The New York herald., 1878-09-23
Sermon by the Learned English
Divine in Boston.
RELIGION AND CIVILIZATION.
Gods Work and Mans Greatness
Travelling Westward.
ORIENTAL PROPHECIES FULFILLED.
LBY qrLEonApH TO THE HERALD.


BosroS. Sept. %, 1878.
Dean Stanley, OF London, England, preached at
Trinity Church here this morning before crowded
congregation. lie selected for his text Psalms
cxxxix, and 10:-
II take tue wings OF the morning and dwell in the
uttermost plrs OF the sea- there shall thy hand
lead mo and thy right hand shall hold me.
These words Of the psalmst, he said expressed his
belief In the omnipotent power OF God The traveller
who passes from portion OF the globe to ant or
finds that the encircling sky which ends tho
Is but the type oil tho unseen power which
rounds US all. II is the expression OF the same
truth as that which sustained the first nayi.
gator who, from ths shores Of England, reached
the shores OF America that God is sea as on tho
land. Howard ana Wiiberforce, Elliot ana Chan ning
wero alike sustained by the thought that, IN the
highest types OF humanity and IN the lowest
depths OF degradation, God was with their
efforts because in the better part OF every
human being was spark Of the divine
Spirit. The philosopher who endeavors trace out
tho unity OF mankind, and the unity OF all creation
consciously or unconsciously, embraces the same
truth. But in the special form OF the there is
peculiar force, which it Is my purpose this occa
sion to bring before you
no LIMIT TO GODS DOMINION
The psalmst appreciated that the spirit OF VIII ch he
spoke would manifest itself even IN those regions Of
the earth into which il least likely should PEN
etrate He knew that II he took the wings of
the morning; II he were to mount on tho
radiance which in the Eastern heavens pre-.
the rising Of the dawn II he
were to follow tho in his outward course, and
the uttermost part OF the sea, far away tho distant
and unknown West, even here, incredible nigh.
scem tho hand oil God would lead him and the right
hand OF God would uphold him. Il ven down also
beyond tho furthest horizon OF the Western Sea
would be found he Divine presence. TO the psalnst
living In Palestine, In those regions which Ia
not only the sole seat OF religion but OF civilization
and knowledge also, this expression the
iorcbIe way or saying that nowhere in the
wide world could lie wander away from the
presence Of the Almighty But in saying no has,
truth which rccsiyed its full only In the
New Testament and lis fullest realization Onls In Il hc
history OF ChrlsteEdom and Of the world rhat wh ch
seemed 10 him so portenous as TO be almost incredi
ibIo has become familiar, and, We might almost say,
fundamental. principle Of our religious and social
existence. Not only IN the East, consecrated 10
patriarchal tradition and usage but In the unknown
and distant West, the power Of God IS folt Truc
religion Is the point oi contact between the East and
tho West.
THE EAST AND wEsr
But first let US observe the actual fact The con-
trast between the East ana the West IS ono OF the
most vivid which strike the mind OF man. OF all
the great geographical Impressions loft on the mind
OF even tho most casual observer deeper than
that which Is lett where The child of tho Western
sets foot on the shores OF the Eastern World. And
dent that Two distinct streams OF human Interest
have followed always tho race OF shem aud the race
OF Jacob. The turning point, the critical moment In
their history, have been where tho two streams
have crossed each other and mot conflict or Ia
union. In the sxtcth chapter 0f Isaiah the prophet
hrs up his cyos and Louolus on the one hand ali the
nations OF the East, with all their pecularties
tom and dress, with their dromcdaries and camels,
ornaments from India, clouds OF incense from Arabia
and 1ocks and herds from the wandering
clans Of Arabia and Barbary. coming up TO
the light ol Goa. All this has occurred and In the
most literal sons, has beon fullllcd Indeed wc arc
never allowed 10 forget that Christ our Saviour was
born In an Eastern nation clothed In Eastern Dress
spoke an Eastern language ana familiar with East
style To the Eat the churches OF the West have
ever turn ed with peculiar reverence, aud an Eastern
homo and Eastern tomb have been the poiuts
around which the conflicts Of the West, even In
own Time, have turaod There is an interest with
not no. tho the loss Keen because ' 40 has D'Ssss. Sss"
history OF religion does end with the dawn
Though the wings OF the morning may Nag and fail,
and evcaing none the less We must not look east.
ward, We must not LOOK backward II We would know
the strcDgth OF human progress or OF Christs re.
ligon.
PROPHETIC VISIONS IN THE WEST
Westward, even unto the westward, vas the prophet
looking. when, afe having the dromcdarics and
the camols oil Arabia coming toward the wesi, aud
then turning to that distant horizon he exclaimed -
their windowss Surely the Isles shall wait
for mo' That is, the Isles, tho coasts,
OF Msaerpansso ana AaStss ne bays ay
ships OF Tarshish 1rstn-ihat Is, the West, with all
Its ships of war; Its ships OF shi ps
OF rarshish hrst," aud tho ships OF Carthage and
Spain, which first brought our own shores
OF Cornwall aud Britain within the range
Of tho civilized world-an these wcro
coming TO build up the walls OF
tho heavenly Jerusalctn. So point Of fact. Il has
been westward where the Apostle OF tho Ge miles has
gone out to tell tho story OF Christ Westward tho
apostle s;l advances when he passes down through
Asa and comss INTO contact with the Greeks. West
ward yet again when ho stretched his yearn-
Ing gaze toward what was then called tho
last limits OF the world, tho pillars OF Hercules And
so II has 0ecn since the beginning o the history OF
the religion oil Cbrstendom. Eastern Churches, In
spite OF their interest," have yet learned the truo
peculiar task and their peculiar notion, but it Is IN
France, IN Germany, In England and in America that
the cause oil Christian civilization has risen.
CHRISTIANITY DEVELOPED WITH CIVILIZATION.
Christianity born IN the East. has become the re.
lgion oil tho West, even tnan the religion OF the
grown TO It's tull stature. The jewish re-
lgion expired when lis local sanctuary had
disappeared. Monamedanism had its first
conquest almost entirely within tho limits OF the
Esst. Christianity has found It's shelter and It's
refuge couuirios whero IL could hardly havo been
reared at ALL From these esern countries, III spite
OF tho manifold pcations with Orien re tone
II stiil swnys the destinies OF tho human race.
Under the shadows OF that tree which grew up IRON
grain OF mustard seed havo been grow ing the ma
wings OF the IN rning and has hJwn to the uttcrmost
parts vi the earth because the hand OF God in
and the right hand OF God has upneid IL.
Robert Z. Winthrop gave an elegant banquet last
evening to Dean Stanley. Governor Rice and other
distinguished citizens we're present
SAVINGS BANK FAILURE.