LECTURE I. CHRISTIANITY AND THE PROGRESS OF CIVILIZATION. The following remarks were made by the Hon. J. A. Bingham, United States Minister to Japan, who presided on the occasion of the delivery of the lecture. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN : Honoured by the committee's invitation to preside on this occasion, I beg leave to say that in my opinion the series of public lectures proposed to be given in this place, the first of which it will be our privilege to hear to-day, may be productive of good, and can by no possibility work harm either to his Majesty's government, his Majesty's subjects, or to the people of any other nationality who may attend them. We have ample guarantee of this in the high character of the gentlemen who have kindly volunteered to give their time and best thoughts to this service; in the subjects to be discussed, and in the fact that an invitation is extended to all to suggest such inquiries and make such criticisms concerning each lecture as they may wish, all of which will be kindly entertained and responded to. I thank the gentlemen for this liberal invitation, thereby according to others what they claim for themselves, and proclaiming that error itself may be tolerated when truth is left free to combat it, and affirming their faith in the utterance of another age,—“ As for truth it endureth and is always strong; it liveth and conquereth for evermore." 2 Hon. J. A. Bingham's Remarks. [LECT. We are to-day to be favoured with an introductory address on the Antiquity of Man, and a lecture on Christianity and the Progress of Civilization. Being ourselves of the race of man, whatever concerns men, concerns each and all of us. Christianity is a great central fact in the world's history. It commands at this moment the reverent consideration and approval of enlightened men in all lands. Of the general principles of Christianity it is not for me at present to speak, nor is it needful that I should, as they speak for themselves; but I may be permitted to say of them that they are largely incorporated in the constitutions and laws of the European and American states. Our modern civilization is largely the offspring of Christianity. It is the physical, intellectual and moral development of individual and collective man, the citizen and the nation. Its beneficent outgoings are to be seen in the science, literature and laws, and in the history, past and present, of our race. They are to be seen in the inventions of genius, which have laid the elements of external nature under contribution and made them minister to the wants and comforts of man, and in the gentle wide-spread organized charity, which supplies so much of human want, and mitigates so much human suffering. In a word, civilization is the sublime march of humanity, the progress of which no earthly power can stay or successfully resist. For Humanity sweeps onward: where to-day the martyr stands, While the hooting mob of yesterday in silent awe return To glean up the scattered ashes into History's golden urn. Ladies and Gentlemen, it only remains for me to introduce my greatly valued friend Mr. Eby, who will now address us on the subjects indicated. |