Page:The Last Judgement and Second Coming of the Lord Illustrated.djvu/341

 time efforts have been made to promote its extinction in America, and there can be no doubt that in the events which are now transpiring in that country, it has received a blow from which it never will recover. With its abolition there, it will perish upon the shores of Africa. The system of serfdom in Russia has also been abandoned, and nearly thirty millions of peopie have by a peaceful revolution been raised to the level of freemen. They are astonishing their former masters by their industry and intelligence, and are showing to the world that they appreciate their emancipation by establishing schools for the education of their children. This spread of liberty among bondsmen was scarcely dreamt of fifty years ago, and now the very name of slavery awakens indignation and begets abhorrence. The realization of this love of freedom proves that a Divine influence is present in the world, for "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

The formation of peace societies, also, is not to be overlooked. Their object is to settle national disputes by means of arbitration; thus they belong to a high political morality. They appeal to reason and Christianity, and