New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-10

nav DO s ds beine reyed we bless; being perse
cuted we suffer IL; being DETAINED we entres we are
~ all ,h,ngs unto this day" such the highest Dig
nifty TO which were called In the APOSTOLIC Inurch
glch was the religion which Christ and his Apostles
established so the influence and spirit OF suoh
religion should eayen human society, how Is ~ possibly
that IA should fail to promote liberty, brotherhooI anu
eouity among men TO develop manhood, to hnmole INC
proud 20 restrain the seshness OF ambltion totepef
The exercise OF authority TO check the inso'ehce vi
power aud the domineering OF desposn, and 10 MAKE
both the high and the low unspeake0y Napier az
cordng % the noble sentiment OF ST. james, IN tner
mutual approximation 2 Christianity lays the Veiy
same foundation for permanent civil liberty ~ W
nceaes duties rather than rights BY its doctrine ana
spirit Of meek humility aud brothery love IL - d ne ~
inconsistent with the and violent ana lusoen
demands Of reckless mob, as 1t Is with the cooi ahd
cunning policy OF an arlsoeracy or the ruthless
ism OF autOcrat. Christianity alone ehectualy re-
presses that spirit OF human PRIDE ana selnsnness.
which tends alike to crush aud TO undermine the Using
fabric OF civil freedom Christianity IL popular without
being revolutionary submission 70 wrong but not con-
sentative of evil Doubtless AZ there always nave been
feror mental capacities and neral charactet put while
strained Christianity forbds that they should ever be
trampled upon used merely as means Tor me ekata
lion or acknowledgements OF others. Christianity teaches
us u support the weak and not TO make them support
us: to love them as brethren, 10 DC plHul, W pc
courteous, honestly TO desire that our IN
feriors should become equals, TO respect their
humanity and TO seek by all possible means telr speeu
TEST elevation and Improvement Christianity Is hope
u she does not despair the elevation OF the masses
Of mankind, or give them up 10 hopeIess anu I'o,
treat them as children But children are guided ana
governed, not that they may be kept always chi,
honor o11 HS and H dignity Of governing not that
their despotic spirit may DC gratdi,eo, not ,DI
creased not that they may live at their ease on the
abors Of their children, not that their parental sway
may perpetuated but always with the express nope
and aim that these children may learn TO guide and
themselves and eventually 10 GUIDE ana govern
others In their turn. such, Christianity would teaen
US, should be the treatment of all inferior
classes in society. The highest ideal of the
Christian state ga government OF the people by the
people for the people," When we pass from theory 10
fact and inquire Of history what has been the actual
influence OF Christianity upon civil liberty and civil me-
it is necessary to remember that this divine religion
exerts its influence through human agencies and organs,
and that proper effects are liable TO be m0ded or oo
struc,ed and even perverted or annulled by the
mperfection reaction OF the medium through winch
source and il is only by constantly recurring to that
that its lost purity Ia TO be restored Let us oe
thankful that in the Holy Scriptures we nave the means
of thus revlsiting that source, and making fresh
drafts from the pure waters Of life and truth.
