The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-05-26
What of ChristendOm2

What is Chrstendom2 1t is COM
monty understood to be that part OF
the world that processes Christianity,
or is governed by Christian institutions,
but the history OF the world for the
past few years raises grave doubts as
to the present exis tence of a real Chris
tendon, any where upon the face of
the earth. For several years the lead
ing countries of Europe, ruled by their
"Most Christian Majesties," the Queen
of Great Britain and Empress of India,
the Emperors of Russia, Germany, and
Austria, the King of Italy, and the
President of the French Republic,
have been watching the Murderer of
Europe, the accepted anti-type of Chris
tianity, while he has been cutting the
throats of hundred thousand-more
or less-of his Christian subjects, but
never raising finger to stay the
slaughter.
There has been some vociferous pro-
testing against the CORY business, but
never an act, individually or collect
lively, of earnest effective interference
with the work of the assassin. The
banded and alleged Christian powers
are the foremost of Europe. They
have the largest armies and the great
est navies in all the world On the
other hand, the arch murderer's tenure
of political existence for half century
has been 30 feeble as to earn for him
the Characterization of the Sick Man
of Europe" But the "Sick Man has
continued to live on and the blood of
his myriads of victims has given him
fresh vitality. The Christian powers
of Europe have become his dupes, or
his servants, or his accomplices. He is
the only llustration-except one, his
latest victim - of bold, independent
and aggressive, though an entirely bru-
tai and bloodthirsty, nationality ia all
Europe. Signing for more victims for
the reeking affairs of Islamism, he left
exhausted Armenia and opened his
shambles in Crete. Chivalric Greece
took him by the throat, when their
"Most Christian Majesties," the SOW
ereigns of Europe, interposed - liz
whose behalf, the rescuing Greek, OF
the numbering Turk2 The disgracefu
and disastrous events of the last few
weeks answer the inquiry. Comment il
,aalaI 10 alpoiIofo tho foot thof c
European Chrstendom, organized, eff.
ficient and beligerent, if need be, il
defense of Christianity, has surrend
cred to the Crescent.
Individually, as we'll as in their con
certed action, the powers of Europe
sustain the doubt as to the existence O.
Christendom on their side of the globe
Here is the government of Great Brit
ain, whose people recently invaded the
Boer republic in South Africa to de
stroy it, threatening the sturdy farmer
community with extinction if it insists
on the satisfaction England would de-
mand and extort from weak nation
for some trifling invasion of the com
fort of some marauding Briton. Tht
arbitration of disputes that is obsequi
ously permitted with nation powerful
enough to defend its rights is scornfully
rejected when suggested by the Beers
Great Britain is needing Christian
baptism, and this year of her Queen
jubilee is an opportune time for thu
ceremony. But it is questionable i
baptismal waters, unless fired from {
piece of modern ordinance, could pene
trate to the heart of the mistress of thu
seas, the worlds greatest land grabber
the bulldozer of weak nations.
What evidence of the existence o
Christendom has the new world t,
show? Is the evidence to be fount
in the death and devastation that
unrestrained, have been turned loos,
under the mild Cuban skies? Is it t,
be found in any attempt the Gov
eminent of the United States ha
made to stay the red hand that
with torch and sword, has made
hell of the fairest island of the Yves
Indies? Are there no Good Samaritan
among the nations of the earth, in tn
East or the West? With stony disre
gard of every impulse of common hu
manity, up to recent time, the Prizes
of the White House and the Levite O
the State Department had looked upol
the wounded and bleeding victim O
Spanish oppression and barbarity, an,
had passed by on the other side. Their
are still priests and Levites among tn
American people and in official station
who are reproach to Christian Ma
ton, but the eye of faith looks for tn
coming of the Good Samaritan tina
shall bind up Cuba's wounds, an,
bring her to the haven of her hopes
and the hopes of seventy millions of ar
dent sympathizers. So shall Americ