Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1906-06-27
THE TRIUMPHS OF The CHURCH, !
EMBODIMENT OF Alt TRUE RELIGION
POWER OF HER INFLUENCE.

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lying on the western slope of q broad
ridge, and almost surrounded by
precipices of Limestone rock, is the
ancient city of Jerusalem. Through.
out inspired writings this city and
its magnificent temple were types of
the Christian church. Long ago that
oity fell, and yet it is the most inter.
esting phenomena in the worlds his.
tory. When Rome, with it's capitol,
coliseum and forum; Athens, with
its Aoropolis, bards and philosophers,
are lost in oblivion; Jsrusaiem, with
its mounts, heroes and temple, will
live ripe in the memory of mankind.
Built, as it was, among the tombs of
the prophets, surrounded by hills
where the worlds battles were
fought and the worlds history made,
having streets where angels walked,
it is endeared to every heart. Jews
from every quarter of the globe
wander over it's ruins until this day,
and sit and muse and weep in the
shadow of Mount Moriah. Chris
tians from every land dig up the
tombs of the prophets, weep on the
brow of Calvary and praise God at
the sepulchre of the Worlds Re-
deemer. Indeed, Jerusalem is an
honored city! And while the same
angel that once guarded it from
harm and danger has now turned
and smitten it to the dust, the church
of which it and its temple were
types, lives on, and rising above all
castles and creeds, has proclaimed
life to dead world.
In the first place, want to con-
trast some of the religions of the
world with the religion of Jesus
Christ. Let us note their rise,
career and fall. All the great reli-
gions of the past were upheld upon
the point of the sword. When India
was supreme Brahma sat upon the
throne of the world. When India
lost the soepter and it passed to the
banks of the Nile, Isis and Osiris re-
ceived the homage of mankind.
Then Greece, with her valor, swept
the world, and Zeus put on the pur-
pie of authority. With the wane of
Greece's power came Rome's in
trepid sons, and the world trembled
and shook beneath the heavy tramp
of their armed footsteps. Jove, with
mailed hand, grasped the thunder
bolts of heaven and hurled them in
the face of world. But however
important these may have once ap.
peared, they like stars of the morn
ing, have been swallowed up by a
more glorious sun. If you would
find most of mans religions and most
of his gods, you must 90 through the
dark and dismal cemetery of the
past. India's temple, Brahma the
golden, the scowl of Typhon and the
dead Osirus have all faded away and
left their thrones desolate.
The sun rises as of old and his
smiles kiss the cold lips of Memnon,
but Memnon opens not her mouth.
The Egyptian mummies are still
waiting for the resurrection prom
ised by the priest, while the tradi-
tions of this curious people are
wrapped in a language now lost and
dead. The sacred fires of the Aztecs
and Persians have died away be-
meath the ashes of the past and there
is no one to rekindle the holy flame.
The hoop of Orpheus still hangs upon
the willow and the drained cup of
Bacchus is dusty and dry. flushed
forever are the thunders of Jupiter,
lost are the songs of the sirens and
over the ancient religions of earth is
thrown the mantle of oblivion.
One by one the myths have faded
from the heavens, one by one the
phantom host has disappeared, and
one by one facts, truths and realities
have taken their places. In the
march of human history every eli
gion whose traditions were entwined
with exploits of martial valor must