The Portland daily press., 1885-12-10
DIVINE ORIGIN OF CHRISTIANITY.
Rev. Mr.. Blanchard's Fifth Lecture.

The Rev. Henry Blanchard delivered the fifth
lecture of his course on "The Divine Origin of
Christianity Indicated by its Historical Effects
in the Congress Square Church on Tuesday
evening.
: The subject announced was "The New Concep-
ton of Mans Duty to Man, introduced by Christian
ity." The speaker began by survey of the Roman
empire in year 10. Titus was emperor. Christ had
been dead nearly fifty years. Paul had died about
ten years before. Jerusalem had been destroyed
in TO- Pompei and Herculaneum were over
wnelmed in this year 70. The empire embraced
all the countries lying round the Mediterranean
sea, extending to Britain on the west, and to the
Tigris on the east In this immense territory, the
student sees few small communities OF Chris
tians. But it is from these that there came new
concention of mans duty to man which has revo-
lutionized the world. They had great memories
of Christ and Paul. they had the epistes and at
least d 5ee the One Godo tie brotherhood
Of man-of a blessed immortality. Out of these
came the new conception OF duty. We see new
idea-the sacredness of childhood. WHAT did
Rome, the "Twelve Tables allowed the father to
kill or abandon his children. In Sparta, children
these ran red with their life blood. Socrates
sneered at the sorrow of young mother whose
child was to be exposed Plato 9-,: and Aristotle A
children. In the church, the idea of the sacred
ness of childhood led to hottest love and tenderest
care. The legend of the Nativity had great infu,
great power. The Christian centuries show great
results. Emperors provided for foundlings and
orphans. The multitudinouS organizations from
earliest Christian times down to the day of the
Portland Fraternity all show what the new con-
ception did for Gods little ones on earth :,
Students see another idea-the SacredneSS OF
womanhood, and woman's equality, therefore
with man.
immortal Rome dnnlarpo
men walk, in imagination, in magnificent Athens
or in the city of the emperors-let them ask the
dWellers there what the great men had said con
corning woman The great Roman writers-Sen
| eca Cicero and 0thers,-ShoW great superclllouS-
| ness toward women. Socrates advised courte-
| san how to win new lovers Plato believed in a
| community of wives. Aristotle thought womal
| held place somewhere between freedman and
slave. Let us look to Asia. Menu taught thal
to China. Confucus recognized no sanctity to the
| marriage bond Greece showed at last what con
tempt for woman will do. The horrors of Roman
society illustrate the result Of considering women
inferior to men. The record is so awful that Its
| details cannot be told in public.
Christ changed the idea OF woman. The early
church made that idea fruitful In new and NOBLE
duties. The image OF sweet mother Mary--tht
remembrance of Christs friendship with women
| the words of Paul in his epistleS concerning W0
| men who were fellow underestimate deep i'm
| preston, and woman was speedily exalted.
The :crusades helped forward the work, an(
| during the last three hundred years, we see how
workers for the elevation of women have fount
| ChriStS idea their greatest help. To-day, they
| who claim amplest opportunities and the ballo
| for woman do it as disciples of Christ, and de
| clare that woman, as child of God is equal witt
man.
| Students see another idea-that every man be
| ing child of God, has right to freedom, and i
to be delivered therefore, from all legal bondage
| Christ indeed, did not condemn shareholders. Di
/ he not know the awful evils of slavery in Greece
| and Rome? Christ was wise. He saw that hi
idea of man, once fully received, would overthrow
| all slavery.
Mr.; Blanchard here. dwelt at length on tn
awful details of slave life in Greece and Rome Ii
| all the glory of Greece, amid all the voices @
orators and festivals, We hear sad wailings an
| the awful groanings of her slaves. Christianit
| slowly destroyed Slavery. Slaves entered tn
| church, and became freemen in Christ. Chrstia
| emperorS instituted laws for freeing slaves. TIL
| great Roman church, truly democratic, i'll he
| best days, helped constantly towards freedom
! Poland, AUSTRIA Russia freed their serfs Target
was ChrSt's idea of the sacredness of the lndiyic
| ua and the brotherhood of man which gay
| power to fight our battles.
In conclusion, Mr.. Blanchard dwelt upon tn
idea of the dignity of labor which Christianity ii
| troduced and which the Christian church ha
| made q power for good. This has helped durin
| the past 1t will uplift the masses in days t
| come Surely then he who weighs the new col
| ception of duty introduced by Christ must fee
| claimer was Jewish peasant SO august a col
| ception cannot be of mere human origin. Chris
| said, "The words / speak unto you are not mint
| but the Fathers who sent me-" He spoke tn
| truth. The message came from Christ as mediul
| but from God as source.
The next lecture will be given Tuesday, De,
ODD