Middletown transcript., 1895-06-29
attention and influencing the worlds
life with its secret and blessed leaven.

| lie Win us secret anu Dl6SS6u leaVeu.
| Oie must read widely in history tt
form any adequate idea of the mighty
changes that these eighteen centuries
have wrought. Not a nation in Europe
to-day covers with it's history much
more than one-half that period. A few
and only few of all the buildings
which then were standing have with
stood the attacks of time. The races
of men that then held sway have fallen
behind in the struggle and those whose
very names were then hardly known
to civilized Europe, have become the
leaders of the worlds present life.
Barbarian hordes have swept over
Europe. Moslem hosts have invaded
it from the South and East. Intestine
wars have wasted its strength. Learn
ing has withered and revived. In look
ing over all departments of human in
terest, it is hard to find anything in
which time has not wrought almost
complete revolution. Forms of govern
ment, modes of warfare, habits of life,
moral standards. social conditions,
agricultural methods, literary ideals,
systems of philosophy have all so COM
pletely changed that one of us thrown
amid that ancient life would find him
self obliged to learn to live anew. Few
indeed are the institutions which have
survived these eighteen centuries.
1t is only when study of history has
given us some idea of The Vast trans
formation which has passed over the
face of the world through these pass
ing ages, that we are prepared to ap-
preciate the marvel of the permanence
of Christianity. Here is one thing
which has endured and grown while
all else has changed. Looked at from
the worlds STANDPOINT there was little
reason to suppose that the new faith
which had risen in Syria, and had
begun to manifest itself elsewhere
would have a longer life than many
other systems which have run their
course and died. Its variance with
the spirit of the day was so great as to
court opposition and persecution. Its
Founder and first teachers were from
an obscure province and were not COM
mended by wealth, learning or social
position. The early Christians were
far the most part of the humber class
who had little influence. Little could
the philosophers of Greece or the rulers
of Rome have imagined that the SIM
pie faith of the Christians would out
live their carefully wrought systems
and their worldwide institution. And
yet we know what the fact is. Here
in this distant period and this far off
land we are declaring the Christian
faith and worshipping the Christian
God. Men have been doing the same ever
since that early day. Under all forms
of government, amid all conditions of
life, under circumstances favorable
and adverse, the Christian faith has
been held aad its permanence is "a
greater proof of it's inherent truth and
power than any miracle of the first
age. 1t is Il marvel which demands an
explanation and of which no explana-
tion can be found, unless it be that
Christianity did indeed come from G cd,
and has Gods presence with it and His
blessing upon it. There have been
times when to human eyes it has seemed
that the end was coming. There have
been foes within and foes without. But
every day Of darkness has been followed
by day of light. Every peril has been
survived. Every weapon has been
found too weak to destroy the chris
tian faith. Christianity is here to-day,
and it never had more strength and
vitality than it has at this very hour.
Is there not comfort in this thought
We see the dangers that beset the
Christia cause. There are some whose
hearts are failing them for fear. There
are changes in the world arouDd-in
the world of thought and in the world
of social order, and it seems to some
that the life of Christianity is put in
peril. We need not fear. Our know.
ledge of the past may become our
assurance for the future. The dangers
which confront us may be great, the
problems to be solved may be difficult,
but it is hard to concei We that the
perils of the future can be greater than
those of days gone by. The G hristian
cause depends for its str ength on
power, not of man. God who has been
with US in the ages past, Will be with
US in the days to come. The future
has its burdens, it's labors, its per-
plexities, but the memory of the past
revives our courage. We believe with
confidence that the christian faith will
manifest its truth and power unto tn
very end.
We remember also In this place that
this Christianity which has survived
the attacks of time is no abstract
thing; it is embodied in the Christ ian
Church. This venerable building may
serve to remind us of this fact which
many in this day forget. This Church
to which we belong and which rightly
receives our love, has no claim upon
us whatsoever, except as she is living
part of that great society which nine
teen centuries ago was founded by
Jesus Christ, and to which He gave the
promise of His presence to the very end
of time. There are those who imagi inc
that the Church is an addition to
Christianity, a convenient device, at
most, for proPagating its truth and
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