Calvinism a life-system - pagina 239

CALVINISM AND THE FUTURE. on

although

American continent,

the

world, a relatively healthier tone of

in

life

thinking

the

mind.

It

a

younger

prevails than in

moment

senescent Europe, yet this will not for a lead

235

mis-

impossible for you to

is

shut yourselves off hermetically from the old world, as

you form no humanity

body of

great

member

apart, but are a

the race.

And

of the

the poison having once

entered the system at a single point in due time must necessarily pervade the whole organism.

Now

the

fronted

question

serious

the present spiritual decHne.

question

this

Babylon,

by

in

periods

like

which we are con-

whether we can expect that by natural evo-

is

will

develop out of

The answer

history suppHes

a higher phase of social

lution

to

with

is

Egypt,

far

life

from encouraging.

in Persia, in

In India, in

China and elsewhere,

vigorous growth have been succeeded

of

times of spiritual decadence; and yet in not one of

has the downward course finally resolved movement towards higher things. All these

lands

these

itself in

a

nations

to

stagnation.

day have persevered

this

In

the

Roman

in their spiritual

empire alone has the dark

night

of boundless demoralisation been broken

dawn

of a

higher

through evolution;

The

Christ

of

life.

it

But

this

light

by the

did not arise

shone from the Cross of Calvary.

God had

appeared, and by his Gospel

alone was the society of that time saved from certain

And

again, when towards the close of Europe was threatened with social bankruptcy, a second resurrection from the dead and

destruction. .the

middle

ages

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