Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. III.djvu/473

Rh the admonishing word of Christ seem so applicable—“Watch!”

Yet, nevertheless, when I look at that life, which is at this time most powerfully increasing; that which is in the ascendant and prevalent throughout the United States, I must confess that my heart is filled with hope. Because, if the United States would—and I believe they will—remove from their present legislation its great anomaly; if they would introduce into slavery the right of liberation by labour, and establish a gradual emancipation according to law, then ———

If I imagine to myself some great convulsion of nature, which should all at once annihilate this vast hemisphere; imagine it sunk in the twinkling of an eye into the depths of the sea, and there vanishing with its star-strewn banners, its fleets and railroads, its great cities and swarming human masses, its proud capitols and beautiful quiet homes; imagine to myself all this vanishing silently into the great deep, as into an immense grave, and the waves roaring over it, and the space being desolate and void, save for the angel of judgment, flying forth alone over the past world, with the record of its deeds in his hand, which he will place in the Book of Life before the throne of the Almighty Judge—then on this page I read:—

“This people were in earnest to realise the kingdom of Christ on earth, for the honour of God the Father!”

Behold here, my precious friend and teacher, my confession of faith regarding the life of the New World. Let me hope that I may one day justify it to you, either in your home or in mine.

It was one of my most ardent wishes in the United States to make them acquainted with you and your theological opinions, and it lies very much at my heart to make you more intimately acquainted with them, being certain that the Christian mind of Scandinavia and the