National Republican., 1876-01-31
RELIGIOUS TOPICS.
THE PULPIT THEMES OF YESTERDAY
BEV. OLIHfIA BROHN DlSCOURSgS
ELOQUENT SERMON on UNIVERSlLlSM
THE sHEBEEBlRsILV DOCTRINE EXPLAINED
PROGRESS or MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA
LECTURE BY A RETURNED MINISTER
The Work Of Missions in China.

LECTURE BY A RETURNED MINISTER
The Work Of Missions in China.
There was fine congregation in attendance at
the New York avenue church last evening to
listen to the Hon. S. Wells Williams, LII. D., for
many years q resident Of Pekin, China, who
spoke Of the work Of missions in that country
and their influence upon civilization. On the
platform were Rev. DR.. Mitchell, Rev. Peter
Parker and the speaker for the evening. At the
conclusion of the devotional services Rev. Peter
Parker, coming to the pulpit, said that forty-two
years ago the person who was to address them
that evening went to China, and they would now
learn what for forty years had transpired in that
it was not with enticlpstions of meeting in this
world sgain. II they had, and at the same time
prophesied what rapid advancements would be
made in civilization IN the foreign country during
their separation, the result would have been diff
cult to realize. he was glad thattn Gods Provf-
the return Of his beloved brother.
When he trst departed for China there was
only single port open and accessible TO foreign
ers, but now admission was free to the entire en-
pire. Then there was not one convert to Chris
uapity: now there are 1000. 1t was with deep
emotion that be met his brother, and reioiced
that, of AGO more missionaries that had gone
forth with the banner Of Christ, he renal led,
while many had bobly done their work in that
It was his privilege to introduce Mr. Williams to
tie congregation, and he knew OF no more COM
petent person to inform them Of missions and
their influence upon the people OF China than him.
MIR. Williams came forward and said thattt had
been stated by those persons who iOr long time
bad made CHINA their study that It was one Of
the most misreprcsented countries on Gods earth.
Many people we're 6veTtOSing with superstition.
They studied and hearkeLed unto ALI its pecu-
lIartieS and prCbE bIites: they believed ALI that
had been SAID about China aud other Countries,
but could tell nothing abOu: Moses or the
prophets.
people, and would bear studying in their lam
RuaPe, habits, associates. and all that pertained
TO them as nation. Some wondered at their ad-
vance and why they should last so long and be
60 peaceful and Industrious. Their endurance as
a nation could pe best shown by the statement
that their existence numbered at least 45l2 years.
and the success could be attributed TO the policy
they had pursued. Coma was SO precise and per-
feet in her history that sac can shOT complete
record Of her GCnarchs from six or seven hundred
years.aiter the teluge up to the present time:
how long kEg had ruled. and v hat portion Of
the empire. Their literature was extensive, and
placed in libraries would cover space one half q
milo in length. They were noted for industry
and peacefulness. He attributed their advanced
civilization, while in Isolation from other people,
to the teachings Of Confacius, whose doctrines
they believed and followed with remarkable
clOseness HIS works were the foundation-stoae
Of f their religion and his PEsass1ns as to future
Il was the observance Of this belief that c9nsol-
idated and perpetulted them as people, and
while Arabia, Persia and other nations OF the
coast went down before the fall OF dyrastIes China
withstood all ATTACKS and came forth from the
contest stronger.
they have been observed by statute and common
law administered by those in authority. 1t was
near this period Of time that powerful monarch
arose. who succeeded in reducing the minor king
doms and consolidating ell under one empire.
They believed that sovereigns were put over
them by heaven and earth, thus exemplifying the
mans reign lack success and meet reVerses,
he was looked upon as not the right man, put
down and another raised up in his stead. To this
may be attributed China's perpetulty The mass
of the people have great deal of Gods truth in
their hearts. They have multiplied until now
they humber in population more than any nation
on the globe There are fully $50, 900 900, all
studying the same language and books. Here
was another reason for their advanced ciylliZa-
tion.
1t was we'll to inquire what was civilization.
He believed that II was the highest grade, the
end OF Christianity; Many received this kuowl-
vent Of the missionary the Chinese had net.
Their neral position was far below what their
writings would indicate. Their religion az the
worship of the hills, stars, sun and moon. There
were, however, two things never worshiped.
There was 10 Moloch; no children were ever
given up, brought and burned for the dead, aud
their rest or bodies Of families burned to save de-
parted souls. The worship of the Chinese was
nothing more than the worship of their ancestors.
