The Portland daily press., 1885-11-12
The DIVING origin Of chrlstIanlty

The Rev. Henry Blanchard delivered the
third lecture of his course on Tuesday even
ing, in the yestry of the Congress Square
Church to large audience. The subject
was 'The New Conception of Man, intro
dueed by Christianity"
Mr.. Blanchard began with a reference to the
object held in view in the delivery of the lect ures
to find firm foundation for the belief that Chris
tianity is OF divine origin. Each lecture would
the inference in each case must be that the
doctrine or the fact can be explained only in the
hypothesis that God spoke to the world through
lures are considered together is very impressive
The new idea of man introduced by Christianity
is this--eyery man Is child of the one. personal
sovereign, eternal God, who, pure in character
hates sin, but loves the sinner as His child. Per-
son ntdy was again defined as being intellect
body, but in his intellect, emotion, will. Man is
as mysterious as God. The grandeur of the new
contemplating the mystery of the Universe, man
feels what sublime thought it is that every man
is child of the Infinite God; We see its
grandeur, also, as we consider the idea of man as
held by two OF the noblest among men: Buddla,
the sage Of India; Plato, the disciple of Socrates,
God man was, therefore, without a Heavenly
Father. He thought that all existence was an
evil; he seems to disbelieve in any hereafter
being. Plato shared the idea Of the Greeks that
man sprang from the earth. He despised the
lOWiy. he Qlu not Delleve the majority OF men
| should have freedom of thought He taught that
| heresy should be punished by death. Mr.. Blan-
chard then read an extract from the writings of
| Hoyoake, the noble SeculariSt leader of Eng
| land, to show the despair of men today who do
| not believe in Heavenly Father The influence
of Christ's conception Of man, history shows. 1t
sent his disciples abroad to all nations because
his conception made all mankind one The jew
| the Greek, thel Roman, could not comprehend
such an idea. and were amazed at such mission
All the noble missionary work Of today has its
impulse from this conception. 1t included the
| idea that God Himself Sought each Individual
whom he had created The gods of ancient re-
| ligions did not interest themselves in men. The
SENDS + caf Re for each S SEEKS S
Individuals emphasized by Christianity as by no
other, religion Christ therefore, instituted
preaching. something almost unknown before
his time. Preaching is to persuade. His use of
this indicates his respect for man. Because he is
a child OF God, man has will, intellect conscience
anectlon, endless life. Because he is so great, sin
Mr.. Blanchard fully illustrated these points
by quotations from the Gospels. Christ appealed
to man as free agent. He would not terrffy by
miracle or pictures OF hereafter, but tried to
persuade His sermon on the mount and his
parallels matchless in all literature are appeals to
intellect, to conscience, to affection. He was a
man OF sorrows because of his brothers sins.
That such being as man, a child of God, could
disobey, filled him him measureless pain. All
his preaching, therefore, shows how august is
his conception of man. Christianity has only be-
CUNTS work. The past shows what this idea of
man, given to the world by Christ, has done in
elevating mankind. The future will show still
greater results. 1t Is not SCIENCE nor literature
power mighty enough for this is the power OF
ChriSts idea OF man. 1t will give influence to
sScenc ts art or tera pobe Law It win re-
peasant prophet of Nazareth shows that it must
have been spoken to him by God.
The next lecture will be given on Tuesday
evening, November oath