The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-12-29
NEW AND EXTRAORDINARY
RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT
IN BOSTON.
from the Boston Posf.1

Tour hundred were ladies' In the opening prayer,
Mr.: Parker distinctly Swallowed forth the opinion
which he entertains Of the Redeemer, by giving
thanks TO the Almighty tor having, I'm days long
past, been pleased 10 give double portion OF his
spirit to his servant, brother, Jesus. As APP
proprlate TO this view OF the OF Christ, he
gave out, after the prayer, the following hymn, by
Doddridge:
"Hark, the glad saund the Saviour comes,
rhe Saviour promised long.
Let every heart epsrs throne
Aud every voice q song.
On him, the Spirit largely pour'd,
Exerts his sacred frs
Wisdom and might and zeal and love
HIS holy breast inspire.
He comes, from thckest films of vice
To clear the mental ray;
And on the ey es oppressed with night,
To pour celestial day.
Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace,
Thy welcome shall proclaim
And heavens eternal arches ring
With thy beloved name"
Mr.. Parker selected for his text the 4Sh verse o.
the 7th chapter OF John
"Hape any the rulers, Of tho Pharsss believed
him 2"
After reiterating this text, Mr. p. stated that the
subject OF his discourse would be, The relation
winch Jesus bore 10 his age, and the ages" He
said that OF the strongest traits in ad-
miralion and reverence tor distinguished and ex-
traordinary men, TO whom he could look up as lead
ers and guides In all countries, and Mnder all
forms OF government, this devotion To great men,
which gave them controlling power within the
sphere OF their Influence, had been manifested
Even democratic America, although said to be
country In possession OF institutions which did not
require great men, was not exempt from this uni
versal passion. Blu, the disposition to reverence
great men, and the capacity 10 discern what con
sututes great man, were very different qualities
10 the general mind the idea Of great man was
derived from the Impression cherished OF the last
great man which had appeared in the world; and
when a new great man appeared OF different
character from the preceding, his claims would
be likely TO be disallOwed by all those whose
wei atr nrp cd " ~ "a
OF the former one. His advent would be a fresh
fact-a grand New. His ideas would stare. HE
language would sound strange. His teachings
would look revolutionary. He would, as IL were,
pull down the old walls 10 build new temple, or
open new quarry OF marble or granite for mate.
rails with which to erect his new structure. All
this the admirers Of The preceding great man NIGH,
perceive; but yet If the new possessed not the
attributes OF the former, they could not ieel that
ne was great man, because he correspondent MOI
with their conception at great man. This new
man might 20 beyond then widest cODJecturrs OF
vivid dreams OF great man; and yet would he
greatness be doubted dlsbelleved. so long the
superstition ar remembrance OF The last great man
remained fresh IN their minds This resulted
from the lnfirmiiy O human nature, which WAT
slow TO receive truth, The fact that no Two great
men had been created strongly similar IN charac-
ter.
The new great man, that is, the real great man.
laughed nj much Of the former great MANS mos
admired qnaiitcs, and overturned his notions. s.
he overturned hrs institutions and opinions. III
nds their institutions TO be not OF granite or mar
ole, but fluid and yielding. But these yielding In
siitutious opinions would have many staunch
adhere nis-men who would not, or could not, lay
aside the ideas In which they had been educated;
and they would hate the novelties prOpounded b.,
the new man, and him, their propagaior Bur
there would be another set Of men, not so deeply
rooted In prejudices, or Impressed by The trad
tonary accounts Of the last great man, who woulo
discern the spirit OF the new, and believe him.
They would welcome him the prophet, whom
they had seen in their dreams. But these believers
would not be Of the class who from their profrs
sions or position in society, were the o,
public opinion, and whose authority was 10 be un.
dermined and destroyed by the teachings OF tn
new man. Not one OF these censors OF public Cpl
mon could suppose the son OF the joiner Of Naza-
reth 10 be great man He commenced not HI
career by wonders. He was not a Moses, from
whom they formed their idea Of great man. The
| ixedness Of that idea in their minds. precudeo
their c0ncevng OF any other species OF greatness
l than that displayed by Moses as leader, ruler,
aw-giver aud instructor. That idea ef grea
man the common one entertained by the Jewr
At the time Jesus came into the world, however
much they might have differed In opinion upon
| subordinate questions.
There were then three parties, or scots, among
the Jews, who, to greater or lessextent, expected
| Christ. First, there was the conservative, o.
church party, the PharIsees and Scr,hes, who ad
hered to the old letter of the law and the WRITINGS
| of the doctors They might be called the native
| Hebrew party They expected greater than Mo-
sT shasoe king pesh'' They the
ed at least a Gamaliel Second, there was
| the Indifferent party, the Sadducees, who
| did not believe in the theological system OF the
PharIsees They were men OF propery-of gene.
! raj information-were couversant with the iers-
ure OF other nations, and by commerce had mucn
| intercourse with foreigners. They believed nc
| thing about the Immortality Of The soul, but they
believed IN the idea Of a state they believed IN
the law and the constable, for they were necessary
to the temporal security. These men, however, u
they had any idea at all Of a coming Christ. ex.
pected only some high Roman fuactionary, som,
procurator, perhaps, Of exTaardnar, character and
powers. Third, there were the E-sines, sect Of
ascetics, who PROGRESSED celibacv, lived IN the will
dernesses, and they expected Christ, who would
be an ascetic and not one who would drink wine,
or keep the company Of publicans. These three,
classes were deadly hostile 10 Christ ON account OF
his tesching. The Pharisees said they knew HIM
not, and charged him with reviil Moses and the
prophets. The Sadducees accused him 81 srrirP
up the people, and disturbing the tranquility OF lh
State. The EssInts proclaimed that he was y
wine bibber. and drank with pubicans
But yet there WAS cass-a large one-who be.
lieved in him. Ii was composed ii these who
were Indifferent to the peculiar sy stems OF the thre.
secls named, and they listened TO him, and as ne
taught religion, aud not the ology they believed
hum He spoke to man, as such-a being capable
of religious sentiment and destruction. Though
the Pharsees sought TO obtain his favorable opinion
Of their system, he refused 10 fat'er them
He said that such righteousness as theirs could aoi
gain abundance IN heaven. They saw the danger
OF HIS views TO their standing as privileged order;
and they denounced him, and threatened his fol.
lowers with expulsion from the synagogue.
When, instead Of making the belonging to a pc
cuiar sect the test Of acct ptance with God, Jesus
preached that they should forgive their enemies
seventy times seven, aud that they should love their
God with all their soul, and their nrighbor az
themselves, and repent, the orthodox OF the time
shrunk back from him. But others felt and be-
lleved the truth OF his preaching II reached Their
hearts, because they we've not pre-occupied with
an Invet-rate belief OF a sanciiiy derived IRON
fhntF ltaVn al
Joiced in his teaching. Even the old men said
Ii is Moses. II is Elias" Both old and youne
exclaimed" II is the Christ! II Is the Son o.
God He shall be our leader
Mr.. Parker now proceeded to give more pariicu
arIy his view OF Jesus and TO account for tn
titles given to hun by some OF his ardent followers
He said Jesus was not learned man-was no
yersed IN the philosophy of his aae. He did no.
prete md to be But he looked to God directly ~
instruction, and the inspiration came II Was Got
that spoke through the Jesus Of Nazareth u vas
LAD "a a. Ana. fn