The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1885-08-20
coNQUERlNo AND TocoNQUER.

the school.
CONQUERlNG AND TOCoNQUER.
DR.. Parkliurst's Answer to the Charge
That Christianity Is DeclinlnG-An Ex-
ceIlent Tonic for Depending Believers.
The article in the North american
Revsew by DR.. c. H. Parkhurst, in an
swer to the question: us Christianity
declining?" is clear refutation of those
who affirm that it is, and an excellent
tonic for responding believers, dis
heartened by too ready credence of
the false assertion. The writer shows
that any suspicion Of such decline is
unfounded, and is applicable on three
grounds: The avidity OF newspapers in
collecting and giving the largest prom
inence to crimes, thus making the i'm
preston that society is becoming more
and more corrupt, and that Christiani-
tyis o failure; meager acquaintance
with the moral condition of society fif-
ty, or hundred, or a thousand, years
ago; and an elevated moral sentiment
that takes offense at what in times past
has been accounted as tolerable or
even unexceptionable. As illustrating
the gross intemperance that prevailed
in New England two centuries ago, it
is recorded that at the funeral Of the
pastor of church at Ipswich, Mass,
one barrel Of wine and two of cider were
consumed by the mourners, and that
intemperance among ministers, elders
and deacons was common. 1T is o
part Of the history of the old church at
Andover that the chief causes Of disci-
pline for l25 years were fornication and
drunkenness" The rare occurrence OF
either OF these crimes in church circles
at the present time indicates vast ad-
vance in the morality of the people.
DR.. Parkhurst gives the following sta
tistics of the increase in the number of
evangelical churches and commune
cants from 1900 to 1880:
In the year 1900 there were in the
United States 5000 evangelical
churches; in 1850, 43,O72; in 1870, TO-
14S; and in 1880, 97,09O-a gain of ~, 600
in the decade between 20 and 80. In
1900 there were 364, 600 communicates;
in 1850, 2,529, 600; in 1870, 6,673, 600;
in 1880, 1O,065,000 OF course, during
all this time there was an immense in
crease in population, but the increase
in church membership good deal
more than kept pace with that of the
population. Taking the whole country
through, there was in 1900 one evan
gelical communicate to every LAY; in
habitants; in 1850, one to every 6! in
1870. one to every 81; and in 1880, one
to every 5. In lS45 only five of the
students were church members. In
1880, rs per cent Of the students of all
American colleges were protesting
Christians; in 1850, SO per cent; in
1865, 46 per cent; in 1880. out Of H..
O63 students in sixty-five colleges, g..
OSl, or little more than half, were
professors Of religion. 1t is by such
steps as these that the religion Of Jesus
Christ is attempting to die out of the re.
spect and affection of the American
people! So far from Christianity be-
traying the first symptoms Of exhaustion
there has been no time since the Jordan
baptism of Jesus when it has moved
with such gigantic strides, or put fortf
efforts so vigorous and herculean, a.
during the years Of our own century
when the disciples of Voltaire and Paine
have been most agile in their production
of obituaries.
Ever since Christianity began it's enc
mics have prophesied its speedy extinc
ton. They have repeatedly declared i
to he moribund, and fixed innumerablt
bygone dates for its final demise. Vol
taire said: before the beginning of tn,
nineteenth century Christianity will
have disappeared from the EARTH" We
it still survives, and the room in which
Voltaire uttered these words has sine,
been used as Bible repository. 1t i
to he expected that men who regart
Christ as an impostor, and His Gospe
as cunningly- devised fable, will pre-
dict its failure; but believers still lin,
encouraging evidences of its progress
and final triumph. To them the divin,
origin of Christianity is a sure guaranty
that it will accomplish its mission.
is hardly thinkable that the work O
human redemption, ordained Of God
inaugurated by the gift Of His only
begotten Son, and continually enlistin,
the energies of Omnipotence, can eve
come to naught Because Christ is di
vine, He must conquer. His victor,
was the chief theme Of prophecy befor
His birth: He shall not fail nor he dis
couraged till He have set Judgment Of
the earth, and the isles shall wait 70
His law" The Government shall b
upon His shoulders, and unto Him shall
the gathering Of the people be-" "Yes
all kings shall fall down before Him
all nations shall serve Him" Chris
Himself promised that this should b
the result OF His redemptionh work
"And I. il he lifted up from the earth
will draw all men unto Me-"
The progress Of the Gospel promise
the fultillment Of these prophecies
Nineteen hundred years ago Christianit,
began with the baptist in the wilder
ness and the babe in the manager. Hu
manly speaking. the odds were agains
It; most of the world was in heathei
darkness, Christ dropped like help