Show A SUNDAY SERMON Civilization what is iU The act of civilizing or the state of being civilized refinement culture I Webster I Our manners our civilization and alI tho good things connected with manners I and with civilization have in this European I Euro-pean world of ours depended for ages upon two principles I mean the spirit of a gentleman gen-tleman and the spirit of religion Burke The question of civilizition becomes the more interesting as we study its different phases from the definitions as given above and from the results as found in the customs of modern society we may hope to fully understand the meaning of civilization zation Webster presents tne action or effort to civilize which he defines as refine lent and culture Burke gives a broader view and attributes all good connected with civilization to two principles gentlemanly gentle-manly deportment and the influence of religious re-ligious principles I we may be permitted to make a closer analysis we might be persuaded per-suaded that religion must be the primeval principle the first great force in the civilIzation ization ol man This principle began with man and ied him to recognize a higher and more perfect being in the person of GoJ who is the true exponent of a perfect civiii zation The eastern and western civilization civiliza-tion are distinct both in character ahd I origin i the present generation of men claiming identity with western civilization I and participation in the Christian system deny the eastern civilization as being ai mirable either in religion or morals I is i a question as to the justice of such a position posi-tion as wo can find very much to admire among eastern nations that would compare very favorably with the highest concep tens of modern Christians I might be well to ask What has been the nature of education In all the past ages There ale two distinct systems held up before the minds of men The first was of divine origin and presented a full and complete revelation of God and man and tho nature and constitution of the visible universe In this revelatipn was inserted laws for the perpetuation and proper development of the physical and spiritual nature 0 man and might properly be called tho positive system The other system was of human origin and presented the views and ideal notion notons und speculative doctrines of men in refer euro to God and the nature of the physical universe and the rights of man to indulge in passions that were destructive to his mental and physical constitution It is bat natural therefore to suppose that man when left to his own reflections would leiectons make many grave mistakes The tire civilizations have come down to us in antagonism to each other through till time and tliero appears as wide a gulf between be-tween the two today i not a wider than has ever existed before The positive sy stem s-tem held the doctrine of unity to be pan mount and above all else the human system held tho doctrine of schism and a divided interest and the necessity of shed inp blood to maintain a supremacy The pos live system advocated pence and equal the human system established discord and class distinction Tho first used moral suasion the other physical force I is evident thnt there are two forces running parallel with each other through all ages and in order to rightly understand the nature na-ture of each force we must follow the ei thence as we find it in ti6 history of thin world A large majority of men be striven to prove their own theories and to establish the doctrine of supremacy without out a supreme being which is impossible Where there is no positive law to direct and control tho mind and thoughts of men they wander in doubt and frequently in despair The two civilizations show a distinct design de-sign The first maintains unity equality and fraternity and in the system is to be found all that is essential for mans good I demands love to God and obedience to the law linked with love to lan and devotion devo-tion to tho interest of others and the main tainance of a just balance in all the affairs of life These qualities must predominate if man reaches his high destiny which is to be like God in nature and attributes Let us follow history with a iew to ascertain as-certain facts so that we may arrive at just conclusions I is often charged that the advocates of the divine system have been arbitrary and cruel in their demands and have striven to force men to adopt a svs system sys-tem against their i will Unfortunately this has always led to a rejection of principle through the imbecility of those that have hid behind divinity and advocated a divine right to do evil The trouble has been and is now that men claim to be inspired and justify their acts by claiming authority from God and that they aro not responsible responsi-ble t men for what they do This is the position of all Christendom and of all governments But what of our American civilization hIs h-Is there such a thing outside the constitution constitu-tion and laws Men are beuinning to show the cloven foot and to break loose from constitutional restraint and become a law t themselves I the foundation of our government was laid upon the principles of equity and justice it must have joined Issue with the divine government in resist ing everything in opposition to the general good We look upon modern civilization as a sort of refined barbarism Ancient Egypt with her mystic rites and claims to dlvincjorigin forced upon her dependents de-pendents a system of slavery which when compared with the slavery of millions that are bound hand and foot by the present European governments must considered humane Barbarism as it existed among the ancients is supposed to have been the result of ignorance which enable those who maintained the aspandency over The musses to carry their designs and passions to excess Yet with all the supposed ignorance there was a moral forco which struck at and against usurpation and a lust for power that is not surpassed by modern society After the introduction of the Christian system an excuse was found i for the formation of governments that seemed to bear the marks of divine approbation appro-bation We frankly admit that government govern-ment might find some excuse in declaring 1 that morality was necessary for tho public good but the enforcement of morality novel went beyond tho convenience of the rulers of tho people Morality at the very best has never extended beyond public opinion It derived no force from the divine law or princinc so that the evils that existed under barbarian customs became be-came strengthened by organizations and a I corrupt Christianity What is the status I of tho governments of the earth in reference refer-ence to civilization Do not the socalled Chrstiil nations represent a condition indirect in-direct opposition to peace and universal brotherhood Wo maintain that the eondi tion of tho world justifies the belief that barbarism as it existed among the andont is surpassed by thin acts of modern nations If we take England as an example where ever her flag is planted it protects mel in their traffic and trade that produce a wore condition than that which existed among barbarians What conception can the nice have of the character of Christianity wh sire laying the foundation for u condition of things that will place barbarism above our boasted civilization Political governments that aro sustained by force produces anarchy that arises from desperation and is opposed to law This brings us to considerour own government There can ba no true civilization whet equity uud justice do not reign supreml Wo have arrived a point in oar nation existence thnt demands that every Amer am must do his duty a duty rot to part but to principle A man that will ileser to the enemy in time of war is no moro a traitor than the man who will surrcmle his principles and conviction of right for the sake of party spoils The man that will follow a party for selfinterest anti will pointer to wealth has forgotten if he ever knew that to be an AmerFca Vrmus be a man Our modern civniouuon is a shabby thing It resembles the coat of many colors We say civilized warfar Thin monster Napoleon fought for universal empire and waded through seas of human blood and is a true typo of the ambitIous His retreat from Moscow will remain ass evidence of barbarism And later on what shall wo > say of the FrancoGormai war If the statements in tho diary of the emperor can be relied on thousands upon ousands were slain until tho sight was sickening to the stoutest heart Oh yes civilized warfare is assuming terrible proportions pro-portions The Uiristiaa Czar of Russia lighting the Christian Queen of Great Britain Italy fighting the supposed vicegerent vice-gerent of heaven and the Pope seeking for temporal power without God millions upon millions are ready to launch the thunderbolts of war at each other Chris titiil against Christian and yet we claim a hich civilization When will all the scheming and bloodshed blood-shed end When wo reach a true civilian tson When the geniar influences of Gods government shall reach the nations hen words shall be beat into plowshares and pears into pruning hooks When thin genius of American institutions becomes of more value than pure gold When our rand Democratic principles shall bo our guide to national greatness and national unityl When men shall be honest in ponies pon-ies and religion When honest men shall be retained in offlcc and honored for then patriotism and love of right When Arner cans will refuse to entrap a lordly fool in order to deceive the silly Irish so thatan uncrowned king might ascend his Isinacle of ambition and gloat over the downfall of American Democracy When America hall be for united Americans and the good and pure of all nations Then and not till then may we ever hope to see the American nation living under the smiles anti approbation of God and the blessings hat How from gentlemanly deportment and tho influence of Christian principles VEKITAS |