The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1892-11-04
the shortest route to India for the mer-
chants of the Mediterranean.

the shortest route to India for the mer-
chants of the Mediterranean.
After several unsuccessful attempts to
get the assistance of the government to
his enterprise, he finally was recognized
by royal authority, fitted out his expe-
dition and set forth on his perilous jour-
new. He was possessed of one idea; the
roundness of the earth and the shorter
route westward to India.
He was not easily turned aside from
his purpose; he overcame serious op-
stacles; he rose above encouragement;
he stood almost alone against the wofld'
he must have been of firm purpose, OF
great courage, of strong hope, for he Nv
ed down the opposition of others. lie
feared not the perils of the unknown sea
and on his voyage he quelled the muffin
Gus purposes of his sailors. He was sue
cessful. he discovered land, returned to
Spain, made other voyages, touched the
continent of South America and was con-
WINGED that the earth was round.
Those. believe, are the leading facts
of his history, at least sufficient for our
purpose to-day. We care not to canon
ize him with the title of saint. We count
it modifying to attempt to blacken ms
fame by accusations which some are
making unwisely. We shall use at the
close of the service the translation OF the
PRAYER which Columbus is said to have
offered at his landing in 1892. His per-
sonal character is to be judged not oy
the standard of to-day but according to
the times in which he lived.
UNDOUBTEDLY HE WAS A CHRISTIAN,
a member of the church. We should say,
according to our view of the church, that
he was a member of the Catholic church
of Christ, of that undivided church of the
first Is centuries from which we all may
claim descent. CorruptiOns there were
in it then to be sure.
But such a condition of the Christia
world for those centuries, we believe,
had a purpose and did some great WORK
II preserved the faith. 1t was united to
the civil power and was supported by lis
arm. 1t was thus able to centraliZe us
authority and to extend its influence. Ill
the midst of general darkness and lgnor-
ance. the church of the first 10 centuries
preserved the Scriptures, held to the
| faith. administered the sacraments and
continued the Apostolic ministry intact
Thus Columbus, brought up in these
conditions, was enabled to make his voy.
age under the patronage both OF churcf
and state and his great discovery was
the prelude to the development of the
| New World. 1t was crisis in history
And the very name he bore is both
mark of his Christian birth and training
and may be reminder, also, OF the re-
suit that has been realized. 1t recalls tt
our minds the ancient legend of 81
/ Christopher Christ Oifero), the gian
who is said to have carried the Christ
child safely over the waters of the deer
river, typical of the faithful service Of
the Saviour.
So, my brethren, we may adopt the re,
ligious view of the voyage of Columbus
j and in its relation to the future, think o.
him as the man who was the humble ano
perhaps unworthy means OF bearing the
i Knowledge of the crucified to the distant
| chores of the then unknown world. Be-
] ing the o.
! CHILD OF THE CHURCH
in name and fact, he became IN reality
az we look at the results of his work, both
| in fact and in name the child of Provi
dence.
Rut LET us be careful not to overesti
mate the man himself, in recognizing the
hand of Divine Providence in the results
which followed. 1t is said that the flight
af . flock Of birds induced Columbus, as
he was nearing land to turn his course
more to the southwest and thus he land
| ed on a small island off the coast of Flor
ida. It was left to the Cabots, English
mon. to discover the main land of Nortf
America, few years later, and this i
the second criti cal point in our history
i It made a vast difference whether tn
Anglo-Saxon race gained the first foot
4 hold upon American soil or not. 1t wal
i a question, not only between the Ro
i nance nations and the English but vita
question also of true Christianity itself
i Granted that at the time the Cabots dis
i covered this coast, England was on
i level both as nation and in religion
with all the rest of Europe. Yet alread.
the seeds were sown of that great reiig
i ious movement of the Reformation which
gained such Roadway in the 10th century
and worked such revolution n Tn
q Christianity of the country. English dis
covery brought with it English enter
prise, Anglo-Saxon character and a re
formed religion.
il The next great turning point IN Ameri
can history was
THE COMING OF THE MAYFLowER.
these first comers were religious refu