The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-05-30
0N MLemoria\ Sunday. .
= ss'n1ne Sermon Delivered at the First Baptist

;IIVsred at the First Baptist s
teson. {
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sources is as clear as the midday sun
beneath cloudless sky. Christianity
is at once the parent and promoter of
progress. OF this fact history is
freighted with examples. I need not
remind you that in the ancient world
society was superficial superstructure
raised upon the sandy foundation of
slavery. Ths social system of slavery
was universal, Egyptian, Roman,
Greek and Germans were sharers in it.
In some states the slaves equalled in
number the citizens. and in Attica and
Rome they outnumbered citizens five
to one. The result was that the social
cup became incrusted with abuses,
filled with coarse and tasteless luxury
which, through the agencies of Atheism
and superstition, conveyed visions of
terror and falatism to the head and un-
speakable sadness and WEAKNESS to the
heart. But as the Creator sends
springs upon the earth and allows the
rivers OF ice and banks of snow to take
care OF themselves, so the Redeemer
has breathed a divine and mystic aroma
upon the earth which Is neutralizing
the bitterness of life-reducing its bit
terness to mildness, its mildness to
sweetness. But as the stony glacier
must be dissolved by ounces into the
brook that laughs for liberty and runs
musically at its feet, thus slow was the
process by which christianity redeem
ed it's promise and fulfilled it's prophecy
to replace the chains of human bondage
by the silken bands of human brother
hood.
| Again, 1 need not remind you that in
ancient warfare prisoners were killed,
enslaved or sold. But in 1871 trains
passed through France and Germany
laden with troops captured by the
victorious armies. The captives had
been fraternally ministered to from the
moment of their surrender and when
peace was declared rs friends they were
returned to their homes-if defeated
not Inundated. Heralds and public
legates have always been clothed with
peculiar honor and special priveleges.
Yet in ancient warfare when the Per.
sion king sent ambassadors to Sparta
and Athens to demand submission, not
only was the demand rejected, but the
heralds were put to death. Later,
Sparta sent ambassadors to Persia ask
aid against Athens, two were seized,
led to Athens and deliberately put to
a cruel death. Now, recall when in
1861 an American war vessel took from
an English merchant vessel two men
who had held high offices in our govern
ment but who since had been commits.
stoned by the Confederacy to represent
its cause in the courts of England and
France. No force was used in their
capture. With every personal consid-
alton they were detained to await the
judgment of the nation. Immediately
the government ''cheerfully liberated
them as having been unlawfully cap
tured, and allowed them to go on their
way unmolested to do what injury they
could to the nation that had sheltered.
honored and advanced them. Had they
fallen into the hands of Athens, Sparta
or Persia, wherever captured, they
would have forfeited their life. Great
changes have been wrought and chris.
tianity is the only new factor entering
into the worlds life. In vast portion
of the ancient world war was their past.
time. murder their luxury and robbery
their industry. That all members OF
tho human family were related, should
be allied and dominated by one supreme
spirit was entirely beyond thir horizon
But an International gospel has created
an international law. Experience has
traced out the connection between the
parallels of Christ and the treaties OF
the nations, between the sermon on the
Mount and the usages of war.
/ In our highest civilization classes are
necessary to the maintenance of so
ciety, the merchant, mechanic, farmer
, and since the flaming sword guarded
, Eden there have been the wielders Of
of the weapons of offense and defense
} AS of the poor, it may be said, the sol
dier ye have always with you. In Rome
he fought for pillage and plunder; il
Greece to resist Eastern despotism; in
Europe for conquest: in America fol
man, that he might fall back into the
, hands of God as ne came from it-free
: independent, the architect of his owl
destiny.
Good it is for us to recognize the
height Of our attainment. Right it is
g., for US to often scan the dimensions OF
: our national achievements. Duty it il
to remember our national leadership ir
! the world. But disastrous will be the
) day ON which we forget how we came