The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-20
ORIENTAL OBSERVATIONS.
REV. DIR. NEWMAN on s'cHINA AND ITS TEMPLE
ON :,

REV. DIR. NEWMAN on "CHINA AND ITS TEMPLE
or HEAVEN"
The series OF discourses on 81 no Seven Great Re.
ligions OF the World" by Rev. DR.. Newman, at tho
Central Methodist Church. Seventh avenue ana Four
teenth street, is exciting great deal OF interest
among intelligent church goers Every inch OF avail
Vo space III the large edce again occupied last
evening. The subject was, "Chna and Its Temple OF
heavcn.n
Taking Tor his text Genesis, XII. 9-"And from thence
did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face Of all
the earIh"-Dr Newman said I'll am to speak to you
tonight on the largest, most populous and most
Client OF all the nations Of the earth. The
Empire OF China has a circumference OF IL 900
miles To tho eighteen original provinces
have boon added Manchuria, Mongolia, Sangaria and
Thibet, which belong to the Tartar rulers of China
aud which were added after tnoy had subjected tho
original eighteen provinces SO that now tho area OF
the Empire Is nearly twice That of the United States
and larger than that OF modern Europe. OneHith Of
this domain lies within the tropics aud all the
rest within the north temperate zone. It's soil
IS fertile, its climate is saubrous and It's internal
sources arc boundlcss. SUCH grand domain,
blessed with all that man desire for his ply
comfort should be the homo OF the purest the wisest
and the happest people on all tho earth. There are
three estimates oftne population China but isgen-
orally conceded that the number s not much loss
OF human beings. Commence TO count, count DAY ana
nign without rest or food or sleep, and eleven days
million Continue the weary work aud thirteen years
Will have gone ny before you reach tho end OF
yoar tedious task. order y march around this
globe oil that multitude singe 1e;
allow three iect 10 each man let the Emperor lead tho
column; let HIM start from Shanghai and lead west.
ward; let hin pass through China, rhbct, India,
Aighapslan, Persia Turkey; bridse tho Mediter.
r r,; bridge me Atlantic pass through the
United States TO California; bridge Tho Pacific;
OF the column rest at Shanghai, the starting point
what thenY Only the eleventh part OF the people are
yet i,nc OF maicn. You must go around tho siope
eleven times ere Tho last man viii have started Lot
us remember iha. those are men, immortal men, for
CIVILIZATION or THE CHINESE
They are Mongoiaus, tue best oil that branch OF
our race. Their physiognomy together with many OF
their customs, proclaim Their race connection TO
what position shall we assign thom among tho
not barbnrans they arc neither migratory nor
madic. but dwell IN towns ana walled cities.
OF CIVILIZATION. What shall be the standard OF CIV
iiizauonr Organized govcrnmentf China has mad
TINS tor more than Two thousand years Her code OF
laws has excltod tho admiration OF European
statesmen who have translated the same
mhssn iher' Acknowledgements nerorn a,,eoness
reflect credit on other nations In their methocs of
administration they excel They combine n their
government The despotism oil an autocracy with the
freedom OF democracy snail tho standard be edu-
cation? Their system Of education il COM
pact aud thorough and their Imperial College
at PckIn Is their pride and glory IL Is tsuc
they do not teach therein our Western sciences, 0ht
the sayings oil Coniucius and Mencius yet no Chi
nese can DO u government Official who has not gradu-
ated In that college. shall the standard be arip
builders 10 the East Their ana na u.ags
magnificent. They anticipated Europe In many i'm
portant discoveries and Inventions, but they need
Christianity as now aud better factor oil their civili-
cation.
ANTIQUITY OF THE xMrIRE.
The antiquity Oi CHINA IS question OF alb.
sorbing Interest. Some nave asserted that there
are ancient Chinese records which prove that tina
when, according 10 Moses tho Almighty was
creating the heavens and the earth But
are unanimous that there arc no authentic
records oil Chinese history earlier than LOO years
before CHRIST They had no written language prior to
1000 years before our era. such Chinese scholars
Sir John DAVIS. Dr. hedhurss, Dr. Legge and ID.
Williams arc IN accord on this point. SO that
1t is truc that there Is nothing older than
tho writings OF Moses. This perreiuity is duo
to three causes-gcosraphical Isolation, ndIv duaIty
aud a subordination yet IL Is true tnat the Chinese
and have subjugatod people tor 800 years,
and the cue they wear the badge OF their subjuga
ton. In i644 the Manchurlans obtained tho throne
aud retain IL 10 TINS d.y The Emperor Is foreigner.
The anciont Chinese arc the descendants Of
those who were dispersed At the con.
Western Asia and founded that vast Empire. Many
facts are in proof that this was their origin. They
have division OF Time into weeks, they revere the
seventh day, which they cal tho heavenly day; their
marriage is monosamc; they have iilal pety; their
primitive religion was monothcstic; their term Tor
God Is Shangtt, wGicn means one supreme Deity.
FORMS OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP.
In their annual worship OF HIN they oner burnt
sacriGces as did the Jews. Their temple OF Heaven,
at Pekin is the grandost structure ever dedicated 70
God. In splend0r Of conception. In wealth OF
mentation IN the solemn IL awakens in the mind
OF tho beholder, II excels 81 Peter's In Rome, ST.
Sopbias In ConstaDtinople, ana IS worthy TO DO
ranked with Soiomon's temple IN Jerusalem.
Its affairs are unpouted by any IDOL II is an
closure Of three miles, aud surrounded with triple
wall ihirty-nve icet hign. within are groves OF
cyprus anu oak. and aelds whercon the sacr,nciai
animals browse. La tho north - tho triple dome
altar OF agriculture. whereat tho Emperor once
a
upon the labors of tho busbandman. To the east is
the imperial hall OF pentcntal tasting, wherein Inc
Emperor spends the night In solitude, fasting anu
prayer previous to tho aay OF annual sacrifice. from
whence ne passes TO the south altar, consisting OF
three circular terraces OF wnitc MARBLE ana ~ ndng
In The centre ON the uppermost terrace he offers
prayer 10 shangt, which prayer we Chfistians might
offer, with few verbal alterations The Doctor nero
rcciIed tho prayer winch is beautifu! In composition
ana sentiment lie said, iu CONCLUSION, that ali this
proves that tho Chinese are the descendants OF Noah
Of The patraIchs and u IL our nigh MISSION TO reyve