Yes, gentlemen, as long as the principles of Christian morality are not carried up into the international relations—­as long as the fragile wisdom of political exigencies overrules the doctrines of Christ, there is no freedom on earth firm, and the future of no nation sure.  But let a powerful nation like yours raise Christian morality into its public conduct, that nation will have a future against which the very gates of hell itself will never prevail.  The morality of its policy will react upon the morality of its individuals, and preserve it from domestic vice, which, without that prop, ever yet has attended too much prosperity, and ever yet was followed by a dreadful fall.  The morality of its policy will support justice and freedom on earth, and thus augmenting the number of free nations, all acting upon the same principle, its very future will be placed under the guarantee of them all, and preserve it from foreign danger—­which is better to prevent than to repel.  And its future will be placed under the guarantee of the Almighty himself, who, true to His eternal decrees, proved through the downfall of so many mighty nations, that He always punished the fathers in the coming generations; but alike bountiful as just, will not and cannot forsake those to whom He gave power to carry out His laws on earth, and who willingly answered His divine call.  Power in itself never yet was sure.  It is right which makes power firm; and it is community which makes right secure.  The task of PETER’S apostolate is accomplished—­the Churches are founded in the Christian world.  The task of PAUL’S apostolate is accomplished—­the abuses of fanaticism and intolerance are redressed.  But the task of him whom the Saviour most loved, is not yet accomplished.  The gospel of charity rules not yet the Christian world; and without charity, Christianity, you know, is “but sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.”

Oh!  Charity, thou fairest gift of Heaven! thou family link between nations; thou rock of their security; thou deliverer of the oppressed; when comes thy realm?  Where is the man whom the Lord has chosen to establish thy realm?  Who is the man whom the Lord has chosen to realize the religion, the tenets of which the most beloved disciple of the Saviour has recorded from his divine lips? who is the man to reform, not Christian creeds, but Christian morality?  Man!  No; that is no task for a man, but for a nation.  Man may teach a doctrine; but that doctrine of Charity is taught, and taught with such sublime simplicity, that no sectarist yet has disputed its truth.  Historians have been quarrelling about mysteries, and lost empires through their disputes.  The Greeks were controversially disputing whether the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father alone, or from the Father and Son; and Mahomet battered the walls of Byzantium, they heard it not; he wrested the cross from Santa Sophia; they saw it not, till the cimeter of the Turk stopped the rage of quarrel with the blow of death.