The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1897-12-31


because he did not regard himself as the
superior of the lowest and vilest but
rather directed his work toward the
lower classes. "He came to call sinners,
not righteous to repentance" The fact
that our Savior plucked corn on the
Sabbath angered the Jew not more SO
than the miracles he performed of
cleansing the ieper and giving sight to
the blind. These are acts which In the
eyes Of the devout ella sses of Jews was
a sacrilege, especially, more SO, because
he called himself the Son of God. 1t
will be useless for me to relate the trials
and suffering of Christ during the three
years of his ministry among the very
people to whom he had been cent and to |
whom he had so earnestly appealed in
behalf of himself. But as we know they |
would not accept Him, for IN Him there |
was no temporal power and they sought |
and plotted till the last act Of their folly |
was carried out and the prophecy that |
had been foretold was fulfilled and he |
who had come as a Savior of his race,
who had come first 90 the Jew and then
to the Gentle, was put to the death of
the cross that the justice Of their law
might be satisfied. But, dying, he left
behind him doctrine that was to bow
all nations to his command. Looming up
over the course of time we see for emu
lation His birth, it's significance, His
| life, its significance, His death and last
of all the triumph over death and a res
urected Savior returning to the glory
whence he came. But the teaching and
doctrine that he left could not be
stamped out and it has spread and
grown till the day lie approaching when
''every knee shall bow and every tongue
confess the glory of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ" Whether his
Idoctrine be true or false can be judged
by those who have accepted the teach
ing of Christianity as taught in the
Bible. "By their fruits ye shall know
them," and verify this is true.
When Christ came on earth men were
dead in their knowledge. They saw the
mighty rivers but could not compass
them and make them obey their will,
they saw the water but could not turn it
into steam, they saw the lightning but
could not chain it, they saw the sun in
all its glory but could not def ne it's light,
they saw the whole universe but could
not interpret it. The whole world was
in lethargy, but now new life, new
motion was Infused into it and Chris
tianity began its ennobling influence upon
civilization. And wherever the cross
has been planned there we Fl nd the livip q
monuments that testify to the ennoble-
menC of the Christian religion. And
why should we not give Christianity the
credit? What man was ever born into
the world before or since that has bene.
fitted the world by his teaching as much
as Christ did? What doctrine is there
to-day besides Christianity that has done
, anything TO uplift humanity any more
than Christ'sP What book has taught the
, wrong more than the Bible? What
books has done more for Liberty, JUS
+ tice and Progress? What book has de-
: fed tyranny more? What book has
& spoken more to the wounded and sorrow.
full heart? What book has done more
. for the world in general? Has Chris
. tianity done nothing to promote the In
tellectaal culture of mankind? Has IL
, never been heard pleading for liberty de
Tending weakness and assailing despo
tism? Is Christianity dumb morality
No. the world the people, thunder back
their answer. We would not stand
! where we do to-day as nation in moral
and Intellectual improvement except fol-
the teaching that Jesus Christ promul.
gated and died for. What proof have
we of this? Every proof. Side by side
, stand the countries to-day that have EN-.
braced Christianity and the countries
that have been, or are in the depth OF
darkness.
Take India. Has her adherence to the
teachings of Shintooism, Buddhism and
Bramahanism advanced her any In in
, tellectual or moral Improvement? For
$500 years she has had the test and az
much as much as has been said about
the glories of her religion, how much has
it advanced her as nation of the world
Compare her with Chr istian England
who in period of 300 years has made
more advancement in general civiliza-
tion than India has in her 1850 years of
advocation of idolatry. Another in
stance, China. She has worshipped at
the shrine of Confucius for 1000 years.
Has she advanced any from her degrade
ton. Has she made as much advance
ment in the 1900 years of Confucionism