The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-23
THE WORLD MOVING ON.


furnished by the dispatch to The CALL
stating that the Queen OF England has Just
congratulated the Pope upon the compile
ton of his fifty years epise0pate and that
the Sultan Of Turkey presented his Holiness
with gifts and letters OF compliment on the
same occasion.
Queen VictOria's title to the throne she
occupies rests upon a denial of the POpe's
right TO eongratulation on any subject what
soever. 1t was because James the Second
was faithful to the Pope that he was driven
into exile and because of British aversion
TO the Pope that the English people pre-
feTred the dull, stupid Elector Of Hanover,
who could not speak English, 10 the young
Pretender who, with all his faults. was an
English gentleman born and bred. At
much later period the grant to Queen Vie
toria on her marriage to Prince Albert was
questioned in Parliament because the young
man from Saxe-Coburg- Gotha lad not speei
fcally expressed his devotion 10 Protestant
ism and his aversion 10 the Pope, and
within our own time, less than fifty years
ago. all England burst into a blaze OF fury
because the Pope designated the chief
officer of his church in Southern England
the Archbishop of Winchester instead Of
the Archbishop of Seringapatam IN partibus
inidelum. II is not too much 10 say that
if Queen Victoria, when she was first
crowned, had sent message Of congratula-
ton to Pope Gregory she might have lost
her throne.
AS between Christian aud Moslem the
change Of sentiment has been equally strik-
ing. The binding force which held the fol-
lowers Of Mohammed together was tie COM
mon purpose 10 convert the world TO the
faith Of Mohammed. IL was because they
felt il a sacred duty to extirpate unbelief IN
the X ran with the sword that the Turks
0YeTran Hungary and invaded Austria. 1t
was not with any view OF conquest. but
simply TO destroy the Turkish faith that
Pope Urban spurred the Christian nations
TO the battle Of LepantO. Even SO late as
siXty-siX years ago II was sectarian passion
which united tie English. French and Rus
SLAMS at the battle OF NaVarino. Ii, fifty years
ago, there was any strife which appeared
10 be so deep-roOted that it could not be
composed, it was tbat between the head Of
Moslemism and the head or ChTistendom.
And yet low we have the Sultan sending
presents and congratulations to the Pope on
his anniversary.
II is curious 10 notice how, in the past,
sectarlan strife has ebbed and flowed.
! Both Greeks and Romans were tolerant peO-
| pies. The latter, in their career Of conquest,
never troubled themselves about the religion
| of the races they attacked. They never
! attempted to proSelytize. When they found
a new religion, with new gods and god
deSses, they took it into camp and found a
place for II in their system OF philosophy.
They set up statues to the Egyptian Isis anG
| Osiris, as they had erected statues to the
Greek Aprodite and Demeter. They as
sured the Britohs that they had no prejudice
! against Druidism. and would not nave OBJ
/ 1ected to a kromlech in the Campagna.
| They made the Syrian deites welcome in
| the forum. and would have shaken hands
| with -Moloch If its worship had been less
| bloody.
All this changed with the outbreak OF
| persecution against the Christians. 1t must
be admitted that the members Of the old
religions set the example of warning for
! opinions sake, but tue early Christian
were apt learners. The struggle between
Asian Catholics lasted for generations and
/ cost thousands Of lives; and when il ended
| cburchmen had got the taste Of blood,
which had to be gratfed. From the time
| of Charles Quint. who was born in 1890, to
| the French Revolution Europe hardly knew
ten consecutive years of peace, and the wars
were generally for religions sake. From
time to time great men rose superior to reli-
gious prejudice. Richeeu yentured upon
! an occasional Protestant alliance. and Leo
the Tenth stT0ve earnestly to make a com.
| promise with Luther. But they were ahead
| of their times and could not carry theil
| people with Them
With the outburst OF intelligence which
was cOntempOraDeOus with the destruction
of the old French monarchy, liberation once
more raised its head. The progress has not
been swift. People do not easily get ovel
habits of thought which have been in
grained for centuries. The spirit Of Alva
still crops up in odd places, like the ghos
of dead demon. But such appariiion;
grow rarer and rarer. Exchanges Of eourte.
sizes between the head Of Christendon aud
the Ruler Of the Faithful on the one side
and between the Defender Of the Faith and
the Nicegerent of the Almighty on the
other prefgure new era Of charity and
good will among men.