The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-02
TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH.

Suicide Its Guilt and CONFERENCE.-The
Teachings OF Ancient Philosophy Com
corning IL COntrasted with Those OF the
Bibie-The Wickeincss and Cowartlice
or NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. by DIR. j. s.
Holme.
Yesterday was the anniversary OF the organiza-
ton Of the Trinity Baptist church, in Fifty-ltth
street, near Lexington avenue In the morning
the pastor the Rev. DR.. ]. S. Holme, preached the
sixth annual sermon In the evening his subject
was "Suicide, Its Guilt and Consequenceso He
said 1T is fact noted bv some distinguished
writers OF singular interest that both the great
systems OF moral philosophy most celebrated in
antiquity either directly indirectly to have
furnished their disciples with Justification OF
suicide. The Stoics and Epicureans alike essayed
to make the most OF human life, to teach
the road to It's noblest development and to
secure its highest happiness The stoics
maintained that the suferings OF the body
were not evils; that the natural affections should
be suppressed, every passion annihated; and they
incucated the sternest sesacrifce. And yet
Zeno, their founder, taught that it was innocent
and proper to fly from the suGerings OF life by
suicide, and at an advanced age, confirmed his
precepts by hanging himself, and Oleanthus, his
immediate successor, followed the example OF his
master.
result, starting with directly opposite PRINCIPLES,
viz THAT the qualification Of all appettes consti-
tuted the greatest good. This may seem strange,
but 1t is only necessary to follow the faith OF the
voluptuary short dstlnce TO show whittier IL
tends. Sc II Is not surprising that under the eo-
quent teachings OF Hegeslus the philosophy OF
pleasure became the
PHILOSOPHY OF SUICIDE.
To so great an extent was this the case that
Ptoemy, the Egyptian King, that he might stop the
fashion OF suicide. forbid tue publication OF his
discourses. Thus was the philosophy OF antiquity,
which Is essentially the philosophy OF 1rreiigion In
our day. obliged TO confess that all It's teachings
tended TO death. He then proceeded to show that
the teachings OF the Bible are IN direct contrast
this. In dsng so he first remarked That not sim
gle representative character among the good men
OF sacred history committed suicide. The force OF
this argument will be increased II we consider
how many OF the most distinguished men OF pro-
lane history have committed seli-murder. Zeno,
Ihemistocles, Demosihenes, Cato Brutus, Cassius,
Lycurgus and many others look their own lives;
and yet among the good men of the Bible not one
suicide Is found He referred to the act of Samp-
son as the act OF warrior who, Ia his own death,
slew the lores OF the Phistiues, the enemies OF
israel, almost q. n masse Every single instance
bad man, as he illustrated by referring TO them
from Saul to Judas. AS the second Bible injunction
EXERCISE OF THE GRAcEs
which II is the great aim OF the Bible TO inculcate
For example, resignation-not only one OF the love-
Hest forms OF Christian virtue but OF the high
and holy principles OF the religion Of Christ. What
lent hands on himsefS In the third place he con.
sidered the express nunctions. The Apostle in
his Epstle to the Romans distinctly states that no
man liveth to himself ana no man dieth to hia-
self; that his dea.h as wen as lie must be In the
hands OF God, and no man has q right to yield his
lie for his own qualification, for therein lie most
emphatically dies Tor himself Man should not only
be willing to die when God pleases, but to live a:
he wills. This Is the express teaching OF His Word.
Again, taking ones life Is an act OF cowardice o.
which no honorable man should be guilty. The
suicide Is base deserter In the battle OF le IL Is
a cOnfesgiou OF weakness, oil lnSufflciency, OF
LACK OF MORAL STAMINA,
beneath the dignity Of man. He argued that II Is
mans duty TO stand up under adverse circum
stances and prove himself q match for them. lie
showed how the act OF the suicide is generally
most cruel and heartless TO the members
Of his family, making their troubles the
more serious and dspracing them more by the
act than the crimes that led to II. II, because q
man feela himsalf unit to 1--we, ne commits suicide