New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-15
SERMONS on THE BIBLE
THE EVOLUTION OF CHRISTIANITY.
THE FIFTH OF THE REV. r. BEBER MENTIONS SEX
MONS on BIBLICAL CRITICISM.

The Rev. r. Heber Newton preached IN
All sous' Church tAnhon Memorial yesterday bis sec
ond sermon on the right OF the Bible the hith Oh MS
series Biblical criticism. In 1t he discussed 'hils
tianity ns an from Judaism, ana puoshed his
conce otion Of a supernatural naturaism Next eunoay
he will preach the last sermon OF the series on the aeVo
tional use Of the Bible.
Mr. Nevton's text was Galatians w., 4: "When tho
funess Of the time was come God forth his son"
Mr. Newton said IN part
St Paul condensed the philosophy OF Jewish history
into a phor |: the CESSATION of Christianity
Israel Travelled in birth with the Christ The Old Teaa-
ment is the record Of this real evolution. Tie New
testament records the birth OF this Holy Thing ana
its early growth. when we have laid proper
foundation IN critical knowledge OF the literature OF
Israel and Christianity then arc prepared 10 Duild
upon It in the right OF the Bible. study OF the
growth of religion through It's various moods aud lenses
as depicted In these writings. Let me give you to-day
brdseye view Of this field enough 10 rhet your Interest
trust and guide your thought in fuller exploration
Such critical study OF the writings OF the Bible recon-
structs the history OF Israel and OF the Church Inc
great epochs Of this history clear and the writings
group around them. instance the era OF Moses Ihis
s the real beginning OF Jewish history for u.s. though OF
course not for Israel Beyond it oil IL mist In legend
and myth The tribes of Israel loom up to our vision rs
borders Of Egypt on the level ofsuch
semitic tribes Oppressed there they turn their BACK
eastward In migration or this movement Moses
was the soul actual work hard 10 discover 0ey ond
one general idea lie did not write the Pontateuch nor
did he give the legislation bearing his name All TINS
was much later work. ascrbed to him as the father OF
the nation who begat tho nations life. Moses led the
tribes to accept jehovah their God Whatever the
original character Of the worship Of Jehovah he stamped
it with a revolutionary idea. He threw around the
power worsbipped under the name of jehovah what
It wss-somc form OF natures forces probaoy-the
awe profounder than that called forth by the starry
heavens the awe called forth by the moral law lie
issued simple cole OF morality rs tho law
OF jehovah Thus he Identified morality ana
regi,n, and made the worship OF Jehovah consist
essentially in aspirations after goodness But the real
izaton OF this for after 1t took some centuries
to unfold this pregnant idea.
After Moses follows the second period, the wholly
legendary epoch in which the people slowly con-
QuenDg possession in Canaan IL was process OF
many generations Their state during this period
that of peoples slowly changing from nonads TO agr-
culturists. Their religion was legion. Fctichsm
abounded ruder elements and various forms
OF among the higher clements OF the PEG
pie the latter slowly disposscssiug the former Jehovah
held the chief god around where the gods OF me
adjoining adOred. ImmOralltics aDoUnded In
the worship aud idolatry was the usual form Human
Is little known as yet
The third period dates from the unincaton OF the
rlbcs into nation. The process OF indignation through
which the tribes consolidated into monarchy was MS
natural AZ the making Of ENGLAND. Samuel was the
kngmaker OF Israel IL 10 significant that coincident
with this political development fresh religious de-
veopment. The prophets arose at TINS time; They
period, but sui they made real advance; The period
slow ripenias Of the remarkable life which burst forth
In these noble men. They constitute the next great
epoch. We feel religion in them They set them
selves against the popular religions OF teir Day ana we
may judge how low how material, how unothca II was
by their denunciaOna In them the thought Of the Di
| vine Power has become wholly ethical Isaiah cries :
"rO what purpose Id the multitude or your sacrihces
Of religion Wherswitha shall appear before God T.
