Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-05-03
lFrom the Boston Post.l
THE DOMINICAL LETTER.

THE DOMINICAL LETTER.
In ancioni times. when the Peniaieuch. the
books Of Prophecy, the Gospel and the Eps.
ties we're written, our juvenile readers must re-
member that the English language was un-
known. ], had not heen compiled. Our holy
religion was not very extensively disseminated,
less extensively regarded, and still less exlen-
sively adopted. Christianity had to press its
way through Pagan temples, idols, and laby-
rinth Of ceremonies, guarded by an organized,
asiuie and learned priesthood. Its hostility to
bgoiry aud exclusiyeness recommended il to
many benghied soul, It's vial principle Of
charity prcpossessed lis recipients in iis favor.
7 Whaieyerihis paragon oftoleraion found extant
as good and true was adopted, Il manered not
whether the Samian pyhagoras. the Chinese
Coniucius, or the Giecian Socrates had pro-
mulgcd the golden rule, several centuries be-
fore Christ whether the two great command
menis, on which hung all the law and the
prophets, enjoining love 10 God and love 10
neiphbors, had been for ages recorded, word by
word. in Levticus and Du,egonomy, as the
standard epiiome Of ethics for Tire Hebrews !;
or whether Plato had already. ionr hundred
years pre- nusly, declared il easier lor cauicl
TO go through the eye Of a needle than for
rich man 10 enter Elysium. Since all these
were choice snd true maxims. they were there
fore endorsed by the divine founder OF our re-
/ ligion, and iHierwoyen in its texture. Lilies
Of the field sprang up from the soil and
bloomed, sparrows chirped and fitted about,
hocks and herds were attended by shepherds on
the siar-i, plains, and the heavenly bodies
shone in their meridian and nocturnal splendor
I long before the messenger star Of Bethlehem
escorted The eastern maei 10 the secluded man
ger of Judel. Yet the Savior thonsht il not
beneath the tenor Of his mission, nrr the dig
nifty Of his sphere, to allode TO these emblems
Of divine goodness, though cherished in COM
mon by the heaihen. lie csen circulated
among pu5lcans and sinners.
Rigorous skep,icsm may cavil and smile !;
but it would not naturally be expected by
comprehensive philosopher, understanding the
essence and tendencies Of human nature, that
the sublunary ministers of our divine insiitu-
Iion would wade through a long slough Of cor
rup,ions without soiling lis external garments,
without having some OF the mire adhere 10 the
lower hem. The Pompons ceremonies OF the
Jewish synagogue, together with those Of the
Roman, Greek and Oriental Gentiles, surroun-
ded the pioneers Of Christianity. The new
motto was
'' Lot party names more
The Christian world o'erspread;
\ Gentle and Jew. and bond aud free,
Are one in Christ their head"
Hence, We are not asionished that the holy
church, under this banner Of ioleraiion, per-
formed services in tlosc pagan temples, imia-
ted the architecture of their basilicas, bowed
down TO those images or idols, and adopted
many heaihen ceremonies. festivals, and flsls,
in her practice. Thus was il that she !eak
pattern from them rather than to tax her n-
genuily TO originate a. new plan. which might
not be so prolific in proselyiins, and might be
regarded as too abrupt an innovation. Thus
was il also that she preached, prayed, chanled,
aud celebrated mass in The Latin tongue before
congregations Of all nations, whether they un-
deIs,oud it or not. IL had become established
by long usage. Thus was il likewise that We
find our calendar heirloom from Roman en-
perors and popes, our months and weeks named
from heather gods aud drifed sorereigus, and
our entire language not only inteilarded with
Greek, Latin, and other foreign expressions,
but almos, in toto derived from their roots,
even based upon the dialect of various ancient
nations. On this very principle is il that we
read the signs of Zodiac ia Greek derisalive)
in pure old Roman, Aries, Taurus, Gemini,
Canner, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Saguari-
US, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces, which in
English are rendered,
" The Ram the Bull the heavenly Twins;
Next TO the Grab the Lion shines,