Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-12-04

when age and business draw him away
from it to gain for himself just such an
other home. So shall the State prosper,
and so shall we be helped to prepare for
the Home above, in which we shall enjoy
perpetual festival OF thanksgiving.
BRANDON.
MR.. TUxBURY ON CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATION
Union services were held at the Con-
gregational Church, and the sermon
preached by Rev. F. Tuxbury, who an
nounced his subject to be "The Struggle
of Christian Civilization :" and took for
text Matt. Kip.
He commenced by noticing the popu-
lar falIacy, that the necessary drift of
things is from worse to better. The
rapid and steady Improvements in ex-
ternal things, as houses, towns, railroads
and telegraphs, produce the impression
that moral, social, educational and reli-
gious life, are also maintained at an ire
sistibe head by proyidcntial arrange
ments. independent of individual viii.
This doctrine of necessary progress has
taken deep root in this country. 1t is
prosperity, in which the dreams of ide-
alists, like Plato and Sir Thomas More,
have been more than realized as if the
hot-house products OF other lands were
the spontaneous yield of our own. As
our children are put through our educa-
tional machine to their graduation, it
seems to be thought that the world viii
necessarily graduate in all the graces,
arts, and excellencies of justice, virtue,
and religion, by an inherent law of pro-
gress. Now while, for all our prosper
ity, we should be deYotedly thankful, it
must not be forgotten that our good for
tune as children of a new country has
not raised us above the common expo
sures, conditions, and liabilities of hu-
manity. These are larger factors in our
destiny than anything peculiar TO us as
Americans. Though we have escaped
many old-world evils, we have not es-
capped the permanent conditions of our
nature, and should profit by the deep
taught lessons of our race. In the seven
or eight thousand years of mans history
for neither do the facts of science de-
mand, nor the most liberal construction
of scriptural chronology allow, a longer
period-humanity has enjoyed the most
favorable external privileges many times.
We know the result. The high civiliza-
tions once existing in Central America,
Mexico, Peru, and Chill, have left only
the slightest traces, and China, and
the whole East, are standing proofs, that
wholly contradict the theory of inevita-
1 l. q IN, haa raT
Themistocles, blazing with victories,
shining with arts, vocal with eioquence,
what was there to threaten that bats
and owls should occupy her deserted
temples? Rome, too, mother of laws,
once dominating the world, but now
hemmed within her own seven hills-her
language dead, her power priestcraft,
her glory relic. and her name ro-
nance
No, there is no inevitable law moving
the world or the race forward. No ex-
ternal prosperity could guarantee even
the continuance of these nations. God
will not allow wealth, power, arts, sci
ences, and philosophy 70 secure stability,
without the presence. of personal worth
and righteousness. They would be cor
! ruptors of the world and perils of human
nature, by permanent success in their
selfish ways.
PreoccapatioH ia selfshuess and sens
uous aims was the cause of the great
humiliation of France In her recent
struggle. If private virtue, if self-re-
speet. if. fear Of God, if the sense of du-
ty, decays in family life, in the personal
WILL care not how much education is
going on, how excellent the common
schools may be, nor how decorous and
proper the customs of society are-there
is. q worm at the root, canker in the
bud, which takes precedence of all other
influences, and predestines society to
downfall and ruin, Our public corrup-
tions, defalcations, municipal crimes
and robberfes, are due to the absence of
private virtue, and simplicity of life and
aim, in the people at large. Moral
training of children is neglected. Can
any refinement in manners, any veneer
of accomplishments, any arts of society,
however they may coverldefects, take the
place of real worth and true principle2
The most dangerous men and women in
this country are those who never shock
propriety, but simply lend credit to ut
ferlY selfish and fashionable and luXuri-
Gus ways of living. And with all the
clatter of the press, and the eloquence of
public meetings, believe me, there is no
help for us, except in the slow and pain
full revival of personal principle and re-
Iigious conviction and that ever was,
and always will remain, the most diff
cult work--because noblest and most
divine 1t is easier to build a pyramid,
than to rear king good enough TO have
F it for his monument.
Plato would commence his ideal re-
public by sending. off all over ten years
of age; but we cannot send off anybody.
Neither can we teach children virtue
without yirtuous parents-nor make
people religiously good, without earnest
~ convinced religious teachers and
church-men1bers. Yes, the kingdom of
heaven, as at first, is taken only with
violence. True it is always waiting for
those brave enough to seize it, to. con-
auer it, and to hold it hut it is never
the growth of chance, of propitious cir
natural drift. The current, listless, un-
heroic ideas of most so-called christians
would not, in a thousand years, bring in
a kingdom over which Jesus Christ
would consent to reign. But did not
Christ say the Kingdom of Heaven is at
hand - Yes. it always is,=-for those
who will seize it by violence. But while
we are content to wait: and drift, and
excuse ourselves and each other, and
make believe that things are all going as
they should, or at least as well as could
be hoped 1.-The Almighty Patience keeps
his kingdom in the skies, nor will suffer
| it to fan into such unworthy hands. Do
not suppose that he pays any attention
to our wretched excuses. The gospel
f.calls to a life of faith, aspiration and