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ESSAYS ON LIBERTY
disappeared, the political influence of religion has declined. As we have seen that the Church was baffled in the full perfonnance of her mission before Europe was flooded by the great migration, so it may be said that she has never permanently enjoyed her proper position and authority in any country where it did not penetrate. No other political system has yet been devised, which was consistent with the full development and action of Catholic principles, but that which was constructed by the northern barbarians who destroyed the Western empire. From this it does not seem too much to conclude, that the Catholic religion tends to inspire and transform the public as well as the private life of men; that it is not really master of one without SODle authority over the other. Consequently, where the State is too powerful by long tradition and custom, or too far gone in corruption, to admit of the influence of religion, it can only prevail , by ultimately destroying the political system. This helps us to understand the almost imperceptible progress of Christianity against Mahometanism, and the slowness of its increase in China, where its growth must eventually undermine the whole fabric of government. On the other hand, we know with what ease comparatively savage tribes-as the natives of California and Paraguay-were converted to a religion which first initiated them in civilisation and government. There are countries in which the natural conditions are yet wanting for the kingdom of grace. There is a fulness of titne for every nation- a time at which it first becotnes capable of receiving the faith. 1 It is not harder to believe that certain political conditions are required to make a nation fit for conversion than that a certain degree of intellectual development is indispensable; that the language, for instance, must have reached a point which that of some nations has not attained before it is capable of conveying the truths of Christianity. We cannot, therefore, admit that political principles
1 .. Vetati sunt a Spiritu sancto loqui verbum Dei in Asia . . . Tentabant ire In Bithyniarn. et non permisit eos spiritus Jesu .. (Acts xvi. 6. 7).
