The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-06-15

NV tsfnItfs ~ wv WV" - Nafh
u ws- q compound 10 dif-r-nt rsc-a hshi
togcthrs nv forcv The chang. ~ ocxanHi
.trpcturs q ca,l-ed q corresponding
chans- In N. constitution of tie army by
which Roman ctvi lization ~as d~f-nd-d
formeriv. N. armies of IN. Republic hsd
cubsi-ied ~ owners and Culitvstor~ ~ the
cd. Who sat Ia pIbi,r councils. voted IN.
laws and upheld the welfare of th"ir country
Nv forcr ~ arms. Al material and moral
Interests cons-cra'.d by religion cumhin-d
10 make them hsros" soldiers and citis~ns.
who. " h-n var va. over. returned quietly
and mosh-stiy to thrir i-ld-. L. could not
h. Supposed that th- inhabitants Of Rhdtia
Span and tho AfrtrAn COASTS would tght
with IA. -aute faiii, and ardor IA dcfeuc"
~ "a power tu Nhich they were alien and
often ho-til, To meet IN. pressing ns-'d
and growing dihcuitv - obtaining fresh
recruits fuT the forc,- which had ls@'n
t~r,usfpuu.d from militia lnto standing
lrme-. u Nss necessary To oner highrr raw
and addi ,ulal privileges. BY and by u
lecama nerdful To allow even slaves tn lie
enrolled and, csIscially, barbarian slaves.
whn, eventually. formed the bulk ~ the
Roman l.gipns When We bear m mind
thai IN the vast. divided and d~isorgan,Aed
Empire. the saline barbarian tnt-s who
" &, actually threatening the frontiers
already IN the third century 81 Our era
supplied the majority ~ is soldiers and
slaves. We shall easily understand hat no
power on earth could long avail to arrest
The impending catastrophe
II H. further To H. noted that q smaller
and smaller proportion 81 the inhahit-
ants of the ,h. Roman Empire desired
To avert IT, overthrow The maint"n-
anCe ~ hugh arml,s IN distant frontiers
imposed an enormous expense. Con-
-~-4Iuanily. the country was NOR. and mor'
heavily taxed. Little by little uye chef
mission OF tho cprtd and dscurtors 81 the
c1inmun.s lrCame that - squeezing more
| CoIn from the already impoverished people,
A. those magistrates were held respon-.
-lhie for the contribution demanded
even when the inhabitants were unable
10 paw them. official posts were no longer
eagerly sought. but were looked upon
a. burdens which every on" tired to shirk.
| even by flight into voluntary exile
Thus private interest. formerly identical
with the public good, was now oppo-~d
10 IL. which. In all states q; society. IN an
| unfailing symptom 81 decadonce and dis
indignation. Beside. this -cource Of in
temal weakness. another lay in the ~
l.sinu- question. Christianity aimed at
the destruction 81 psganism. hut pagan
l-m was the real basis Of the Empire.
christ ianity condemned all violence and
forUr declaring all men and all nat ions
To - equal l-for- God. whereas 1t was
10y yiol-nce and force that the Empire
had subjected all nations to Rome. For
Christianity the social life of this world
was of no account. save a. "a preparation
for III" life l-vond the tomb everything.
therefore. that constituted the grandeur
II Rome, that j. 20 say. the social fabric.
patriotism and glory. the very aim 81
~ existence. with all that II held most
dear. were now reduced TO nullty. Thus
the question was not merely that 81 sub
stituting one religion for another. hut
that Of demolishing the fundamental prin- !
ciple- IL philosophy. IL literature, of all
civilization. 81 a whole moral world. to
erect others IN their place One can easily
perceive Ia profound CONSERVATION |
The proposal Of such a change would ex-
cite in the minds Of the ablesi. the most. |
far-sighted and most patriotic Romans
IL j. when we look a. Christianity from |
the viewpoint Of enlightened patriotism
hat "" are enabled 10 understand why \
the most ferocious prosecutions of Christians |
wrre ordered by the best and mos, CON |
-rientious EmI-rors. We can p-rrrive
o, ,h. o,h., ha,d xhv ia. ,,n -, a..
Fupir. had mn ,crror- for Christian.
.-,ry that II ,mpl,i tho fpu 81 nag,n,sm
Eyep ,he i,,,u,,., 20 barbarian. Ia, |
m. mos, mar, already con,ared IN tho
CHRISTIAN fs,b xas regarded hv CHRISTIAN.
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