The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-02-02
FINISHES one of the most illustrous displays of the

furnishes one of the most llustrious displays Of the
watchful providence ofGod.
of their adoption they have suffered incredible
hardships: their persons have been banished, i'm
mos sans and heavy While millions their
wealth have been sacrificed TO the cupidlty OF Kings
and governments Nations more likely. from their
political importance to perpetuate their existence.
have sunk like lead in the mighty waters, or like
the drops of rain have coalesced with the vast
ocean of human existence and have lost their indi-
yiduality; but the Jews in the nineteenth century
of the Christian era continue to maintain their
nationality The purposes OF GOD are not yet &C &C
fall Of them be the riches of the world and the di-
minishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how
ing away Of them be the reconciling of the world,
what shall the receiving OF them be but life from
both Of the wisdom and knowledge Of God! How
unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past
Second.~Wc noticed,-Political Conversations
Among these may be noticed the destruction of
Egypt, and the four great monarchies symbolzed Dy
the image mentioned in Daniel Will overturn,
oyerturn overturn until He come whose right II is.
and unto Him shall the kingdom be given"-Ezekiel
mire the manner in which the providence Of God
takes hold in this respect of the evil propenstes OF
man, and presses them into his service.
We instance, in illustration what is popularity
called the conversion Of the Roman Empire to
Christianity. Though we are far from looking upon
sympathy with the oratory that has described the
Empire at this time as second paradise; yet after
making every reas9naDle Gus rne
substantial benefits, and prepared broader path
way for the Gospel.
The church while she maintained for above three
centuries with only occasional intervals an alarm
ing struggling with the whole power of the Roman
world, had bled at every pore.
the celebrated edict of Milan, he Constantine re-
stored peace to the church.
The property that had been confscated from tne
Christians was given back without dispute without
delay, without expense. 1t was enacted, that the
Christians should enjoy their religion projected by
By the edicts of liberation he issued, he removed
the temporal obstacles which had hitherto stood in
the way of the progress of Christianity and It's self
DENYING and Jealous missionaries received free
permission to travel without interruption TO every
part of the Empire to preach the truths OF gospel
fhe powerful influence of Constantine was not
crcumscribed by the limits of his life or of
his dominions The education he bestowed upon
his sons and nephews secured to the Empire race
of princes whose faith was still more lively sin
cere as they imbibed IN their earliest infancy the
War and commerce had spread the knowledge OF
the gospel beyond the confines OF Roman provinces;
and prescribed sect soon learned to esteem religion
which had been so lately embraced by the greatest
Fnonarch and the most civilized nation on the globe.
na the er e which giered
standard Of ROM rndeda their ,ds efse e Of
M men nG receved at the same time, the lg in lar
and hnmanity The kings of Iberig- end armenia
worship the God of their protector and their SUD-
jects W 4 have invariably preserved the name OF
Christ rs soon formed q sacred and perpetual con-
nee' - with their Roman brethren: In modern
tire the Khans and dynastes OF the Fast na ~,
Indian Empire, God is removing these impedlments
from before the progress of His kingdom. Conslaer
ing the distribution of political power as subservient
To The final triumph of the christian faith It Is re-
markabe fact that the Protestant states OF Europe
and America which one hundred yeaT;s ago Of ce sb
iects including their colonies, now extend their
rule in both hemispheres, over six times that num-
Der. Within less than.one hundred years, the pop,
ulation under the seeptre of Britain has advanced
from thirteen millions to upwards OF one hunureu
and fifty millions, or more than sixth portion OF
4 hundred wears ago, the Mohammedan powers of
Turkey, Persia, and India still ranked among the
most potent arbiters of the destinies OF mankind
The Mogul Empire is now extinct; the Persian Is
smitten with incurable weakness ana the ottoman
is trembling on its basis. Inc Monammeuan sMolu
Is broken: and the Christian governments, 10 WhOm
have been consigned almost the whole OF what the
Musselman and Pagan powers have lost, are either
Protestant Greek Indeed history is rePlete WIN
recitals coniirmative of the view we here maintain
-" Come behold the works of the LORD, what desc
lations he hath made in the earth. Hemaketh wars
10 cease unto the ends of the earth he breaketh the
bow and cutteth the spear IN snnder; ne Duruetn
the chariot in the fire. Be still and know that am
God | will be exalted among the heatheh, VIII Oe
Third would call your attention to another
historic truth worthy of note = The peace ana unity
of the Roman Empire, as the Advent OF CHRIST, anu
in the First Ages of the Church au.
