St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-12-08

ander, Hannibal and Napoleon trav-
eled for conquest travelled in search
of men to shed their blood, and plant
ed whole provinces with the willow
and the cypress. But Christian phi
lanthrOpists are traversing continents,
scaling mountains, penetrating forests,
Drawing the dangers of every sea, in
search of men to do them good.
= | observe, then, in conclusion,
what is already apparent, that Christi
anity is moving along the
GREAT AVENUES OF STRENGTH
of our own nation and of the nations
of the globe, widening her scope of
action, expanding her resources of
strength, diffusing life and light
through every possible channel, and
converting even opposing forces into
redemptive agencies. The smallest of
all seeds-as Christ puts it-has germi-
mated, sprung up and expanded until it
has become tree, for
CHRISTIANITY BEGAN ITS MISSION
in few words of authority
in and about Judea. To-day its fam
ing heralds of truth belt the globe with
light. 1t began by feeding some
thousands with five lOaves and two
small fishes. To-day it holds the key
to the largest granaries of earth, and
its engines groan under the weight of
its charities as they hasten to feed a
famished district, state or nation. 1t
began by opening IA few blind eyes,
but it is gathering the sightless by
thousands to-day and teaching them
until with finger tips they read the
words of the Book and ont of their
eclipse see Jesus the light of the world.
Christianity began its mission by
emancipating IA few whose reason had
bowed and whose minds had become
dark and chaotic, and who were being
led captive by Satan ut his will. To
day it is emancipating the millions
from the thralldom of ignorance, super
stitiOn and the bondage of Satan, and
holding back myriads more by the
light of her gospel from the dreadful
night of hopeless insanity.
Christianity began by touching natures
forces at one or two points. To-day
she has them harnessed to her vehicles,
whirling her messengers of light across
the continents, making even the light
nings to throb with her messages of
JOY and the telephones to shout her
anthems of praise. Christianity found
time to say, "DO unto others even as
We would that others should do unto
you" To-day we vote the golden
rule we stuff the ballot-b boxes with
it more, it is incorporated into our
-crystallized in our constitutions.
Christ found time to take few little
children in his arms and bless them.
To-day Christianity is throwing her
great sheltering arms around the mill
ions, and in her homes, her orphanages,
her Sunday schools, she is pointing
them to the ladder of light that reaches
to the city of foundati0ns-a work that
is the hope of this world and the joy
of the other. Christ gathered a few
disciples about him while on earth.
Christianity is gathering them by
thousands daily in this age and we
believe we are rapidly approaching the
time when a "natiOn shall he born in a
day :" more, when by one loud acclaim
the race shall pronounce Christ the
divine regenerator of its life and desti-
nies. Some say Christianity is fail
ure. A little more such failure and all
over this globe we shall have "A king
dom wherein dwelleth righteous
ness