The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-06-05
NEW DAY AT HAND
World Sees the Dawn of Univer-
sal Democracy.
With the Downfall of the Turk and the
Hun Santa Sophia Will Be
Restored as Chris
tian Temple.

Among the happy rejoicings of
these victory days we are inexpress-
IDLY glad that the war did not end
until the unspeakable Turk was well
started down the toboggan of defeat
toward the bottomless pit, writes DR..
/ Charles Edward Locke. 1t is mighty
| triumph for democracy. With Jerusa-
lem and Damascus in the hands of the
Christians, and with Constantinople
no longer desecrated as the capital of
filthy Mohammedanism the foul Turk
is now getting his long-delayed de-
serts. Constantinople was named for
q jealous Christian prince. 1t was
made the imposing headquarters of the
Greek church, and beautiful temple
was built in the year 537 by Justinian
which is so stately and gorgeous that
this proud builder on the dedication
day exclaimed: 20 Solomon, | have
surpassed thee!'
But in 1853 the city was captured
by the sacrilegeous and infdel Sara
cen, and for 465 years it has been
the center of Moslem worship and
propaganda. 1t is beautifully stu
ated on the western slopes of the
Bosporous, and looks out upon the
| picturesque Marmora. Justinian's min
lister grand was transformed into
Il Moslem mosque. All the affairs and
crosses and frescoes and insignia of
Christianity were ruthlessly removed.
and for nearly five centuries, instead
of the worship of the most high God
resounding beneath a wonderful dome
which Michael Angelo said was like
part of the heavens brought down
to earth, 1t has been the scene of Mo-
hammedan mummeries and semi-pagan
idolatry.
With the victories of this war, no
doubt magnificent Santa Sophia will
be restored, and once again the
| praises of Christ will resound through
sanctuary and cloister; and the mar
velous fresco of Jesus and his disci-
pies In the high dome, which for GEN.
turtles has been concealed behind the
incrustations of a detestable Moslem-
y
ing and artistic messages to reverent
! Christian worshipers. The overthrow
of the Turk is not only triumph of
democracy, but it is likewise a mighty
victory for the truth and justice which
are interpreted to the world by the Cos
pei of the Son of God and the Son Of
Man, Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Until the savage Prussian Hun ap-
peared the Turk had conferred upon
him the ignominy of being the most
brutal degenerate of all human
history. A religion of lust, REINFORCED
by the bloody scimiter, the Turk cut
his way through human bodies to an
ignoble place of power in Europe and
Asia and his murderous hate venting
itself on the defenseless Christians, and
especially, upon the innocent Arme-
mans.
With the collapse of the Turkish
government, "the Dardanelles will be-
come a highway for the commerce of
the free nations of the world, in place
of waterway held by pirates" the
Balkan terror comes to an end, and
! the ignoble crescent fades out of sight
before the increasing effulgence of the
! blazing cross of the Christ of truth
and freedom.
The years have waited long for the
tremendous historic events which are
now being enacted in bewildering sue
cession. 1t was only yesterday that
! there were four powerful autocracies
that seemed so intrenched in opulence
and might that the centuries would
not overthrow but today, Russia, and
Austria, and Turkey. and Germany,
have all fallen, and great has been
the fall thereof; the twilight of the
kings has deepened into night, and the
dawn of universal democracy is al
ready reddening the eastern sky with
premOnitions of the new day of the
people; and the harbingers of the
morning are shouting on all hlltops
and In all languages. proclaim lib
erty throughout all the land and to all
the inhabitants thereof