The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-01
LYRIC HALL.

Closing Sermon OF the Season by the
Rev. o. b. Frothingham-s'I.ife's Mis-
sion what II II and All II Is"
Yesterday mornings sermon being the last OF the
season by the Rev. o. q. rockingham at Lyric
Hall, opposite Reservoir square, there was, not
withstanding the very hot day and the advance
already made into summer, an unusually large at
tendance. The subject was
''THE MISSION or LIFE"
and the DISCOURSE as most OF his dlscourses, was
without the basis OF scriptural text Life, he be-
gan, was a game, trick. Everything was q cause;
everything was an effect; everything was primary;
everything was secondary. What was man made
for Some were made for something, some were
made for nothing. One brings law one science,
one art one nature; one POUNDS newspapers, one
railroads, one governments; one plays billiards, an
other plays cribbage. Every man seems to have
mission. We see men about US drifting nowhere In
general, and going nowhere in particular Look at
the Book Of Ecclesiastes. 1t Is q book Of sceptl-
clsm. Man by 1t Is beast. There Is an end and
an aim, and though the substance Of 1t may not be
recorded 1t win record itself. After INDUCING at
length In these general observations ne branched
OF upon the
SUBJECT OF RELIGION.
In this connection he urged that the aim OF life
as religious was not wholly for happiness He Illus.
LrateO tnlS anu tNen drew u contrast between the
song OF the eminent prima donna on the operate
stage and the bird in Its native haunts. This bird
was marvel: There was divine power and glory
their song But sing on the glory of God Is In it.
And thus, too, they should
CLING TO THEIR BELIEF.
Men may RAIL- but still cling to 1t. The raer will
pass away but not the glory OF the truth Some have
great gifts, some slender opportunities. He who
accomplishing the grsndcst achievements. The
doctrine OF absolute DEGREES and OF an immutaee
purpose came In for review, and then the reacive
sccpticism OF France In the eighteenth century.
The old convictions went out. A new philosophy
came In. II was the
the philosophy Of the individual, that he should
gain all he could and enjoy his cup OF happiness, be
the same large Or small, to the fullest
OF conscience, Of the heart, Of aspirations. but
Of simple selfish happiness Some sought wealth,
SO some ,sI luxury Pleasure was the aim Of
q theory, fake man who has risen above the
brute and Is II to be supposed that he will decide
that the whole aim Of life 10 to
HAVE GOOD TINE
man cannot love himself entirely and love some
one else too Love some one else and your theory
Is gone. Take conscience the discernment OF right
nom the wrong, and the theory breaks down. II Is
action OF religious despotism. ne traced tho
R progress OF this theory N France aud the
Where was craftsmanship At an end. Thus at the
END OF the tenth year OF the empire. few years
more and the very soul OF the empire was eaten up.
We saw how IL was In
THE GERMAN WAR.
The Germans were not an educated people. They
were disciplined nation. They were q people OF
purpose. The moment they spoke the soycreignty
Of France dissolved. The French people were at
odds and ends. They could not trust one another.
Then came
THE COMMUNE.
The idea at the bottom OF this was every man for
himself The doctrine OF religion was that we live
for purposc--this purpose, the glory OF
God. Philosophy teaches that from the beginning
man has been slowly working HIS way on. What
does the heart say That men should love one
another What does conscience sayY That we
must respect the property and rights OF others.
Mazzini taught that the mission or life was duty.
The old phrascoogy OF Ecccsiastes and Of Jesus
Christ can be translated into this word. And yet
Mazzini was not O Christian, and did not believe Ia
the Christ He would be pronounced an in1dcl IN
any church In New York but possibly theirs. As
for himself he was opposed to
THR CANT ABOUT LIYE.
Many men aud women feel that theT must lead q