The temple of Janus had Deen closed lnlIly years
when the Saviour was born. Union and peace
reigned throughout the vast extent OF the roman
Empire which included the fairest portions OF the
earth and the most refined nations. Rome mao py
the policy of the senate the active emulation OF the
consuls and the martial enthusiasm OF the people
reduced the nations to state oil homogehelIy.; au
pstus inclined to peace relinquished the AMBITIOUS
designs of his predecessors in power of subluSatng
the nations of the earth On the death OF that EN-
In that instrument he advised hissuccessors to con-
fine the Empire within those limits which seemed to
be its natural bulwarks and boundaries inns MOI
crate system was with few thrilling exceptions
adopted by his immediate successor.
II became the duty of every Roman General, with
out aspiring to conquest simply 70 gunra me po
over maps of the old word we behold them dotted
with many independent nations and lurlsdicu,9nss
With the advancing power of Rome, these indlvl-
dual states one after another, fell and hnally dsap
reared and one language was diffused through the
The great military highways facilitated the travels
of the Apostolic Missionary the easy means OF Inter
communication with the vast extent OF me Konall
Empire the maner in which all parts OF the empire
were linked in with the great Capital OF the Woru
the connection Of the provinces with their metro
poitan towns and of the larger portions OF the EN-
pire with the more considerable cities were all cir
cumstances favorable to this object, the knowledge
of the gospel. ., r,,hos
Corinth were centres OF commercial political and
literary correspondence and hence became also me
principal seats chosen for the propagation OF tne
gospel where the first preachers tarried longest.
Commercial intercourse, which had served from the
earliest times, not Only LOT the
goods but also for transmitting the nobler treasures
of the mind, could now be used as means LOT dii-
fussing the highest spiritual blessings
This among other facts shows the perfect proprlc-
ty of such phrases the following THE fullness
OF time" Gal. iv. T. Eph. i. TO- In due time Christ
died for the ungodyh Rom. " 6,
FonrthNUseffl inventions we find God pressing
into the same service. Coming down the pain oil
centuries we reach The Reformation Inc arr o.
printing, the revival of learning III Europe ana
throughout Christendom. and the Retormatloh
arose almost simultaneously. How opportnne ioF
the Reformation! The press gave wings 70 tne doc
trines of the Bible and the thoughts of the Reform
ers ard by the easy multiplication OF copies oil tne
Holy Scriptures and the productions of pous minds
the truth scattered and placed beyond reach Oh
priestly surveillance.
Notice too, the Mariners Compass Before the por-
larity of the magnet discovered navigation was
only a coastng affair. The discovery of this fact
introduced u new era in maratime operations. Ma
tons hitherto separated by seas and mighty oceans
are brought into contiguity and social relation.
Without this valuable agent india America, ana
Australasia, would have remained unknown regions
Columbus and Cook were pioneers to the Purltans
and Missionaries; and the steamengine ana the
galvanc battery have all but annihlated distance
The padde-wheeis OF European anu ane,lcat ,,i
telligence are in the Mediterranean daily breaking
up the waters of oriental superstition ignorance ana
despotisnl. Not steamer ploughs the water from
the Pillars of Hercules TO the sea of Japan, that goes
not as herald of civilization christianity and the
Bible to those benighted nations. And the earth
help the woman Rev xii IL. For the God hath
put all things under His tthe Mediator's) feet
Cor. XIV q.
The capabilities and resources of continents and
and the wide diffusion of the English language, i'll.
telligence and literature; the transfer of political
power from Pagan and Mohammedan despots to
Christian princes commercial relations; the pro-
gress of civilization and the noble deeds OF beneyo
lent and reforming societies, prove that that man
looks with limited or sealed vision upon the annals
of the past and present history of the human race
who does not descry running through all its course
underlying it, and prominent above it, the workings
of spiritual Kingdom. whose influence, in one or
other form, has defined the metes and bounds OF
history 10 the rest of history bears the rea
ton that the granite does to the earhs strata. is
both deepest and highest it supports by its soldity
beneath and uts out in its sublmity i'll the oitiest
SUBMITS. God is seen in all, and through all, and
the voice of the revealed Christ of the Bible is heard
saying,-"I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the
last, Rev. H. IL.
And SO all future history will be impressed God
will preserve his word and provide for the propaga
ton of his gospel until the whole earth shall be
filled with his knowledge and glory.
In contemplating these triumphs Of the religion OF
the Biblethese victories of the glorious gospel OF
the grace of God, whose heart does not burn with
desire 10 behold them If we in the least insru-