The New York herald., 1879-02-03
CENTRAL METHODIST CHURCH.

BY REV. DIR. NEWMAN.
The Rev. Dr. Newman preached on ''The Great
Teacher" taking his text from Luke tx. 35:-.This is
my beloved son; hear him." Christ, said the rev.
erend doctor is the only universal teacher known
All other great religious teachers ma
tiona confined within certain geographical limits.
But Christ spake for all men and for all times He
is the most multitudinous that ever trod our
earth. He knew all men, died for all men and can
save all men, He is the contemporary Of all men
He announced the ultimate truth Of religion: He ut
tered the words salvation and damnation which ex-
cite the attention of wherever heard.
In certain He without nation
ality. He not jew. as Napoleon was
Frenchman, nor Wellington was
an Englishman. He said and did nothing that was
not in the interest of all mankind He is the perfect
embodiment and living example of all virtues known
to Many of the heroes of ancient times
were men of singular virtue particular lines of
conduct. Aristides was the just who guarded the
spois of Marathon and rejected the profered bribe
of Mordinus; Leonidas was an incorruptible patriot
Socrates sank his personality in the depth of his
humility; Regulus the soul Of Roman honor;
Epictitus the model of self possession, whose
maxim was "suffer and abstain from evil;"
Marcus Aurclius Antoninus Roman En-
peror was distinguished for his learning, vir-
tue and benevolence But Christ was q COM
plete model of human character, possessing all
virtues in their perfection. They the jewels of
",
ton. He had in their fulness and symmetry all the
isolated virtues Of the renowned heathens Just men,
toned. They united in Him like tho colors of the
rainbow that blend in ray of light. Christ is the
safest and most important religious teacher known
to He reveals to us the fatherhood Of God
revealed before. The God whose character
He disclosed not much the stern sovereign,
the inhexible lawgiver and the inexorabe judge in
whose presence men trembe and from whom they turn
with dread He the tender and forlving father.
Would He encourage the penitent to hope pardon,
He declares the Heavenly Father is ready forgive
H.
"Our Father which art in heaven" would He cheer
the dying saint it is with the that "In My
Fathers house there are many mansions"
MANS DIGNITY
Christ proclaimed the brotherhood Of man as no
other religious teacher. With Him man is greater
than the nation, greater than the Sabbath greater
than creeds. He would not allow any one, no mat
ter how low he might have fallen. to be despised.
He would permit no word of contempt to be spoken.
He boldly declared that the angels carried beggar
to Paradise and the crownng glory OF His teachings
the reconciliation of God and man. He pre-
sents Himself to the centre Of all human his
tory. without Him all history is mystery, formess
and lawless; rising and falling of nations without
order end. Without Him the world is enigma,
but in Him we find the key to all human history He
who rejects Christ moves in triangle. II he ascribe
moral evil to God he is a pantheist; il he
makes evil independent of God he is a
dualist; IL he attributes good and evil TO
chance he Ia fatalist Philip Of Macedonia
thanked the gods not SO much that they had given
him a that they had given that Aris-
totle to be his teacher Let thank God that He
not only given soul. but also has given US His
Son to be our teacher. Humanity demands q simple,
comprehensive rule OF action Language is not suf-
ciently full and accurate to define and enumerate all
the relations between man and man and man and
God Mohammed gave his disciples 10000 precepts;
but these were not sufficient. Christ is wiser He
has given ten foot rule which goes down to the
lowest man and up to the throne of God. II Ia q
complete summary Of all human duty. In conclu-
sion the Doctor said that Christ Is the only religious
teacher known to mankind who has a future. Soc
rates and Confucus, Mohammcd ana Saky NUM- have
had their day and are exhausted, while Christ is
fresh and inexhaustible.