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

means utterly disproportioned TO the ena
TO be attained so that the world might
be convinced that Christianity was not
the work Of man but of God, and that all
the glory should rebound to Him.
For Il Christ had appeared IN all the
pomp and splendor of temporal SOW
ereian, If lie had associated with Him the
power of Caesar, if He had impressed
into His service the armies Of imperial
Rome, the world would justly eNclaim'
.There is no miracle here. for Christi
anity was propagated not by the finger OF
God, but by the arm of%the fiesh.' Or, II
our Lord had employed in the service OF
His religion. the poets and orators, the
historians and literary men of His age. If
He had inspired a Virgil, and an Ovid,
Cicero and a Tacitus to WELD their
pens and raise their voices In attesta-
ton of the new religion, then the world
would cry out: "There is no miracle
here, for the Christian religion was pro-
pagated not by the folly of the Cross, but
by the persuasive words of human wis
DOM"
Or. If our Savior had appeared as the
possessor and distributor of immense
wealth. II He had lavished brides and
hounties on men to induce them to en-
brace His religion then the world would
say: There is no miracle here. for
men are drawn to the faith of Christ not
by the pearl of great price but by the
gold which glitters." But when we behold
the Christian religion established by the
weapons of weakness, humility, and pow
erty. we are forced to eXclaim: The
finger of God is here"
Gbbon Admits Wonderful Growth.
The historian Gibbon, the author Of
1.-THE Decline and Fall of the Roman
Empire, was Obliged to admit the Won
derful growth of Christianity in the first
three centuries of its existence. But he
endeavored to explain this phenomenon
on purely rational grounds. He aseribes
the spread of the religion of Christ to
these five causes: l. The mistaken belief
of the primitive Christians in the i'm
mortality of the soul 2. Their pure and
blameless lives. g. Their indomitable
zeal 4. Their alleged power of working
miracles. 8. Their admirable organiza-
ton.
| There is indeed no doubt that these
causes exerted a powerful influence in
propogating Christianity, but | maintain
that they were secondary, and not pri-
mary causes. They were the effects of a
| first great cause. II you behold beau
! tifuI lake In your travels through
/ Switzerland or the Adirondaclks, your
curiosity may lead you to discover the
streams which feed 1t. Your investiga-
ton is rewarded by finding five rivulets
| flowing into the lake. In pursuing your
! investigation still farther you discover
| that those streams have their source in
| the snowcapped mountains in the dis
| lance.
Who inspired the primitive Christians
| with an unclouded belief in the immor~
| tally of the soul? Who raised them to
! a high plain of moral rectitude? Who
gave them an unquenehable zeal and en-
| thusiasm-an enthusiasm enduring for
centuries and extending over the known
world-an enthusiasm in an unpopular
| and hated cause? Who impaired to them
the power of working miracles? Who eff
fected that indissouble organization
which cemented not by force but forged
by the golden chains of lover
Who was 1t but the Lord OF Hosts who
| said: "Go teach all nations, and behold
1 am with you all days even TO the con-
| summation of the world" 1t was He who
said: Fear not, 1 have conquered the
world" 1t was He who said THE race
ia not to the swift, nor the battle to the
strong" Who was It but Christ the Lord
who said: 'Ye have not chosen Me, but
have chosen you, that you should go and
bring forth fruit, and your fruit should
remain"
Congratulations Offered.
And now, Most Reverend Father il
Christ, permit me on this suspicious oc
casion, to congratulate you and thu
Toll