, 1876-04-10

Ao0AAt0 AANAA - AAFo4 UOAAtC null 4uttG AuQfUSE
70 sse those re.ults fully, Fipened aud
yna vii sueeood through ad from
an sis or th.t 1usrtsr nd smother really to eno-
constant and unnsveriuR trust reposod il film
by tho Fathers Of the Church And aid 10
work 90 they believed 1fe Has working, and
would work, in the establishment Of tras ro-
Only single snawor, that shall bo At once
thoao inquiries. II man can intslllgsntiy sur
yoy tho eshte OF tho anclont world 1t tho time
tribute the eafly couquosts won BY tho humble
lo'lHion OF tue Gross to anything phort Of d.
vine sRoncY. he is oithor dishonest or elso Eo
has lost TIC eenso Of reality. md crodu1ity hAs
the Gospel OF Jesus Obrlat VIVA hostile to all
tho nAtivo propensfteB, and ali the ancient bo-
ltofs snd projudlces Of mankind, and WAS
obliged 70 face tho oppoaition Of Jows and Gen.
Mosaio fsith: puro and simple. Christianity con
served and Developed but tho real religion OF
Tue Old Testament was not, to any or
tone. tno @ JeH!all religion. Of our saviora
become @ !, enesaea IN advent!ttous forma
and llabbtnic suporstttione, too doeply to affect
tLa people Of 10 appear dvtne. Tho spiritual,
esernAl substance Of their religion. tho Jews had
s0o that form torn In pieces nnsparingly, ~ uas
dono by Chriae, atrayed them more bitterly
againnt tho now filth than any hcAsben that
faith i1as ever encountered.
In tho Hontile world, tho friotiun OF tho Qoss
pol.against old faiats lighted tLo fsos Of q por-
hecut1on almost aa force. The ro!iGoua instincts
Of n1an aro 30 sttong that llo gives up only with
tolacsance, any religion from which he has
drawn tho sstgl,tost eolaco; and tho beatlsen
Ideas Of God aud religion we're 80 old and dcep-
eaAsod, and, witlal, 10 friendly, for tho most
part to baHo and fcahy life. that, In it's attug-
go With them. tho puro and holy Gospel laboro1
unior tho, greatest conceivable disadvantage.
There could bc no compromise botwcon them.
ChrtAtlAnity Nas exclusive. aud could bo contont-
cd with nothing short Of universal empire. A
dental OF their right to extas Vas the gauntlet
Mhlch 1t threw down before all other religions.
of course, truceless war followed; so
that III Hhateyor ne" city tho Gospel
set its foot. 1t wAs Obliged 10 engage In doadly
combat With the champions Of some stubborn
human roltgfon.
But, apatt from .!,o Holy Ghost, The tcsourcos
Of this aggressive doctrine woro n fow AS its
enemies wore many. There was not ono badge
o. trace OF human power about IT.: Jesus Christ
Illtnsoif. after a birth from humble parentsgc.
aad \ life without riches Of honor Of learning
or distinction or patronage, dlsd death 30 ig-
homnlouB that 1t wa8 Illegal for Roman clti-
znn to suffer it,-up0n d croaa. botwoeu two
thieves. His Apostles wore not huoh men Is VIC
should ao1ect 70 carry through any great enter
prlso. There waB among thcm, no King Or
Prince or courtleE, or Governor or Lord or war
rtor; no man OF wealth to buy favor. no profea-
sional orator to nova tho poople with oloqueuco.
Tho most crudt&e among thom was tont- tnakoT;
aoyoral woro mero flshofmon, and ono was tax
collector Or pub!lcsn.-fo1owinE D calling tho
most odiol1s nt least to Jows. TINT could posei-
bly, bo mentioned, Lot us admit TINT Pail, at
1oaHs, wRs sktful, coEcnt speaker, md that all
tho Apostles wero characterized by 4
moving enrnestness In tho work which
engaged thom let u8 grant thas the truths t!loy.
preached wero adapted to human neeis lot ue,
II pressod to do 60. altow that soma popularity
Y,>nv t,axyn "a nrhn IN tta
novelty Il still romatua irrational to find in
these facts, sinnly OF comLiued, tho causo OF
thoso tlrst victories Of Christianity. Had thcse
been sll, Paragraph from tho hand os some
tory. These woro but tbs apparent cauBos. Tho
real Cause lay doopor.
It ia Significant slso that tbs r,otloas Of those
first Christian laborera were most aimpIe aud
humble. lacking almost overy characteristic Of
worldly wisdom.
Evon such mon might hope for eome auccoas,
II they hhd Yelled tho storuor nspcota OF tho
truth. and thoD, like Petor tho liormlt, had car
rled their cause with pathos aud eloquenco bo-
fore those who wore crowns and sought to gain
tho favor Of tho riol, aud noblo classes but this
tho Apostles did not do. Indeed, it duty over
called them into contact with such men, they
d!d not shrink from tutoring to them the mos
preach. But they did not soek tho woaithy and
powerful aud, when tho word Of truth WAS ad-
dreeaed to such, 1t waa atways with Tue aatno un-
8patiug llHoE Rn4 plainnoB9 Whtch clataotori1ed
Apoato!lo preaching 10 general. But, as tue new
truth had special adaptation to tho poor. 10
them 1t Was chiefly delivered. That class which
hoard tho nodeemor gladly, received moro readi-
ly than othors tho words Of Ills Aruatles also;
and Of this class almost exclusively the carly
churches wore composed.
Moreover, In tho preaching Of the Apostles
there Was no atto,npt to dazzle or excite OF con-
ciliatc; no protenso Of eloquonce or learning
and least Of all whs theze auy uHo Of cllicanory
or attltlco.
Not uniformly did they deek tho most public
nlacos for their toncling, but spoke the name
II Christ 10 private houses, In tho markets, by
the roadside, at tho seaside. We'll might thoy
take AZ the,r "rciocing, the toBtlnouy OF their
conscionoes that III simplicity and god!y ain
cerity. not with leshly wisdom, but by tho
graco OF God, thoy lad their cnnyorsation In
tue world"
Pass ,udru,ent nou. according To tho csnons
of eruerienco. ind tall us how extonded slIali
hs tl!o history OF such m onterprisef Uow
tnna ,vi,, q ,'an;e and fnIjowers ia fnnud far a
s, ~ ss, 49, .L. :. - s.r ,r,,I' ii H.. ovii n-,No,