The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-02-16

Maker of all things in the name of Jesus
Christ crucifed.'
Tertullian who was bor4 about the one
hundred sixtieth year OF the Christian
era. does not hesitate to address these
words to the Roman Emperor: We are
but of yesterday and We have filled
vour empire. Your cities, Your towns.
vour islands. your forts your army, your
senate. your palace and forum swarm
with Christians. We have left nothing to
YOU except your empty temples" st.
Irenaeus. who lived in the same country.
bears witness also to the marvellous
growth of the Gospel. and he is careful
10 tell us that the faith Of those times
was everywhere Identical AS the light,
he saws. (which illnmines the sane great
luminarv of day so is the light of faith
that shines on the intellects of men.
everywhere identical because It proceeds
from Jesus Christ. the Eternal Son of
Justice
Two Kinds of Force.
What a contrast presents itself to our
minds between the peaceful eonquests of
the apostles and their successors on the
one hand. and the bloody victories
achieved by the great generals of an
tionity on the other, whether we con-
slider the weapons with which they
fought. the battles they won, or the du-
ration of their victories Alexander ...e
Great, who may be considered one of the
greatest generals of ancient times, sub.
dued nations by wading through the
blood of his fellow beings. BY the sword
he conquered, and by the sword he kept
his subjects In bondage. But scarcely
was he consigned to HIS grave, when
his empire was dismembered. and his
subjects shook off the yoke which had
been imposed on them.
The apostles conquered kingdoms for
their divine Master not by force. but
by the sword of the spir which is the
word of God: not by shedding the blood
of others, but by the voluntary shedding
of their own blood; not by enslavng the
bodies of men, but by reseuing their
souls from the bondage of sin. And the
spiritual republic which they founded.
exists unto this day, is constantly ex-
tending its lines. and is kept together not
by frowning fortifcatinos and standing
armies but by the divine influence of
religious and moral sanctions.
What does this prove? 1t proves that
the pen and the voice are mightier than
the sword 1t proves that peace hath her
victories no less renowned than war,
aye victories more substantial and en-
during It proves that all schemes con-
ceived in passion and fomented by law
tain torrent, to carry terror before them,
and to leave ruin and desolation after
them, while the actions of men laboring
under the inspiration of heaven, are des-
tined like the gentle dew of heaven, to
shed silent blessings around them and
to bring forth abundant fruit In due
season.
Discerning Stamp of Divinity.
No rational and dispassionate mind can
review the history of the infant church
without discerning the stamp of divinity
IMPRESSED upon her brow When we con.
slider the rapid growth of the Christian
religion. and the feeble instruments that
were employed to produce such results
when we consider the hostility which the
apostles encountered in the whole course
| of their ministry, when we consider the
| opposition they met with from the learn
ed and the popular from the priests OF
| the Pagan superstition. and from the es
tablished government itself. above all
when we reflect on the sublime and aus
| tere moral code which they proclaimed
| TO A people whose religion tolerated and
| even sanctioned the most dissolut,
morals, we are forced to admit thai
| Christianity was mracuously in its origin
We'll did st. Paul sound this keynot,
when he exclaimed: "The foolish thing
| of the world hath God chosen that IL
might eonfound the wise, and the veal
| things of the world hath God chosei
that He might confound the strong, ant
| the things that arc contemplate, ant
the things that are not that He nigh
| bring to nought the strings that are, tina
| no flesh should glory in His sight"
And indeed the wisdom of God Is es
l In, he odn n