Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-17
A oUADRI-CENTENNI SERMON.
Lessons Of International and Divine Love
Drawn From the Great Discovery.


"No, nnto ns n Lord M, n,o -. h,. rr,o
IT. vs.
my hsihe give glory, was the text OF us
course al the Church OF the Holy City, Dupont
Circle, yesterday morning by Rev. Frank Sew
all He snid. Tho lox-,o,. n, all tho celebra-
IT, :, 81 -. ,.,.--.: .,-,,.
Vi
'no "oriu commencing the COLOSSAL event oi
4Oo years ago should be these words In
recognition OF q power, a greatness a goodness
mt our own ma be;n, the .ource % oil the
hlo..,,,,. n N a.. ..-.-;.,
al" '.o M VIC
we ENJOY Ana especially In TINS iano, In ceie-
brating tho discovery Of America, are we honor
I ing that in which we ourselves had naught what
ever 10 do. for which We can claim no merit. All
self-laudation ali seIfolorifcation are here CON
\ spicuouslv ont of place The glory of this
/ event ia surely ..not INTO us
| A. Columbus reverentlv knelt in thanksc,v-
/ ing to Almighty God and cousecrated the new
soil to the worsbin of the Lord Je-us Christ nv
planting therein the cross of the Christian relie-
ion. so let us acknowledge the providence OF
God in all honors we nav to the instrumental
ties erployed by divine wisdom.
To, hi: even, hr;ro ma ;rto O. mora reol
sense Of our relation 10 our fellow beings of the
human race. to those Of other religions, other
civil institutions, other nations.
First of oil, the heroism Of q fellow-man to
whose patient study, interchangeable zeal, de-
'ermlheu purpose s'eadias' courage ana IN
n,s,t 7, H. tbe f.sb,o, - 80 =. EL. 80 r.
little those who have become the worlds
heroes to find ont flaws in their character and
their work. and so to magnify their own petty
criticisms AZ to put out Of sight the really great
and noble aspects of the character assailed.
This is not the time to attack the reputation of
Christopher Columbus 1t is far more benefit
cial to us and to our children to dwell upon his
heroic qualities and heartily recognize and
honor these, than to be searching out defects
and binding our own ewes by the dust we raise
His name was prophetic; Christie ferens :"
clearer of Christ" "Columbo," "a dove
messenger" bringing the light of Christianity
TO n world in heather darkness. That his work
was married BY human fraities who denies?
None knew this better than he. Who are we,
his feeble and erring fellow men, to condemn
him?
God does not make use of perfect men, even
as instruments for great work else the work
would never be done. He uses those human
qualities. courage faith perseverance, skill, en-
durance and trust in God, nay, even the mo-
tives of selfish gain. ambition for o worldly
glory He uses as mighty instruments for great
ends.
To serve the worlds great needs human in
struinents viii not be wanting, though the
-,
-,
- a.. -,
4'Ho' me- 'ouh''S ""' Nv 'n"' u.'s Vi 'n"oo'"
dent and warning republics, city rather than
united land; but 1t was city that belonged
to a race that In the age or columbus ana the
centuries just preceding gave TO the world men
who were Its beacon lights In nearly all the
civilization that tollowed-Gahleo. Giordano,
Bruno, Dante, Glolto, Michael Angelo and
Raphael-not unworthy descendants OF that
Rome whose empire was the world, and the
first race to set up in the western world, under
the Medici princes. those great lights OF learn
ing and philosophy, yea, OF religion, which,
with the invasion OF the Turk, had died In the
cast
To the Italian genius, their love OF adventure,
their vivid Imagination, their passionate devo-
uon toachosen purpose ana their clear, intuitive
vision Of the end desired. amounting to almost
creative faculty, the secret OF their art, to
this spirit working In the soul OF the Genoese
boatman, az ne lay Deneath tine stars, thinking
out the problem OF the skies, we owe this con-
oeptlon, this bold project. this achievement OF
the discovery OF the new world The Italians
do wei To set up monuments to columbus. and
so 10 their own honor as 10 the race chosen by
providence to be the medium OF this great
gift OF continent TO the nations OF the earth.
THE DIRT To Rrr1GroS
W., l.. - 80, &c.. r., ,vo ,.o ~.
"''
only 10 nation inherent from ours, out espe-
ferent as having nothing in common, when it is
the very light of Christianity itself which Co.
lumbus was commissioned to bear to this CONT
nent. This light of the Christian faith had I'D
TO that time been fostered alone by the one
Catholic Church of Christendom. Whatever
Bibles were recorded, whatever universities
were founded wherein the Bibles might be
newly translated. II was the Catholic Church
which preserved these Bibles and founded these
universities. II is light thing now for
Churches TO have Bibles in abundance to scatter
abroad over the earth. but think what it
before 1440. before the art of printing was
known. when every Bible meant O copy written
BY hand sad that with prayerful accuracy and
reveTential awe. How many Bibles would our
busy Protestant churches Of today find time to
write out by hand?
The Catholic Church had kept alive am id all
the harsh turmoil and bloody struggles Of the
dark ages this lamp of the word of God,
The faith and religious purpose such as it
was. and whatever it was which inspired
Columbus was the outcome under Divine
Providence of the religious influence of the
church Of that age.
We do ourselves a benefit to recognize the
wholesome noble and beautiful elements of
that religious culture, whatever NAV have
rnarred il then and afterward God could use
that religious faith. that spirit Of devotion
that heaven-inspired zeal for His great pur-
poses. lie: us see to il that our own religious
customs and means Of culture are producing
equally high types of manly and Christian