Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/148

 consider the  present  unhappy  relations  of  Church  and State the  world  over,  and,  more  especially,  the antagonism between  the  one  true  Church  and  the various Christian  and  anti-Christian  sects,  we  are  apt to become  discouraged — to  lose  heart  as  did  the  little crew of  Peter's  bark  on  the  storm-tossed  sea  of Galilee. Men are  more  observant  of  destruction  than they are  of  constructive  results — the  thunder  and lightning command  attention,  but  Nature's  greatest force — the sun — is  barely  considered. So, too,  the Church. So uniform  is  her  progress,  her  influence  on the  age — that  it  is  scarcely  noticed,  whereas  the opposing forces  are  the  observed  of  all. When the storm of  persecution  rages,  therefore,  remember  a storm  clears  the  atmosphere;  that  it  is  only  momentarily dangerous — for  silent  and  peaceful  forces  alone are productive  of  lasting  effects. No cause  for  fear for the  Pilot  and  crew  of  Peter's  bark,  for  they  have on board  not  merely  Caesar  but  Caesar's  God. Nay, religious persecution  should  be  our  greatest  joy,  our liveliest hope,  for  resistance  betokens  progress — action is  measured  by  reaction:  and  invariably  antagonism arouses  the  antagonized  to  more  strenuous efforts. In her  inception,  in  her  experiences  of  the past, in  her  attitude  at  the  present  day,  we  find  no cause  for  alarm  regarding  the  Church's  ultimate  destiny. She should  not,  cannot,  be  destroyed  except, indeed, as  another  Samson  burying  herself  and  mankind in  the  ruins  of  the  universe. No, when  finally she stands  on  the  borders  of  time  and  eternity  looking back  over  the  past  she  shall  be  able  to  say  with