Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-03-19
.,.wru OF PROTEsTANTlsM ~ z
,xc rmE PRESENT GENTRY.

sec TINE PRESENT CENTURY.
The following paper, prepared by re-
...st for the Seattle Ministers Associa-
80, was delivered as a sermon Sunday
earning. March 10th, at the Baptist
Church. by the pastor, Rev. ID. j.
p;s,ce. and, being repeated on Monday
moruing before the Ministers Associa-
,;o, WAS by them requested for publ
,a,oz in the local press
"rhy people shall be all righteous !;
.,.g ANAL inherit the land forever. the
s,anch of my planting, the work Of my
hands, that | my be gloriiied. "
lsaiah Lx., Il.
God works i'll accordance with nat
,,sI law IN the upbuilding of His
sinodom. The Spirits visltatiOns of
,sfresbing are guided by natural prepa-
,s,ions. which involve the entire ma
sh;uery of the worlds craftsmanship In
their plan.
Christ came in the fullness Of times,
,ccordinp to Paul, and. looking back
mon the historic page, We can see how
Psrsian worship, Greek deiiiad he
roaa Alexander's unifying conquest
and pompey's victory over Brutus were
aiI IN the plan Of preparation for Mes
s,ab's coming. Luther's greatness vas
mot the product of single mind 1t
WAS the outgrowth OF thousand years
of darkness and cropping after light,
and the popular mind anticipated MS
action III It's upheavtls ana reactions
against the Papacy. The dawn OF the
present century found the world walt
inR for more vigorous Christianity,
and the nations OF the earth being
shaped for its propagation. Inc nofa
force of tho reformation had been over
come bv the deadening Influences OF
State patronage. The great spirituil
wave, started with the religious convul'
sion of Germany three hundred years
before it had passed over Europe,
wrought ont its destiny and was fol-
lowed by the corresponding depression
of religious sentiment ~ a natural re-
action. Professionalism had been crys
tslized in State churches Catholicism
had passed through conservative re-
formation and inhdelity, led by French
communists, mad against religious de-
p0tism, which threatened the very bul-
warks of Christian faith. Volt tire
prophesied in the flush of success that
in a century Christianity would hardly
NJ mentioned L" lie was tired OF
hearing ii boosted that twelve men had
been able to plant Christianity through.
out the world he would furnish PROOF
that ono WAS sufficient to destroy H.
lHOy. Hist, II and ~ cent, l1B.)
English d, ism and French inhdelity
seemed to overshadow the civillHed
world, when new movement, untor-
seen. swept over England and Anlerloa,
led by George Whitfield and the Wes-
leys, but everywhere responded to by
heart yearu,ng that had only been aR-
prayated by the unbelief OF the genera
ton.
The human heart cried for bread.
State religion gave II Il stone. but the
earnest, heartfelt utterances or godly
men, who spent whole nights III prayer,
proved liie- giving blessing. fhev AL
dressed themselves to the common geo
pe, and AS of old the common people
heard gladly" David Hume declared
Whitfield the most talented preacher he
ever heard, and worth walking twenty
miles TO hear. Oftentimes personally
abased these earnest men set she Eng
llsh heart on fire and brought tree
salvation within reach of the popular
heart. Whitfield crossed the sea thir-
teen times, and aroused the American
heart to full glow Of religious fervor.
Jonathan Edwards gives u full deserip-
ton Of the work in New England. He
says: Though it WAS ridiculed by
many elsewhere, yet 1t proved word
IN season here, and WAS most evidently
attended with u very remarkable bless
ing to the souls of he people or THIS
town." He then gives description oil
tbs work in many places, resulting from
these beginnings A new gospel came
into the popular heart, Yet with tue
revelation all was again changed
French intidelity was rampant III the
ssats of learning. When Ilmothy
Dwight in 1875 took the Presidency of
Yale College, he found the leading stu
dents such pronounced inhdeis that
they we're better known by their lnfidel
lom dc plumes than by their true
hames. Their challenge to debate was
accepted, and his arguments overpow-
cred them. His mastery course en
nrely .hanged the character of the III
nltution and religion, gaining ground
SAk Vic ulkucI ClhSSVos cCbss1 - ~ "
course Of success. Tue earnest efforts
oi Bishop Ashbuiy of the M. + Church,
Of the Edwards's in their connection
and host of other clear reiigious
Mihkers, left its impress upoh the
AMERICAN world.
but We need to look at n still more
indirect influence in the preparation
lof Protestant success in the present
~atury. Greasy. i'll his Fifteen De-
sislve Battles OF the World" has shown
now natural conflict often decides a
world period: how Marathon and Blen
lelm and Waterloo decided destinies
iA beyond tho nationalities engaged In
tae conflicts, and Christianity, follow
,ilg the banners of Charles Murtel in
us victory over the Saracens in 732, be-
Ane hrmly planted in the civilized ma
aohs of the earth, and, according to
u'ooon, Rescued our ancestors of Brit
am and our neiehbors of Gaul from the
S,'h and religious yoke of the Koran.
I'en SO the heroic deeds of English
waiilots, the victories of Nelson and
lexington and the craftsmanship of
william Pitt opened the world To Prot
nt Ideas and decided the dsstinies
y. tne present century, if not of the en-
nN, n.e future of Christianity and an open
p.ple' At the close of the last century,
SSueiand had just wrested from Catho-
SSmndel France the American prece-
yteaoe, and when Wolf fell fighting on
-, s plains of Quebec new era opened
@ @ %s Western Continent. "By open
North America for the English
S says McCabe (Pic. Hist. World,
mt changed the history of the
,h..W! HIS support of Prussia enabled
sns Aingdom To preserve her lndepcnd-
' mss AUD 50 paved the way for the Ger.
empire of the present century.
,hs ,haen he died several years before
nn' naecislve battle of Waterloo, his en-.
aIslAs'ic n0I,..ic eloquence ani farsiehted
III ,huc measures had already srasped
ma autipodes of faith for his sovereign
s,~ s opened the way tor peaceful mod
NJ. rssions III Asia by the control oi
ana ast India Company in the East
m. .ae freedom preparing in the West
nhal defeat Of Napoleon in 1915 al
s,ss. stloo was the closing scene Of q
vb;a. victory for Protestant principles
the SUI sheds its halo Of glOr,
s,,9hout s,,.s9out the civilized world and pen
'as darkness Of heathondom viii