The Portland daily press., 1886-03-16
THE DIVINE ORIGIN OF CHRIS
TlANiTY.
The Closing Lecture of Rev. Mr.
BIanchard's Course.

The Rev. Henry Blanchard delivered on
Sunday evening in the Congress Square
church the closing lecture OF his course on
'sThe Divine Origin of Christianity, indicated
bv its Historical Effects" There was very
large congregation present. Mi. Blanchard
said that in bringing his course to an end, 1t
would be wise to restate the object held in
view when the lectures were begun. He had
wished to reach two classes Oh persons and
to show them that, whatever might be
said concerning prophecy or miracle, there
is a line of argument, independent of
these, showing the divine origin Of Chris
tianity which every one could verify for him
self The first class consists OF those who
call themselves Christians, but are greatly
perplexed by the arguments of the opponents
of Christianity. The second class consists
of those who, on account Of exaggerated
claims for Christianity, are Indifferent or
hostile. He hoped the course might do some
good to both classes
Mr.. Blanchard then asked his hearers to
consider earnestly the cumulative evidence
resulting from the adding OF point to point
which had been made in each succeeding
lecture The great strength of the evidence
on which he relied is in this cumulative
force. He had shown, or tried to
show in the first place, the new conception
of God introduced by Christianity That
was that therei is one personal, holy, SOY
ereign, eternal God, rewarding the good,
hating sin and Furnishing, while loving, the
sinner ALI other religions, save Judaism,
of which Christianity is the consummate
flower. were polytheistic. They had no holy
gods They never taught hatred of sin with
love for the sinner. The new conception,
history shows, has wrought immense
changes. He had shown, or tried to show,
the new conception of Man the new con-
ception of the duty of Man towards God, in
worship; the new conception OF Mans duty
! to Man, in politics and society; the new con-
ception of the duties of Nations, towards
each other; the effect of Christianity on the
| mental culture of mankind; the effect of
| Christianity on the moral life of mankind ;
| the effect of Christianity ON the worlds hope
| of progress. History is the great witness to
| the prodigious effects of this religion taught
by Jewish peasant. Men should see, there
| fore, the force of the cumulative evidence
| They must feel that such a religion, coming
through man, came from God. IN. Inc words
| of the teacher appear true-"The words
which speak unto you are not mine, bus
| the Fathers who sent me-"
| In presenting these points, the speaker
| gave condensed summaries OF each proceed
| ing lecture He then made several other for
m I to show the divine origin Of Christian
ity. Christ alone among great. teachers,
| taught religion of piety with philanthropy
of philanthropy with piety. He did not
say "Love God" but 'love God and man. :,
God" The union Of piety and philanthropy
is the needed religion for mankind. The
tendency, however, always has been for re-
ligion to go to excess towards piety or
towards, philanthropy. Confuelus would
was a one-sided philanthropy. Brahmin-
ism was excessive piety. Buddhism was ex-
| cessive philanthropy. Even among Chris
| tians there is often lack of balance. Some
| are too pious; some are too philanthropic:
| A teacher who had taught such balanced
religion is wisest among the wise. He was
| carpenters son. he was unlettered, as we
say; he was young man. Who can believe
| that he spoke without aid OF God? Christ s
| religion also balances the effect of awe re-
sulting from the impression of the outward
universe with self-reliance which comes
from reverence for human nature.
Religions have shown tendencies to fear
and groveling because of the awfulness of
| the universe and to irreVerence and egotiSm
because of pride in human strength. India
! crouched before the Universe; the Greek
| was without fear. In Christ's teaching, we
| have awe for the Universe and God and
| respect for human nature. The two feelings
| IuuSb NC uulb6u W plUuuNC w
velopment. They are united in Christianity.
| This is its great secret. Christ said Coo
| spoke to him. May we not readily believe
| it? There is one Infinite Mind. There are
| some thoughts it can utter only through a
| human mind. Through the sea-through the
FOUNTAINS through the stars, God speaks.
But these cannot speak as may the mind OF
man. Through all ages, some men have said
God spoke to them. In Christ, we have the
| highest utterances ever heard on
earth. How can we help believing they
| came, in part at least from God?
AS we study the life of Christ this con-
| viction deepens. In the temple as boy, at
| the Jordan as man, in the Wilderness, on
| the mount, in single sentence or in parable,
| we hear a divine voice. Fulfiller, because
| going far beyond, of ancient prophecy
| worker of wondrOus deeds-he Says-"The
| words which speak unto you are not mine,
| but the Fathers, who sent me.
| May we expect a greater one to come
| Who can tell? But great men have said that
| they could not conceive of greater Neither
! Theodore Parker nor Ernest Renan, great
| scholars as all acknowledge, can conceive of
one greater than Christ. Shall not men,
| therefore, study the history of this peerless
! man far more than now they do? Shall not
men stand reverently before religion which
| coming through man, as medium, has come
from God, as source?
When men shall earnestly study, they will
say, if the argument of this course of lectures
is sound-"Thou are the Christ of God
| Thou are the greatest teacher of men! Thou
| art the redeemer of mankind! Thou art the
hottest instrument of Almighty God to bring
His children into unity with HIMSELF!