ved, and the races of men rose ennobled from
them. Horrible sins were committed by that warrior, and God brought
him and them to a terrible judgment. Yet God turned the curses to
blessings. The young, warm, vigorous blood of Greece, and her splendid
literature, and magnificent arts were carried into the heart of Asia,
and raised those old dotard nations to a second youth; inspired them
with power and light; flooded their lands with new and noble ideas, and
brought sluggish and unsocial peoples into commerce, unity, progress,
and hope.

"And pass to another scene," said the Minister, rising with his subject
and kindling to a glow. "Pass to another scene. Enter Jerusalem. Go
about Judea after the martyrdom of Stephen, and see what chaos, terror,
and despair succeed. Even the Jews are divided into cliques and
juntos, at war with each other, and enraged at their rulers. And where
are the poor trembling Christians, that on the day of Pentecost flocked
in such thousands and such joy to the lifted banner of the Cross? And
how stands their faith in this terrible hour? It is sorely tried and
belabored. Persecution kindles her fiery torches, and a wild tumult of
warring evils reigns. They are scattered abroad. They flee for their
lives to distant cities, and many lie down in despair and death.

"And yet what seeds of blessing were blown about by those wicked winds;
and what love was brought from persecution! The Christians were
scattered all over the Roman empire, and every one became a missionary
to the Gentiles, to give the word, and diffuse the power of eternal
life. And thus was Divine Providence manifested in defeating the
designs of evil; in commanding the waters of rage and fury, and
bringing harmony, truth, and blessing out of all. And signs of a like
Providence have been repeated throughout the whole course of history,
and man has risen from every conflict wiser, stronger, and more mature
in the graces of many-sided life.

"The period succeeding the fall of the Roman empire was another chaos
of upheaval, confusion, war, and night. The Christian element had been
poured into the Roman, which had long effervesced with the leaven of
Greece and the oriental world. Then wave after wave of barbarian
power, fury, and life, came pouring into all, and threatening to drown
the world, like another flood, and sweep away the monuments,
institutions, and ideas of all past time. The rolling in of those
savage waves