The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-08
Mr.. rockingham on the Letter
and the Spirit.
MI. Taylor at the broadway
Tabernacle.
Sermon on the Justice of God by the Rev.
II. D. Murray.
DIR. VaugllaHs Sermon an "Our
C0l0red Citizens"
LYRIC HALL.

Solution of Theological Controversies by
Locking N the spirit Of the fSibie-Plnns
for tho Improvement nud Amusement of
the POoK---ermon by Kew. d. Ii. Frothing. |
ham.
There was, as usual a large attendance yester-
day morning at Lyric Hall, Sixth avenue between
Forty-irst ana Foriy-second streets. Rev. o. 3.
rockingham occupied the pulpit. His subject was
Letter and Spirit but, has been remarked, he
only half the time chooses text. This morning he
chose none. The spirit, he commenced. givetn life
by the letter. BY the letter Paul means the letter
Invested Of its meaning-a mere FORM The spirit
and the letter mold the relation OF cause and effect.
the spirit is before the letter; there can be no
picture until there is an idea OF beauty. The spirit
creates; the letter never. The creed does not
create the religion. The letter may be indlspensa-
bic The spirit. No letter represents all spirit.
No civilization embodles all the possibilities Of
cal lie; no creed embodies ali belief. Consc.
Quentiy letters pass away become obsolete; SO
obsolete II singular they ever were. There
symbols and emblems OF religion that are much adj
nred, but perfectly unintelhgioe; SO with books
that tinged with thought; but the spirit that
produced them Is just the same. Tle tortoise does
perish when 1t lays aside It's hard for another.
TRANSFORMATION Is the law Of nature What is
spirlts Sririt Is purpose, intention. There are
many phases OF spirit. The spirit OF the East is I'm.
inoonao, "aonon y ~. VS. ueas.'sss "os,,ns,
progression. The spirit OF Greclan art was beauty;
OF Greclan civilization, liberty. The
SPIRIT OF CATHOLICISM
Is authority; OF Professionalism, liberty The spirit
OF a people or times is its DRIFT so II seems that
the letter often fails to produce the idea. Let us
lock, ne went on al the Bible as letter, and let
see II We can leel 1t. There Is controversy going on,
anu has been going on ior We last four
Theology says the earth was made in SIX days;
science saws It's CROWN was the work OF ages the
conflict Is growing more and more hopeless But
look al the spirit vi the writer OF Genesis Science
was emOaImed; these were dreams. lie used his
iInas lnatlon-ai fired win
DIVINE INSPIRATION.
The same spirit that wrote mat two thousand
Pindar to-day. The letter Is opposed to science;
the spirit not. there Il Bible a
distinct recognition OF slavery. Men could
be SOLD win ther wives and families;
could sell themselves. what was me purpose OF
tue Hebrew eslsiatlonY No religion was 50 opposed
slave lie suffered the severtst penalty; II be manned
hlm tne save was freed, wlth all his FAMILY. II the
spirit tnat framed those codes existed to-day there
"ouiu nave Deeh no ciVi WAT, lhe iester hlleu''he
CONSCIENCE or THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
aeth mans blood, by man snail his blood be she'd
There - no qualincauon. Make youl criminal code
more strict sharpen inc axe o ana every man,
shed blood, hasten 10 the last Judgment, death.
WHAT was the spirit OF tnat legislature Moses
was lcrisiatDg for rude, vlndicuve race, aud
moreover, one Who feared oCdlD. Death 10 tnem was
Tue end-tue last penalty. To-day, when violence
is Tue exception, When there ~ something Ike
Judsmehtln the opinion OF the world,
THE BLOOD CODE
Is useless IL Is out OF date. The same lawgiver
that wrote nose laws would TO-DAY cross them out
Taere Is a different OF the sabbath than
ancienty. IL was simply day OF repose. The
lawgyer must rest: the merchant, tile aborer, the
prosecution must pause; tine victim may breathe. It
was spirit oi democracy On TINS day all were
equal TINS cannot now Dc some one must work.
But the spirit should he carried out The Jewish
Sabbath was not ausIere; II was day OF rejoicing.
Inc CHRISTIAN Saboath was never anything else. ON
otner days burdens weary, crush down; on this the
sou EXPANDS, drinks IN Gods pure spirit. On this
day we are brothers aud sisters on the same eartn.
Tine Roman Catholic SUNDAY IS copy OF this. There
IL little activity In the morning, and then the ca
thcdral and then the res. or the day in the sun
SHINE OF recreation Nor do the priests dlsdain to
mlngle. Ii Is delightful thing IN
EUROPE TODAY
TO go IN museum ana look at the poor ana The
rich mInglng togeher-poor people VINO see In
six days nothing but soualor mixing freely with
the rich, the proud the cav: to see the rich mer.
chant ana the peasant side by side looking on the
same scene. The best music there * Is given tree
10 the poor. II the spirit OF the Christian sunday
were alive to-day we would do our best to open all