The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-09-25
A HOPEFUL FUTURE.
Rev. David Mitchell Speaks
of the Parliament of
Religions.

The Rev. David Mitchell preached last
night In the Scotch Presbyterian Church
upon the text Isai, II. 25. ITO whom.
then. will ye Iiken me, or shall I be
equal? saith the Holy One" He said
among other things:-
"A Parliament of Religions In CO nnec-
ton with the Chicago Exposition is
something new. We doubt whether such
q conception could have been realized
even in the smallest degree at any other
period. For We have to remember that
the history OF che Church has been full
Of struggle, envy and persecution. We
are feeling what changes haye ia ken
place. eve in an ordinary lifetime. In
regard to the relations of nations and
churches. Until within a few years it
was not In our power to approach
heather countries to any extent, ever In
the matter of commerce. international law
or education. u is not loug siuce we
were reading Of the few ports Of China
that were open to foreigners. lnsGead OF
being deyoured, as formerly. by cauni-
balls. we actually have In this year a
large number of Religions met-not for
dbN&Ck OI Jul WOEUut-
ly 10 r epresent themselves on a common
platform.
THE DISTINGUISHING DOCTRINE.
"Endeav0r to bring before our minds
the variety of religious in the world.
There is that in IL all which is absurd,
fantastic, contradictory. With the bss5
limes OF Judaism the oneuess OF God is
the distinguishing doctrine, while with
their worst is found the practice of idol
airy. We have only to look upon so ne
array OF gods to sse how far Que nation
may 90 from another in religious belief.
Yet a close inspection of idolatrous ma
lions suggests to u thoughtful MUD that
the worship or images is nut descent
from the pure Mosaic religion. From
should wo. ship and sesye, the people
come TO think of many such beings.
From cutting or casting an image of one
there come to be many such symbols,
aud these are worshipped as gods.
With Abraham, The God whom
he worships revealed himself,
al d he reyerences one accordingly. But
with many OF his descendants their in
Vulnerable images of the original
Revealer are turned into diyinities. We
can readily imagine how the original
revelation passing down through The
uutious-tn peace and wars they are
drifting from. one another-as they are
Il Wy al 114l9h vi 61lktIou
SUI or being shrivelled amid Arctic
SHOWS and ices-becomes the horrid
inonstrosity from which we shrink.
NJ SACRIFICE.
"ThRt there Is another common element
to all religions is seen from considering
human sacrifice. The moment we come
to sin in the Bible. we read of sacrilic e.
brought before the mind of Abraham
when he is called to offsr his son and
thence sees the subsl!tute-the ram
caught in the thickets. The Jewish
religion cJine to De q great service
of sacrifice. We have found the mean
ing Of all this when we can peint TO
Jesus, the Lsmb Of God, slain from the
foundation of the world. But while the
Jewish pictorial off eriugs have ceased,
because We have the one Offering as our
way, aud truth and life, imagine the
heatnen Worldwide it has become
through the ages - with it's countless
victims. 1t is significant of the identity
OF ali religions--that sacrifice is common
to them. Aud how Inspiring to find a
heatleu at length taking in the meaning
OF Christ's death, and with u rush of
feeling crying out, my Lord and Ny
Godl'
FEAR NOTHING By COMPARISON.
"fhat swe should fear nothing from
this comparison of religions Is self.evi.
AOaNs = 9Rk ~ IA =
as the crown of all religions. We are
not to treat heather religions as though
they had no connection With our own
Originally they are from one source, and
all along they have had common
elemeuts. We should think Of the
heatnens as right, II they follow
what light they have. We should
not condemn them, If they honestly and
c~onscIsntiously walk according 10 their
knowledge. 1t Is when they follow de-
grading forms of tniquity they are con-
demned. What light they rave let the m
follow sincerely. and doubtless In these
Gospel days they will be led in large
numbers TO Christ. The moment they
get Christ they are on a higher platform.
They are In Il new realm. They come in
for che / responsibilities of the Christian
religion. So we are brethren because of
sin and redemption.
HOPEFUL FUTURE.
"Aud the last thing suggested is the
hopeful future arising out OF the pariia-
ment of religions. We can meet aud
discuss religious views without quarrel.
We get on q platform OF peace aud can
interchange u thoughts aud can reveal
the owe we have In common. OF COURSE
this Is far too ffue u view OF the
! religions Of the world because the very
representation OF these ar u ss the supe
rioriIy OF those in attendance, Il we
have. therefore, no vivid conception Of
heathen religions as they are. Still there is
a beautiful and hopeful aspect as we think
| Of so many religions being represented
| on one and the same platform. Let us
nope 1t Is but a picture of a future glory
yet TO dawn. Let us pray for 1t as an
earnest of the good times when the lion
aud the lamb snnil dweifftoRether, aud
when all the natlons shall present Que
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