The New York herald., 1872-11-04
LYRIC HALL.

Discourse that Began ON the Battle Of
Life Generally and Wound Up with .
Hsrangue ON Politics Particularly
Sermon by the Rev. d. b. Er0thingha am.
Jupiter Pluvius dispensing his rain from the
storm-laden clouds and the epihippic dispensing
with horses from the over-laden city cars COM
bined to render the attendance yesterday morning
comparatively sparse at Lyric Hall, opposite
Reservoir square, on Sixth avenue, and this
although Rev. o. b. rockingham, the popular and
eloquent pastor, was announced to All the pulpit
10 the few who were there, however there was
the full recOmpense OF reward. A select piece OF
music sung by the excellent choir-one Of
the best chors in the city-was almost sufficient
compensation itself; but OF course most OF the
people went to hear the sermon This, as usual
was in his customary style-sententious, scathing
and full OF ncisive force and vigor He began upon
the subject of the Battle Of Life, but branched on
Into politics, and certainly-though 1t hardly shows
Itself in our necessarily brief report-no ter
rblc political speech has been delivered during the
present campaign. The phrase,
"THE BATTLE or LTPE,-
had (le began been made familiar to them through
the writings of Charles Dickens. The fact that life
was battle was old as creation. Existence was
battle, or is battle OF every man or every class
OF men. Every man has his peculiar struggle. Each
soth, wickedness; the nero fights his battles; the
SAINT his 1t is tight that cannot be suspended in
single instance. 1t is fight that either carries
one
FORWARD OR BACKWARD
This IL the universal rule OF existence. Let the
farmer relax his vigilance and the tares choke his
wheat. Let the reIOrmer slacken his energies and
he is lost. Let the saint sleep ON his post and he
must sleep with our armor on It is annoying, but
II is necessary. No one admires coward; 20 pol
, lroon was ever made q god The Greeks built tenn
der, not because he wears uniform marches
under nag but because he fights against some
thing. Christ was fighter; He wrestled In Geth-
semane. Thomas Carlyle, the moment he reached
the period OF his manhood, felt 1t his duty
sHAMs OF THE WORLD.
The passion for luxury, the rage for display He
fought against meanness. The one thing he
ldleness. There were, he said, only three ways OF
!ying-by work. By robbery or by beggary. Work
fought the sham happiness the end Si man me-
against the sham that success is the test OF merit
Success was gained by trickery, by ignoble means.
SUCCESS TO MN lives, was no test OF merit He admired
tn woman. From Carlyle he proceeded 10 speak OF
she great reforms being enected by
and having el0quently discOursed upon this topic,
enlarged with like el0quence upon the growing
n I p
ments Of the Old World and compared 1t to the
corruption under our government. Corruption
under despotis1, he insisted, must be greater than
under liberal government The former corrup-
ton was less dangerous. He showed concusfvey
shat we have not . government. The people were
fhe government. Everything was upset every four
years. Our government was a business arrange
ment entirely, and II must be conducted on bust
ness principles. 1t was asked why there was SO
much
CORRUPTION IN OUR GOVERNMENT.
u was serious question. Where IL the trouble
- II because American human nature is worse
than English or German or French or Italian hui
man nature 1t Is not this. We are a mighty
Iace: ~ was mighty race that made Greece the
Snat business men here have no time to devote to
political afairs. One OF the Oldest business men
OF the city said to him that he would give time TO
politics II he had IL. The best men are heldSso ab.
eorbngiy at work that they cannot give time to
p0litlcs But, after all, the CHIEF source of corruu
tion lies In the immense facility Of getting rich
On every side Sare offered prOdigous facilities 10
tlds end. Here :s the sad truth. that men in