Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. I.djvu/199

Rh Catholic and Protestant had here assembled for one common, great, human object, and so doing appeared to forget that any thing separated them from each other; but amongst all these Catholics and Protestants which a common love united, I did not see one of those who, in an especial manner, call themselves the servants of Christ and the gospel. They find time nevertheless to journey to all kinds of meetings which call themselves clerical and evangelical. Why do they thus altogether ignore this, as if it were not worthy of the attention of the church?

Is it not because the church—as well the Protestant as the Catholic—have an imperfect comprehension of the object, both of the gospel and the church—the kingdom of God? That it regards this principally as a condition of the individual soul, as a condition on the other side of the grave, not as that which is founded already upon the earth, a kingdom of justice, freedom, and peace, goodness and happiness for all peoples, and for which all the powers and gifts of life must unite to labor.

Happiness! I repeat and emphasize the word, in the name of the Divine Teacher, who, by word and deed, testified of God's will that all the pure fountains of earth's joy should pour forth for all men; who blessed its bread and its wine, not merely for the soul's but for the body's enjoyment and benefit. For His kingdom embraces all mankind!

But until the church comprehends this in its great significance, it must not wonder that millions of intelligent, thinking, human beings will not listen to its preaching, and that they sometimes fancy they hear a