, 1874-02-02
PROGRESS OF THE RELIGIOUS
IDEA.
lecture by tho IRcv. DIR. yiso Mt Music
Hnnll.

Looturo by tho IRev. DIR. Nyiso Mt Music
1nnll.
Tho learned Rabbi, DR.. Wise. OF Cincinnati,
lccturcd to small audience i'll tho Music Hull,
last evening, OIL "1srnols Influence upon the
Progress ct tho Religious ldoa." Tho wretched
woather, doubtless, detorred many from attond-
ing. ...- ....
The Doctor aaid every idea Ind its history.
Tho religious idea whether it was innato or ac-
qui,od, haa its beginning in the biblical books,
moro especially in tho books Of Moses. Hero 1t
was first found assuming doilnlto form.
Since then it bud bcconle universal,
the world ' Tho religious iica, with its founda:
ton of tho unity OF Doity and moral law, had i'm
pressed all nutionA. The first demonstration OF
Its ntluonoo upon people outside of Palestine
VIM made when the prophet Elijah aud hls dis
clple EIisha wero Hort TO DanlaHcls to oxorciso
an influence upon tho stnto mud coyonnnt. Ihe
prophet Jouah was Bont to Ninoyeh, tho capItal
Of Assyria, aud the people listened to him do
youtly, aud did not doubt that Ills message calno
li low y aaino a. it that these prophets could
only bo by tho people acknowledging
them to bo tho naesHongera Of tho Deity. All
knew that tho prophets lsaac, Abraham, aud
Ezol.iol nut only spoke to tho people OF Israel,
but to all tue surrounding nations. Their mes,
| sageH wore not newspaper articles, or political
| speeches, Which might or might not laVo tloir
effect. Thoy spoko only whore tloir word waa
sure to have offeet.
Coming down i'll history wo found TINT tho
people Of Hamaria, or Of tho Kingdom Of Israel.
woro scattered from tlto Caspan Soa to tho Gulf
OF Persia. Tho hledian civilization tllon began,
and what Was worry atraugo waH, tint
tic religious revolution or reformation
whiel! thon aproad oyer the Persian Empire be-
ran In Media lin tho very localities wlloro tue
1sraetites found a now home III anciont timos,
whom q nation WAS conquered, its gods woro do
posed, Wen tho phillatinos were poople no
longer, their Uelial becano tho Daalzebnb or sn'
tan OF all tic lla;,nns who road the Bible. Il,
Egypt aud In rosBia, the evil spirlts wore de-
throuol godB When Israel waa Hcattorod there
was apparently no hope Of lts GYor A.salh rising
iuto importance. Thia was tho belief at the
time.
but what did We eeo2 Tho proud Nobnclad
nezzar, tho coIIauorur OF many nntionB. boWct!
down with submission To tho God Of Dan!o and
IolHlazzar bent before the God OF lhrael, mn
did homage to tho Lord Ut Lords. Doforo thu
people went buck to Palestine, and after ths
tino Of Alexander tho Great, the conrao Of civil
zation changed, and tho oyes ut tho gaat wert
turned westward. Fran this time tho Hebrew
ut Palestine wore in cloAer connection with th
Western natiyes than with the eastcs,..
Now hegall q now osa for tho religious 1doa
Palestine and 0roeco were brought fnto clos
contact, aud tho golH Of Groees' nnl tho God u
aroAo, which was truth and Wnlot li"tlon. i
Alexandria, tho centro OF trado ans !oarnfnE, OIL
OF the ptolesnys called tho seyonty sagaa fr0l
Palestine to l.aYa te lIobroW Diblo traMsla tod
most likely tho pelltateucll-for tho ur0eat
, Why did he dosiro 1t To ba Anna2 Waa 1t uo
booA,sao tic roligIoua iloas III tho bocI llad prc
} gzesHoa and made inroada Unto the dreek world