The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-11-30

ture, gradually spread their industrious colonies
down the Nile. In some parts they found rude
race already settled. over whom they assumed the
ascendency conferred by superior civilization and
formed a higher caste. In the mountains that
skirt the fertile plains of Thebes, dwellings were
excavated for themselves and their Gods, whence,
gradually spreading the intervening plain, they
laid the foundations of the "a hundred gated city"
Sacerdotal colonies, forming separate nomes grad
ua5 fixed themselves 10 all places euited for agri
culture OF truffic; the temple, college, and mart.
became city, and perhaps kingdom. Al
| most every ancient city bore the name of Its God.
as Disopolis, (The5es.) Heiopolis, (On.) aud
kneeling at idoatry's shrine was the practice of
every people, save the iustrious line of holy men
whose names have been breathed in the Sacred
Literature of the Bible. Sesostris, the hero Of
early Egyptian history, the founder of the nine
teenth dynastry, and the berator ef his country
from the Hyksos, who fourished during the wan
dering of the Israelites, extended his conquests
over Lbya, Ethiopia, Media, Persia, Bactria.
Scy thia and Asia Minor, from all which countries
he levied tribute, and the trophies of his victories
were found from the Danube TO the GaDges, and
southward to Ethiopia, and a hundred famous
temples were raised from the spoils of his enc
mics. Posteror to him heroes of similar renown
grace the pages of declining time, and with the
"besom of destruction - sweep the nations of men
from the theatre of earth. Names and titles,
wars and triumphs, solicited the gaze of mortals,
were grossly depicted on the palaces and tenn
Piles at Luxor, Karnac, Thebes and Nubia. In
vain did all these, as did Moab and Mdian, unite
e Al. IL,
nations seek the aid and purchase the mprecations
of Balaam: his curses were converted into bless-
ngs. Moses to alleviate the troubles of Gods
people, assemblies the tribes, writes the law, and
commits it to the Priests The books of the ZEN
tateuch are the most ancient writings in the world,
and no history presents half SO strong claim of
authenticity. The Legislation of Moses was at a
time when The word ldao was unknown to other
nations its real wisdom is proved by its still exist
ing at the end of forty centuries, while the more
receut institutes Of Mnos, Lycurgus. Numa and
Scion, have fallen into desuetude. Thus we hnd
nation with nation linked when all human law
fails any longer to cement the crumblpg founda-
tons, and where barren wastes make earth des
olation, there the planting of Sacred Literature
makes verdant the arid soil and fountains of re-
freshing waters gush forth, quenching the burning
thirst of man. Greece owes great portion of her
glory and imperishing fame to the Jonians, who
entered into a federative union for their common
defence, and the general congress Of their twelve
cities was held in the temple of Heliconian Nep-
tune, near the promoniory of Mycae. These an
uual assemblies regulated all matters relative to
the public interests, and passed such measures as
the common benefit required. The colonies were
independent down to the time of the Persian in
vusion except perhaps in religious subjection to
the Gods of the parent State. Homer, Alceus
and Sappho adot ned her with their muse Archy
tas, Pythagoras and Anaximenes improved her
with their philosophy; and P.ttacus and Thaes
strengthened her liberties by their Legislative wis
dom. As great and mighty as Greece claimed to
be, with all her affairs and monuments, her tenn
pies and trophies of victory, seeming for time to
eclipse the aspiring nations and outstrip the grand
eur of kingdoms and empires by the cbivalry of
her arms, yet the destroyer came and waved his
hand in the murky clouds that overhung her do
minons. No refuge there, asylum for
despairing people: mercy had fed and peace no
longer dwelt in her learned courts: the great an
tidote and preservative If religious liberty were
not fund in her naughty realms Sacred Ltera-
ture lit not up the dying lights Of the naton-thus
/ her fate, like Babylon and Nineveh, was fixed in
black oblivion, her sun darkened forever.
Reference might be made TO the rise and progress
of other nations, nearly as conspicuous as these we
have mentioned, buL these will suffice to show
that where the sunlight of Sacred Literature has
not shed its genial rays, there will be desert in
the moral world, prolific of nothing the culti-
vation of gymnastics, trfng sports and evil maehi-
nations as u the chaples of Greece and the courts
of Rome. .-- ...4s.s-.s5 s as
Every people are happy in proportion to the
light OF truth vouehsafed to them, and the palIadi-
um of all their civil and religious rights is Sacred
Literature. 1t is the dHy-star of all their actions
and the night beacon of their lives; in is hidden
/ the mysteries of future joys, earth is paradise
when its influence is felt in human society. Thus
j the proceedings of that providence, which often
with profound and secret views is hidden from our
/ eyes, are made continual proof of the watchfu-
ness of God over his people, an ever visible mani
/ festation of his designs toward them and the sur
rounding nations, and the most striking demonstra-
tions of his sovereign power, wisdom and justice.
The Bible, which for centuries was conceaied 10
the world: then scriptural exposition, the great
source of theological knowledge, slumbered, dia-
lectics had usurped its place, and by distinctions
and disputes the age of Rocelin was enveloped in
clouds of error. Those days past and a new
era dawns upon our world the Bible is free to
ALL and already it is printed in nearly forty Indian
languages, and also it is found in Cslmuc, Tartar
and Chinese and according to reliable statistics Out
of three thousand and sixty four languages, which
6 are said to exist in the world, the Bible is now
found in one hundred and thirty nine. Man nc
, longer has an excuse to be ignorant: avenues o.
truth and purity are opened to him. inviting him
to develop his great and exalted nature given hin
by his Creator. Although the world is totterins
! and human society. trembles with the burdens o
ignorance yet the same star that shed its benig
.naanf rays on Judea's' hills and invited shepherd
from their peaceful focks, solciis the attention O