Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-05-10
Culture and Christianity.

la the course of long, tine article on
{. Sweetness and Light" the London Sat
uraGy RerieiC SAYS.
" The most cultivated nation of antiQ-
uity by universal consent was the Greek,
and the center of Greek cultivation was
Athens So completely indeed is this re-
cognized by Mr. Arnold, that he uses
Helleuism as Synonymous with culture
and regards the golden age of early Ath-
eniau splendor. the age of Sophocles, of
Periclcs. and Of Phidias. as exhibiting the
most perfect combination Of sweetness and
light which the world has yet witnessed.
\ ct very superficial acquaintance with
the literature Of that age Is enough TO con
vince Us Of the truth of Prof Jewett's
remark, that if its inner life were revealed
to Us. We should turn away with loathing
and detestation from the sight. Athens,
at the very zenith of her most brilliant
culture, IN the ideal age Of sweetness and
light, was on the eve Of her national de-
cline Her art was the bloom of Gecav.
and her captive citizens were thankful to
purchase some relaxation of their bondage
by singing the choruses of Euripides in the
SIcilian salt mines. To say the least,
tn ere had been something defective in the
empire of sweetness and light
That sweetness and light are very de-
sirable qualities, and that the world would
be greatly benefited by possessing more of
them than 1t can boast at present, few
will care to dispute and as little can it
be denied that barbarism is not the soil
where such products are likely TO flourish.
R11t - mi lir~f -
ken, that culture alone will not ordinarily
suffice TO produce them, and that, if 1t did.
we should have gained at best but par
tial and inadequate result Bishop But /
Ter has observed with perfect Justice that
the passive contemplation of suffering tends /
to deaden our sympathies, while the active /
exercise of benevolence braces and intensi- I
fes them. The same principle may be ap-
piled to the case before US. If it were
the supreme object of life in the lovely
Lotus land to live and lie reclined,' sweet
ness and light might constitute the su-
preme standard Of excellence but in the .
world Of action something further is re-
quired.
The Jealous advocates of culture are
wont to speak as though it not only were
dlliSA ~ ISliSiOu buG luCluueu anu InQS,
in one sense, superseded it. 1t is true. of
course, that Christianity and civilization
have usually gone hand in hand, and that
in the present day the Christian nations of
the world are also the most civilized for
it is only by very liberal Interpretation
of the term that China can be admitted to
constitute an exception But nevertheless
the two things are quite distinct When
Mrs PrOudie interrupted the voluble
rhetoric of the lecturer who was expatia-
ting on the blessings of civilization, by
screaming and Christianity at the top of
her voice, her taste might be questiona-
bic, but she was not guilty of tautology. ;
1t is the tendency of Christianity in the
long run to civilize both nations aud indi-
viduals, but civilization does not neeessa-
rily Christianize them, though it may pave
the way for Christianity; as might per-