, 1877-12-10

!tfc loWett l0f1n nf paGnntfm, AMI Will HondcF-
medium iorT tho spneati of tho now Re-;
l!Rion. There horfaes not only destroyed
tho temples anl the worshpcrs Of Christ,
but they. terminated the prosperity md
progress. Those invaders brough. evcn worao
farins Of ruin, for they brought thclr own 4La-
lccts and thus destrovcd the language Of tho
hundred millions Of tho people OF tho CHsara.
Mn9 ad e e q Grse ag
rolls Of parchment which the public could not
read. The foundations Of q score of ,,ow lan-
g'iages were here laid. Out OF the ruins of tho
Latin were trrinEing the rude outlines Of span-
drct!s Of years ttcro wero M writings IN thcsc
new languages, and the tongue In which lay all
tic Christian learning was Unknown. lns,cnd,
then, Of having d mighty cmpiro and uni
saf19 cooilea to 10 move M th,oahS N.Y.
rlads of Mortimer WIN livcd In war
mitch Of thu ttme-all tho time it anarchy
md ignorance. This destruction 81 a common
langlage, and this building up of d'alccts whtel,
Of those "Dask AGcs'' which thrcw their
deep shadow from tic tlfsl, century to tho clcv
enth. In their new forms Ut spccrh tic chill
ircn grew to maturity With only vocabulary.
Nfc,-footl, clathng, war. and toll, and stool
perfect strnngers to tho intellectual power md
70 tho learning which had been htorcd away III
the classic tongues. In sue'l m cru the Chris
supefstit,on ] Of II" little ' children. The craeaaers
scveal the degradation 10 Which the people Ind
and Of ncnta, power. 4 million persons set
tSc t tob t. aS III to ss1 setqs ts to 1e gs'fHs %
1del; but. mnrchcd. having, no Gonception
Of tho distance, hut feeling that they
would rcach THO Holy Land IN a fey days; Some
fanatics came bringing their packa of hounds
= ~ 3xkttRf
ami 1eea as
posed ELK millions pcrislled. So feeble md In
consistent was their religion Tint tho tttroaR
marked thoir Journey 1y every known crime no
and vice. The multitude vas led onward by
will rcnd with care abont the rims OF tho Roman
Empire Will marvel that the religion Of our
Master did not utterly perish tn snsh dark
night and Mpof. such stormy sea. The cat1scs
explaining tho sprcal ol tho Gospel seem not
larger than tho obsthccA which for ], 200 ycnrs
opposed its advance. An order Of cfotstercd
monks sprang up, and, by tllc studies Of these
IN latin and ~ tes occasional Lectures ana q,
their monnstertcs. the Christian truth was
saved for better ages to como.
No sooner hhd Christianity passed through It's
struggle With Roman ilolatry md gained some
millions who worshlpcd Thor, n deity greatly
inferior 10 Mars or Jupiter. This new enemy
Chrtatiauity had to opposo without tho help OF
q nation, or people, Or literature, or q Inn
guagc. Unless one domands that Christianity
fosts its Claim upon miraculous force, and
should thus B1rmount NIL obstac1us OF else con-
fcss 10 falsencss, one cannot see anything in tho
past to undermine Its claims to q God-sent sal
vntson. The rapoated failure Of tho old c3asesc
pntrtota to establish liberty did not argue
against tho intrinsic merit OF that human cotl-
aition, but showed only that liberty must abtdo
It's time and work Its way forward, not BY mfra-
r,c, but BY Inv.
Had our forcfathcrs attempted to plant their
nstisgtlon9 n M on thc soast o. cins where 2oo;
down uponlthem as the Goths poured tlownupon
tncllnval Rome. tue na1ne Of plymouth Rock
would not exist only fn inerodEblo legend; but
they sa'lod u q Shore pcople1 by only t1m1d,
baek into the vtidorncss. il liberty va % com.
pelled thus to bide its clance and 90 forward i,y
law Of human naturc, 80, too, will Christianity
run, or llnEeE or halt according to the help or
hi9dranco Of tho ago through which VII i moves.
general means Of progrcss. uc confessed
that Lie could haye sunl1noilcl legtons of angels
To His aid, hut Hc hau Himself been born
under the law, had eomo not 70 d.
rlls religion. to pursue tho same career.
As man could scourGe the Master, Or spit upon
Him. or braid for Him crown Of thorhs, 10 tho
truth Of thu Master was to 20 forth, liable ~
wiih tlosns. il tio thirteenth century, catno.
lie ChriatIans began tle conversion Of Chtua,
but the low mental and moral status OF TINT Md
empire was moro thar match for these teach
crs for five hundred Ycars. The lollest men The
Catholics possussed went. and toIcd, aud dlod,
leaving tho Gross standing Oh the coaat, while
the hliadEcds Of millions caIno and lived md
passed away without having over heard Of the
divine Ono OF Bethlclem. Thus, as Christ and
His Apostles |ay subject 70 VIOLENCE, aubject tn
ali tho forms Of earthly itl-trcattncnt 20 tho ra-
lt4ion they planted lives exposed to all buffet
ingt, and Ia dependent upon tho sama human
aIds which, push forward litcraturcor liberty.
There ase csyy sos'ls snd swollen rivers before
.layng founu some Of tho obstacles which de-.
tained this chariot In tho far pust, wo thay well
mark what il the greatcs. cause oi delay Ia the
present. This cnuses are not perfectly identical
retarded religion In tho oldon t!u,es rctarls Il
| ret, u causo constant, but always, - IL EeelDs
diminishing. ThGre Ii All agency peEpetua1ly al
work aEainas tho universal reign Ut Christ, and
mind and heart 81 men aud thc ldca'sm q
Christianity. Christ ls too lar above thu humn1
| world. uc ID gradually drawing nil men unto
hitn, but tue multitude Is large and the distance
to 10 passed. over very E1cAt. Thu secuiul
WRITER'S Indeed, ridcule Tue position t4at Chris
t,u.itY will convert nlcn aa suon ~ men st.Al
| llavv become better; that Il Will a4y0 the wurlG
as soon 10 the world shall haye been utierwlst
| saved; hut let ua not be frightened by tla riQ
ieule, Tor there 10 grcnt truth beneath tho 20
sttion Just assumed. There are ,ueu wnp tcact
| tllat Christianity will transform bIuux lnillal
Into polished civilian; that 1t will trabsfurm
drunkasd In half.hour aud destroy his loyo O
drink; will purify his blood ~ well Is bis judG
mcnt. These dony tho vaIuo Of literature, alll
learning, nnd at. and lpvs to ssort eetcnee. u
though, bY so doing, they were exalung Christ
It will llnt do Tot these TO say that thu world
will bs moro CAristian when Il ss,all l,ayo oc
conc more enlightened aud purer; for iii thei
theory tue mora degraded q Fnce IL thu mort
active there will be tue Holy Spirit. hut these
err, for ali those forlns Of elcatton aud prDgrcs.
| arc partners. active with the religion of Jesus
aud oNly ~ all these powers work will the delay
Of the MasteF be brought to termination
4overnment and education, and al aclence AIT
literature, and all public and prtyats life, iu
word, al inenta! and spiritual development, ART
twtn slsters with religion, md II they are pull
ing backward rellgion will halt by tha way. Al
Faith, 1lope, mud Charity move no
power tu Charity unless Faith md Elupo b,
| along with her, and none fn Faith unless Low.
be- BY her side, 10 Christ moves q coutrnl agur'
OF group and ID powerful only when all til,
for.ns of thought anti sentiment ara uwaks ami
full Of enthusiasm around His chaflot. tn,
/ lark AHes and other arcs tried to currl