Morris tribune., 1905-06-03

I of Lake Galilee, when the Saviour OF
mankind declared the eternal truth
that all men are born equal in the sight
of his Father. This republic then is
the browning glory of human progress.
! 1t is the natural outcome of Christian
civilization. A government based up
on the principle of equality of all men
! before the law is the inevitable fruit OF
moral dispensat ton based upon the
equality of all men in the sight of God.
It's democratic principles of political
equality was necessary sequence OF
the Christian principle of the moral
equality and democracy is Christianity
applied to civil institutions. From the
very moment when the Savior of man
kind babe His disciples go forth and
teach His word it became inevitable
that the triumph of Christianity would
mean the destruction of every form of
government based upon the inequality
of the human race. The first builders
of constitutional freedom were the
apostles who preached the word of
Christ.
The Roman empire foresaw at once
that the growth of Christianity meant
it's destruction. 1t sought to check the
new faith in the blood gifts professors,
but persecution was simply the means
by which the light was diffused into
every quarter of civilization. Slowly,
but surely and steadily, the mighty
empire that dominated the world
crumbled to RUNS, it's foundation sap
ped by the moral force Of the new dis
pensation. The legions that had car
ried their eagles in triumph through
the whole area of civilization were
poWerless to withstand an enemy that
fought not with the sword that de-
stroys, but with the cross that saves;
that aims not to destroy the body but
to enlighten the mind of man. And
from the hour when the portent in the
skies foretold to Constantine the tri
umph of his arms and the Christian
faith became the dominant spiritual
influence of the world, its mission to
accomplish political liberty was fixed.
But only small part of it's task was
then established.
1t is one of the most interesting fea-
lures of the study of history to watch
the steady growth through all the mu-
tations and changes of fourteen cen
turtles, of the principles of liberty, of
the principle of constitutional free
dom, which was advanced by forces
that seemed to be hostile as we look
back to the period when the northern
forests gave forth their hordes of bar
barians before whose invasion the old
civilization fell; as we look back to the
invasions, wars and turbulence of the
middle through it all we can see
the hand of God ever moving, sway
ing, controlling these discordant ele-
ments into force which ultimately
prepared mankind for constitutional
liberty.
AS the waves of the ocean breaking
unanimously on the shores seem to be
wasting their energy in destructive
turbulence and confusion, but are all
the time obedient to fixed laws, fulfill
ing the purposes of nature and ma
ture's God, SO these tribes, SO these
nations and races, sweeping down over
the fertile plains Of Europe, submerg-
ed in turn before the advent of fresh
currents, overturning the landmarks
of the ancient civilization, trampling
under foot the light of learning, and
apparently the light of iberty-were
nevertheless the instrument preparing
the progress of the human race, gath
cred together stones, mixing with their
blood the mortar of which the founda
tons were constituted, upon which the
temple of liberty stands in this coun
try today.
In the establishment of feudalism in
Europe it seems as if the night of i'm
penetrable darkness had settled down
over the face of the world. The poll
cy of feudalism was necessarily the
policy of force. Men had conquered
territory by force; they were forced
to defend it by the torch. The whole
system Of government was based up
on the proves in the field, the ca
pacity to defend that which had been
won in battle.
In such state of society, woman
was necessarily degraded to the con-
dition of plaything, piece of prop
erty less valuable than the horse or
the cattle which had been the sub
jects of contentious between warriors.
And in the face of that condition of
civilization, in the face of that moral
night, Christianity proceeded to preach
the doctrine that the weak and the
strong were equal in the sight of heav-
en-. When men recognized the spirit
ual equality of man it became abso-
lutely necessary and essential that
sooner Or later they would recognize.
his political equality. From Christian
pulpits the seeds of liberty fell every
day although those who scattered them
were probably unaware of the crop
which they were destined to reap.
The institution of chivalry was
founded, growing up from the man
ners and morals and customs of bar
barism. 1t took woman from the de-