Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-11-26

Rev. J. ?. Newman, d. D., LII. D., of
New York the distinguished divine, lect-
urer and traveller, delivered a second lecture
last evening to fine and highly intelligent
audience at the Sixth-Street NJ T. Church.
The Doctor returned to the city for the
purpose upon earnest solicitation, after
having lectured at San Jose and at Stock
ton before crowded and brilliant audiences.
His subject last evening was Reforms and
Reformers." He considered the characters
and philosophy of the great religious
teachers of the world, dwelling with espe-
cial earnestness, and entering into most in
teresting detail. into an examination of the
schemes of Brahminism, of Buddhistic
doctrine, and the Confucian theory of ODE
dience and submission, passing by and pur-
pOscly ignoring MahOmet as not an orig
inal, and his Koran as a moustrous exam
pie OF plagiarism. The speaker surprised
some of the more radical sectarans and
religionists of his auditory by the breadth
and depth of liberality with which he gave
credit TO the virtues of other professions of
faith, and other doctrines of religious phi
losophy. than that to which he himself
gives adhesion. In this respect his treat
ment of his subject testified to the conser-
vatiSm of scholarship and the humanity
and charity of Christian doctrine in its eX-
allied forms, as enunciated by minds not
blinded by prejudice and intolerance to the
testimonies and truths of ages. In consid-
ering the results of these and other great
religions, and their effects upon peoples, he
proved TO be n historical critic welding n
trenchant blade with an unSparing hand.
If he was Liberal in according merit, he
was a terrible avenger of truth in marshall
ing the evidences of the baleful effects
of error and crippled philosophy. Com
ing on down through time to the
Christian era, he placed the Nazarene before
his auditors as the Prince ef all Reformers,
and in contrast 10 all others, since He
taught, not that the sum of religion is sub
lection of the flesh rs a means to the Sublu-
cation OF nee, and eXaltation of the intel
lect rs the sole promoter of lofty virtues !;
not that obedience by the inferior to the
superior is destructive of all human antago-
nisus out of which come evil; not that
matter is the source of error and the resi-
dence of vice but that greater and purer
philosophy and loftier religion, which en-
braces all the virtues at which others have
aimed, the religion of the heart. He was a
Reformer who did not propose 10 do for
man that which he can do for HIMSELF but
in teaching the religion of the heart He
expounded the true philosophy of all pro-
yress. all purity, and the Hottest intelli-
eencc He alone had laid down for man
the fundamental principles of eternal
Justice and equality, and the loftiest
system of human government. When
the speaker, in a brilliant burst of eioquence
deduccd from this divine philosophy
the conclusion that the reforms of the
Prophet of Nazareth had for basic prin-
ciple that true government shall never
clothe crime with responsibility, or afford
it protection, but shall ever and always be
against vice" the audience applying the
expression to the present local agitation,
applauded warmly. The points We have
Indicated but hint ut the texts treated, and
can give but 4 faint idea of the method of
treatment, or the ornate character and the
profunditv of the lecture which, while
classical, ana presuming upon the historical
knowledge of the nearer, was nevertheless
so simply stated, and so admirable In its
argumentative architecture, that II was as
deeply interesting, and rs thoroughly enter
tanning To the lesser as To the better IN
formed. The speaker discovered more of
oratorical vigor and force, and more of rhe-
toricai finish, than in his first lecture, while
the subject afforded broader opportunity
for reasoning than the narrative character
of his description of the buried cities of the
valley of the EuphrateS. 1t was an intel
lectual treat, such as is seldom afforded
this community: one which none who
heard will7 ever forget, and which Will do
very much to awaken inquiry and stimu-
late interest in historical study.