The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-12-08

Still again these same DarOnS, who llit
fought against the king As friends of the PEG
pie became more oppressive to the people
than the king. They were the masters nno
the people were the slaves.
But lust at this time there is Il movement
inauguratcd which changes the face Of all
Europe. 1t is the cruSadcs. As religion,
movement, they were great armies that went
from England, France md Italy to rescue the
holy land from tAe power of the Mahomme
dams. But they were intended by politicians
TO unite the Latin and Greek churches and tC
give birth to an European republic under the
supremacy OF the Pope
But what did the crusldcs do for the church
Three things. |. ltOb,aincd control of almost
every christian man. When The cross was
taken rs q sign Of church iiat ~ iar holy
war civil authority ceased to co.a.oi Linn that
took il. Thus kings, princes and men OF every
rank were bound by oath to the papal power
o. Princes sold their dominions to get money
to 90 on the holy war so that the church, IN
buying these, extended her influence over vast
territories. ;. During this period also are the
cOrruptlOns of the church beginning to be re
vcalcd, the immortality and prohigacy OF the
monks and the goddess rapacity of the pOpes
Now let us stand still and see the salvation
of the Lord in all these devastations. What
did We obtain from the chaos created by Alex
ander the Great? First, he broke down all
kinds of cast. Secondly, he lcveed to the
ground walled cities which prevented commu
nication between different people. Thirdly
he introduced the sane customs and languages
all over the world. Thus by this devastation
there was access to all countries and the same
language was understood in all parts, 50 that
missionary work WIS made easy when the
gospel came.
What did we gain by the persecution of the
first century: The scattering of gospel truth
to the four corners of the earth. There were
at Judca people Of every nation. They alb
sorbcd gospel truths. The fire brand of perse
cution was thrust into that gathering multitude
The bands were broken and the people fled to
all parts of the earth bearing the glad tidngs
of Jesus. Thus the seeds of Christianity were
planted in the ruins of Alexander and the RO
man generals.
What did we gain by the uprising of the
Northern hordes in the fourth century? They
advanced like armies of locusts, plundcring
killing and devastating all over Europe First
we gained sturdier freer and u more indie
pcndentspirited people to dwell in the South
Secondly, the demolition of old Kingdoms and
constitutions built upon idolatrous and heath
en- principles and the privilege in the REFORM
ing of new constitutions and empires upon the
ashes Of the old tointuse and mould them with
christian ideas. Thirdly, the conversion OF
many kings. Fourthly, christians were carried
off as slaves to foreign nations, and there they
became preachers of the gospel.
What did we gain by the crusadcS> In
this great tluX of moving nations different
people became convcrsant with different Ian
guages, customs and thoughts. The western
people never dreamed of the splendOr that
was in the East Their rich cities magnificent
palaces and gorgeous gardens astonished them.
Men of great culture and high order of intel
lect came in contact with each other. This
commingling of nations became source Of
great culture in the West Iron sharpeneth
iOrn.'
You have seen in certain field an anthil.
The farmer comes along with his pillow and
turns it upside down. You say, "what de-
struction of life that is" So it is, IN respect to
the ants A great disorder indeed But by
and by the golden grain waves beautifully in
the breeze and sunshine. Thus it il, the provi-
dcnce-pow Of the Almighty cuts through the
ant-hillS OF human society that better order
and better fruit may grow.
Now, rs results growing OUT III Ncsc devaS
tations, we have all over Europe courts in
which the chief men of the nations assemble
to make laws for the good of tn people-sl
kind of a representative government We can
hardly appreciate how individual man has
grown in stature and importance. A little
while ago he was the scavcnger OF kings and
Of y few mobiles, but now he stands almost
abreast with the throne
But must not forget that am here to-day
as the charioteer Of Progress, and holding in
my hands the rein-clcments OF history. And
want to lead YOU To the throne of the Al
mighty upon the highway which God has cut
through the wilderness.
All over Europe are STRINGS and conyulsiyC
uphcavals of morally buried cternities strug
Cling for expression in the movements of ma
tons, when as ii were the curtains of the Al
mighty were upliftcd ana revealed to he gaze
of the world "A new continent The nncients
had put upon the pillars of Hercules, NE pins
Wtra' They thought that there was nothing
beyond But here was world bouudless in
territory and resources To developed b'ave PEG
pie. Here was world OF freedoms, refuge
from the old world tyranny. Thus in the move
mcnts of events we see few prosecuted bu
earnest souls fleeing to this land for shelter.
But the old powers stretched their arm>
across the Atlantic, bearing ictters and shack
les ana standing uptoe upon the rocks OF GlD
raltar and crying in respect to freedom AND
government, M pirs Wtrd.' They. though
nothing could 80 beyond their government
Still this rugged people, with thd scars o
battlc-tires on their faces, said Come, let Il.
reason together. Shall our lives be uoscribeC
by parliament 1900 miles away? Shall W,
be taxed without representation Shall we sui
fer foreign army To be distributed through
our land: Shall our conscience Stll be in bon
dagc|
Now, it is right here that want you 10 SCI
the force of all have said hithertos How nj
the elements that | have brought before yol
have bearing upon our land. Yop will oh
serve that power has passed from patriarch t,
chief, from chief to king or emperor, from kin:
to generals, then To a Saxon fcudal lord, theI
To Norman ieudal lord, then to the tyrant
then 10 the baron, then to the freeman. Thu
there Is but one step more TO be taken and tina
is achieved in ihc formation of the American
constitution. In ii power passes 10 ann Il
man with Il unit power in the government
! Thus looking back upon feudal lords, king
| tyranny and selfish baronS, Ourpeoplc DECLARED
for democracy; considering the oppression