The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-12-22

IN the Book of God and in the memory O.
man, aud not only withhold the essentia
rights of freemen, but restore to tho robe
master property and place and power, and
then hand back the slave whom we swore
to deliver to be the victim of that master.
passionate revenge?
"We cannot do this without corruptiue
the heart of the nation. We cannot do il
without bringing upon US the scorn and
execration of the world. We cannot do
1t without compelling God TO aveuge the
outrage.
at would be to pepetuate q wrong black
or, fouler, more cowardly than slavery it.
self. 1t would prove US unworthy to be
nation. We should forfeit our right to
be-"
He foreshadows national church based
upon the doctrine of negro equality and
other improvements" in "Christiani-
ty:"
"Before the war the United States was
political organization, had no definite re-
llgious character or purpose. But now the
power which moves us aud through which
We have conquered is religious scnti
ment of the land. 1t is a Christianity
which recognizes the manhood of all men,
which demands for all men equality OF
right before God and the law, and fair
field in which every one may work out for
himself u social standing according to the
faculty which is in him.
"This is now the central idea Of the liv-
ing aggressive American Christianity, and
the nation stands committed to its propa-
CATION and defence. The term Protestant
ism does not correctly describe the form
Of christianity. 1t is more than Prutes.
tantlsm IL is step 10 advance.
at embraces aud holds fast all the grea,
Protestant doctrines; but it also does
more than this. The power of the Refor-
nation consisted in presenting anew some
OF the cardinal doctrines of the ancient
faith. American Christianity accepts
all these, and then goes beyond, and en-
bodies the principles ofthe Gospel 10 free
popular institutions, and in the very spirit
"t Christ proposes to ennoble the whole
humanity.
1.-The American nation, then, occupies
position never held by any people before.
1t stands the representative and champion
OF true Christian democracy in Church
aud State, aud demands this continent,
and nothing less, as the theatre of its
lite. 1t opeus new era in tue progress
Of humanity.
"lf these views are correct, then we may
look for the future safety of our country
III this new bora and intenser Christian
life embodied now in national institutions,
so that although there will be no State re-
l'gion, no church in alliance with civil
government, there will be an American
Christianity, which will control our ma
tloua! policy as the spirit does the body
AS the spirit is present in every member
and fibre Of the body, 80 let us hope that
American Christianity will pervade the
whole body of our institutions, anu shape
every act Of our policy
The blessings Of this "improved'' chris
tiauity are ultimately to be extended to
the bcnighted Europeans, for be closeth
thus
els it not, theu, our national mission to
FIJI this continent with churches and
schools, the activity and intelligence aud
blessings of a civilization which is true
expression Of the Gospel, and thep, ma.
king no aggression, and permitting none
from others, aid Us VIC may in regenera.
ting Europe BY the example of "A nation
which hopors Christ, and also honors hui
manity because redeemed aud elevated
in Him-the example Of a Christian Con-
tinental Republic.