LECTURE BY THE REV. GEORGE BAROLAY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3306, 2 May 1885, Page 3

LECTURE BY THE REV. GEORGE BAROLAY.

THE KELIGHON OF THE BIBtE IN CONTRAST WITH CERTAIN NON--OHEIBTIAN SYSTEJtS,v, ' J (I.) ChBISTIAHITX V; HINDCIBM. On, Sunday evening last, (the I£oY t ( Goorge. Barclay delivered the first of a series of lectures under the above Heading m the Presbyterian Schoolroom, Geraldine. The lecturer observed; that thongh; m spme aspects his subjeot -was a somewhat- lerirned 'and obstruse one, requiring the use of unfamiliar words-and a reference to ; strange conceptions, he would deal with it m the clearest and simplest manner possible, and certainly the explanations made as he went along, made everything plain and intelligible. MrUarclayJa ability as a lecturer is so well known that it is almost superfluous to add that m addition to the clearness with -which the ' Bubjecfc' was laid before the audience, an interest was kept up throughout which' had its' full weight with" the listeners. From tho expressions; ire have heard from those who .attended this first lecture, we are sure the future ones of the teries will be looked forward to with pleasure. Taking for his text Ephosians iv., 17, 21, and noting that here the Apostle, intended ,to show a, sharp contrast between Christianity and • Paganism, j Mr Barclay [went on .to, say that unfortunately Paganism was extant, and that put of spine 1300 millions of. the world's population, only comparatively a few millions were Christians m the nominal sense. .In his opinion not sufficient attention is paid- to the great outstanding features distinguishing the religion

