New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1867-06-16


There's ircely one who on life's waves
Is swiftly borne along,
But what has heard from some dear lips
Those sweet words" Don't stay long
ERMON BY REV. HENRY WARD
BEECH
#, Therefore, leaving the principles Of the doctrine
. Christ let us so on unto perfection. SID. vi L
RAThe writer did not imply that principles,
Il The modern sense of that term, that the
Maueptial forms of Christian instruction,
al the beginning steps of Christian wor
Eip. were of no account. He did not under
lue these things. But there were those
al, having taken the simplest view OF
v Tristan duty, assumed that they had the
hole ard were disposed to settle down
Bon what they had, and thus, making
nd of superstition of some elements of
*ligous life, to live in a shrunkeD, dwarfed,
" unfruitful state and the apostle says,
a that they should ignore the beginnings
moral and religious life, but that they
&ould only employ them as starting points;
"a. the, should begin with them, but not
Hon with them that accepting them as a
IN commencement, they should 70 on and
IA TO the full development of Christian
&aracter to the entire disclosure of what
a the possibility Of grace in the soul.
Wherefore, leaving the principles OF the
|tct-ine Of Christ, let us go on unto pertec-
Non"
n In our day, there are precisely the same
|4adenc!es, although they take on forms
|rtaOle to our age and civilization and re.
IHious culture.
IN propose to examine the grounds on
Mich large part OF the community stan !,
LIN stand stu.
EProbably the great majority of men n
INmmunity like this accept in a general We
B&e truth of the Christian religion. They
Nave an impression, not founded upon in
*nstigation, but received from others and,
"a the whole accepted, that the word of God
II a reyelation-an inspired authoritative
&sndarl. They believe in and respect these
.&bseryaaces. They think them beneficial
B community. They are glad on the
Hhole, that there is such thing as church,
h ministry, Sabbath day, and a bible;
Sti they wish them well. On the whole,
Ney would patronizc religion. They pro.
$ss themselves not to be Christians, but
d be moral; and they attempt to satisfy
Themselves that morality is Il substantial
&round of safety. Something further than
= bis they may think TO be better, but not in
as man might say, Wealth
] far better than merely support; but II a
ban has support, he can get along with
81t wealth." or, AS man might say, 3" II
kould be better TO have a knowledge OF
music: but if man has the substantials OF
&ducation, he can get along without that
accomplishment" There are 4 great many
Gwho say. "Only let man be a good,
Mtraight up.and-down, honest, moral man,
Hand then we know what we have. We
4 Know that we have something that is not
hetaphysical, that is not mystical, that is
&ractlcal, that is tangible. We have good
}OunistiOn, at any rate; and if there are
those that have the time and disposition to
10 further, we do not object TO their getting
Religion too We do not object to visions,
10 Joys to faith, as they call it, 10 those
bicture.gallery experiences that people
feem 10 be happy in. We hope that We
I &hall be in their way sometimes. Yet, after
All, while we wish well to religion, we are
! Glsd that we have Il good, sound foundation
sbf morality to stand on"
NJ Now as compared with something worse
y am glad too. | am glaI that you are no
worse off than you are. But, as compared
sgith something better, | am not glad. Ant
! propose, TO night, in familiar, and In {
4 perfectly fair aud ingenious way. to examine
What are the merits of what is popularll
called morality. purpose to consider wha
u Is good for, and what it is not goot
for; what 1t may be expected to do for you
and what ii cannot be expected to do TO
you. And if there are those present tonigh
who have been accustomed to say aoou
themselves that they are honest, and pa,
their debts, and try TO do about right, aht
who have derived satisfaction from th'
thought that, although they are not saints
yei some how there will be place IN IN
kingdom of God for them, because they ar
= sohonest-iti is to them that speak, and it i
their respectful attention that | solicit
ri Certainly you are more concerned to kno'
the ground that you stand on than anybod
else. We are interested in you we sustal
friendly relations TO you We have tina
feeling toward you which belongs to un
versal brotherhood and fellowship |; yet
after all, there Is no sense in which ca
possibly be so concerned about you as ever
one of you ought to be about himself. An
histo fair canvass of this matter That
ask your heed 10 night. .,
What, then, is generally understood b
morality? And here, in the beginning, II
ne say that it has no very exact point
What Is morality in one place Is not nece
sarily morality in another place for Il
very nature of morality is, that 1t Is abo'
that degree of good conduct which the COZ
nHnity in which a man dwells requires
him. 1t is the carriage of conscien'
which takes its law of duty from the ge
eral and average opinions of men.
If you go to New Orleans, you find tn
The average permissions are much ampl
there than they are here. Men are consi
cred moral there that would not be consl
cred moral in many other places. And,
you come further toward home, you "
md not only that the standard rises, b
that here we consider that TO be mol
which, II you were to take II TO your nati
village in New England, would be cons
cred very great liberty and laXness. SO III
Whist you call morality is not anything We
dehnite 1t is not q creed. IL Is mere
that degree and kind of good conduct viii
We community in which you live deman
q you. But it may be said, generally, Il
There Is conscience required in moral
toward ones self, toward ones own frien'
ma toward society. No conscience Is
qaired by morality toward God-none VIII
ever. But good morals in every ordlna
oommunity, upon an average, do reqn
that there should be these three appli
slels Of conscience : namely, toward on
seif toward ones Immediate friends
connections, and toward society.
Fer ones self, morality requires temp
ance--although il is not very strict as
what constitutes 1t. Something that
pass BY the name Of temperance, in eat
snd drinking, and In the indulgence OF
specifies, morality requires. Purity. Q
rrs ~ degree OF purity, anu lhaustr,
moral. "a man is bound TO obey
Avs Of nature,n men say. He must not
mat which is unreasonable. He must
his appetites and passions violate
norsl sense. He must be temperate, and
Tust be pure, and he must be industric
ns owes 1t to himself. That Is vague
NJ II Il useful as an initial state.
!. Next, morality requires that one sho
ave conscience toward his friends,
n specially toward his own household.
II anst be a good pruyider. He must be al
a scnate. Not only must he support th
nat are dependent upon him, but =
4 aust be fidelity in his relations TO tn
rhere man is faithful to his friends.
4 s axesps HE word with them, snd loves
anaren and wife and connections,