Maryland free press., 1866-07-26
ARE WE PROGRESSING or RECE-
a. p YaaIslr-t,tIn D

.,Sza
-s.s--- - - N s-.--
..Og "a Ya4Ts 4~~ttsD
<n... =. ~ M \. u,s I'M 80
VI W e''ls' - - mei ehA el'nei manu- " V's
es..n,s sS y. ~ % snechs 80
eseu's syu ~. tile st'S ~ N9 spoons VI
way. brase6 1bk tb4 maenetsm of ideas @f an
proach the dark chasm III the t,.nth pSbers
ulot,s Tradition with IL Train of suprrsitions
wanders torlorn and unupleld; ,fill We emsrge
into the lrht of Roman ciyiiizatiou climb 10 Tic
'beacun on Noun, Calvary 4 i a nd i.dcsexbd again
into the untutored chaos of urine vnr Barbarian,
Along that d;s,nrl march M. behoId autft,,tif
evidences ufruj,Iei nations and wrecked empires
whose nournftii desolation furnishes subjects for
our study. morals for our warning. and lessons
for our Guidance We see Jud,e rise upon the
imnutable foundation of Jehovah,s compact, dis
pense Justice by di wine inspirafion grow insoent
in the blessings of obedience. toppe and full with
the weight of its own criminality. We see Greece
bath the world in the gorc Of conquest -triu,nph
in the refinement of letters, grow rich in success
fll trade, and perish in the innovations of luxu-
ry Rome Iifts her ,,nbroksu sprites n tribute TO
her proud advaucementir irnperial IN her consci ots
might, brilliant with the achievements of genius
and valor, Yields her boundless empire and bows
her lofty head to the vengefu savage and quench-
es the sun Of her greatness IN q whelming tide Of
barbarism We step over the back void Of the
middle ages, and modern history takes up the
broken thread aud leads as on 10 more recent
ruins. But why do we need these ino'rnful illus
trations of national calamtya Why eonjare from
the past the solemn eyidenccs of national decay !?
Beeause from the causes df tiIeif ffi We may iehrn
profitable lesson, which we will do Awell to
heed. ''o'"i1'H -. '"'t72'S' ?" - no
The secret of Ju,,ea,s rnn yvas more the resnI,
of individual q ime than national error. In her,
freedom prosperity covered the land and vice
flttencd from the hand Of luxurv. Az virtne
melted and the moral code was disreoarded so-
ciety disintegrafed and demorali5cd S.U a nrev
to its own conyulsions. iii over bef monidea
columns the silence of iesoiation broods. Greece
grew great. in the wisdom of nor laws and the
scrutiny of her neonle. iii crime usnrned the
Spartan's virtue. and anarchy left her a smould
erne wreck. Rome fIourished under her consuls.
rose TO the heights of imperilsm but The impupi
ty of crime broke down the Safeguard, of the
citizen. and the debaucbed nnd eneryated nation
rctrogaded before the evil march I'm il sunk
gradually back to the chaos from which il sprung.
Is there ne warning for US in the fate of tllesege
With the voice of prophecy which consigned
wicked Babylon to the owls and bitterns. and the
awful examples recorded by profne historians,
all admonishing us of the fate that treads upon
the heels of national trans rression is il not the
part of wisdom to heed the premonitions ofdecay
and not await in riotous guilt the inevitable doom
that sooner or later must follow. E''" ~ ~
Let us look around us, then, and sec if we are
not threatened with tbe same train NJ caamities.
ON the liuhtnino's WING We are da;Iv annr;sed of
deeds which should darken tiIe sanf 'With their
black enormitv. From every morter oftbis f,-
vored land we daily read Of horrible outraees
and revolving crimes serving as fit and truthful
standards of the morals around them. Vice mocks
virtue in our streets debancbery ia an accom-
plish,nent of society shame mo lonaer comma ,ds
a blush: couscienc, is scared bv gniltv assoc;a-
ton deeds of demon feroeitv and brutal cal
iousness disgrace our nation and in;ure our peo-
Pile; officers of the law are fajthless ): the law
itself is dsregarded. and Justice slumbers by her
cry in our cities, nor is our country afr free from
shsrs .He epn''c 'nt Of pol%',on Cri@s every