The New York herald., 1870-12-19
PRESBYTERIAN CHUGCH, JAMAICA.

Pagan and Chrisii.n Dccalogucs-World,y
Progress and Christinniy-G0d and the
World-Serm0n by Lewis L. Lanpman.
Yesterday the Rev. Lewis L. Lampman, the newly
installed pastor or the First Presbyterian church In
jamaica occupied the pulpit. He made most
interesting prayer hoping that the clash OF arms
would cease to resound throughout the lands, that
corruption would cease and that our legislatures
would become pure and regard the rights OF the
people IN Christian view. He preached from Mat
thew v, 17-"Thnk not that am come to destroy.n
Pagans as well as Christians have had their dcca-
logues. The former have made such progress in
beyond their commandments and demanded more
perfect Codes Christians are still guided by the
precepts that we're given at Slnal to great COM
pany OF slaves just liberated three thousand years
ago. Some maintain that these laws were merely
preparatory, aud should be
REGARDED AS DEAD ISSUES.
These reproach the rest Of the Christian world with
clinging to dead issues, and with greater llliberal
lty than the pagan. They urge us, The followers
OF Solon aud Pytnagoras have banlshed the laws
they once observed and furnished more perfect
CODES, In initiation OF them to do the same A COM
parison OF heathen decalogues with our Command
inents reveals vast difference Ill wisdom and mo-
rality and even in tner intent which makes against
those who wou.a abolish Christian laws az they do
pagan, because as they say. "tney were meant for
earlier times.n In the pagan code man without
friend Is infamous ana iurther, suicide was az law.
Some OF the wise men deny supreme being. Tue
sa9es OF the porch and OF the academy announce
after another, In maxms so contradictory that one
is often able To prove by the same book that It's au
thor believed and did not believe III God; that he re-
cognlZed and did not recognize positive virtue.
tnat
LIBERTY IS THE FIRST or ALL GOOD THINGS;
that desp posm is The worst Of governments. Where
d custoin law stands in the way 0f honest pro-
gress and cripples institutions States tiic sooner
il is thrown aside the better, no matter whethei1
made by q Calvin or IA Washington. Because ou1
!OrelathcTS en p.oyeu certain systems tnat rcai
son why should follow IN their footsteps, uniess'
the same reasons prevail with us as with them. IL
we ADOPT without question the customs OF our an
cestors as regards material things our government
would be arstocraiic and tytannical rs at first. me
principles OF progress are the principals OF Christian
itv. 10 prove that a law of God Is unsuiIed 10 the
law Of the Iawgver that it was not designed for
The present therefore ought not TO be observed.
UNDER THE CRY on PROGRESS
foolish things ere advanced and utoNan schemes
advocated. unuer the cry OF Hberality license is
mooted The world IS advancing, and, as rule,
this generation Is wiser than the past. The COM
nands Of the Dacaogue are rs Imperative to-day as
three thousand years ago. They cannot be SUPER
seized except by express command OF God; FOR 1t is
not simply part OF the Jewish ritual, for II goes
deeper and extends wider than ceremonial law has
gone could 90. They have been engraven no5
only on the stones OF SiDa but also In tne heart OF
man. Pythogoras and Ioroaster addressed them
selves to the Greeks and the Medes Jehovah To all
men. idolatry has changed its form, but 1t IS hitting
only that unintegent men should say that II has
passed away. Tie worship OF God In spirit and In