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The Druids retained their predominance in Iona and over the adjacent islands and mainland until they were supplanted and their superstitions overturned by the arrival of St. Columba, the apostle of the Highlands, by whom the inhabitants of that district were first led to profess Christianity.
Paul's words cannot be set aside without more cause than Strauss has shewn: instead of betraying a tendency towards exaggeration, they contain nothing whatever, with the exception of his own vision, that is not imperatively demanded in order to account for the rise and spread of Christianity.
The whole place seemed to crush and sadden me; and I could not re-echo Lillian's remark: "How those pillars, rising story above story, and those lines of pointed arches, all lead the eye heavenward! It is a beautiful notion, that about pointed architecture being symbolic of Christianity."
With a forced laugh he answered, "Oh no, indeed, not at all. It is only that your views of the Christian religion surprise me." "My views of the Christian religion," she repeated, very serious now. "I did not know that my views of Christianity were mentioned." He was bewildered. "But the church! You were speaking of the church." "And the church and Christianity are one and the same of course."
But human applause is not a Christian principle of action; nay, it is so adverse to Christianity that our Saviour himself assigns it as a powerful cause of men's not believing, or at least not confessing Him; because they loved the praise of men. The eager desire of fame is a sort of separation line between Paganism and Christianity.
I will add, that much of this influence may be felt in times of public distress, and little of it in times of public wealth and security. This also increases the uncertainty of any opinions that we draw from historical representations. The influence of Christianity is commensurate with no effects which history states.
It is indeed true that, in the years 1636 and 1638, General Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera, undertook in person and happily carried into effect the reduction of the Sultan of Mindanao and the conquest of the Island of Jolo, placing in the latter a governor and establishing three military posts there; under the protection of the garrisons of which, Christianity was considerably extended.
That is the kind of Christianity that counts in a public official, that counts in the military official the Christianity that makes him do his duty in war, or makes him do his duty in peace.
Take their reward from them, and they will curse Him to His face. If Christianity had never borne itself more loftily than this, do we suppose that those fierce Norsemen who had learnt, in the fiery war-songs of the Edda, of what stuff the hearts of heroes are composed, would have fashioned their sword-hilts into crosses, and themselves into a crusading chivalry?
Whether so great a trial supplied a more human inducement for looking towards Christianity, it is impossible to say.
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