Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-02-27

Wilberforce, Thomas Arnold and Thomas Chal-
mers. The former Of these great men was possess
ed ofa splendid genius, superior learning and un-
rivalled eloquencs. His piety was deep and fer
vent. Though born and bred in the straitest Of
modern sects, he rose superior to ITS restrictions
and claimed communion with all who love the
Saviour in sincerity and truth. The name of Will
beriorce IS for ever associated with the story of
the wrongs Of Africa, and with the endeayors to
redress them that have been among the most con-
spcuous features sof the period under consideration.
At the commencement of this century the Slave
trade was universal. British and American Ships
were extensively engaged in it, with those of every
other nation. An effort to promote its abolition
was denounced as fanaticism, as war upon law
full commerce and trade. 1t was declared in Eng
land that the abolition Of the slave trade would
destroy the business of Liverpool and other sea-
ports. This Infamous traffic was taken under the
solemn protection of the United States until the
year 1908, by provision of the Constitution. The
laborS of Wiiber(orce and his associates were
compared to those Of slaves. But he lived to see
the slave trade abolished not only hyGreat Britain,
but also by almost every Christian nation, and
Slavery abolished throughout the British domin-
ions. and in half of the United States.
Thomas Arnold and Thomas Chalmers were
reared in the established churches the respect
i've countries in which they lived-England and
Scotland. Against the evils and abuses of those
systems, both maniully and boldly contended. A
nobler spirit than that of Arnold has not existed in
the church of England from the beginning. His
piety had all the freshness and vgor of an Apostle.
He respected the rights of conscience, possessed
the most ed cat al
reforms, a nd would have made the Church of Eng
land accomplishit its true mission, which was, not
TO support the aiisocracy, be the Church of the
higher classes, but to embrace the whole popula-
ton, and be the spiritual teacher and home of all
Englishmen. Had his spirit prevailed two centur-
les and half ago, the Pilgrim Fathers would doubt
less have remained in the Church of England, and
their posteriy to this day.
Thomas Chalmers loved the doctrine of an estab-
lshed Church, and chung to it almost to the last.
To give 1t up was like losing right hand. But to
maintain the supremacy of Christ as alone Head of
the Church, he marched out of the home Of his
youth, Of his affections and of his Fathers, and
with 700 others established the free Church of
Scotland This act Of moral grandeur is a delight
ful evidence that the heroic, the martyr spirit of
Christianity is not extinct. Chalmers was great
as theologan, as preacher and as philosopher.
Scotland has produced many worthless, but Chal-
mers is superior to them all. Her noblest Off
spring is the last.
OF the long list Of excellent worthless, in our own
country in this period it is almost invidious to
mention any names. / cannot however forbear to
recall few. The character of President Dwight
will bear favorable comparison with the leading
Christian men of any age. For his influence in
arresting by sound argument and thorough dis
cussion the current infdelty that prevailed in
the early portion Of this century, he deserves TO
be held in everlasting remembrance of his coun-
trymcn. Payson was the Christian Pastor of un-
exampled devotion and faithfu,ness. John Quincy
Adams was the upright Statesman, who was not
elated by the highest honors, but maintained
through an eventful life a Christian simplicity of
character.
And what shall I say of the missionaries of
Christianity that during this period have carried
the Gospel to nearly all the unevangelized nations
From our own land have gone forth Mills, and
Ashmun, and Jucson, and Fisk and Harriet New.
ell and host Of others, for whom the wilderness
and the solitary place have been glad. From Eu-
rope have gone forth Henry Martyr, Bp. Hcber, w.
Carey, Marshman, Morrison, Monett, John Will
iams and others, than whom Apostles did not la
Dor with more diligence, patience and success.
The period under review has been distinguished
above all others as that Of benevolent enterprise.
Voluntary Societies havs been the glory of the
age. Our great organizations for circulating the
Bible and religious books, for supplying the waste
places in our own land, and for sending the Gosrel
abroad, and for kindred objects. have all come into
existence during this period. Of old, contributions
were made in all Christendom, in the shape of Pc
ter-pence, to support the Pope in pomp and splen.
DOR or to complete st Peters at Rome or for some
magnificent cathedral, but now among Protestants
such contributions are made for far different OBJ
Jects-to give Bible to every indviduaI-to pro-
mote temperance, education and morality, and to
place the means of grace within reach of every in
habitant of earth. The British and Foreign Bible
Society was organized in 1904, and now issues more
than million copies of the Word of God annually.
The American Bible Society has issued since its
organization in 1Sl 6, than seven million BIZ
bles and Testaments. The statistics ofour various
benevolent societies will show tIat efforts alto
gether unprecedented have been put forth to make
the world wiser and better.
lhave confined myself in this review to moral
and religious considerations. In Importance they
them record advancement, it would be with but
little satisfaction that we should note progress in
other things. But along with the onward move
ment of Christianity, have been the most astonish
ing improvements and discoveries in every branch
OF science and art. At the commencement Of this
half century there were steamboats,, no rail-
roads, application of steam power to thousa and
Of the various to which it is now put, no in
stantaneous transmission Of intelligence to great
distances by slender wire, no paintings exactly
true to nature by ray Of light, and s.ethereal
appliance by which men have learned to sleep un-
der the endurance of amputations, the thought OF
which would once have overmastered them.''fD
Should those who lived hundred years ago come
back to earth, they would be at some loss to deter
mine whether this was the world in which they
once resided. The means of promoting our tenn
poral well-being have been most wonderfully in
creased "Say not then, What is the cause that the
former days ,oere better than hese1 for thou dosf not
inquire triseiy concerning this.,
Iremark in conclusion:-
lst. That this review should in spre US with gra-
htude to God for the circumstances of our lot We
are highly favored people. None were ever more
so. We live in better times than those of Proph-
cts, or Apostles Reformers. 1t is greater priv
ilese to live now than it ever was before We have
more facilities for getting good and for doing good
than in the reach of any generation before us