As we review the past, we delight to see how the various movements,
which, at the time, seem to be wholly disconnected, move on in
converging lines, and how, finally, those movements come together
to produce some sublime result. During this centennial period we
have been looking back over the past history of our nation, and at
the same time over the past history of Europe, and we have found
these two histories blended all the way through. From the time of
the Crusades, and the awakening of the spirit of enterprise, and
the creating of that great restlessness throughout Europe which
led to the spirit of exploration and discovery, down through the
subsequent periods, during which our country was colonized, we see
everywhere how movements on this side of the water and movements
on the other side were playing together. * * * * * * * * * And now
we stand at another period, and we see two continents, lying side
by side across the same ocean. We have heard God’s voice saying,
“Let my people go,” and this has been followed by God’s providence
breaking off the fetters of an oppressed race and bidding them go
forth into a land of freedom. And we have seen, in connection with
this, God calling His people to labor and lift up these brethren to
a higher intelligence, to a purer, faith, to a nobler aspiration,
and to a grander enterprise; and we have seen these efforts
fruiting most wonderfully. And all the time that this has been
going on, away off there across the ocean, in that new continent
hitherto unexplored, Baker, Livingstone and Stanley, with untiring
industry, have been prosecuting their work; and “the great dark
continent” is being made a light continent in one respect—light to
our knowledge, only that something greater and grander may follow.
Are these lines parallel—the lines of God’s movements in America
and the lines of God’s movements in Africa? They _converge_; and,
in the distance, these lines on which God is moving will come
to their focus, and we shall see there on African soil sublime
results, of which these here on American soil give to us but the
prophecy.
* * * * *