The New York herald., 1870-03-28
CHURCH OF TEE FREE LOVERS.


The Substance Of Christianity-Sermon by
the Rev. Mr.. ErOthingham.
There was q slim attendance at Lyric Hall yester-
day morning, the day being sufficiently tnauspcious
to damp the ardor OF the most earnest church goer
After some preliminary exercises, including the
singing Of psalms and prayer, the Rev. Mr.. Froth-
ingham preached sermon on "The Substance OF
Christianity taxing as his text the words, "Not
every that says Lord, Lord shall be saved. but
they that do the Will Of my Father, who Is In hea
ven.n BY the substance Of Christianity he meant
The general principles and root OF religion. lie
would not speak OF the theme IN a controversial
or aogmatical spirit out he would refer to 1t the
great central point Of life, q religion powerful for
human use. 1t was
QUICK LIVING THEME
much discussed on the one side there were those
who said that the welfare OF mankind depended on
the belief IN Christianity, and on the other Side
there was class OF persons, very sincere and ear
nest, who said that Christianity was done-that the
experiment had been tried and failed ana that 1t
was no longer force, no longer possessed OF re-
generating power; that its dogmas belonged to the
past, that It's sacraments had no longer hold upon
the faith OF the Christian. In discussing the
subject it was necessary TO know what was meant
by Christianity Certainly no one believed that the
safety OF the Oriental world depended upon the
Greek Charch. II by Christianity they meant
the religion OF Jesus Christ the essential
religion OF the New Testament there was a secret
moral force, q religious power and sentiment which
went far towards the worlds redemption and the
only question that arose was as to what constituted
the substance what was the genius OF that secret
working power that makes religion what II ought
0be.
MR. BEECHER SAID AGAIN AND AGAIN,
with earnestness and enthusiasm that the sub.
stance OF Christianity was the faith OF the individual
soul in Christ as God, the living communion IN each
individual soul with God; and MIR. Beecher was
rlght, taking the popular view OF Christianity.
meaning the Christianity or the Catholic Church of
Rome the Episcopaan Church OF England and
the others. That was the key TO Chris.
tianlty, ana 1t was q proper and profound view. He
frankly admitted the power OF that conception.
ton OF 1t In the Gospel. 1t Was asserted that the
substance OF Christianity was the individual expert
grace; put 1t was also shown by many passages IN
Ine Testament that true religion consisted in the
PERSONAL COMMUNION
OF one man with his Kind The reverend gentleman
then proceeded to narrate the parable OF the good
Samaritan who had SO charitaDly attended to the
man who had been robbed and beaten on hls way 10
Jerusalem and Christ on being asked by some per-
son what they should DO to be saved desired them
TO follow the example OF the samaritan VINO 0, nad
beng The religion therefore was OF purely human
character. Again. on
the sheep would be assembled on one side and the
goats on the other. TO the latter the Lord would
not TO eat.n They would reply that He had never
asked them, and the Lord would then turn to the
right hand and welcome the sheep, saying that when
He was thirsty they gave Him to drink. They, too,
would say they had not seen Him., but the Lord
would say that OFTEN as they gave to those little
ones they gave to Him. The preacher dwet upon
the parable OF the good samaritan as showing that
humane actions were necessary TO salvation. The
question turned upon kindred between man and
man. IL was the simple ground OF humanity, sim
cere love for all mankind. He explained what the
popular idea OF God was, and claimed tnat His very
perfection consisted In His humility, ana that He
identified Himself with common creatures. pure
patcrnal feeling for mankind was sae substance