The Savannah morning news., 1900-12-30
Rev. {. 4. Briggs on the Goth Cen
tury.

tury.
on thc line OF Christianity in the twen-
tleth century IN addition 70 what Savan-
nah's ministers have said. a recent state
ment OF Rev Charles 4. Briggs. d. n.
who has been prominently before the re-
ligious world during the last cen yoars
He says: The development OF religion f.
not marked by centuries: the crises IN rs
development do not correspond with tho
beginnings OF the centuries. Sometimes
more centuries than one are required 10
prepare FOR the crisis. then again the pre-
paratory movements advance with great
rapidly IN a few years. Nevertheless. al
most an the Christian centuries have
their distinct characteristics. The six
tccnth century was a century Of reform,
the seventeenth Of scholastic reaction. thu
eighteenth Of free Thought. che nineteenth
OF reconstruction OF theology and life SO
We know that the twentieth century Will
have a character Of hs own. whether We
may be able at present to define that
character or not.
The whole history OF mankind Is the
divine training OF our race There h. 10
caprice, there arc no accidents. IN history.
Whether We think OF Providential gov
eminent Of tae world or the evolution OF
great original ana Inevitable forces. every
century Is the legitimate SUCCESSOR OF its
predecessors; those things which are 20
transpire In f. are the children which airs
born IN orderly succession Of the hridals
which were made by God IN the grear
temple OF nature. Therefore we may pre-
dict what the children viii be from our
knowledge Of the parents. That which -
Transporting before our eyes at TN close
of the nineteenth century win inevitably
bring about that which will be In the
twentieth century.
A most sublime spectacle meets vs. nc
the close OF the nineteenth century. This
United States. In concord with the great
European powers and japan. are united
10 bring 10 an end the last great outhurst
Of heather rage against Christianity.
Whatever the merits Of the Question may
b., chat Is the essential situation. This
concord OF the powers. for the FIRST tme
In history, means that China shall here
after be omen 20 freedom or commerce
and freedom OF religion. The only remain
ing barrier TO Christian civilization iu tho
world h Turkey. There can be iittis d0ubt
that. 80 soon as tho Powers have settled
the Chinese question, they viii take up
and settle once for all the ever-burnins
Turkish question. IN thc interests of free
dom OF commerce ana religion.
Early IN the twentieth century tho
Christian religion will have freedom OF
access 10 all parts OF rhc world This u
all that Christianity can ask. for u has
always prevailed over an other religions.
There Is no other religion IN the woriI
watch has ever been able TO withstand
for any length of time the vital power.
the al convincing truth and the moral
visor OF Christianity. The heather reliR-
Ions melt before Il as snow and ice be-
fore the breath OF springtlme. The uine-
tenth century has been a century OK
great missionary activity OF all the great
churches OF Christendom. the seed has
been sown freely oil over the heather
world. The twentieth century will be the
harvest Missionaries have Numbered IN
China. as elsewhere: but they nave had
marvellous success Their converts have
stood the test OF Martyrdom as truly
and brevcly as the-nartyrs OF the print
tive church
II Ia not religious enthusiasm but calm
reasoning. that the close OF the twentieth
century will witness a Christian world.
not that every one viii be Christian. but
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