liness
she has won the heart of many. The proud and noble have been brought down
to worship at her feet. The lowly have been lifted up to admire her
gracious charms. Peasants have invited her into their humble homes, where
she reigned as a queen of light and peace. Gloom and darkness is driven
away by her sweet angelic smile. She has lifted the despondent out of the
vortex of despair, and by her animating presence encouraged them to bright
hopes and a happy life. The bitter lot of the poor she has sweetened, and
the burden and care of riches takes wings and flies away at her approach.
She has been brought into the presence of kings and almost won their
hearts. Men have sacrificed the world to gain her love. She is a ray of
heavenly light in this dark world.

The words of finite man are inadequate to describe the true character of
Christianity. In our description we shall exalt her only by the words
contained in the book sent down from heaven. That alone is worthy to
eulogize her name. When the reader has followed our delineation to the
close, and inspected every feature of this virtuous queen, we trust the
decision of his heart will be yet deeper than his who said, "Almost thou
persuadest me to be a Christian."

Christianity should be full of interest to all mankind. She not only cools
the heated brow, cheers the drooping heart, and strews life's pathway with
flowers of peace, but she deals with man's eternal destiny. She will
smooth the rough places all along his journey of life, and when he has
come down to the end, it is she that will bear him across the valley and
welcome him to the home prepared for his eternal inhabitancy.

Since the day of her nativity she has had a bitter obstinate foe, Satan,
and wicked men have combined to bespoil her white robes and mar her fair
form. They have struggled long and hard to bring her low. They have
endeavored to extinguish her radiant light and defame her true character.
We have only to take a stroll through the halls of denominationalism to
learn how far they have succeeded. To many pews and pulpits our virgin has
no excellence or beauty. In the pulpit orator's exposition of her she is
not exalted one whit above the coarse, vulgar world. Satan has succeeded
in veiling her fair form and true virtues from the hearts of many. In the
opinions of many she is reduced to a mere nothing. Angels weep to see her
fair robes trailed in the dust. Those who pretend to love her have brought