The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-18

ing the plants and flowers at M cost stin
uses different means for that end, according
to tho requirements of thedifforcnt species, now
using tho bees, now tho wind, now birds, and
% on. so what, for convenience, may DO
termed the world Esprit, or genius Of tho world,
moves to Its unwavorinR end Of a perfected
civilization, not by one stcrcotyped and invari-
able method, but by quito different and even
antaRonistio methods. according TO tho noces-
stiles OF tho times, the age OF the world, and
the stage OF culture and progress reached.
These methods, however they may vary In their
minutlm, may all, for practical purposes. be re-
ducod to two. the direct and the Indirect
method, tho latter tho method Of the ancient
and tho former the method Of tho modern
world. Christianity. which Is tho most mo-
mentous product OF the ancient world, natural
ly did tho work appointed TO 1t In civilization on
tho indirect OF ancient method. and. 40 this
method 10 toto cnlo different from tho method
by which civilization is advanced In modern
times, 1t Is evident that no account Of the riso
and triumph of Christianity can be regarded az
true or final in which these methods arc con-
founded. As this ia precisely what has been
done. however,, in q greater or less degree by
many who have hitherto written on the rise OF
Christianity, Mr.. Crozior invites the reader 10
accompany him in the attempt to comprehend
exactly what these two different methods Of
civilization are and how they work.
Taking up, first. tho direct method. that,
namely, used by the genius of the world in
modern times. tho author reminds us that,
at the present day, when good men and women
become fired with n noble enthusiasm to leave
the world better than they found 1t. they
set to work to accomplish their object by
the direct propaganda of the reforms they
wish to see cstablished; advocating them
md trpipr thair onrnntanna M hncnY thnv
are prescribed by any religious code, but for
their power to lead naturally and inevitably to
the higher life they have In view. Hence we
find them proclaiming abroad, without further
recommendation than tho good effects on
civilization and morality which they be-
liove must flow from them, such reforms
as the abolition OF slavery, the extension
of the suffrage, socialism. the closing Of
liquor saloons, the eight-hour day. and the
Living wage That is to say. they aim directly
mt the mark they wish to hit and not indirectly
through the medium of something else. as
through religion. II they want democracy they
preach democracy; il they want socialism they
preach socialism; IL they want the abolition of
slavery or the Living WACO" they preach the
abolition of slavery or tho Living wage" This
course seems, indeed. so natural to us at the
present day that We can scarcely realize that it
could ever have been otherwise. Yet, strange as
it may seem, it is nevertheless true that in
ancient times no one would have drcamt OF
trying to carry any serious social. moral, or
political reform by the mere demonstration of
its power to correct some abuse or to promote
human welfare generally. For morality in
ancient times was as intimately bound up with
religion rs is an infant with its mother, and you
could no more reach morality without first
striking at religion than you could reach an
,,fant rttlo,, r.t atr;l,o- ~ 49, ,othar m
whose breast it hung. To inculcate n higher
morality, therefore. you had to begin by destroy
ing the old religion which safeguarded and
sanctioned the inferior morality and customs
you wished TO reform, and by putting a new
religion in its place.: making the practice of a
new morality, which 1t was YOUR object to
Introduce. the Indispensable condition to the
entrance on the supernatural joys which the
new religion held out to its votaries, much in
the same way as nature makes the cross.fcrtili-
cation OF the flowers the condition obligatory on
the bee before it can enjoy the honey they
conceal. To extirpate. for example, the type
of civilization which grew up under the Hindoo
religion and was sanctioned and upheld by tho
Brahmins In India. with its degrading supersti-
tions. its human sacrifices, it's widow-burninRs,
its idolatries, its sensual orgies and it's iron
system Of caste within which the human spirit
was confined rs In a prison. and to replace 1t by
n regime of confluence, temperance, gentleness
and equality, it was necessary for a new religion
like buddhism to arise. which should abolish the
gods in whose honor and by whose authority
these degrading immoralities were instituted,
and should deny tho very existence OF souls in
men to be distributed into a hierarchy OF caste
inequality, according as they were believed to
spring from the head. the limbs. the body
or tho feet of Brahma. Buddhism. 1t is true.
fnt1,l i- tIA A~l No. f -. Il.
nnna '"o W e'oM
Arab civilization before Mohanmed. with its
supcrstitions. its idolatries. its Righteousness.
| and its Internccine feuds, and to allow ~ciyiliza.
ton to advance another stage, n new religion
had to arise which. in place of the black stone
and the painted idols. substituted one god terri.
BILE and sublime as fate: and. in place Of an mn.