The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-05-18
nation. We have seen forces, facts and

| ' w nave seen FORCES, facts and
local institutions, but nothing political or
national. But about this time govern
ment and people make their appearances,
and the narrative Of their contests and
alliances forms the material for history
These two great powers overshadow all the
forces that we have been considering. This
change OF circumstances transports us
from the medieval ages to modern times.
Were it not for its results, the period
from the thirteenth to the sixteenth CEN
turtles would be too monotonous tn invite
( consideration. There seemed to be no re-
suits from agitation, no cause of events,
All seemed to move by chance without
purpose or result. 1t is only when view
ed at the seed time of modern civilization
that this period becomes intensely inter
esting to us. When viewed in the light of
modern knowledge, we may discover
unity of design in the slow and hidden
movements. From the fall of the Roman
Empire till the twelfth century was
| period of dissolution of false theories. but
the seeds were being sown which produced
the elements of our modern civilization.
From the twelfth to the sixteenth cen
turtles these elements of civilization were
being developed. Since that time civiliza-
ton has been developed from those
elements and we presume its maturity is
far in the future. In all nature we find
visible forms maturing in different de-
grees of beauty, magnitlcepce and power.
A little later these same forms mouder
and decay to be remoulded into higher
and nobler forms. Though man may
! have been created from the dust Of the
earth, there may have been various de-
grees of vegetable and animal life in the
intervening steps.
Though the creative processes may
have taken place in the same order
named in the Bible, a day sometimes
/ means more than twenty-fou hours, The
material for the construction of the
Universe may have been brought into
position and the formation may have been
and by the same forces that we see at
work every day. Though God breathed
life into man and he became living soul,
that act may be the same as the new
birth mentioned in the Bible. Though it
is not permitted to man to know all
things, yet there is enough knowledge
within his reach for the perfection of his
physical, mental and spiritual nature.
Perfection, like wealth, is usually the work
of generations, though occa1'onally an
individual accomplishes more than is
usually accomplished by several genera
lions. We have thus far concerned our
selves with the period of transition from
ancient to modern civilization. In the
period of the development of modern
elements the first great event was the
Crus ades carried on in the twelfth and
thirteenth centuries. They have ever
formed an eXhaustless sub ect for the
contemplation of the historian. The
crusades We're universal. They We're the
first great event of Europe. They were
tie great national event Of every European
nation. They tended to unity all Europe
This was the heroic age of the nations. Il
was the spontaneous act Of their youth.
The first crusades were the movements of
he common people. This little fruitless
wave was followed by larger waves of the
aristocratic, and finally kings were drawn
into the general movement. The Crusades
were a returning wave of conflict between
Mohammedanism and Christianity. The
Mohammedans had attempted to gain a
footing in Europe, but were driven back
and followed into Asia. The people who
had abandoned rowing life but few
generations before, still possessed the
rowing instinct, W hich was easily aroused
The human mind aspired to know some
thing of the outside world. At the end
of the thirteenth century, there were the
same reasons for crusades that had exist
ed in their most popular days. The
Christian kingdom founded at Jerusalem
had been conquered and there We're fewer
obstacles to overcome than at the time of
the first crusade, but nothing could revive
the former spirit of enthusiasm
GEO. NJ. COLE.
Hosmer, Edmunds Co., S. Dakota.
SIS Tommie any relation of yours?"
asked a gentleman Of Bobbie. 'He has