| He suggests the answers different worships made
what s good, and what doth the Lord require Of
thee bus TO do Justice to love mercy and TO walk humby
with thy Cod " The ethical Impulse Of tho prophets
shows itself stkngy IN their suciastic attitude They
were men OF The people They voiced me cry OF the poor
/ against the encrOaclnents or and great wealth
The Old simple society OF Israel was gong through tue
the eoInwassi n riaata Land was being icose mo-
nOpOes were growing up, poverty was deepening over
against this new wealth fae prophets appealed to the
corporate conscience OF Israel and pleaded for social
justice aud brotherhood. The prophets sought 70 en-
able whca pictured last sunday In describ.
ing Deuteronomy This movement, the reformation OF
TO the losa OF pure religion. as always
II is interesting TO the development OF the pro-
pbetic ideas rough the successive prophets sne ar
rams ed chrOnooecaly. Thus jeremiah indivldualles
reg and spirtualEesi His ideal is the law written
The next great epoch ia the exile. Israel Is trans
ported to the midst Of venerable and highly developed
II begins question tue beginning OF things II draws
iion reads them into n theisc aud ethical trans
ton Contact with grea ~ opes espe,isy Wnen Oh 90
the unity OF the human Jcuovah becomes God
the one living Lord OF earth Religion becomes mono.
suferings aud partly by the influence OF
the Persian ethical religion, In eYnsegnences.
| while the individuality OF religion IL
IL developing the hope OF Immortality Grss lho priest
ymoyenent erystazes r. the eIe Men Jaw IN ih9r
priesthood OF Israel was elevated INTO
natural development The legislation OF Israel was nov
codihed and ts his DRY rewntten aud the Penlaieuc
The opens final period OF Israel II wa.
| not a yacuity There was a wonderful development OF
thought bat no longer prophetic IL was now the era OF
philosophy. Here belong the writings OF the Old Tosa
| ncnt Contact vita Greciau and Egyptian thought
through the dispersion developed lNaePs speculative
spirit 1t was the time OF the sages We see te develop
ment Of this thought crysta lied around Them The
body for the new life was preparing The sth cal spirit
was being deepened also The Temple woIshIp was sIt
ualized We how much IA the rich growt ofsacrcd
poetry as the temple hympa-as our psaller We sec
1t also IN the institution OF the Jewish "meetns house
synagogue wherein Sabbath by Sabbath the souls OF
framed s Se TO spiritual and snea worship f y PERIOD
OF growth to the last though at the last the gns OF
death snow themselves, az the tasses wilt aud Which
when The corn Is ripe.
] Then comes the Christ
Christanity ia 10 be studied in the New Testament a.
the of this long travail The gospels studied CRU
cally reveal the real Christ most historical per
The gospels, too. are evolution growth from whcl
we have the .winnowed wheat siitng these stii
Christ Then we are 70 t 5eay chr. S 0i Tpe
phi ;" Father" In the New Testament letters we
and life falling upon the human mind e be worked
by 1t into us best shape possible ana taxing 'e or
| prepared In jewish ana Grecan philosophy. But TN
ethical and spiritual Impulse IL strong ana deep
and the Apostles go forth to convert the world I'M
New Testament letters show the beginning OF the pu
stu gong the germ dropped into humanity
bosom In the Christ grows toward perfect man Ihl
view OF the history Israel and Christianity prepare
way for what the world needs todaythe cOncllia
ton OF science and religion.
The central history Of earth religously proves no e1
ception 10 the normal order revealed by science II
| au evolution. For In the history or maj
ISSUES normally an ideal man. what are VI
say Of it, but that when the iuness OF the timc wa
come forth HIS SOM But what then Of The res
of MOI nation, too, Is In travail with and man
IN travail with the ideal man. ana the iucal bear
all the features OF the Christ The human ideal unde
which mankind Is pressing forward ardeuty alrcad
shows he head Of the Christ upon the shoulders Of III
race VIII born The history OF. Israel assures
| tr.iII Mhni shnll OF II when IL a born