The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-19
THE LECTURE SEASON.
Lecture by Rev. 1. 4. Hooker on ssrhs Re
Haiaus Condition Of tho COmnery.0

Lecture by Rev. 1. Il. Hccker on ssThs Re-
Haisus Condition or tho Country.o
Rev. l. 7. HecKer Superior OF the Community OF
.Paulsts. lectured last evening as tho Brooklyn
Academy Of Music on .sThe Religious Condition OF
the County, There was . very large audience
present Including large number OF Catholic clergy
men, who were seated upon the stage. The proceeds
OF the lecture were devoted 10 ST. yincent's Home
FOR Boys, Ia Vine strcet.
Rev. Father HecKer was introduced to the audi.
ence by Rev. Father Frecl ol lhe Church OF 1T.
Charles Boromeo. The lecturer, la opening his dls-
course, said tnas there two irresistible ten.
denotes ~ work IN the Christian world, one OF which
lead to Catholicism ana the other to raiionalisn.
The workings or these two tendencies were more APP
parent IN our country than in any other. WAyg
Because here religion was u fair AMI free field
nothing obstruccd II In rs natural and logical con-
sequence. II ne brought to the witness stand New
England as the representative OF Professionalism In
our country nc thought that he was not acting IN
fairly. The people OF New England the Puritan
fathers--werc religious men, and loved religion above
al things, and were ready TO sacrifice everything
for the freedom Of carrying out their own religious
IDEAS What had been the history or the religious
opinions OF New England: Any man that was a
lite acquainted with their history knew full well
within this century they had changed entirely their
religious views. Not one man or woman In ten. and
perhaps not one IN one hundred. would be willing
To make active aitn on the i've points OF Calynisni,
which was the religion OF the Puritan fathers-ia
WORD, they had Turned clean around tue circle,
80 Li3t the Religion OF the people there
louG was, an entire subvcrsion OF Christi
! amy amy a. hehi by their ioreiothcrs. Father
hccarr quoted nom one or TWO Protestant auii,orl-
tes concerning the religious condition ul tie people
81 New England 10 show that me American leo,,e,
Tue trotesians are losing their hold the tlnc-
tive doctrines oI CHRISTIANITY. irreiigion was found
| 10 increase ia proportion 10 the distance rom the
| centre OF the towns. similar state OF things was
reported to exist IN some parts OF Massachusetts.
| Father Heeker also quoted from DR.. Bellows ana
other Protestant cer2ymcn In support or nis argu.
| ment, and inquired the reason or this
| fading away a,nong the Protestant portions
| Of the community. inerc had been no obstacle, he
said, bur II had been IN The very nature or their ve
/ ligion. Protestautsm was the exaggsraton or the
SUPERNATURAL. Protestants started with the PROPOSE
| ton mat man was totally deprayed; they starred
| with the proposition that II he were saved Il was
entirely OF Gods election Man had free Will IN
the matter. In word, salvation was u matter
| entirely 81 me supernatural, and the natural man
could 10 nohug but act contrary to the will OF God
| Nov The demonstrations, or whatever you pleased
| Gnristisnity ia them were the most popular
! IN New England. unitaranism had got rid Of
ohrlst ~ denying his Divinity; Unlversalism had
allsm had got rid OF heaven by substituting so,ne-
tmng for H. All you mad TO do 10 yourself was
| 10 act iihe man. tLaugnter.) IL was natural Tor
those wac followed Martin Luther 10 Inquire what
r.ght Luther had which they had MOI. II Luther
could nieipolite the Scripture, aud knock out what.
| ever parts he CHOSE why could NOT they toos THIS
tney had tone and IN Germany nothing was lett
authentic IN The scripture save the covers. lI4augh-
teri lhe lerIurcr invited attention to Professionalism
isoin social point oil yew and remarked that all OF
is-ii inattercd not what our creed might be-would
| admif fhat the family was the foundation ol 80.
cat,. Destroy the FAMILY ana you destroy society;
bus strange 70 say, Professionalism Ia its very begin
ming attempted 10 strike a fatal blow AZ the sacred-
ness ~ tue family. In The State OK Connecticut tie
lecturer said, there was one uiY0rec TO every eight
| Protestant iamilics and he told that Massa-
chnseits waa mol micli better. III that continued
| much further what would The marriage tie. be Z
| lAey w0u d deei In the marriage tic they ,ild M
| Christianity. ~ and by persons would o. divorced
aud married again Children would come, bGt they
| w09la be obstacles in the way and The result
! WON'T be that few children woad be born. The
ac was tuat the Alerease IN the population of New
| England depended upon Foreigners. The deaths 0i
the American people were equal almost 10 the
per oi births. At nad been SAID taat the Yankee
the smarest people ~ the word, were IN danger OF
dying out. Tus, rather Hecker said, was tire Icglli-
| inafe result OF ms taDpering with the saaethy so
marriage one point he brought out Ia this con
nec6vn was tiat The evils Jusl depicted were almost
| entirely nnSnown among the Catholics. He CON
| tended that Professionalism. IN ITS logical conse
qnences. ended IN rrat,onaltsm It's moral coise
uucnceS IL ended IN atheism And In It's sucia aspcc
| ii eade6 IN lie total destruction OF the race.