Calvinism - pagina 47

CALVINISM A LIFE SYSTEM. this

would remain a bare

ponding has in

reality,

of the

possibility without

human

life

and has ennobled the

channel,

And

nations.

any

corres-

history did not testify that Calvinism

caused the stream of

acUially

another

if

43

therefore in closing

to flow

social life

assert that

I

Calvinism not only held out these possibilities but has also

understood

how

had

the

if in

suddenly

not

Europe.

In

that

Netherlands.

To prove

them.

this,

what would have become of Europe

just ask yourselves

and America,

to realize

1

6th century the star of Calvinism

arisen

on the horizon of Western

Spain would have crushed the

case

England and Scotland the Stuarts

In

would have carried out

their fatal plans. In Switzerland

the spirit of half-heartedness would have gained the day.

The beginnings been

of an

of

in this

life

entirely

new world would have character.

different

And

as

an

unavoidable sequence the balance of power in Europe

would have returned to

its

former position.

would not have been able to maintain

No

further

could

resistance

Protestantism

itself in politics.

have been offered to the

Romish-conservative power of the Habsburgs, the Bour-

bons and the Stuarts; and the

free

development of the

Europe and America, would simply have been prevented. The whole American continent nations, as seen in

would have remained subject both

continents

one and of the

way

it

The

history of

would have become a most mournful

ever remains a question whether the spirit

Leipzig Interim

of a

to Spain.

would not have succeded, by

Romanized Protestantism,

Europe again

to the

sway of the

in

reducing Northern

old Hierarchy.

enthusiastic devotion of the best historians of the

The

second

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