The Portland daily press., 1884-01-28
Oriental Religions.

Prof. T. j. Lackersteen, native of Caleut-
ia, India, delivered his lecture yesterday after
noon, at the India street church, on Brahmiu-
ism. Bhudsm and Ielamism. The lecturer vas
attlred in his native costume, aud began by
which out OF population Of 100000 900 in
habitants IN India, counts at least half for its
followers BrahmiDism is solely confined to
India. There ia vast difference between
Vecaic Brahmnism and the Brahninism that
now prevails in India. The yedaic BrAhmipism
relates solely to the worship of one Divine Be-
lug, and has the same relation to Bhudsm
that Judaism holds to Christianity. God in
the Vedaic Brehnnisna is not taken in the
sense of personal being" such as the Chris.
tians. jews and Moslems recognize, nor as an
"1mmeasurable Law, that is utterly true, that
the doctrine Of Bhuds teaches; bat the Vedas
theology thus speaks for itself: That the SUI,
moon, stars, earth, and ell planets are revolving
in 'Vscunm,' which is called ,Shree, and
means the "Power" that governs and controls
the universe, and all living things in it, that
never haa beginning and will never have an
end, and that it is power within itself.
The speaker then considered Bhudism. He
said it was founded by Bhudha, who was
Thought to be by great historians ell this time
mere myth. But lime and more Intimate
Knowledge of the Asatic country and its lead
ers do not now support that belief Bndha in
sanscfit means to know. Bhuda taught the
existence of some supreme being" which he
does net defae as spirit OK zone being" az
the Christians, Jews and Moslems believe. Init
rs calls il the Unreasonable Law" and eays:
Wbosoever asks what it is doth err; and be
VINO answers IRIS, but the heart OF il is loye.
He says that it is enough to know that JOY, and
life, and woe, and death, alike abide in this
spirit, aud all men must experience il: that
there is cause and sequence, and in the course
OF lime whoever thwarts it loses, and who
serves it gains; that it sees every thing and
marks all; do right and it recompenses: do one
wrong, an equal retribnton must be made: it
knows rot wrath, nor pardon, it is utterly true.
and none can cast or lay aside, but all must
obey.
Passing to lslamisu, the professor acknowl-
edged himself to be follower of tho Prophet.
BE said that the merely natural man sets him
self against Divine Providence when he re-
that 1T is received b. SO many empires and
kingdoms. That this religion IS received by as
great number of Kingdoms as the Christian
religion may BIS matter of scandal to those
who think of the Divine Providence. and at
the same time imagine that no man can he
saved except he be a born Christian. But the
Moslem religion is no matter of scandal to
those who believe that all things are of the
Divine Providence. They enquire wherein
such Providence can be traced. aud thew dis
cover it. 1t is perceived that Moslems believe
IN the Incarnation of jesus, aad that Christ
was the wisest of men and the greatest of
prophets, Who came into ttis I'D to teach
men, and most Moslems the consiesrssf
Jesus as greater than MahometS That il NAV
be better understood-1lat This religion was
raised up by thst/ Divine Providence for the
purpose ot~desiroyiDg the idolatry OF manv
nail ms, previous to The time OF Mahomet the
worship OF idols vas common 10 ASIA Africa
aud some parts Of Europe. In order that all
these idoltaries might be extirpated. it was ner-
nltted by the Divine Providence that there
shoGld arise q new religion in which there
might be something out of both testaments of
the Word, and this was affected by Mahomet,
after whom the religion was called F4natj-
cisu and bigolrY have been charged upon the
Moslems. From Christians, said the professor,
this accusation comes with bad grace Indeed.
Where in Moslem history will you find more
intense fanaticism t0an that of Chr stiauS who
burnt heretics at the stake? Search the rec-
ords of the world for more horrible cruelty than
was praclised By the Sranish IDquisition
lslan,ism is also charged with pologamy, that
Islamsm looks upon polygamy as a religious
institution. Never was more false accusation
brought sgainst any religion Mahomet claim
ed to have foand the religion, and not to make
the cisil rights laws and customs of the peo-
pie. Polygamy was an Oriental custom, long
pIaotsed from the time OF Abraham and Solo
mon, and if Mahomet took more wives than
one he only followed The custom Of the country.
Brahminism, Bhudism and Islamism alike in
culale alieDce, and for this The lecturer thank
ed is audience for possessing on this occasion.