The New York herald., 1870-12-26
METROPOLITAN METHODIST CHURCH.
The Appearance OF Christ the Fuihiinent Of
Divine Prophecy.

The Appearance OF Christ the Fuihlimcnt OF
Divine Prophecy.
WASHINGTON. Dec. g. 1870
There was q large attendance at the Metropolitan
Methodist Episcopal church to-day. Among those
present were the President and family Vice Prcsi-
dent COlfax and wife and several Senators and
congressman. The church choir, under the leader
ship Of Mr. Cornelius Burlew. with Mr.. J. O. Tasker
organist assisted by a choir from the Sunday
school, furnished some special Christmas music
for the occasion. The words-"We have seen
His star In the east and aro to worship him. -
found in second chapter OF Matthew and second
verse, furnished the text of Dr. Newmans Christmas
discourse. The appearance OF Christ he character.
tied the realization OF tho hope OF ages fulfil
ment OF divine prophecy, the completion OF The JOY
OF the ancient bards. We VINO live In this age can
appreciate tina; event in its fulness, power and
glory more than those who lived when the event oc-
CURED. We have the advantage or history. We can
trace back eighteen hundred years and behold the
benign influences OF the teaching Of Jesus upon tho
race, and the speaker would venture the assertion
that there was not man before him, nor indeed a
man In the nation OF intelligence and unbiased
judgment, who understands the philosophy OF history
anu the power OF moral influence, that would have
Christianity destroyed or the name OF Jesus erased
from the hearts OF the people. Whatever may be
our views touching the divine origin OF Jesus, all
cOncede
THE BENEFIoENr INFLUENCES OF HIS GOSPEL
.
upon the family and society," upon the nations and
upon the whole human race. In the celebration OF
this great event there were the angels the shepherds
and the wise men. DR.. Newman invited the atten-
tOn OF his hearers TO the latter and the relation they
sustained to ths great event The questions as to
who these wise men were and what were the Incl
dents of their visit TO Bethlehem formed
the central points OF inquiry, around which
DIR. Newman gathered much historic fact
and illustratlon His personal familiarity with the
scene OF the SayiOur's birth by actual visitation
gave to his descriptions an interest that does not
attach 10 the mpcrsonal recital OF the printed page
prediction ana homage Of the wise men was full OF
historic suggestion and alusion. The nativity of
these Wise men, the ideas involved IN the word
'Magi," applied TO them, and the sources OF their
evident knowledge OF the Sayour's coming
We're dwelU upon and emphasized by facts
and quotations from sacred and proTane
writers. He showed that through contact with the
Jews the Persans had derived the foreknowledge
OF Chrsts coming, and, IN Illustration OF the great
truth that "comlng events cast their shadows be-
fore" quoted from taclitus, Suetonus ana Josephus
to show that general expectancy prevailed NJ that
time that Saviour should appear. The beautiful
Idea OF the guiding star which led tho
wise men to the spot they sought the
lectures advanced as TO It's astrononic cnarac-
ter, were also considered and the conclusion
reached that 1t was a luminous body guiding the
men to the place where they might pay their
homage to the Divine Son OF God Two things
prsed at the indifference OF Herod, the King, and
his conrtcrs; but what must be the surprise OF God
and OF HIS holy angels touching our indiiler-
ence in this days How honOred
infant Jesus More honored than those who beheld
His crucixon, His resurrection and HIS ascension.
THE GREAT PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED.
Prophecy has been verified, and we are the living
upon the hearts OF the people, upon the nations Of
the globe.