The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-03

4 crowds OF c0ptiVes were set to mutual slaughter
or else TO contend with the fury OF wild beasts
while refined and delicate women deHahte1 i'm
these reyolting cruelties, criticzing the skill of
the ferocious swordsman and applauding with
enthusiasm the graceful stroke that opened the
heart OF the vanquished, and poured out his
llies blood upon the arena. "WhoD saws
Hume, ''can read the acts OF the amphitheatrical
SHOWS without horrorY or who is surprised that
the emperOrs should treat the people in the
same way the people treated their interiors?
Ones humanity is apt to renew the barbarous
wish OF Caligula, that the people had but one
neck. man could almost be pleased. by a
single blow, 10 put an end TO such a race of
Monsters And then, speaking OF the common
habit OF poisoning among them, he adds tnis
remark;-'So deprayed in private life were
that people whom in their history we admire
so much.n Thus does the inddel historian con.
firm the testimony of the Christian apostle. In
deed, every candid student of history must
admit that it is hardly possible to give II in its
tue colo1s-the moral deformity of these
people. Suicide was not only extensively
practised, but advocated as a right and com
mended as virtue. Even Seneca pleaded for
1t, and Cicero was its advocate. Brutus Cas-
sius, and many others both defended and prac-
tised 1t; and Plutarch praises Cato for having
been his own murderer.
Almost the same might be said, also, of infan.
tCide. The murder OF newborn infants was an
allowed practice in almost all the States OF
Greece and Rome. 1t was not only commonly
practised, but was scarcely spoken of with dis
appreciation by any author ofthose times. Phi
losophers supported the custom by Argument.
ana legislators threw around 1t the shield and
sanction OF law. Solon and Aristotle Plato
and Plutarch, gave their great names to sane
ton the inhuman doctrine and practice. And,
from one end of the Roman Empire to the
other, the land was stained with the blood of
murdered infants. o think, what must have
been the state OF domestic virtue when sucb q
practice prevailed And think of the learned
defending it as wise, the magistrate commend
ing it as useful, and the public sentiment re-
garding it as innocent
Indeed, my friends, there is no species of de-
grading crime that you can find named in the
calandar, which was not coUntenanced and
deieneed by the written doctrines and shame
less practices of even the great and wise men of
this age. And, "If such things were done in
the green tree, what must have been done.in
the dry ~ II these lights of the heather world
we're so debased, what, then, must have been
the moral degradation of the more ignorant
populace? Such, my friends, was the moral
state of society when human science, art, and
philosophy had the world all to themselves,
and when they were in their greatest power and
perfection Society deteriorated in their hands.
II was made worse, and not better, by their
influence.
Yes, my friends. All history shows that a
progress in the arts and sciences aid commerce
and attendant wealth, without the leaven of the
Gospel, only increases the arrogance pride,
selhshness, luxury, and licentiousness of
people, and thus only hastens them on to moral
and social ruin! Humanity is depraved 1t is
a dead and heavy mass of human science, and
philosophy has no regenerating leaven to lift
1t upl Cicero frankly admits that 'the ancient
philosophers never reformed either themselves
or their disciples, and that he knew not a single
instance in which either the teacher or the
disciple was made virtuous by their princl-
ples!"
Surely this is a most remarkable testimony,
and ought not to be forgotten by the little phi.
losophers OF the present day, who, unmindtul OF
this record OF history and OF the total failure of
philosophy in the past, come forward with their
clustering pretensions, and with a superclious
sneer at the claims OF Christianity, endeavor 10
thrust 1t aside, and ask only to have society
committed to their hands, and they will show
us what they can do with it Indeed
Alasl history already shows Us what they
can do with society, and we have no desire to
repeat the sad experiment. No-aWay with
them and their moral nostrums. Humanity
has suffered long enough from their qHackry.
They have nothing in all their materia medca
| adapted to even the first symptoms of the dis
ease. And they have nothing in all their his.
tory to awaken the first ray of confidence in
| their power or skill.
No, no, no. Humanity, diseased and dying
humanity, needs Divine remedy! And, thank
God, it has found it; here it is Yes, here in the
gospel of Jesus Christ there is leaven that can
| lift the whole sodden mass up! This matter has
been tested, my friends, thoroughly tested, aud
in every case the Gospel has proved itself to be
| the power of God unto salvation to every one
that believeth." Yes, thank God, Christianity
can appeal TO history without shame! She can
submit to the practical test of 'resultsn without
| fear OF discontinued The experiments of her
power in all lands, over all habits and disposi-
! tions and with all classes of men, are upon
| record, and, thank God, the record proves the
divinity of her origin, and constitutes the pro-
| phecy OF her future triumph. She has gone into
| the ice-bOund regions of the North among the
| Sreenlanders, whose minds were as slow and
| sleepy as the seals on which they lived, and
! whose hearts were as cold and barren as their
ice and snow-covered hills. She has entered
among the inhabitants OF the burning zone,
among the Hottentots, the very lowest grade OF
human nature, whose souls were supposed by
many to be as incapable of enlightenment and
transformation as the apes of their forests
She has tried her power upon the ferocious
tribes of American Indians, upon warriors
nourished with blood, and trained to human
slaughter, and whom no sufierings or dangers
could tame. She has lifted up her voice among
the Islands OF the ocean-among savages unit
ing with the most iAhuman idolatry the most
beastly vices and most unnatural Cruelties
And from all this Heterogeneous mass of mis-
shapen and depraved humanity, by the mere
influence of her truth and love, she has led forth
q train OF Christian disciples in whom are found
precisely the same distinctive and beautiful
moral features OF meelIness, humility, love, and
holiness! AS striking Illustration, my friends
look at the Sandwich Islands. Within our times
they were universally Pagan; having no altars
but those of demons No law but that of vio-
lence No morals but those of unbridled pas
sions Theft was O national art! Polygamy,
inauticide, the murder of war prisoners, the
sacrifice OF human Victims and crimes against
nature prevailed throughout their population!
Behold the changel Where are now their
idols Cast to the moles and bats by those
who once adored them! or preserved in the
museums OF our missionary societies as trophies
of the cross Where are all their heathenish
rites and degrading customs? They have gone
with the idols The whole plan and mould of
society have been recast The leaVen of the
Gospel has been put in among them, and it has
leavened the whole mass Laws, wisely enacted
and we'll administered, keep the peace and pro-