Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-01-14
THEPERFEOT RELIGION.

THE PERFECT RELIGION.
The Rev. DR.. Jewett recently said
"The glory OF Christianity is not to be
as unlike other religion as possible, but
to be their perfection and iulfillment"
Within few years one OF the most
eminent theologians OF our day. DIR.
Marcus Dods. published volume oi his
lectures, delivered at college in Lon
don, on natural and revealed religion.
entitled "Mohammed, Buddha, and
Christ" in which be gives the creed and
practice OF Mohammedan,sM. the doc
trine aud ussges of Buddhism. and the
perfection OF religion in Christianity.
He shows that religion IS natural in
stinct or faculty of the human mind. In
all ages and nations, savage or civilized,
some form of religion has existed. Re.
ligion consists in q system or mode of
worship and faith, tho forms of suppli-
cation, and the devout acknowledgment
OF duty and obedience TO God, the
Creator and Supreme Ruler of the mr.
yefse. Il lifts man from the grovsling,
sordid, and selfish affairs of earth, and
slevates, reines. and purifies his
thoughts and feelings.
The learned theologian presents the
creed and rise of Mohammedauism a.
based on the unity OF God and belief In
Mohammed as His prophet, and oppo-
sition to idolatry. At tlme whom
Arabia was weakened by dislocated
tribes. and degraded by the worship OF
three hundred aud sixty idols In the
temple OF Mecca, Mohammed boldly
proclaimed "there is no God but God,
and Mohsmmed is the prophet OF God"
In the presence of, and In opposition to,
idolatry, aud not with any definite
knowledge of, or reference to, chris
tlanity, Mohammed entered the temple
and shivered the numerous idols, whose
worship was degrading and disgusting
mankind. And with the proclamation
OF the simple gospel that "there is one
God. and through me, Mohammed, that
God summons you to submit to him.
he established by the sword the most
aggressive religion the world has ever
known. And the regeneration of Arabia
thereby, and the abolition ofa degrading
idolatry gave Mohammedanism its
start, and its great success was achieved
by conquest in q degraded but populous
part OF the world. The Moslems recog-
nized many thousands of prophets. and
Aohsmmed himself recognized six of
these prophets. as having been bearers
OF new laws and revelations. These
were Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses.
Jesus and Mohsmmed himself. Coming
last he claimed tho ''sesl of prophets, +"
summing up and closing all the rsvela-
tions of God. He believed In the mirac.
ulous conception of Christ, in the mira
clss of Moses and other prophets, and in
the jewish and christian scriptures, OF
which it appears he knew but little.
The propagation of this reIlgion by
tho sword, and the ambition, ostenta.
tion and sensuaiity sanctioned by it,
show it to be not adapted to high state
OF civilization. 1t is properly charac.
tsrized as hall. way house between the
heather and the christian religion.
Buddhism is rather 4 system OF faith,
or theory of belief, than . system oil
worship. 1t 10 said to be a Term OF re-
ligiOn opposed to Brahmanism. and that
its adherents are moro numerous than
those OF any other religion. 1t arose
out OF the philosophical and ethical
teachings of Gautama in the fifth centu
ry before Christ. It commenced in
atheism and evsntuated In the most dc.
grading polytheism. It is deeply GOV.
cred up under oriental Legendary super.
stiiions and forms; but the foundation
thoughts which gave to it its greatest
attraction consisted IN the self. c0nquesl
and universdl charity inculcatsd By it
As q system OF faith and worship, how
ever, it Is not adapted to the form o
intelligence and high state of civilization
reached by modern, enlightened nations
Our author proceeds to show that the
christian religion is the perfection OF all
religions. What 10 the test Of the true OF
perfect religion The object common
10 all religions is to bring man into har
mony with God, the Supreme Ruler o
the Universe; but this IL not all that il
to be accomplished by religion. Ths
mind ol man is to be trained, elevated
and refined to the best comprehension
of God and his attributes, as well ~
mans relations and duties to Him ~
the Sumpreme Being; and, also. the
duties required OF man to his iellow-me
The christian religion best accomplished
these high and sacred purposes; indeed
il is the only religion which Furnished
the medium Of communication betw cor
God and man calculated to effect these
purposes. It gives the idea of Deity
and OF mans relation and duties to Him
and to his fellow-men. It inculcates
sslf-conquest and universal charity
it teaches man love to God and to bis
tellow.msn to rise above pride, vanity
and sel6shness; TO do good for evil, and
to pray for his enemies and those who
despitetully treat him and this religion
which purifies, re6nes. and elevator
mans thoughts and feelings, was incul
Gated not alone by precept. but by 8
manifestation of God himself in tho per
SON OF Christ, who, In the agOnies oil
death. prayed for those who were cru.
cifying him because they knew not what
they were doing.
1t Is proper here to remark that IN
American author, James Freeman
Clarke, has, in q work of great research
on comparative theology, Analysed the
ten great religions, to-wit: Chinese
Confucianism, Brahmanism, Buddhism,
Gods OF Egypt. the Gods of Greece, the
Religion OF Rome, the Teutonio and
Scandinavian religion, the jewish reli.
gion and Mohammed and Islam and
compared each and all of them with
christlsnity, with the same general con.
clusion reached by DR.. Dods, that the
christian religion, by this comparative
theology, Is most clearly shown to be
tie most perfect religion, aud the only
ono adapted to mars highest state Of
civilization and advancement.