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NO. 3. UttMOION AND CIVILIZATION. 58 cism produces inquiry; inquiry lends to knowledge; and knowledge produces civ. ilization. Leaving this somewhat abstract ineta physical arguetneut, let us turn to history. The legends, customs and religion of all savage tribes give ample proof, that the complete dominion of the imagination over the intellect, is the universal badge of barbarism. Again the epic poetry, the semi-dlvino character of the laws, the modified religion of semi-harbaric tribes a lib rd indisputable evidence that the progress of civilization is the result of a gradual encroachment of the intellect upon the domain hitherto occupied solely by the imagination. Thus it has been shown that civilization has been retarded in some countries by the extraordinary grandeur and maguillceuce ot the works of nature, such as moutains large rivers, thunder storms, and cyclones. These be ing inexplicable to primitive man, tended to increase the dominion of the imagina tion and to intimidate the intellect. It has also been shown that sailors who are less "masters ot their stars" are more superstitious than soldiers whose warfare is upon the tinner element. Then, before the Church can claim to have advanced civilization, her advocates must show that she has lessened the pow er of the imagination and lias given broader range to the intellect of man. They must show that she has encouraged that spirit of scepticism which is the nee cessary fore-runner of inquiry. It is, how ever, the urns I of the Church that she has maintained unimpaired the doctrine of the Fathers, that she has unrelentingly persecuted all heretics who refused to reverence that which was ancient. The history of modern times will, when fairly examined, give still less credit to the influence of religion. Certainly, if as ij is claimed, the Church has not changed her luudamental doctrines, her influence upon civilization must have been greatest in those countries and in those periods in which she had the greatest power to enforce her principles. On the contrary in England we llnd that no science and but little literature, worthy the name, existed, until the clergy lost their control over the English mind. It would bo well for the advocates ol the Cnurch to re member that the levival of learning, of which they boast, was due to the pagan philosophy and literature of Greece and Koine. In France during the reign of Henry, IV, and Louh, XIII, while the power of tho clergy gradually declined, we see the earnest of a national literature and many considerable additions to sci ence. During that brilliant military and ecclesiastical reign of Louis XIV, tho most Christian king, tho clergy were icon, throwned, tho national intellect enervated, the imagination once more ruled su promo. During this much extolled reign of llfiy four years, thero is a sad retro gression in the civilization of France, a lasting monument to the dominion of religion over tho intellectual elements of society. On account of the religious ele ment in Spain, she lias produced but an inferior literature and has done almost nothing for science, In Germany there are two distinct classes between which there is but little social and still less in tellectual communion. Tho one scepti cal and intellectual, the other religious and ignorant. Nor can England and America be cited as illustrious excej lions to this general principle. True, they are religious, but their religion is theoretical rather than practical. They listen lever entially to dogmatic doctrines audi n t lie practical all'airs of life do not hesitate to disregard the inot fundamental priuci pies of their creed. Thero is a vast dif ferenco between a people who preach the doctrine of "Special providence" and at the same time oll'er premiums for im. provements in the implements of war, and the people who would undertake the re ductlon of a Jericho by blowing ram horns. Tho result is that perhaps in no countries is tho current of evcnts-7-tho progress of the race so little influenced
