The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-10

and Compostella, and SO on in every
century down to our own, when in the
new world, the latest of the lands we are
winning to Christ, the cathedrals being
builded are rivailing the cathedlals Of
Gays gone by. Then, too, began the lit
e ature OF the church. In that fourth
century Prudentius, the first Christian
poet, sang of the tfiumphss of the mar
tyrs. Ambrose wrote the hymns we still
chant. Gregory of Nazanzense welded
christian thought to the Muse of Greece,
and Augustine in the west. made the
Latin tongue the vehicle of such beauty
and strength and tenderness as Pagan
thought had never known
The church became and long remained
almost the sole refuge and custodian of
art and learning. Monastic institutions
took shape and spread apace. The church
consolidated and perfected that organ
1zation and form of government given her
by the Divine Founder. Bishops metro
politans and patriarchs watch over their
sees and provinces. Peters place is rec
ognized: the abandonment of Rome as the
seat of civil government providentialy
epares the way for the exercise Of
the divine prerosatiye without which the
church would, as human societies ever
do. have succumbed to dissolution And
all this development, and all this mani
festation of glory and divinity began on
the day when Constantine. in signing the
edict bade the church rise from the
catacomb darkness to the light of God 9
own day,
Historical Significance
Such is somewhat of the historical Sig
nificance of the great event we are cele-
btating this year, the influence of that
event upon the churcii's own life on her
creed and liturgy, and the influence which
1T enabled her to exert, and which in
great part she still exerts upon the whole
world around her. True, owing to the
great apostasy from the Catholic church
which began four centuries ago. and which
today is issuing into It's logical outcome,
apostasy from God. there seems to be
a return on the part of many to pagan
standards and ideals. Education, the
school, the family the state have been
Withdrawn from her empire and with
what result? This, that our age is ma
terialistic and sensual. that there Is a
mad scramble after enjoyment and riches,
that there is oppression of the poor, there
Is capitallstic tyranny. disgraceful child
labor, the spread of divorce increase in
race suicide ard dissemination of anarch-
istic doctrine. Yet against all this to-
day the church as a rock stands firm.
Never again can paganism win back
the prestige and power it enjoyed under
the emperors before Constantine's day.
The mission of the church is not finished
yet on earth. Hampered and oppressed she
still pursues 1t. She is true to that mis-
sion given her by the Holy Founder in
the long ago, and even If flood of cor
ruption arises and engulfs and devastates
all. still, the church, the ark of God
will ride the waves, and when the storm
subsidies VIII be found resting on the ever
lasting hills, as when Asia from her
bathing rose. Yes, and If in the future.
near or far, eo-paganism becomes so
powerful that persecution as fierce as any
under Nero of Diocletian arise to deci-
mate our Catholic ranks. even if martyrs
blood will flow, once more as of old il
flowed in the Roman colosseum, still God
is with us, He is the Almighty, the God
who snatches victory from seeming de-
feat, and If needs be he will call forth,
yes, even from our bitterest foes another
Constantine to sign another edict to
bring peace to a distracted world, even