The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1858-06-22
RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT.
An Exaugurai Address delivered by O. Dpstan Roys, be
fore Kappa Phi Society, at Hisdale College
June 10TH


Roll back the tide Of years to that i'm
portant era when the light Of Christianity
was fading into the twilight Of supcrsti.
ton, when ignorance and crime rioted over
the ruins where had been the strongholds
of freedom, when The star of Liberty
that, during the reign Of Aurelius, bright
cned the pathway Of national glory, with
bis death began TO decline and, touching
the verge of the political horizon, rested
its last beams on the remains Of Roman
greatness, then commenced tho age Of dark
ness. Whcn Pontifcal Rome first appeared
behind the bulwarks Of dcspotic power,
ready with manaclcs to bind the hearts of
her people on the walls of ignorance ard
crime, whcn the light of reason was dim
med, and over the mental vision was drawn
veil OF superstition. No principle of
right was shadowed forth from the higher
tribunal, or justice from the courts of civil
law. The struggles of the people for self
government had proved unavailiDg, and
every heart that dared retain a hope of
the restoration Of civil or religious liberty,
was made to feel the tyran,'s power. The
supcrstitious dogmas Of the Romish Church
impressed upon the mind by the strong
arm of physical force, proved blightng
mildew, gnawing at the very vitals of
mans spiritual existence. Reason was de-
throned, and every noble aspiration Of the
human heart was entirely obliierated, or
remained dormant, living sacrifice to that
ung .ncrous system OF State Government.
Every instrumentality which was calcula-
ted TO open avenues for independent tho't,
and restore lost intellect to its primitive
virtue, was strictly guarded by the steel
clad edicts that issued from the chambers Of
the Royal Palace. LIES sea became
stagnant pool and over its lifcess bosom
arose deadly vapor, whose thickening
forms obscured the light of heavens sun,
darkcncd the mental vision, and taught
the soul to bow in humble submission at
the feet of Papal Rome. The Sahara of
time! Is there no oasis on its desert waste,
where hope may rest her weary wing, and
reason circle once moro the brow Of man
with halo of heavenly lghta
Is there no pure fountain, no hidden
spring whose crystal waters may cleanse
the dusty pages Of mind? God answers
from his eternal throne; and through the
darkness of the night is heard the trumpet
voice of freedom, proclaiming light and
liberty TO the captive soul. The night of
superstition is gone, but already has dawn
cd on the mental vision the day of perse-
cuton. The reformation, of which Luther
was the leading spirit, was sapping the
foundation of Leo's throne. Ignorance,
which for thousand years had fettered
ambition an made it plant minion of
papal power, was now giving way to the
influence of christianity. That spirit light
which revealed to Luther power superior
to existing laws, and nerved his soul to
stem the setting tide of monkish tanati-
cism, that spirit light which gave him
strength TO sever the tie that bound his soul
to worship at sapcrstition's shrine, is now
pointing ambition heavenward and teach
ing the soul to bow only at the foot of the
cross. But witnessing the progress Of ;he
Reformation, and listening to the deepen.
ing mormurs of public applause, called
forth by the sublime truths revealed from
lips consccratcd by the hand Of the infinite,
aud feeling those deep vibrations Of the in
ncr chords which have hurled dynastes in
to the grave of oblivion, the Roman Pom
tiff created the system Of persecution which
was intended to crush out the spirit of free
dom, and establish bulwarks Of ignorance
around the trembling throne. Private
murder and public assassination rid the de-
Tenders Of despolism Of those noble spirits
wEo We're laboling TO elevate mankind to
that moral eninence from which .ley
could view the foot prints of the Creator,
and breathe in that inspiration which the
volumes of nature ard revelation unfold.
and stamped in Purple die the name of Leo
upon the darkest pages ef the worlds histo-
ry. The doors of the Inquisition were
opened to receive the unfortunate victims Of
papal vengeance, while the homes of un-
offending citizens were made desolate by
the loss of father, or brother, who had
dared to breathe the story of his new bap
tsm. The lava tide increased with the
flight of time, making desolate the heart,
the family circle a place of mourning, and
the sanctuary an altar on which to sacrifice
the very soul Of intellectual life. Its tide
is not yet aged. Scarcely half centu-
ry has rolled away since Napoleon was ri
ptlHS oNtI tHc Iuiio vi CouqNVfch udtNHS.
The sound Of bloody strife echoed its
mournful strains through every valley of
onarchical Europe. The plains OF France
were dclugcd in blood, and the vino clad
bills of Italy were bathed in its purple tide.
Physical strength was the strongest recon-
mendation TO the hearts and suffrages of
the people, and proves on the battle field,
the only road open for the acquisition of
fame. Its wasting energies are to-day roll
ING round the base of that constitutional
fabric which our forefaihcrs reared, and
which We reverence. Still are seen the fin
ger marks of despotism, maruug the beau
ty Of constitutional government, and check
ing the onward march of unshackled em-
pire. t
Turn your eyes to the blood stained
south where the wind through the cane
brake sighs a requiem for departed hope,
where the cotton ficl!s echo to the voice Of
crushed humanity, and the very atmosphere
tainted with 'the .foulest crimes that ever
shocked high heaven; where the lofticst
principles of the human heart are oblitefa-
ted by the influence Of earthly ambition;
where Liberty weeps that millions OF her