Smyrna times., 1858-07-15


midst of confusion and anarchy. Out of thC
shattered fragments of ancient culture, and The
Earring elements of savage life, it constructed
a new civilization; and, through its victore,
over paganism, dcspotism and barbarism, is now
marching on to the moral monarchy Of the
world
1t was Christianity-perverted and misun'
derstood it is true--that kindled the spirit o
the Crusades and of Chivalry, which broke the
power of Feudalism, inspired lofter love OF
liberty, gave wider field and new vigor to
manufacture and commerce, and infused a higher
tone OF honor and a more humane spirit in the
art of war.
And so patent to all that it need not detain
US, is the connection between Christianity and
the great Reformation which gave new and
deathless impulse to modern civilization.
Time will not allow us to tIace the relation
of Christianity and the Fine Arts, which have
so much to do in softening the aspertics, Gle
waiting the tastes and expanding the intellect of
man. The greatest achievements in high art
have been wrought out under the inspiration Of
religious sentiment.
:. Let us turn now to notice more distinctly
the progress of civil freedom under the impulses
Of Christianity. Man never struck success
ful blow for civil liberty before the birth of
Christianity. Since the Christian era, civil
freedom has been steadily on the advance, and
is now marching with gigantic strides to uni
versal conquest. These TWO facts speak volumes
for our theme.
81 Call no man MASTER said the great Teach
er, " for one is your master, even Christ, and
ye are brethren" Then first flashed upon man
the thrilling truth of universal brotherhood
then dawned upon human consciousness the
grand thought of fraternity, equality and iib-
erty. The Messiah could have seized the
sword and, marshaling the hosts of Judea
around his banners, driven the cohorts Of Rome
before his victorious march, swept through the
world in triumph, broken every opponent scep.
tire and gathered the spoilS Of universal suprc.
macy. But this was not his mission. He chose
rather to plant in man the incorruptibie eaven
Df liberty, to work silently, secretly, powerful
y, from heart to heart, from age to age, till
every form Of dcspotian is Ievelied to the dust !
He broke the ecclesiastical bonds which enfct-
tered his people, aud cmanclpatcd mind from
the religious ceremonies which had burdencd il !
Ur centGries. Pushing aside the High Priest
1t the altar, scattering the ashes of bulocks
and goats to the winds, he led men into the
very holy of holies, there to commune with
heir God face TO face. That was the birth OF
religious liberty; that told the vcrest beggar
he was greater than priests and sacrlices,-
that he was the peer of kings in his religious
rights and privileges. AS a Legitimate result
Of this, we to-day enjoy religious liberty. Here
each may worship God "undcr his own vine aud |
Jig tree. none daring to molest or make afraid"
Hare the government throws arOInd all the
Egis Of its protection. Here all the sister !
sects of our common Christianity may live in |
lnbroken fellowship, linked heart TO heart in |
holy love, and joined hand in hand in blessed |
deeds of charity. Here may the infdcl live in |
fear Of no lash but that of his own conscience,
and even the apostate church may here lltj |
up her swelling boasts without let or hiud;ancc y
but TO DO more than this she is utterly Impotent
threats she may utter but dare not execute -
aud no bigotted sectarian hand dare invade the !
rights of another. TO borrow a ligure-thc |
mob Eagle which spreads her broad wings
over u.s. lets little birds sing, and harms not
even the loathsome serpent crawling in the
damp and noxiOus shades below, but if he dare to |
drag his Shiny length to her mountain nest aud
lift his head to strike her young, then will she
seize him with bcak and talons and tear him
Joint from joint, and hurl his mangled carcass
to the rocks beneath.
The Lutheran Reformation was not exclu-
sively religious. 1t led to a profounder inves-
tgahon of the principles of selfgovernment,
and bolder questioning Of the divine right of |
kings as we'll as pop0s. TO strike off the chains
from the heart and conscience of an individual
and free him from the bondage of sin, is to start
him upon a career which shall eventaate in his
complete disenthralment from all bondage
And this is true of nations as of individuals
There can be no permanent advancement of
civil liberty save under the free outworkngs Of
Christianity. Infdel France may rise in the
full consciousness of her rights and in all the
majesty of her strength, but, like a blinded
Samson, she shall drag down the temples of
despotsm only to bury herself in dust aud deg
radiation.
Passing on to the English Reformation, we
see very clearly that it was free religious
spirit there, tina; directed and shaped the devel-
opment of popular liberty. Henry VIII, in
throwing off the supremacy Of the Pope, taught
his people lesson they did not forget to teach
Charles |.
The Scriptures, translated into the common
tongue. was, under providence, the powerful
instrument in working out civil and religious