wherever the tendencies Of Christianity are most
efectuay reached its proper results are most THOR
ougby worked out there Christianity will exist In its
most complete and characteristic FORM And every stage
Of progress toward such consummation must be so
much vantage ground for further advancement. II
Chr isanity tends TO promote civil liberty, naturally
coaesce with it, then the existence or civil liberty must
react advantageousy upon Christianity. Neither be
the friend OF the other they must be mutual friends
and that though each may have many other friends be-
sides There may be many other influences favorable to
civil liberty besides Christianity. and among them may
even be some Of an utterly rrengous ana anChristan
character as on the other hand, there certainly
many influences favorable to Christianity besides civil
liberty. The true OF the selection Of Christianity
10 general light and knowledge, TO civilization and
social culture t is among its divine credentials that it
falls and harmonzes with whatever tends 10 the ele
Of bis powers 70 the perfecting OF humanity
in any OF its aspects or relations Christianity mas It's
proper spiritual purpose, which Is no other than to lead
inan on 70 the attainment and accomplishment OF the
highest end Of his being In his relation TO what is above
and beyond this present world But notwithstanding
this-or rather precisely because Of thist Is in con-
sciOus harmony with all that true and beautiful and
good with ali that is pure and honest and virtuOus
" all that Is lovely aud noble ana manly
The perfectly man Is developed as
vehicle he becomes for the manifestation Of the full
power and glory OF the Christian religion Such de-
bumany speaking a preparation for Christianity; for
II this religion comes 20 raise the fallen to elevate
the dark, to ennoble the mean, to reform the
vicious, she cannot but welcome whatever
will help her IN her benign mission But light and lib
erty and love cannot but help her. Christ did indeed
once say He that is not with Is against me- but 1t
was of Satan He then spoke. Again He said He
is not against ms Is part" and then 10 OF
well-intentioned hut partially enlightened men He
perverted and the best things may, by ABUSE become
the without the aid of Divine grace without an
influence from high, without leaven OF Christs re-
igon man can never reach his highest development in
relation either the future world or to this. Every
ton ready 10 welcome and embrace Christianity. scien-
tc superclousness and phosophc pride and prejudice
are no part mans true development But though the
evil OF mems nature crops everywhere yet the
whole intellectual hight and culture are more favorable
TO Christianity than british darkness aud Ignorance
Ignorance may be the mother of supersttous devotion
but Knowledge is the foster parent Of true religion
Christianity does not fear knowledge or frown
upon it; rather, she both commends aud com
mands II, BE not children in understanding"
il her Injunction Howbeit, in malice be ye children, but
I'm understanding be We men," Be men," Men
what Christianity wants not ignorant children but in
e0uaiY precious yet the conversion ST. Paul
of more consequence TO the advancement OF the Chris
tan relgiOn-such are the law aud movement
of Divine Providence-than the gathering in OF
whole masses OF Ignorant heather at Lodicea,
AT sarGs or even at Seine And civil liberty must
naturally help " produce, III u given community,
greater number OF men-of real intelligent, manly men
t cannot fail exert favorable reflex influence upon
the promotion both OF the truth and Of the power or
Christianity. Moreover civil liberty must give Chris
tiany freer scope for exerting and difsng its own
history and geography of Chrstendom TO Ind this view
abundantly confirmed by facts We shall find that
whenever and wherever evil liberty has become quietly
and permanently established then and there has Chris
tianity had its purest and noOest reazatonhas ex-
erted widely its transforming spiritual Influence
In Germany, in Holland in switzerland, In England and
Scotland, in America, In France. The old French
Revolution is often thrown back upon US as
settling the whole question against US; but 1t
strangely studousy forgotten that all the horrors
of that revolution and all its authentic orgies resulted
not from civil liberty but the natural and neces-
daspotsm of grinding and ntOlerabe oppression Tue
atheism anu tne spirit OF license already existed they
caused the evils OF the revolution, and were not
its effects. voltaire was already ON the scene
aud had completed his career. Meantime. 80
far as civil liberty has resulted from that revolution
even though atheism may have hand IN producing IL;
for God often brings good out OF eTl--it has been
blessing To France and to Europe Our greatest tenn
poral benefits commonly proceed from variety OF
causes and it is sometimes through the cr-
ais of u violent aud dangerous disease that
the system is most thoroughly purified aud
invigorated Had not men peryersely insisted upon
assocatng the idea OF ndehIy with the spirit OF I'D
pry on the hand and, the other hand, had not
quite too much OF the old gous and civil despotsm
been restrained and restored the conservative reac
tIou the blessing resulting from that revolution mad
been greater still. But after all, at this present
moment, there not vastly more OF intelligent pract-
cal Christianity in Hungry Jnan Ia Austria, In France
than in spain or Italy OF in any country OF Europe
wnere civil liberty has always until recently been
suppressedi Those protested friends OF Christianity
WHO in fanatical zeal OF bud conservatism. Insist
upo assOcatng civil liberty with Dhdellty andathelsu,
nud Christianity with despotlsm and ogarchies iDct
upon tue Of true religion sOrer wound t1an could
ever have Deen inflicted ny InhclitY and atheism with
their most effective weapons; they put the greatest
stumbiug- block toe OF LYON they MAKE Zeal
ans iuddes ana atheists OF thousands, who would other
wise Dy Gods grace, be Jealous Christians