They have an undying faith in the spirit OF those
dead always lowering about them; whether 1t be
at work, sleeping or in the streets; they are al
ways under its influence. They have an offering
of incense go similar 10 the Catholic Church that
many persons are in doubt which descended from
the other.
The manner in which the Christian mission
has gone on in the past forty years was not
always encouraging. but wha: has been accom-
plished wss with the blessing OF God. Their
course Of progress was TO begin and show the
common mortality OF man and picture the re-
ligious view OF death. Confucius never had any
revelations and therefore could not foretell their
future fate. God has placed them in this world
to live and die, and It was only right that he
snOTld but they have some HqE9ITIsdgc Of their
this dectIine, and had come from foreign lands to
tell It to them for me benet: and Importance OF
all mankind. Such statements would give them
an interest in the Bible. Catholics were there
in leO0, but did not give them the Bible only
such portions as suited that Church. Protestants
gave 1t entire for the Chinese to accept or reject.
They explain the meaning Of the word OF God by
demonstrations and Illustrations, in any manner
that will convey the correct idea to the inquirer.
They are shown how God maniiests himselfin in
the hest, understand his power, and hgw he was
fashioned as man.
The missionaries 60 from point TO point to
teach these great truths, but without the denoui;
national differences. The Protestants are called
the people Of Jesus. Schools have been opened
and children placed in them and receive instruc-
have left their country-gone abroad for knowl-
edge, and obtained It, and returned to impart it
to their people. The work is prospsriDg and the
good accomplished beyond calculation.
Temple Of the New Jerusalem.
The beautiful little Temple of the Washing
ton Society Of the New jerusalem" was hlled
yesterday morning with q congregation whose
faces expressed intelligence and culture and who
listened with close attention to an earnest and
lucid sermon from Rev. $40: 81 stand at the door
and knock" Mr.. Fox described the purpose of
the Lords sdvent and the assumption of our
fallen humanity by the Divine Being. The hu-
manity so assumed was capable Of being tempted
in all points like as we;" and this was because
in the mother, Mary, there was tendency to the
evils of our nature, when through this natural
the Father, who ''dwelt within" him, resisted
them and always oyercame. So the Lord came
to have "a feeling Of our inhrmities and lively
is always the same. He does not change. He
cannot forget. The trials and temptations OF the
wilderness are as fresh to-day to him as they
were eighteen hundred years ago.
When We are tempted he can succor us, because
he also was tempted in Just the same way and
the Lord comes down fully to exactly our state
and condition. He not only knows our wants and
difficulties but he feels them just as he felt them
SO long ago, and he becomes actually present
with our spirits as q mana divine man-and an
elder brother. 1t is thus that Jesus, glorlfed,
tuSs and odr fslien nature His human nature.
once full Of hereditary tendencies to all the evils
to which we are tempted, and afterwards by the
perfect regeneration Of that nature,) made .
divine human nature, stands, and always must
stand between the rather and all mis- creatures.
He stands there in his glorifed humanity and
knocks at the door Of cur hearts. He does this
BY his perpetual presence In all the states Of his
life in time.
The evening lecture in the same place was on
"Swedenborg as the Herald and Seer of e New
Dispensation ard Church" After setting forth
the theory and philosophy of"lntromission into
the Spiritual Word, the lecturer gave some
anecdotes, which he said were true; but he did
not think them very important testimony to
Swedenborg's mission. SHedenboeg himself
never laid any stress on these proofs OF his mis-.
sion. Among them was one from the writings oil
Hobart relative to the spiritual gifts OF Emanuai
Swedenborg:
AZ know. mot, says NJ. Thiebault, ION what oc-
casion It was, that, conyersing one day with the
Queen on the subject Of the celebrated visionary
Swedenborg, we (the members OF the academy
expressed desire, particularly NJ. Merriam and
| myself, to know what opinion was entertained Of
| him in Sweden. The Queen, after having al
luded to some anecdotes relative to Swedenborg 9
interviews with the spiritual world, replied that
though she was but little disposed to believe In
| such seeming miracles, she nevertheless had
l been willing 20 put the power OF III. Swedenborg,
l. with whom she was acquainted, to the proof;
that NJ. Swedenborg having come one evening
to the court, she had taken him aside, and begged
him to inform himself Of her deceased brother,
Il Dav Infp hat ha aid IN her