The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-08

sons mans life settles down to the AMI
NAL or materialistic level. There are
vertebrates existing that have rudl-
mentary eyes, and some few fish IN
subterranean rivers which have lost
the power of vision. All our powers
and faculties degenerate when they
remain unused. Employment OF any
organ brings it daily to state OF
higher perfection. There are some
today about us who have no spiritual
vision and there have been periods OF
time for communities of people and
they saw the years pass into history
without welcoming the face OF pro-
phet. These were times when the
people persisted.
The scenes of bloodshed witnessed
in Armenia during the year remind
us of transactions which we are not
accustomed to associate with the
magnificent events of the nineteenth
century. In the Turkish empire there
is no spiritual vision and the people
perish by thousands. There is
wide contrast between the Sultan's
dominions and Christian lands. Syria,
Palestine, Egypt and Asia Minor
were once the home of enlightened
people whose histories are directly re-
lated to the best inspirations OF the
race. These lands heard the voice of
the prophet. The culture OF the best
minds sought them out in travel.
The wisdom of the Nile, the spiritual
ity of India and the prophecy of Zion
all centered in this region-a worked
together to bring about great con-
dition in human affairs in the first
Christian century. Where persecu-
ton now reigns, the holy st. Paul and
St. Peter were making sacred the
land by their footsteps nearly nine
teen hundred years ago. We recall
these things because we are optimists
Otherwise we would expect them to
contrast with other events. We
would say what failure the Chris
tian impulse has been! But we are
optimists and the passing events have
Jared thousands of hearts in Chris
tendon. But today, if we would
truly understand our heritage, COM
pare the civilization in the Sultan's
dominions with that in Protestant
England, Germany and America.
Professionalism, the highest form OF
the Christian religion which has yet
evolved, may be said to have had
chance in these countries mentioned.
You need not be reminded of that
which they have done for the world.
Freedom has been characteristic OF
these three centers. There has been
vision where the Teutonic blood has
coursed. Think what Germany has
given us in music, philosophy, criti-
cism and literature. England has
been a gem of the sea, and in her
pantheon, Westminster Abbey, is
gathered the dust of heroes, singers,
inventors, scientists and saints, and
running the finger over the history OF
a hundred years we point to men,
and deeds, and triumphs which make
our name illustrious. l point to
these nations because they have well
coined the freedom of thought. They
have never broken up printing pres
ses. They have never cowardly
yielded to the despot or the ecclesias'
tic. They have permitted their sons
to go out upon the mountain OF faith
like the prophets of Israel to search
for truth and listen to the voice of
God.
If we have transformed the earlier
world and advanced the race it is all
the rare results of spiritual vision.
There came time in human events
when someone said the book shall be
closed-the last word of heaven has
shook the swinging armament and
its silent stars and revelation is done.
We all know the thousand years of
history which followed the eclipse of
the spiritual sun. But human nature
could not keep up the battle against
the soul; for at last few who dared
began to seek the mount of inspira
ton and await the beacon lights of
truth. This love of light has grown
under the smiling skies of freedom.
Why the literature that has appeared
under the nourishing care of Protes-
tantism? Because out of a long
sleep the mind awoke, and seeing the
chains of slavery rusted and the
shackles broken,men leapt for JOY and
they broke forth into hosannas and
those who had the sweetest voices
sang as angels sing. Oh, when we
have learned to value freedom what
works of grandeur will the race
erect For we have not yet accorded
man the privilege of thinking for