Notes of a sermon preached by the Rev. C. 5. Darwent in Union Cnuren, on Sunday, March 14. Text: St John ALL 1. "xe call me Master and Lord; ye say well, for so I am."
The "Spectator" is usually highly respected, even by those who disagree with its political opinions. It is a sort of British institution. 1¢ has a high moral tone; it is generally credited with a prodigious amount of brain; hence its considered views are well worth our attention.
Now in a recent number it made the astonishing assertion that "our civilization has disappeared like that of Greecs and Rome." Truly a startling statement Can it be? Disappeared indeed have the Roman legion and the Greek phalanx; disappeared have the graceful' gods and goddesses, only now seen on pottery; disappeared have the schools of philosophers and the Greek drama, and nigh all the modes of thought that governed their lives. Can it be that our accumulated habits and modes of thought of centuries, that have impressed themselves so indelibl; as we thought, on our national, social, and religious life, are as dead as those of the old classical nations? We are certainly disinclined to believe that there is anything in the statement.
Tap Ipea or Suporpination.
Let us see what the journal says: It says that the whole of our civilizatica, hitherto, has "been based on the idea of subordination." There have been orders of society; there have been kings and governments that had to be obeyed; employers who had to be obeyed; parents who had to be obeyed. Obedience was exacted, whether the persons who received the orders liked them or not. There was graded obedience, from the top of society to the bottom. No one even dreamt that he could do as he even liked and owed absolute obedience to no one. Society was organized on a feudal basis. was a personal obedience also. It was exacted and given in spiritual matters as well, for one great church ruled Europe. The words of the old prophet described society: as the eyes of a maid Waiting on her mistress." All had "betters" on whose eyes they had wait.
Now, says the "Spectator," that is all gone. The habit of subordination has disappeared. Unquestioning obedience is utterly dead. No one wants to be subordinate to anyone. "The habit of deference to superiors is dead or dying." We don't like to admit that we have any superiors. We all want to rule; or at any rate, there is a resentment against any taking of orders.
I think no one can doubt that there is a great deal in this view of us. The paper points to "the almost total disappearance of domestic
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.