The Newtown bee., 1902-04-18


Suppose for example, we divide the
inhabitants of the United States into
two classes, those who are Christians
and those who are not; with which
class would thinking person, having
a right conscience, choose to belong:
Or, let one of us, undecided whether to
be on the Christian side or not, look
out upon the world, comparing the
Christian lands with the heather.
The United States is Christian ma
ton. In its morality 1t has many
short cOmingS, we must admit. But
compare it with China. China is a
very ancient empire, and has been lit
tie affected by outside influences.
There it is; a specimen of heathenism.
To say the least, Christian civilization
is better than that. Or, shall the COM
parison be between Christian countries
and Mohammedan? 1t is more than
a thousand years since Mohammedan-
ism overran Asia Minor and Pales-
tine. 1t is four hundred and fifty
years since it captured Constantinople
and established itself in South Eastern
Europe. 1t has had full time to show
what it is by what it has done. A dis
tinguished man travelling in that part
of the world few years ago made the
following observations, "the portion
of the earth over which the Turk has
ruled for centuries are blighted and
blasted, the population has dwindled,
the soil is sterile, reedy marsh lands
have taken the place Of waving corn
fields: the rivers are choked, the har-
bors blocked; yet, once Palestine and
Asia Minor were the gardens Of the
Roman Empire and the granarjes Of
the world" Go through Arabia and
Turkish countries in general. 1t will
seem to you that you find in possession
the beggar and the bedouin. Brigand,
bedouin, backsheesh are among the
leading words in the business part of
the language. The cowardly robber
and the contemplate beggar, these
are the conspicuous blossoms in the
conservatory of Mohammedan civiliza-
ton. Let man who is asking him.
self whether he shall champion the
Christian religion or not, look with
open eyes on such facts as these, and
his conscience will tell him the answer
to the question he is considering with
himself. The heart, too, has it rea'
sons.
ANY ONE WHO APPRECIATES THE PUE.
1TY AND GOODNESS
and truth and love Of Jesus, and feels
that it cannot bit be the noblest and
most beneficient life to follow His ex.
ample, will have no serious difficulty
about believing in Christ: is, indeed
already believing in Him. There are
thousands, tens Of thousands Of Chris
tians, without much knowledge of the
firm bases of the faith. They never
read book of Christian evidence, and
they 60 through life not aware how
strong the proofs are of the truth OF
their creed; but Christianity com
mends itself to their hearts, it satisfies
their wants, it sustains them in adver
stiles, it takes away the vanity of this
brief life, makes life worth living, anG
it gives them world of holiness anC
bliss to look forward to after the sir
: and injustice, the pain and Incomplete
: ness of this world are passed away
Can belief be firm, having such foun
dation? Surely 1t can be and is. Mer
make sacrifices for it,; that shows it!
: power. They give away their money
for it; they spend time and labor on &C
l count of it. Supported by it, they die
: calmly and hopefully. BY virtue of it
they submit with patience to wrong
and injury. Fierce persecution cannot
b overcome it; nor torture, nor violent
. death. There is nothing stronger thar
! this belief Of heart. 1t gets into the
l soul Of a weak, trembling man, and II
? holds him firm against every form Of
atrocity and torment, against the fury
| Il mobs, and the cruelty Of thrones
Such faith has made its record in the
+ world, and the record remains. 1t Il
: this faith which our Lord declares tt
I be blessed. "Blessed are they thai
: have not seen, and yet have believed.
r Who believe in Christ because OF what
t He is; because of what He has done fol
! them, and because such belief save!