The New York herald., 1870-12-26
SAVIOURS OLDER THAN CHRIST.
A Christmas Review of Christianity and Su-
perb Solo-Rich, Rare and Racy Remi-
niscences of ReligionDlscourse
by Rev. o. B. rockingham.

Lyric Hall Is densely crowded on each Sunday OF
the season to listen to the eloquent sermon OF the
favorite interpreter Of Jesus OF Nazareth who
preached to the poor Preaching without notes,
logical, original, and at times startng-as sublime
truths often arethis divine attracts to the foot OF
his rostrum the intellectual and liberal classes OF
the people. Each week he presents In new gar
ments and In faultless symmetry OF form some old
and well-known truth. With a spice OF faith he
mixes ancient mysteries and modern scientific dis
coveries, and evolves from them living. breathing
renets. only the more fascinating from the elegance
OF his delivery and the beauty Of his dctIon. Yes
tcrday the throng was dense In the large hail, and
every chair was brought into service In the room
adjoining
THE MUSIC.
The services began with the Gloria from Farmers
Mass and before the benedicti0n Miss Gibbs, the
beautiful and thoroughly trained soprano, OF whom
the congregation is SO proud, sang the sslo from
Handlers Messiah, (" Come Unto HIM. At the con-
clusion OF this piece almost rreslstl Bile
tendency among the hearers TO applaud. The hymn,
.Lowth," from Greatorex's collection, was given by
the full quartette mrs. Gardner, Miss Gibbs, Mr..
by Miss Gibbs--the ''Uhristmas Morn" by Gounod.
Mr. rockingham began his sermon without q
text, anu reviewed religion and science from the
reign OF Ahramanes" 10 the coming OF John Tyn-
RED by the ceaseless battle and the many wrongs
and crimes OF lle returns to view the cot where he
was born, and benolds, perhaps,
THE LITTLE BED
in which he lay as an innocent child, he feels the
same sentiment OF sorrow which CHRISTIANS should
experience on Christmas Day. When the memory
OF Galiiee comes TO us IN the midst Of our present
life should all feel something or dissatisfaction
AZ the course Christianity has pursued ana regret
the lost innocence and purity or It's character.
Christianity went forth in the world and found a
home. 10 the immediate followers Of Christ
HEAVEN WAS so LARGE
that its doors were open Tor all the human race to
enter, and simple faith saw all the children iorm
Ing an inner circle about me Great Father. CHRIS
become wearied and faded and old through It's CEN
turtles OF war and trial. To-day one-half the Chris
tian world bows before the holiness OF God and the
other half before the holiness OF Pho Mono. Chris
tlanity no longer dwells In the stable, no longer
finds its supreme type IN the purity ana Joy Of the
little one il wanders IN distant lands Carrying
new Idols to the idolaters and only less idols than
those 1t replaces rhe Christian Church is rich and
powerful now; II worShips III magnificent cathedras
and Is followed by magnificent train singing grand
psalms. Christianity does not in our time breathe
much Of the manger That humble place Is almost
forgotten One searches for religion in our day at
the hands OF the doctors, and does not search his
own soul to find there the simple child and
THE GRAND FAITH.
We carry Christianity to the Eastern World ana tell
them the story or our religion as new. All my
friends, centuries since. when followed Ioroas-
ter in the East; when with mighty thought they
quered laws the existence OF which we have Just
learned TO acknowledge; when Persia, with marvel
lousy complete PHILOSOPHERS and sciences, was in
the broad light OF noon the Hebrews were shrouded
in the
DARKNESS OF MIDNIGHT.
Christianity did not give birth TO the idea OF the
unity OF God. That idea was born from The He
brews, and the Hebrews had struggled for centuries
In their efforts to cope with and believe in this doc
trine which had prevailed among yet more East.
ern people from an unknown and very remote an
tiquity. The Immortality OF the soul is not alone
less millions 'when the Jews were an ignorant
and vagabond race wandering over the EARTH rails
ing their hand against every man. and every man
raising his head against them" Our Man Of sorrow
was not the only one Long before His birth the
incarnate deitles born in heaven, who came
to dwell with man on earth, in sorrow and in pOv
erty-had become multitude IN the Orient. To-day
we sometimes lose sight OF the fact tnat one nun
dred and seventy millions Of people believe IN re
| gard to Buddha what we believe in regard 10
OUR CHRIST.
They relate as many miracles; they repeat the
| same pure sweet truths. They tell or a God who
| came to them, not rom the manger, but from the
| glory Of heaven king TO put on the garb OF the
lowest caste Of the most wretched order Of people
| less than the Pariah--a God who relinqushed his
| throne in
THE KINGDOM OF THE IMMORTAL
TO come among them Ia their poverty and 10 share
| their tears and agony. The millions OF India tel
| rs OF many gods who came among them teaching
| Immortality sel-sacrltce and love towards one
| another China points us TO Confuclus whom
millions praise as one anterior to Christ, who
taught our living faith. million volumes and
! thousand tablets III the Celestial empire attest HI.
| dead millions have welcomed gods among men, bu
| In Jesus of Nazareth behold the supreme incar
| nation-the Man Of Sor, 0w and the Rodeemer o
hp rar