The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-07-30

odd mixture for Bible, one says and doubtless
each one of the religious founders would look
askance upon such a meLange of religious author
ship as volume so composed would contain.
But the difference between all, says Mr.. Frothing-
ham, is rather external than in the essentials.
All religious natures, of whatever age, race, or
cline, have agreed in the religious spirit; and
their work as expressed in creeds rules of
practice will be found to be animated by a single
idea, of which the diverse expression would give
such charm and power to an integral scripture,
composed as he desires, as could be found in none
of the single scriptures which express the reli-
gious tendency and feeling of single race. For
each religion, according to his view, contains
much that is general and permanent, combined
with that which is temporary and of merely
special adaptation and the integral scripture of
the philosopher shOald consist of the more fixed
elements in each of the great religions.
1t will be seen from this sketch that Mr..
Frothingham's views are anything but orthodox
yet in spite of heresy he manages to compel re-
spect from those who differ the most widely from
him, and to attract, year after year, an audience
of the most intellectual and cultivated people in
New York This congregation worships in Lyric
Hall, ON Sixth avenue, opposite the site OF the
old Crystal Palace exhibition of 1864 site
now occupied by pretty garden known as
60 Reservoir Park" Among his auditors are such
people as the Braces, Youmanses, Oliver johnson
of the Independe1t, Whitelaw Reid of the Tribune,
and the accomplished and excellent Mrs. Calhoun
Runkle; while the spiritualsts represented
by the genial and still young Andrew jackson
Davis Many others whose names are known be-
l..
this audience, which yearly increases in number.
Mr.. rockingham attracts not only by his re-
markable ability but by his profound, however
mistaken, sincerity. He has forgone popularity
in order to be true to his convictions. In the re-
cent McFarland-RiehardsOn case, with which his
name was connected, as the associate of Mr.. II.
W. Beecher in performing the ceremony Of mar
riage at the AstOr House, he showed degree of
courage in facing censure that far surpassed that
of Mr.. Beecher, who was inclined to retreat from
the position he had taken with reference to the
marriage. The New York Herald and the Sun,
which under the management of our New York
Dana has descended to the lowest depth of news
paper disgrace, were especially scurrilOus toward
Mr.. rockingham and it was edifying to see
how zealously these wretched sheets upheld the
purity of our domestic institutions against such
s' unsafe :" men as Beecher and rockingham.
In spite of opposition, the main hindranee to
Mr.. Frothinghan's achieving the widest popu-
Iarity consists in the fact that he has no quality
of charlataneric about him, no talent of clap
trap. He is gentleman by birth and breeding,
possesses an independent fortune, and breaches
because he believes that he has no right to be
idle. His sermons, reported and printed with
great care, are often distributed among the
audience Sundays following their delivery.
There seems to be no reason why the name of
o. B. rockingham should not steadily gain in
distinction as that of one of the boldest and sim
cerest preachers in America.
The Fraternity Club literary society Or
ganized last year in connection with his church,
has lately held its last meeting for the season.
1t numbers fifty or sixty of the most cultivated
young people in New York, and has semi-monthly
meetings, at which essays, miscellaneous maga-
zine, and a debate are listened to in the order
named. 1t has been great success.
CALAMUs.