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THE TRIUMPHS
OF CHRISTIANITY.
'Tis
come! 'tis come! The long expected day,
When sin no longer o'er the earth bears sway;
But truth, triumphant, sheds its mellow light,
And all below is clear, and pure and bright.
The Christianity! the gift of Grace !
Receives in form the homage of our race;
Europe fair, her princely tribute brings,
A grateful offering to the King of Kings;
Asia rejects the Shasters and the Sword
Throws by the Koran and receives the word;
Lo! Africa breaks her chains of crime and blood,
And lowly bending, lifts her hands to God.
No more she wages war for white man's gold-
No more she mourns her children bought and sold.
See, too, America, with pipe of peace!
Comes now to sue for love and heavenly grace;
The tomahawk, and bow, and cruel knife,
To exchange for records of eternal life;
'Tis come! 'tis come! the long expected day!
Lo! God has triumphed, Truth divine bears sway;
Loud alleluias heavenly angels sing,
For earth, renewed with joy, receives her king.
—From Religious Allegories.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
THE
DETRIMENT OF PREJUDICE.
We
have not had occasion to change our mind as to the baneful effects
that prejudice has upon the work of missions abroad. The cry of
"heathen at home," still forms the best excuse some people
have for not contributing to the foreign fund. In an address at Canby,
Oregon, in 1892, we had under consideration the subject of
"prejudice." "What was then said is still appropriate
and we repeat it here, hoping that further good will come of it."
"St.
Peter was not clear of prejudice. He gave an exhibition of it on the
house-top of Simon the tanner by the sea-side. His prejudice against
the Gentiles would always have hindered him from any attempt to preach
to them the unsearchable riches of the gospel of Christ. But God, who
is rich in mercy, gave Peter such a revelation of his purpose to bring
the ends of the world to the knowledge of the truth, that he became
one of the most ardent among the twelve to bring in the Gentiles. When
at the first he saw the vision at Joppa, the sight of the unclean
beasts and birds and reptiles made him cry out that he was not a man
of unclean lips, having never eaten anything that was common or
unclean. The answer of the Lord was sufficient: "What God hath
cleansed, that call not thou common." It required three efforts
to open the eyes of the prejudiced apostle, but when they were opened,
he gave the world a doctrine that has, and will form the true basis of
operation for both ecclesiastical and political governments. The
doctrine is unmistakably couched in the language of the text:
"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive
that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that
feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him."
The
highest type of international law, of civil government, of social and
religious interchange, were there taught the apostle. There the true
Fatherhood of God, and the ideal Brotherhood of man were taught. From
that house-top the sectional animosities, the traditional
conventionalities, the political jealousies, and the baneful
alienations, resulting from their selfishness, were exhibited in all
of their abhorrence and revolting abomination. There was proclaimed
the great religious idea that of one blood God had created all the
nations of men, and had beforehand appointed the place of their
habitation. There monarchies and anarchies received the foreboding |
blow which
staggered their progress. There was revealed the great national
doctrine of liberty, equality and independence, which eighteen
centuries later made the republic of America a gracious possibility.
There malice and cruelty authorized by law, received a rebuking
admonition. There was revealed to the world a Christian civilization,
the exercise of which, when it had reached its loftiest heights,
culminated in our own Declaration of Independence, by which Americans
shook off the coils of foreign bondage, and forever vouched the rights
of freedom, and the inalienable exercise of its immunities to all her
subjects, whether native born or naturalized."
Would we be too bold in asserting that the great mission of the gospel
will not be accomplished until the Church of Christ arises and shakes
off her dust, puts on her garments of salvation and goes to work to
bring in both Jew and Gentile? Is it not proclaimed that the
"kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our God and his
Christ?"
Milton
understood the divine philosophy of good when he said, "Good, the
more communicated, the more abundant grows." Some things lessen
with their use; not so with the good we do. The motto of the Monthly
is, "To do good and to communicate forget not, for with such
sacrifices God is well pleased." It were far better for many
professors if they would get more joy out of good deeds than merely
seeking to be made happy in speaking and praying. The former will be
no less joyous by the exercise of the latter. Indeed, it will give a
new beauty and a greater ecstasy to the whole Christian life by being
a doer of the word. It being more blessed to give than to receive,
ought to enthuse all our hearts to look about where we may do some
poor, destitute man, woman or child some good. It may be but a kindly
word. It may be food, clothing or shelter. Let us have it said,
"In as much as ye did it unto one of the least of these, ye did
it unto me." "It is a heaven upon earth to have a man's mind
move in charity, rest in Providence, and turn upon the poles of
truth."
An
anonymous writer says, "The greater part of the goodness at any
time in the world is the goodness of common character; the chief part
of the good work done must be done by the multitude." The first
statement comes to us with much force, the second, rather weak. If the
writer had said that the greater part of the good work done is done by
the few, he would have come nearer the observation and experience of
those who are engaged in Christian work. Were they to wait for the
multitude, they would soon find every department of their work dying
for want of the most common care.
Dr.
Cumming puts it in good language when he says, "As a fountain
finds its expression in overflowing; as a river in rushing to the
infinite main; as trees bursting into blossom in the springtime; so
God feels it his joy to give liberally, and to give above all we can
ask or think or desire, for Christ's sake." We add, that we ought
to remember the words of the Lord Jesus how he said that it was more
blessed to give than to receive. No professor should be satisfied with
less than giving according as God has prospered him to support the
cause he claims to love.
The
Christian Endeavor have set apart February in which to offer special
prayer for the relief of Armenia. It is pledged to "pray that
Armenia, may be spared further persecution, and that a way to
prosperity may be opened to the thousands left destitute by the
Turks."
The
American puts a full sermon into a single sentence as follows: "A
carload of pity is not worth a handful of help."
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