The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-01-14
The Centennial.
from tho N. o. Christian Advocated

An hundred years Is no Uncomfortable
part of the world 8 historical period,
and, as about one-sixtieth OF the time
since man appeared upon the earth, II
Is far from an unimportant fractlon OF
the past Of human experience, III rela
tlon' to our individual life it seems a
long time ut least three times more
than the average age to which men at
tain. Three times over the human race
has died and been born since the indie
pendence OF this nation was declared.
The world has moved during these hun
dred years. The sun and the solar sys-
TEN have travelled through almost i'm
measurable distances In space, and the
human mind has journeyed fast and far
In It's explorations Of science and In its
discoveries Of truth. t44 a
On the whole, there has been progress
III knowledge and also In goodness.
The world Is better than IL was, al
though still bad enough. In the direc-
ton Of missionary effort especially the
century just ended has been tho most
brilliant and successful OF any since the
day OF Pentecost. Another hundred
years OF like progress will Witness the
evangelization of the whole earth, and,
we may hope, the general conversion OF
the world. Our own country has taken
a century to exist, and II Is probably
even now in germinant and transition
state. Something has been gained for
free institutions, and something has
been lost, but, under the Divine Provi-
dence, the problems OF government are
working toward their final solution.
The material resources OF the country.
however greatly developed, are yet but
partially unfolded. If we have grown
from three millions to forty-five mil
lions since t776, what will not another
century do for us In the way Of popula-
ton? The Mississippi Valley alone
will In that time sustain one hundred
millions of people. But q small part Of
our territory is now settled and under
cultivation, and millions of acres are
yet to be occupied and reclaimed for
tillage. The mineral wealth OF the
country has been scarcely explored as
yet.
To us the century has been eventful
and fraught with nomentous epochs,
but the coming century Is to complete
and mature the results. The uppermost
questions which the Centennial brings
US are those OF education, religion and
constitutional liberty. education made
universal, the Church separated from
all State control and patronage, and
liberty unshackled by sectional and in-
vidious legislation. The elements Of
agitation and conflict are in these ques-
tfons, and there will be din and strife
about them for years to come. 1t will,
we hope, be only war OF discussion and
OF opinion, finally settled by the suf-
frages Of an enlightened people.
+ or the millions who were alive ut the
date of our nations birth only few
stragglers are left. A few decrepit and
wrinkled faces may appear at the Con-
tennial celebration that were bright with
the smiles Of childhood when the De-
claration was adopted. How completely
an hundred years swallow us all up!
How few withered and hating vestiges
Of the grand army Of to-day will look
upon the sun as 1t rises u century hence!
The time Is long or short according to
the standard OF comparison. We glory
In century, recount its deeds, and point
with pride to the monuments Of It's en-
achievements. But when we think Of
him with whom thousand years Is as
one day, and OF the eternity that was
aud that Is to be, what Is nations
life, and what are the days Of man upon
the earth? How briefly and with what
small emphaais does the inspired pen
tell Of centuries and kingdoms! The
events connected with the establish
ment OF Ohrist's reign In the world, and
with the advance of his cause, are alone
important The nations are as the small
dust Of the balance. The questions that
agitate the political world-our social
and sectional disputes, the material
progress OF which we boast-are OF tri-
vial significance in comparison with
Christ and his empire.
The centennial year, If people choose
to celebrate it in any enthusiastic way,
should be marked by greater diligence
and liberality In the service OF God. In
stead Of spending their money in Phila-
delphia and in the North, we would adj
wise our people to endow their colleges,
build churches, contribute more freely
to missions, and for one year see that
their preachers are supported We sim
cerely trust that much Of the exuberap.
and noisy patriotism which the occasion
promises may find expression in the
Of, old debts, In the suppress
Sion Of fraud. and In clean and honest
living. Let the country. North and
South, East aud West, wash and be
clean, and take a new departure, des-
chewing extravagance.rsAn and corrupt
PRACTICES, and returning to the frugal |
aud simple habits OF tho early ddys of
th6 Republic. Let rus Siso hopo that |
bhe year mill b made itiustriousby q |
greet political reneystion, thcs restora-
lion Of constitutional morality, and the /
enforcement Of Justice. honesty and I
'ivii liberty In the National Admins I
,ratjQps