New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-12-13
MODERN CIVILIZATION.
SECOND LECTURE BY DIR. BROwNsO!


Orestes 4. Brownsop, delivered, last evening, at
Hope Chapel the second of the three lectures an
nouuced on the subject of Modern Civilization. A
more numerous audience present than on the o.
casion Of bis first lecture though the attendance was
still small.
The lecturer resumed the consideration of human
progress Much of what regarded a. progress, he
QUE stOned as was progress in the concrete only and
was the nece sity for other changes in the existing
order to make it correspond with previous change.
The more remarkable progress manifested might be
EXPRESSED by the term humanity-or philanthropy;
the latter term he disked as was profession OF an
OF desirsble class OF people-gentemen VINO were
lovers of humanity in the abstract but great haers OF
men in paltcuar-uDess they CHANGED to be rogues or
10 Lave bla, skn. This progress was manifested by
the recos milton OF human rights. In ancient times
mems existence. The principle was the basis of true
liberty, whether religious, CIVIL or pohlca. IL was
the prn,ipe Of the apostles. There WAS no regard
among ancient nations for human life. The most en-
lipbeped were extremely cruel Thefather could Kill
hs child or bis wife and the creditor his debtor. Human
sacrifices were commoo. But Christian law, which
taught that every man had an immortal soul, and In
the rights appertanDg thereto all were all equal before
God, lad infused into man the sentiment OF humanity.
IL sentin. Mt was inst realized in the church when
noble ard gBoble matter and slave stood on the same
gr, und OF equality. This sentiment had spread into
civil society, and had become an element in modern
civilization even in those countries which have but
little regard 10 the teachings OF oar Lcrd IL was true
that after the conquest Of England by the Normans,
naon lot more than half Christian Zed the Juspru-
dence and laws Of that country detero5aed ana we're
o cruel; yet during the pasttw bundled yea there
had been efforts made TO amehorse the penal code ana
in some respects it had been carried 10 contrary ef
c,fs. Thus palaces were built for prisoners, who were
better cared for better fed and better clothed IN an tne
najo,iiy Of the aboring classes in any country In
he provisions for the poor too, pauPers had Deeh
ade TIE ancient nations had no institutions for the
aid of the pcor ard this feature oil progress did not
oeyelop itse ulll after the birth OF Chrhnanty when
hospitals were provided for the rich and poor even In
III time Of the Roman Empire, and soon au
Of Europe was covered over WIN these in
.ttutioDs. But in those countries wh'ch naa
br,ken away from the Catholic faith there had
b.,p eirogis de in this respect. Poverty IN E0gland
ard America vas considered very much IA The light o.
cine The CID New England Jan Of giving out the
uIlot Of the town poor to the lowest oldcef vas o.d
en- u, b. but the plan of iDprisonng them IN poor
homes where they are taught TO believe that they
iak tie elements of naDhood, was worse. 10 Prot
e,tspt countries philanthropy expanded Itself by build.
inc rtlaaI prisoI that those VINO were under the
s9rts nee of II aw should suffer little possible.
IL athoc cOuI tree, what was struck with was
the lei dtItss with which the poor were cared for. In
wsr too. progress had been made From anclen.
times when prisoners sud into slavery, or killed
We had reached tine when IL was principle TO hest
prsoIers with respect and land 10 respect the rights
Of private property through the influence OF the pom.
IFS Of the Church; and now the United states had
taken the lead Of al the European Governments eA'
cept the Pontifcal Government, TO make the same
principles apply to the sea as to the land. ms
ACCOMPLISHED aId war would soon become nothing
but a duel between armed forces Of naiiJas
the folly Of which would soon he seen, sDd 1t woah
die away and peace would become the general order
emory raii0ns All Of there thugs were goa,
tut iley had evil connected win them. 30 Iong
AZ Ills procress vas the result Of Christian charity,
which was a sppernatural vutue, it worked SUPER
raiursl effects bu, during the past hundred and my
,ears no n ell poyion of tie rel gous faith of the World
rlsrsing into Ire condition Of the ancient Pagan
rtEgior since tie peace of Utrecht the English sys-
tenn bed been gradually coming more IN vogue IN Ec-
ope and that system was pure msterlA sm ana tnis
bss grown even upon nations which bad lot entirely
,Lsken off the Catholic faith. This materalsm ap
reared not in TIE form of charity but in the form Of
buuspity-a pstursl sentiment-seeking, BY means Of
State ard civil legislation, to do what the Church had
done by charity. But carried away By ttis naturs
sel tme1, the most dreadful revolutions bad occurred