Democratic messenger., 1893-02-18
oeJtcr tnan the I:oman Coliseum.

preine court Of the United States had ap-
propriately adjourned to pay honors to
the two last distinguished men men
toned, and American journalism north,
south. east and west went into lamcnta-
tions over their departure and said all
complimentary things in regard to them.
laskel: When did the nation lie about
these men: Was it when during their
life il gave them malcdiction or now
since their death when bestowing upon
them bcatiiication:'
The same spirit Of cruelty that You de-
plore in the Roman Coliseum is seen III
the sharp appetite Tie world seems 4"
have for the downfall of good men. and
III the divorce of those whose marital life
was thought accordant. and in the alb
sconding of Il bank cashier. Oh. nv
friends, the world wants more of the
spirit of Let him up" and less of the
spirit of Thumbs down." There are
hundreds of men i'll the prisons of Amer
ica who ought TO lie discharged. because
they were the victims of circumstances
or have suffered enough.
There are i'll all professions and occu-
pations men who are domineered over by
others. and whose whole life is struggle
with !Eonsirous opposition, and circum
stances have their heel upon the throb-
bing and broken hearts. For Gods sake.
let them mp. Away with the spirit of
Thumbs down." What the world wants
is 900 men like Tclemachus to leap out
of the gallery into the arena whether he
be- Roman Catholic monk. or Methodist
steward. or Il Presbyterian elder and 20
i'll between the contestants. Blessed
are the peacemakcrs. for they shall be
called the children of God.'
TRAIN THE CHILDREN RIGHT.
Onc-half the world is down and the
other half is up. and the half that is up
hes its heel on the half that is down. If
or. or rs bishop. or as "A state or ma
tional official, or as a potent factor il
social life. or III any way are expressing
any one, know that the same devil that
possessed the Roman Coliseum oppresses
you. The Diocletians are not all dead.
The cellars leading i to the arena of
life's struggle are not all emptied of their
tigers. The vivisection by young doctors
of dogs and cats and birds most of the
time adds nothing to human discovery,
but is only continuation of Vespasian's
Coliseum.
The crucli:es of the world generally be-
gin il, nurseries. and i'll home circles. and
in day schools. The child that transfixes
a i'y with pin. or the low feeling that
sets two dogs into combat or that bullies
IA weak or crippled playmate, or the in
difference that starvcs canary bird.
needs only To be developed III order to
max, first class Nero or full armed
Apollyon. 1t would be II good sentence
to be written on the top line Of a child's
book. and a fit inscription 10 bc en-
broidered in the armchair of the sitting
room. and an appropriate motto for
judge and jury and district attorney and
sheriff To look mt in the courthouse,
BLESSED are the merciful. for they shall
obtain mercy
| And 50 the ruins of that Coliseum
preach to me- Indeed the most impress
i've things ON earth are rains The four
greatest structures ever built are in
ruins. The Parthcnon in ruins. the tenn
pie Of Diana III ruins, the temple of
Jerusalem i'll ruins. the Coliseum i'll
ruins. Indeed the earth itself will yet
be pile Of ruins. the mountains III ruins.
the seas III ruins. the cities in ruins. the
the hemisplercs in ruins. Yea, further
than that, all up and down the heav-
ems are worlds burned up. worlds
wrecked. worlds extinct. worlds aban-
ioncd Worlds on worlds in ruins!
Eut am glad to say it is the same old
heaven. and in all that world there is
not one ruin and never will be ruin.
Not one of the rearly gates will ever be-
come lnhinced. Not one Of the ame-
thystinc towers will ever fall Not one
Of the mansions will ever decay. Not
one of the chariots will ever be nm
wheeled Not one Of the thrones will
ever rock down Oh. make sure of hcav-
en-. for it is IN everlasting heaven.
Through Christ the Lord get ready for
residence i'll the eternal palaces.
NIGHT ~ THE COLISEUM
The last evening before leaving Rome
for Brindisi and Athens and Egypt and
Palestine went alone to the Coliseum.
There was not living soul in al the inn
mensc area. Even those accustomed to
sell curios at the four entrances of the
building had gone away. The place was
so overwhelmingly silent / could hear
my own heart beat with the emotions
aroused by the place and hour. Ipaccd
the arena. walked down into the dens
where the hycnas Were once kept. as
cendcd to the place where the emperor
used 10 sit climbed mp on the galleries
from which the mighty throngs of peo-
pie had gazcd i'll cnchantment.
To break the silence | shouted, and
that seemed to awaken the echoes. echo
upon echo. And those awakened echoes
seemed To address me. saving: Men die.
but their work lives on. Gaudentius. the
architect who planned this structure:
the CO eco enslaved Jews brought by Ii
tus from Jerusalem and who toilcl ON
these walls. tl.a gladiators who fought
in this arena. the emperors and empresses
who had place on yonder platform. the
millions who during centuries sat and
rose in these galleries. have passed away,
but enough of the Coliseum stands 10
tell the story of cruelty and pomp and
powcr-50u wears of bloodshed."
Then. as | stood there. there came TO
me another burst of echoes. which seemed
throbbing with the prayers and songs
and grcans of Christians who had ex
pired in that arena. and they seemed To
say. How much il cost 10 serve God in
ages past, AMI how thankful modern
centuries ought to he that the persecu
ton which redlencd the sands Of this
amphithcatcr have been abolished.
And then questioned the echoes. say
ing. Where is Emperor Titus, who sat
here The answer came, Gone 10
Judgment Where is Emperor Trajan.
who sat here" Gone Ia Judgment"
where is Emperor Maximinus, who sat
here Gone To- judgment" Where
are all the multitudes who clappcd and
shouted and waved flags to let the van