The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-06
LYalc HALL.

Aspiration and Perfection-The Richardson
Traaedy-sermon by the Rev. q. b. Froth-
ingham.
The lecture room OF Lyric Hall, Sixth avenue and
Fortysecond street. was about half filed yesterday
morning by members Of the congregation which
worships there and strangers who anticipated
sermon from the pastor, the now celebrated 0. B.
rockingham, touching the lamentable tragedy
which continues absorb public attention and the
Astor House marriage afterpece, In which the
reverend gentleman played conspicuous part.
The result showed that the congregation, or that
portion OF 1t which thought proper to attend, had
calculated Alright.
After the usual singing and prayer Mr.. FrothnR-
ham announced as the text Of his discourse the th
chapter Of st. Matthew and the verse, Be
you therefore perfect as also your Heavenly Father
s perfect" Beginning with an analysis Of the char
acter Of Christ he SAID that many men have waded
through blood that they might be made kings, but
He gave his life 10 prevent being crowned. Jesus
put away oil passion, and lived and died man Tor
men. His perfectness consisted In his impercctness;
he saw beauty in ugliness. and shed tears Of pity
the wretched. We are all on the wrong road to the
perfection which characterized Jesus. We confound
ambition with aspiration, and err accordingly Am
bition means climbing up; aspiration means going
down; aspiration Is making yourself less than your
fellow men; ambition means setting yourself high
above the level Of ordinary people. There Is the
ambition to be perfect In FORM cultured to at
tam political power and eminence and to be 80.
clally distinguished; but when man attains one or
ali OF these objects OF his ambition what Is the re-
Bulti he becomes lonely, isolated, cold and inhuman
But the most fatal Of oil ambitions 10 the aspiration
after virtue and the perfection OF holiness The
mon who sees his God above the clouds desires 10
reach his hand to the clouds also; God IL spirit,
he wants 10 be spirit: As God Ia In heaven, his de.
sire ID TO be there with him. lie begins TO look
down upon men, measures himself against them
learns to hate pleasure and separates himself from
scOrner, instead OF being q lover OF his kind. He
goes from height to height with "Excesiorn as his
motto until finally, In the unh0ly ambition to be
holy IN the ungOdy struggle to be like God he is lost
IN the snow and his heart becomes an icicle. The
preacher told some anecdotes illustrative OF the
perfection OF aspiration. Faith IL splendid thing
ana Hope IL magnificent; but they avail man
nothing II he have not charity and kindness toward
aus Ieitow beings. No greatness 10 great no good
ai9ss ~ good IN which charity has no place.
MI kr0thtngkam said he spoke feengly and ear
.uv, Ior ms mind was filled with that OF which he
wAsanre the congregation was thinking. For four
Gays PAST ne mad heard nothing but the cam0r about
Tire outrage against social laws, the blow leveed
~ tne sacred marriage relati0n,r &c. There was
more Inai one way OF doing AL that. To make vain,
man9hAnt anu unjust statements: vilifyng innocent
peope ana 1raggng them forth before the public to
Pelt 0em win random abuse Ii damaging TO the
harmony OF society. To IN mp newly made grave
with nkh; to cover q griefstrlckeu. defenceess
woman with repr0ach; to fasten stigma on limo.
cent children IL to break up social rcIa{ODs and die.
furb tee harmony Of society. To Judge IN advance
OF justices create public sentiment In favcr OF an
snsSie0 ass'a<sin 70 disturb the halm0ny