New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-12-09
MODERN CIVILIZATION.
LECTURE BY DIR. BROwNSoN.

The irrt Of series Of lectures on " Modern Civa
izatiop," announced to be given by ORksrfs A.
BRowNsoS. LID, was delivered last evening IN
Hope Chapel, before an audience hardly exeeeding
fifty persons.
The lecturer announced at the outset ef his dkcose
that il was not bis intention declam againet cvihsa-
ton which he asserted ver had been and never would
be perfect necessarily partook OF the mperfsct'oe
of man To spesk Of Cbrptinn civilization was propr
enough II TIE true meaning were explained Chrs-
tapiiy Cstbolicity-was Of the supernatural orocr'
Civilization was below it and WAS of the natural order.
and modern civilization not the expression OF wnas
man could do by himself alone but whsk he had bssa
able arrive at with the assistance 1t supernatural ed
Religion was net responsible for civik alton any FUR
tber than il had produced il, nor any further then
was in accordance with its spirit. One 81 the usst
important features Of modern civilization was ust Of
prcgrsss. All were apt to iun to eitremes, %
csute on almost all suhects, except thcse wherc
We have the ipfallible teachings Of tho Church,
We could only be partially informed. Pr,grcss he'd
been Represented grand cbaracfer,suc OF man, ana
the thing always to be aimed at and nae ossa con-
rroeress pesessary fruitless. The theory OF pro
arcss which began by asserting that man IA bis n
fancy was lett destitute and helpless by his Make.
strength, ard by ths attaining high civiiss-
top. wa und oubtsdy unfourd. There were no tacss
that warranted this teery. Truth was always older
then fasehOod. Man began in truth, and NOT 10 error.
r.
TO Us, we could mark not the progress, but the Do
csy That those ancient nations were not progressive
we read in the fact that they have ell passed away.
Would this be the fact II men were IN ,nem
Natural strength But In modern civlilaicp. there
Was % not progress by the inherent progressive
nature Of man. but by virtue Of Christianity. II was
not prcgiess IN Christianity, for Christianity came par
feet from its founder, but prosrs 6y Chri:usnity.
Modem society had never been ststiopsry-hsd never
retrogrsdtd. II for any causes nstion seemed me
mentaIily TO stard STILL or even to decline, VIC soon
found that there life and energy about IT, and II
soon recuperated; and there vas NO We'll organ
lied Christian nation, which had adhered to
the Christian Church, had stood firm and united
with Catbolicity, which had become extinct, since
Christ vss born. Nations had lapsed into heresy and
scbsm, and had expired and passed away, as ald Tue
a, Gent psean nations but every nation that had re
main I'd firm and true to the Catholic faith had hvcd
II NOV have become united ~ another patton, but II
best to day and Who would say that for hose nation.
ere was resurrection lbs was not . nssufa'
virtue; it was infused into Modern society by cs'ho'
Lcity was undoubtedly true that obeilence 70 natu'
lion 10 the natural ORDER but lett 10 nature aone
bad rever yet fulfilled that natural Law. Ancient ma
tiops bad the natural Law engraved In their hearts yet
they never obeyed IT, Even their religion, which they
held in sacred estimation, In violation Of natural
law. All history proved that man, abandoned TO ma
ture alone could not live according to naurs's law
for passion blinded the mind, hardened tho heart, Ien
derd him deaf to humanity and enabled him 10 perform
manned in eyery state and community Of the mode'a
rid that was Christian And II was not conf cd
exclusively to those who embraced the Catholic religion
That ibofe nations which had broken away from Chrs
snity-hom the Catholic Church-hsd not Lost their
civilization aud their progressive poser, was owing 70
he fact that the Church was in the world and excited
an influence beyond her pale over those even who
ow ned her Dot and knew her not Even reason In the
modern world was different from reason In the ancient
II rad became 10 scme extent in odern times Christian
zed and into our ideas thoughts and affections, o. re-
cards and social life, there entered much OF
Christianity of which VIC never thought. vas mus
hat Christianity acting upon the natural order, vs.
rmpa,ip0 the way for higher civilization and gave
hal prog ressive power In modern society which bsds Us
peysT 20 despair of the modern world, however DARK
the prospect might seem.
The lecturer announced that in bis next discourse Ne
should develop Of what modern progress consisted.