The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-12

not be expected to propose to himself an enduring
or perfect rule OF life and. conscious OF his weak:
safer than himself. forgetful Of the TACT that In
seeking human aid he looked to those who were
q guide" he cried to the philosopher, and there
came . tenfold response. There was no lack
doubt had plausible and alluring recomme nd atoms.
The advocates OF every system OF ethics declared
whose light the right way might be discerned even
amid the deepest gloom: One said:-"Adopt our
motto-The Greatest Good to the Greatest NUMBER
and you cannot 60 astray;" another, sNever decide
In favor OF proposition incapable OF mathematical
demonstrations" a third declared "Wnatever is
men to depend upon the intuitlve evidence OF the
moral sense as It's standard. IN the scale Of which
true worth. II in search OF guidance man assembled
TO higher and more extended plane or Thoughts
to the philosophy los Of regioH. On p the one
hand he Is informed that all religion has les origin
In IN the igno0e lear OF unseen n sna
him OF that uncomfortable superstltl0us dread ne
Is told that nature alone Is competent TO produce
all things anu that the belier in great First Cause
behind nature Is but an evidence OF weak and
ignorant mud. On the other hand 1t was anirmee
however, pantneism nor delsm carried conviction
to his heart the seeker for guide need not stop
out before him. All these systems proved failures,
and the cry OF humanity was still, ..Give me
TO be found IN the Word Of GOO. whion,
By the Gospel, was preached unto the world.
AHc prcuCucT pIoCccucu w suOW 1uot when Suo
gospel was inaugurated false religions had imposed
upon their devOrees heavy burdens; the most re-
fined and educaJed people had become vicious ana
corrupt; social and political integrity was under
mined, and what there was good In Greek philOs0-
pny ran into that which was bad Some funda-
mental everlasting truths which could not be cor
rupted and concealed, although surrounded by
sopaistnes and encrusted with errors, remained 70
remind the people Of purer and better DAYS. IKE
the ruins they adorn. But when mans
inventions ana PHILOSOPHERS had tried their
best and failed, the Gospel came. because
God said 1t should. Kings, warrlors prophets and
statesmen had passed away, but the Word OF God
would remain forever. AT the appointed time the
Desire OF all nations came, and He lived and died.
and fallen man was rans0med. The Gospel He
known; 1t had no uncertain s0und, but reiterated
the glorious message OF Him VINO sent 1t f0rth-sHe
that beleveth III me, though he were dead, yet shall
he i've" Its instruction was not for earth alone.
but for the next world also 1t taught that lie was
more than mere existence and death something
different from annihiaton; it lifted the dark
veil that hung about eternity and re-
LIVING personal and supersensuOus God, and not
mystical entirety embracing all nature-a God OF
love, JUSTICE purity and truth; prOvldenttal and
prayer-hearing God. The Gospel imposed the
higher law of love TO God and to all mankind, ana
the service which God required was but reflection
OF His own transcendent nature.
The speaker continued to date in an eloquent
Christ. which was proclaimed by the Church, con-
1erred upon all who awaited themselves OF us pro-
misses ana hopes, and concluded his able discourse
by showing how the Word OF God sustained the
righteous In tile hour OF death and promised to the
faithful finally o crown OF lite.