The Washington herald., 1918-02-25
GERMAN WAR AIMS
DOOMED TO FALL,
CARDINAL STATES
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.
| let us stand in imagination on one of
pagan Rome seven hills. We see at
our feet that immense city teeming
| with a population, according to the
estimate of Gibbon. of about 10000
inhabitants. We observe that metro
polls dotted here and there with idol
atrous temples and inches to false
gods erected in the corners Of the
streets. And as an evidence that the
highest intellectual attainments do not
protect a man from the most degrad-
ing superstition and grossest vices
! those people are given up to every
species of idolatry. They worship the
sun and moon and stars OF heaven.
| The seas and rivers, the mountains
and groves have their tutelary divini-
ties. They worship every striking OBJ
ject in nature. They worship every
being except God only, to whom alone
divine homage is due. In the words
Of the Apostle of the Gentiles, They
changed the glory of the incorruptible
God into the image and likeness Of
corruptible man, and OF birds and of
beasts and creeping things, and they
worshiped and served the creature in
stead of the Creator. Who is blessed
for evermore.'
Rome was the focus Of the
!idolatry practiced throughout the
empire. Every divinity that was
adored in the vast dominipns of
Rome had his temple and his shrine
in the imperial city.
What I say of Rome / might af-
firm Of the Roman empire. and what
I affirm of the Roman empire 1
could assert of the civilized world;
for Rome was mistress of the world.
Her empire extended into Europe as
far as the River Danube; it extend
ed into Asia as far as the Tigris and
Euphrates, and into Africa as far
as Mauritania The whole world,
with the exception of Palestine, was
buried in the darkness of idolatry.
Such was the condition of society
when our Lord appears on the the
ater of public life. He calls around
Him twelve insignificant men-men
without wealth and destitute Of hu-
man learning. men without the pres
itige of fame, without political. or
social. or family influence. men
without any of those elements that
are considered at all times essential
for the success of any great enter
prise. He commands them to effect
| the most mighty moral revolution
that has ever occurred in the his
tory of the world. He commands
them to uproot idolatry from the
face of the earth and to establish
in its stead the worship of the one.
true and living God.
He commands them to eradicate
the most darling and inveterate pas
sions from the hearts of men, and
to plant in their stead the peaceful
reign OF Jesus Christ. Well might
the gospel. which these men went
forth to propagate. be compared to
the little grain of mustard seed,
small and almost imperceptible in
the beginning. but expanding into a
tluXuriant tree. spreading its
branches far and wide, so that the
nations of the earth might be shell
tered beneath its ample foliage, and
be nourished by its perennial fruit.
And well might these Apostles be
likened to twelve little streams
springing forth from the throne of
God, planted on the rock of ages,
deepening and broadening as they
advanced, and not inundating the
earth as Of old, with the waters OF
destruction, but refreshing it with
the rivers of eternal life.
THE Apostles had implicit faith
in their Divine Master when He
commanded them to preach the Cos
pei to all nations. They knew He
was God. They know that His word
was truth. that His word was power
and omnipotence. They had been
witnesses of His miracles! They
knew that He who said in the be-
ginning: Let there be light, and
there was light Let the earth
bring forth fruit. and 1t came forth :;
they knew that He would now
through their instrumentality. cause
the light of faith to shine on the
darkened intellects Of men, and the
fruits of sanctification to grow
abundantly in their hearts. And
therefore, they go forth nothing
lhesitating, and resolved to commu-
nicate the saving knowledge OF
Jesus Christ to every portion of the
! Roman dominions.
'They parcel out the Roman en-
pire among themselves. Their only
weapon is the cross, their only cre-
! Dental the Gospel of Christ. st
Peter commences his apostolic min
istry in Jerusalem. where his first
sermon is followed by the conver-
sion of three thousand souls, some
of whom had, no doubt, witnessed
the crucifixion of our Saviour, and
perhaps even had a hand in Hi;
death. He afterwards establishes
his see in Antioch, and finally suf-
! fers martyrdom in Rome.
st. Paul, the indefatigable teach
er of the Gentiles, traverses yari-
Gus parts of Europe and Asia, every
where bearing the torch of faith.
st. Andrew breaches In Syria and