out Of military glory
Il has ceased 10 be in accordance will
the predominant sympathy ofihe civilized
world. The progress Of industry and the
development Of tie principles of com
merce, have resulted in tine nearest fulfil
ment Of the Injunction 10 peace which
the world has seen.
Nations have discovered that the bes
mode of enricbing themselves, is not by
violently despoiliDg their neighbors, bu
by encouraging labor and affordng facili
ties for the free interchange of commodi
lies. The prophet Isaiah described in
inspired poetry the glory Of the day
when the whole world shall be as one
country, and when men shall dwell to.
gether in love instead Of fighting and
devoriDg one another-and when there
should he peaceable habitation and a
quiet resting place for all-and when
nation should no longer rise against ma
ton, nor "the people learn war any
more" Christianity preached apeace on
earth" as a command, but it has taken
1900 years Of preaching before the mass
of Christendom began 10 consider it any.
Thing more than figure Of speech, or
would look into it as thing practicable.
1t has now come 10 be matter Of cal
culation; and Mr.. Cobdon tells the world
in statistical prose, as business consider
alton, supporting his assertions by ari!h
metical proofs, that war is highly unpro.
ftable, characteristics Of an inferior de-.
veiopment of civilization, and to be es-
chewed Of all nations come 10 sense OF
their own interest. He tells men, that
association, freo trade, and peaceful arbi-
iration, will effect more permanent ad-
vanlages for nations than all that stand
ing armies and the old mode Of diplomacy
ever accomplished. But he gets no
further Than an enlightened principle Of
self interest. "Man doth not live by
bread alone," and SO long as the indus.
trial fact remains only material fact,
the assertion of material interests, the
spirit Of the world will remain low and
sordd and selfish as ever il was in It's
days Of rapine and vioience,--it must be
sanctified and interpenetrated by spiri'
of religion ifit is to be The regeneration
and not the corruption of the world.
The world has begun TO desire peace
rather than war, 10 love il better; ant
this is FACT IN spite of the apparen
anomaly of the ciuil war which has beer
raging throughout nearly the whole o
Europe. They are moi vars in The sens'
heretofore attached TO war--they are no
wars Of conquest, nor Of aggression
They are the struggles Of nations 10 b.
associated with their rulers in The gov
ernment of themselves; they are strug
Cling TO obtain possession of what the
believe TO be their civil rights--and i
nowise invalidate the fact that tho sym
pathies Of the world are on The side {
peace.
n n =
We are passing through solemn mt
ment-men Of all sects and religion,
however they may be opposed TO eac
other in doctrires-men of every cree
and men of no creed at all, are neve
lheless of one accord in believing thi
some great change is at hand; they ar
"as men who watch for the day. the
look for some fresh dispensation whic
will reconcile the confusion and contr,
diction in which the world is lying, an
which shall combine in new creatio
the social elements which are now strul
Cling in disorganized chaos, and whic
shall realize the "new heaven and til
new earth" which Christians have bee
taught 10 expect from the beginning q
Christianity. There is one aspiratio
throughout the world in which oil me
join-"The Millennium" Of the Chris
iaus and the Utopia Of the Socialist
expressed in the same word-and th,
word is .'UNITY."
VEGETATION. Paxton, til
designer Of the Crystal Palace, has pull
lished letter, proposing its preseryatio
as a Winter Park and Garden. H
speaks of trees as
"Those great filterers Of nature, whic
during the night season, when the bull
Of animal life are in quiescent state
inhale the oxypen of the air. while i