Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-07-22
preparation for the advent Of Christianity.
Rome became the mistress of the world that

preparation for the advent Of Christianity.
Rome became the mistress of the world that
the apostles and teachers Of Christianity
might 90 and preach the gospel to all nations.
When she could no longer serve the ruling
Christ in this respect, her power declined and
the sceptre was removed from her grasp.
America was discovered in the effort to find
a way to India by sailing due west, but what
was undertaken in the interest of science and
commerce has enured most signally to the
spread of Christianity. The rule of Britain
in India was established to enrich her citizens
and aggrandize her power, but the result is
the opening of its populous regions to the
preaching of the gospel. The discovery Of
the art of printing was hailed in the interest
of secular learning, but the first book printed
was the Bible. Commerce pushed on by the
desire of personal gain, has covered all seas
and penetrated all lands. But fast as her
prows have pried open the gates of the great
marts of trade, the messengers of the glad
tidngs have entered. Christ has also laid
under contribution the literature and art Of
these later ages. The new appliances of To-
cOmotion and intercourse, steam by water
and rail, and the invention Of the magnetic
telegraph have signally facilitated the spread
of the gospel.
% Another proofof the superior power
of Christ is seen in the fact that the barriers
to the spread of the gospel have been removed
and the world is practically opened to its
peaceful messengers. India is opens Bur
NAH and Siam present neither let nor him
drance. China unbars her long closed gates.
Japan renounces her exclusiveness. Spain,
the home of the inquisition makes way for
the gospel and reactionary Austria advances
to the Light and even Rome, the seat OF the
Beast, discards her lying traditions, hoary
with the mould Of fifteen hundred years, and
receives the gospel of Chris; and Paul.
tS) The last mark OF the supreme power
of Christ which l notice at this time is the
fact that the chief conservative and agrees
sive forces of society to- day the almost
exclusive property of the avowedly christian
nations. Here are all productive arts, the
most fruitful industries, the richest returns
Of commerce the virgin treasures of Caifor-
MIA, Australia and Nevada the maritime
power the intelligence and practical talent,
the most vital and effective forces of society,
and these are all enlisted in the service of
Christ. In point of fact these appliances of
national and moral power are largely in the
hands of the two kindred nations which con-
stitute the blossom and the bulwark of our
protestant Christianity.
ii. Here then we rest with calm and I'M
shaken trust. The words of our Lord is not
a vain and empty boast Let vi now consid-
er in a few words, what follows from this SUI
preme power of our Lord.
% 1t follows that christianity is not a
failure, and that it cannot fail. One of the
brightest proofs OF the vitality and power of
the gospel is that all who have become vain
in their imaginations are anxious to reason it
away. Who of all the doubters thinks it
worth while to disproye Confucianism or
Buddhism! In fact these men sometimes go
out of their way to compliment these old sys
tens which during all the ages have tended
to degrade their yotaries.
CD 1t follows from this supreme
power of Christ that Christianity must pre-
vail in all the earth. 1t was meant for all
men it is to be preached to all men; it is
provision for sinners, and all men are sin
ners.
The sermon of which we here give mere
analysis closed with the following paragraph
Our Lord seems in the text to have thrown
himself In advance of all possible objections
against the work of eyangelizing the heather.
What excuse can you offer for neglectng this
work, that his word does not remove? DO
you point TO the vast numbers, the stolid ig-
norance, the obdurate prejudice, or the blind
hate of the heather, and ask what can be
done for themI The answer is enough. CAN
power is given unto me in heaven and in
earth, l can subdue them before you.
Therefore, Co." Or DO you dwell on the
weakness of the church and the scantiness of
her resources, and ask how these few, feeble,
and poor folk can hope 10 succeed In a work
so vast? Here again the answer meets the
case. ''All power is mine, and what you lack
have. The feeble shall be like David,
and the house Of Israel shall be like God.
One shall chase a thousand, and two shall
put ten thousand to flight" The host that
marches under the lead of omnipotence is
sure to victory. He who has all power in
heaven and in earth must succeed in the work
on which his infinite heart is set. When,
therefore, we meet obstacles or troubles arise,
or dangers threaten, we will speak Of tie
glory of his Kingdom and talk of his power,
confident that his arm will tring US salvation.
Already the signs of triumph begin to appear.
The barriers are broken down, the whole wide
field is occupied. The good seed has been
sown far and wide, and soon the great harvest
of the earth will be reaped. The great sys-
TEN of ocean currents, known as the Gulf
Stream shapes the course of innumerable
naves, tempers the climate, and determines
the productions of the regions which feel its
influence. So Christianity, like mighty
Calf Stream, flows to all lands, changes the
currents of life, tempers the moral atmos-
phere, modifies the influence of human So
ciety. and diffuses grateful moisture and re-
viving warmth, where else all would be chill
and barren. And soon, under its benign pow
er, the whole world will glow with the beauty
of more than tropical life, and the desert
shall bud and bios som as the rose.
'Tili earth's rude wastes in verdure rise,
And Eden's beauty greet our eyes