Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1875-06-15
AN GRAFTON.
Delivered by Il. Il. Alley, of
King College, at the Contest
for the King Prize Medal,
June Sth, 1875.
TriUmphs Of Christianity.

In contemplating the dim historic
past we are suTpTIZed at fipding so
many examples of greatness born in
obscurity. Those examples illustrate
the Importance which God bestows
upon title things in governing His
mighty universe.
Rome at first contained only a .fc1C
La30keSS jRhu6ituntS. After having
PASSED through uncumbeTed tolls and
dangers we behold to our astonish-
ment her vast population, uniting IN
the striCtest bonds of society and fur
nishing to the world noble examples
of valor and virtue. Her subsequent
history is we'll known. Her proud
eagle began to spread his wing and
whet his beak for conquest and slaugh-
ter. Her power Increased until in the
glory of her majesty she ruled the
world.
The founding of Greece is nOne the
less insignificant. Behold her, after a
long and prccarious infancy, emerging
from ignorance and superstition, be
gin to feel the vigorous bloom of
youth, display determined character
and assume that commanding attitude
which ever eXciteS confidence ard
veueration. Thus she began, and yet
has LEFT Oh record a history which has
rendered her immortal. Having
arisen to the highest Stage of civiliza-
ton and mental discipline. she has
furnished to the tcOrld its classic liter
ature.
Such too has been the progress of
Christianity. From the fall of man
down to the present time there has
been a continual warfare between tie
good and evil. It's battle ground is
the earth. lis contestants are men
and thc shining conveys Of heaven on
The one hand on the other, men and
the subtle, malicious hosts of Hade-.
The mighty struggle has gone on for
sir thousand gears, -Euny and despe-
rate have teen the conflicts, still
Christianity valiautly triumphed over
the comGinud powers Of earth and hell.
Strange may seem the victories won
aud changes wrought. But it las
ever shown itself the cOHGuerer Of
conauercrs, and is destined to triumph
with Umiyeral success throughout
eaTth's wide domain.
Can we, of the nineteeth century of
the christian era, look far down the
dim vista without being struck with
asTonishment at behoiding the fiery
Ordc0iS through which Christianity
has triUmphantly passed? Its boast
| ing enemies have attem pied ten tbOuS-
and times and in ten thousand aOays
| to disprove its divine origin. A fail
| aLre has been the result of each time
| They have only added new strength to
power, and caused it to shine with a
| briQhteT luster.
What have the vague efforts sent
| forth from mans ungUided reason
accomplished? Plato furnished the
world with golden dreams Homer
with the greatest poems of Grecian
antiquity Socrates with lessons of
! philosophy yet the soul of man was
| left without the firm assurance of its
| intrinsic value and immortal destiny
All was dark as Egypt's triple night.
| At this fearful crisis the light of
Christianity flashed upon the world (;
| but it commenced in dim Obscurity :
like the approach Of morning which
at first stands dimly tiptoed on the
mountain top, but still advancing
paints the morning sky with ten
! thousand variegated tints. In another
| moment the broad face of earth is all
light up with the resplendent glOries
of the morning sun. So the mighty
influence eXerted by Christianity has
wideued, more and more, until the
whole world is flooded with its heav-
en-trausmitted light.
When a few centuries had passed
away, Christianity had spread through
empires, silenced the wisdom of ages,
emitted the schools of philosophy,
and closed the temples of paganism ;
putting out the fires on their altars and
kIndled in their places Its own celes-
tial flames.
AS time rolled on its power increas-
ed, Kings beheld in its progress the
overthrow of their imperial thrones
In vain did they oppose it. II has not
only been triumphant in the past, but
is destined to reach the latest genera
tions, forever famed, forever loved.
Century after century, made bloody
to eXtinguisb il, passed. The tres OF
persecution ragged : but it has ever
been victorious. For a thousand years
it lived almost overwhelmed by the
tyranny and prosecutions of wicked
potentates, until il seemed we'll nigh
crushed, Then it was that 1t awOke
healthy and vigorous as in the days
Of its youth, panopled with indestruct-
ible armor and the power of its Eter-
nal Author. Though assailed by the
learned and eloquent of an infidel age,
it gloriously triumphed, ana entered
upon a career which has ever since
been marked by progress. Ages have
passed, nations have been born and
buried, laws have been established
and temples erected. While those
laws have passed away and those solid
temples have have crumbled into
dust Christianity has moved on,
graced with conquest. II has gone
forward in its ceaseless struggle !oI
victory until missionaries now traverse
the whole inhabited world. Never
before was there such vast number
of sanctuaries, with their lofty spires
towering heavenward nor was tItrG
ever before such untold numbers AS
sembled on each succeeding sabbath
Never did such a countless multitude