Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-02-24

would Degln TO rock ana roll au1 tn ZEN Civ
away and there would appear lake c
bright water, and on its banks trees woulc
spring up rustling with foliage. AMI tiger
men would come forth, ami there would b
tiger hunt. Then on tia lake in the Coils
cum armed ships would float, an1 Their
would be a sea fight. What fu1 VIVA
lots of fun When pestilence came, in orde
to appeass the go Is, in this Coliseu d sacri
[ fee woull be made, All | the people woulC
throny that great AM ,litheatre. shouting,
"rhe Christians to the wild beasts !" and
there would be crac King OF human bone
in the jaws OF leonine Serocity.
| But all this was to be stopped. BY the
outraged sense of public decency? No
| There is only one thing that has ever stopped
cruelty and sin, AMI that is Christianity, AM
1t was Christianity, whether you like its
form or not, that stopped this massacre OF
centuries One day Thile in the Coliseum
Roman victory was being celebrated, en- 1
10n000 enrapturei spectators were looking
down upon two ga1iators in the aroma stab
bling sn slicing each other to death, an
Asiatic monk of the name OF Telemachus
was SO overcome by the cruelty that hs
leapei from the gallery into the arena and
ran in between the two sworjsmsn and
pushed first one back and then the other
back and broke up the contest;
or course the audience was affronted at
having theif sport stopped, an they hurled
stones at the head OF Telemacius until he
tell dead in the arena. But when tbs day
was passed, and the passions OF the people
had cooled off, they deplorsd the martyriom
Of the brave and Christian Tslemachus and
as result OF the overjone cruelty the
human sacrifices Of the Coliseum were for
ever abolished.
What good thing, say you, that such
eruelties have ceased, Ny friends the sans
spirit Of ru1nous amusenents AMI Of moral
sacrifice is abroad id the world today, al
though it takes other SHAPES last summer
In our southwest there occurred a scene OF
pugilism on which all Christsndom looked
down. for saw the papers on the other side
of the Atlantic Ocean giving whole columns
Of it. VIII some one tell me in what respect
that brutality of last su nu,ar was superior
TO the brutality of a Roman Coliseum? La
some respects it was worse by so much as
the Nineteenth Century pretands to be- more
nerciful and mora decent than the Fifth
Century.
That pugilism Is winning admiration In
his country is positively provs1 by the fact
that years ago such collision was reportedirt
half doz,n lines Of newspaper, If reported
1t all, ami now it takes the whole side Of
newspaper I'd tell what trauspirsd between
The first blood drawn by one loafer and the
throwing up Of the sponge by the other
oafer; aud it is not the newspapers fault,
or the newspapers give only what the peo-
)le want and when newspapers put carrion
N your table it is because you prefer car
ION.
The same spirit of brutality Is seen to-day
many an ecclesiastical court when a min
ster is put on trial. Look at the counten-
lrces of the prosecuting ministers, and not
n all cases, but in many cases, you will find
lotaing but diabolism inspires them. They
ct out on one poor minister who cannot de-
end himself the lion Of ecclesiastcism and
he tiger Of biggotry, and the wild boar OF
aalousy, and II they can get the Tending
minister fat on his back some ons puts his
eet on the neck Of the overthrown gospel.
ger and looks up spear in hand, to see
whether the galleries and ecclesiastics would
,ave him let up or slaia. And, 10! many Of
The thumbs are down.
In the worldly realms look at tbs brutal. |
les of the presidential election eight years
tgo. Read the Biographies Of Daniel Web
ter AMI Alexander II. Stephens and Horacs
Greeley AMI Charles Sumner and Lucius
guintus Cincinnatus Lamar an James G..
oldlue; anu IL bue StOFJ VI Q6ldmdbtOu anu
,auntny and standardization and diatribs
mi scurriity and laqipoon au1 billingsgats
md damnable perfidy be accurately re.
'oriei, tell me in what respects our political
rsna and the bowling and disappearing
galleries that again and again look down
lpon it are better than the Roman Coils
um.
When read few days ago that the Su.
irene Court of the United States had ap-
adjourned to pay honors to the
wo last distinguished men mentioned, and
American journalism North, South, East
nj West went into lamentations over their
departure and said all complimentary
hings in regard to them, asked: "When
i'd the Nation lie about these meni Was it
Vhen during their life it gave them MALE
lotion or no since their death when be-
towing upon them ratification"
The same spirit Of cruelty that you de.
lore in the Roman Coliseum Is seen In the
harp appetite the world seems to have for
be downfall Of goo men, aud in the divorce
those whose marital life was Thought &C.
ordant, and in the absconding Of bank
asher. Oh, my friends, the world wants
lore of the spirit of Leo him up" and less
f the spirit of THUMBS downp There are
undreds of men in the prisons OF America
mo ought to be discharged, because they
'ere the victims of circumstances or have
lffered enough.
There are in all professions and occupa-
ons men WHO are do ninserst over by
theirs, AMI whose life is stru ygle with
lonTous opposition, AMI circumstances
ave their heel upon the throobins aui
roken hearts For Gods SAKE, let them
pl Away with the spirit OF Thumbs
ownT' What the world wants is 1000 men
ke relemacius to leap out OF the gallery
ito the arena. whether he BE- a Roman
atholic mont, or Methodist stewart, or
resbyterian elder, and 60 In between the
'ntestants. blessed are the psacenakers
n they shall be called the children Of Godp
One-half OF the world is down aud the
her halt is up AMI the half that is W las
S heel on the half that is down. If you, as
boss work nan, or as a contractor, or as a
ishop or as a State or National official. or as
potent factor in social life, or in any way
e expressing any one, know that the same
vii that possessed the Roman Coliseum op-
esses you. The Diocetians are not all
ad. The cellars lea ling into the arena OF
els struggle are not ali emptied of their
gers. The vivsection by young doctors
dogs and cats and birds most OF the time
Ids nothing to human discovery, but is
ly continuation of Vaspasian's Coils
N.
The cruelties of the world generally begin
nurseries, and in home circles, and in day
noos. The child that transfxes fly with
pin, or the low feeling that sets two dogs
TO combat, or that DULLES weak or Grip.
ed playmate, or the Indifference that
,rves a canary bird, needs only to be de-
Hoped in order to make first class Nero
full armed Apollyon 1t would be
cd sentence to be written on the top line
child's book. AMI ht Inscription to be
lbroidered in the arm chair of the sitting
ON. and an appropriate motto for Judge
d jury and district attorney and sheriff to
ok at in the court house, blessed are the
srciful, for they shall obtain mercyI
nd en- tho rt1iuS of that Csoliso,1p1 ,raa oh