of the Bible from all other religions, and recognising the value of comparison and contrast when a clear conception of merit or demerit is desirable, he would deliver the first of a brief courße of lectures, whose object would bo to bring out m their truth grandeur, reasonableness and purity, some of the great characteristics of Christianity as opposed to any non-Biblical system. Announcing Hinduism to be his theme for contrast that evening, the lecturer went on to state a number of relevant facts connocted with the' number of persons professing that faith— some 140 millions ; the geographical distribution of Hinduism s its various phases, ancient and modern ; the sources from which authentic information could be obtained, &o. As to' what primitive Hinduism was information is obtainable from certain Sanscrit works of great number and variety — Vedas, Darsanes Shastras, dec. 'As to the antiquity of these books, any date from the time of Moses might be assigned to the older of them, viz., the Vedas. But where did. Hinduism or the religion' of the Vedtta first' spring from ? Whence did tho Aryans, the persons conceived as first holding it, derive it? Did they invent and elaborate it themselves? Or did they derive it from tradition ? Or was thero any mixture of real revelation m it ? Ah ! this was a great question. We knew the opinions of Miiller and others m their books on the "Science of religion,^' but however much he wished to take his audience into the secret of what had beon said and written on the subject, he could not pursue the discussion there. Ab ' to what modern Hinduism meant that was easily ascertainable^ but to describe it with : any fulness or minutiae, for many reasons would be put of the question. The multiplicity of sects, Vaishnajas (worshippers of Vishnu), Sivas (worshippers of Siva), Sauras, Sakts, Likhs, etc., together with the endless conflict of opinions, practices, ceremonies, etc., would necessarily render entering into particulars impossible. There were only four points of contrast m which, for brevity's sake, ho would notice on the present occasion, post poning others to a future opportunity of renewed reference :— (1) Under the head of contrast m respect to the doctrine of God, the lecturer described the apparent want of harmony on this subject m the Vedic writings, one set of passages appearing to teach a noble monotheism, another^ to inculcate Pantheism, another Feticism, another Polytheism, and another still sheer atheism. As to the conception of modern Hinduism there was no doubt about that. It was Polytheism. Reference to over 300,000,000 of gods, the modern Hindu' pantheon raabes, giving two gods and a fraction on an average to every individual Hindu. Gods of all kinds— some greater and some less, some male and some female, some possessing good qualities some bad, some following pursuits of virtue and benevolence, others having for their object ends of the;most cruel, impure, and malign nature. What a contrast all this was to the theology of the Scriptures ! God was one ; God was supreme ; God was just j God was pure, merciful, good, and our duty, therefore, while with angels and archangels ascribing to Him blessing and honor, etc., it Bhould Be ourfl to reverence His institutions, to honor His name, to live to His : glory, to obey his laws. (2) Under the head of contrast to Bible doctrine, m respect to acceptable worahip.'Mr Barclay at some length described the nature and ends of Hindu homage. It had three characteristics. It was the ceremony itself that was supposed to be grateful' to the gods. The sacrifices offered for the most part had no reference to the expiation of guilt, and supplication, such as it was— a muttered word or two, more by incantation than anything' else — was almost exclusively for some temporal favors. The contrast of the doctrine of tho Bible to all this was vividly shown. God requiring ' over and above all ceremonies the homage of the heart and prayer; while not ignoring the existence of earthly wants expressing its chief solicitude for higher and nobler things. (3) Under the head of contrast m respect to the" Hindu doctrine of sin, Mr Barclay explained that as to the nature of sin the Hindu conception was that' if consisted toi the most part m breaches of ritual,disregard- of proper fasts, violation of caste, etc., and that' as to the means of removing sin the effective thing was pilgrimages, penances, ablutions, and austerities of various kinds. There was one particular fast called "piivakaj" and which, enduring twelve days, sufficed for the obliteration of all sin of whatever kind or degree. In commenting on this Mr Barclay fervently reminded his audience that sin was something much' deeper than the violation of any ecclesiastical ceremony or church law, thatit required more than a mere fast, or pilgrimage, either to eradicate it from the heart or to provide against its guilt, and that while the waters of the Ganges or the billows of the Indian Sea were insufficient for the purposes required, Christianity m the Gospel of the Redeemer had provided an effectual means for the purification of tho sinner and the obliteration of his guilt. (4) Under the head of contrast m respect to tho liberty, accorded to mankind to raise himself socially and intellectually, to improve. his condition whenever he could, the lecturer oxplained at some length and with clearness the Hindu institution of " Caste.'i . Itie whole: population was divided into four great groups, including, however, a -. number of. .subdivisions. One, the Brahmins, a , priestly class, spring from the head of Brahma; a second, the "Kshetrys,".a : military class, spring from the arm of Brahma ; a third, the ,'f Vaisyas," an agricultural , and commercial. , class, spring from the thigh ;pf Brahma j ;ahd the fourth, the poor Sudras, the servile class, spripgfrom the feet of Brahma. This was a part of their religion, and an easontial oloment of it the ordination of Heaven itself. The castes were mutually exclusive of one another, and each higher . one m the ascending series considered it pollution, degradation of the gravest kind to have any intercourse with, to touch, or eat with or interfere with the occupations of the caste below. How could a syßtem of this sort not bo fatal to all civilisation of a progressive character ; fatal to all intellectual and social advancement j fatal to all development of industry, genius,: ■ mental individuality,, laudable personal .energy, and ambition? We know of course what "society?', m. all ages hud tried to do. There iB a caste of wealth , and a caste of culture, and a caste of birth and pedigree,, and all these castos have sought, to, set : up conventional barriers, of their own ; but Christianity knows nothing of these— God is no respecter of persons. There is nd barrier set Tip m the Gpßpel against, ' and no bans, pronounced on any who, by nature of their intellect or their' character, have claim* to rise. What would an: Anglo-J3axon race think" of a religion which perpetually bound' each poor man and each ignorant man, jand each unfortunate : man, 1 - • to " the : position' into which ho had J happened/ to fall? Mr Barclay closed /his lecture/ by reminding his audio'nee that the ''only caste Christianity know of was the Tavious 'graces of being good 'and; doing good, that the highest; rewards 5 of Heaven were ; promised to those who were purest m love', most ardent m zeal, and' most faithful in 1 service, and that the more -we brought the roligion of the Bible into close comparison and contrast with air other religions, the more we had reason to be thankful for this excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. ' . The foregoing is a mere outline of 'all that Mr Barclay managed to point out m his interesting and comprehensive lecture. . The subject 1 "of €he. next, vre understand, .will 1 ba the religion of the Bible versus Buddhism.