The New York herald., 1873-10-27
LYRIC HALL.


True Philosophy OF AImsgIving-Paup.
erism as u Profession and Plundering
as a Fine eArt-PrOtestantism, Catholic
ism, Darwinism I'D French Revolu-
tions-Sermon by Rev. O. b. Frothing-
ham.
The attendance at Lyric Hall, near Forty-second ]
street, on Sixth avenue, has been increasing quite
rapidly lately, and soon the capacous hall will
scarcely contain the large congregations nocking
to hear Rev. D. B. rockingham, one OF the most
popular preachers OF the day. The subject OF Mr..
Frothngham's discourse yesterday morning was,
sympathy ana Apathy" and was based on the
text, "Bear ye one another's burdens" This is
one OF the characteristic texts Of the New Testa-
ment, he began, and we have many others like 1t.
.Owe no man anything but the debt OF love,n
was what Christ said to the young man
who wished to do some good deed by
which he might gain Heaven. Christ
told him to sell all he had, give to the poor, and
follow him. Job, in his distress, pleaded before
God his bene1cence to the poor. He was eyes to
the blind, feet to the lame and ears to the deaf
He had made the widows heart ring for JOY. Aims
giving is q universal custom common to all coun-
tries and peoples and In all times. sentiment OF
this sort prevails in Oriental faiths This spirit of
sympathy with the poor, the miserable, the out
cast-this feeling OF compassion for the sufferings
OF fellow creatureS-haS an unsel1sh and ennoSling
effect No religion has carried sympathy SO far as
the Christian religion. 1t has been Identical with
pity and is the means OF obtaining grace. 1t Is
told by mutltudes OF legends. There was rich
man named Peter, who had no feeling OF sympathy,
no pity who hated the poor and cared for no one
The mendcants used to amuse themselves by try
ing to provoke him to give something but with
out success. A beggar was imploring Peter for
aims one day when baker went by with
basketful OF bread; one loaf fell
on the ground, but the man did not notice 1t and
went on. Peter picked up the loaf and pelted ir
at the beggar. That night Peter dreamed he was
dead. On the one side were the evil spirits. who
claimed him on account OF his many sins. and on
the other the good spirits pleading his good deeds
when there were none to plead. One angel
remembered this one good deed OF Peter's life, and
that one action outweighed all the evil Peter had
done. He awoke and became a good man. The
rwo WAYS TO GET INTO HEAVEN.
One TO be poor and the other TO get poor II you
are rich give your money TO the poor, and II you
are poor get all you can out OF the rich. The
Catholic Church does It's utmost to get money out
OF us and TO gather together all the people that
poor. They have institutions tor the aged, for
rcn men beqaeath their Estates
believes IN the infallibility OF the New Testament.
IL is religion of thought. The
KERNEL OF TIE CATHOLIC FAITH
Is hard. Protestants are intelligent, Catholics are
sentimental. The liberal iaith follows the same
example and accepts the New Testament q
written law. The thing called for ls more heart,
more leeIing more benefcence. Nothing is more
evident tnan, according to this law or Denedceuce,
poverty is increased. Pauperism becomes itself
an institution How is 1t in New York In Lon
don pauperism is frghtiul. The Master says to
sell what we nave aud give to the poor. We can
not get away from that. We have no choice but
to obey. You say it multipites poverty and keeps
up paupersm; but we are not responsible. We do
the duty and the Lord must take care Of the conse
quences until He chooses to dispose Of the affair.
live wisely aud well IN this life cannot be satisfied
with this doctrine. This Is only the beginning OF
paupers but it taxes away the Very conscience OF
the lower classes. IL makes them the thieves and
PAUpERIsM BECOMES PROFESSION
and poverty atrade. We give our silver to the
cripple, but when we turn the corner be RECEIVERS
his feet. The art OF plundering has become so i'm
proved that 1t is now one OF the finest OF arts. SO
delicate and cunning is the lying that ii cannot
drag Or peope OF wealth. cuture and e
down TO the earth 1t is hard enough to make
money; and what IS the use Of giving it away!
thousand people driven out OF Spain and re-
mained exiles for three centuries. They comprised
the very pith OF the human race Nothing was
misconstrued law OF sympathy the heathlul ulen
OF society are crippled. Then comes Darwin's
race % has progressed the hungry eat up the little
ones; the strong oppress the weak: the great
crush the me- small rms Is sne law o. nature and the
q fight, a struggle. The strong daily increase in
strength, the weak grow weaker the high become
more exalted and the low sink deeper. The strong
must remove all obstacles by force and
THE LAWS OF NO.
must prevail. If they cannot hold their own me
from Darwin's theory. No writer OF any dignity or
eminence will take that position. Some men VIII
philosophy is dangerous, that the weak having no
help will conspire. Have we not read oil the revo-
iutons IN France, of the uprising OF tie peasantry
in Germany? The weak will become exasperated.
have seen the poo poor ragpckeer burrow,ng m M into
their Sidewalks In search OF something that
will keep little child warmer; SO In this refuse
Of humanity, helplessness and want, how many
germs Of nobleness, talent and genius may be
hidden. Read over the stories OF men who have
belonged originally to these classes, born nowhere,
finally and put upon the road to wealth and per-
haps fame. Shall we let all these germs die
These children o fortune, these tMv
BABIES OF PROVIDENCE
are often men OF genius. Let me take this ques-
tiOn of charity. Is IL possible for man or woman
to be without this element OF kindnessf Can you
think OF o man without q hearn man OF this ae-
some ladies' to Contribute to some charisy Hs
broke cut upon them to be gone. lie was CO.
ossus OF wealth, but no man. A case Of personal
a PHILANTHRoprsr ON GRAND SCALE,
but he said he could not concern himself with per-
cardinal principle OF humanity left out. person
who ,goes about like the Pharisees ana usually
blind, who thinks no one is right but himself Is no
man. There must be heart TO make man. Iffhis
law OF sympathy is left out he Is exiled rom hu-
manty. DO not merely give your money to inst-
tutions, but come In personal contact with
the miserable. BY coming In contact with
n these creatures you learn what it is
to be able to pity. You learn a
f0rbearance and tenderness that was foreign to
you before. II Is only in this way that human SYM
pathy cannot be discharged with q SIS bill. There
Is not charity that is not open to blunders. We
must learn by experience and do the best we know
how.
THE LAW OF SYMPATHY
Is that bond which makes ell human creatures one.
Goethe says, "There are the three worships-tne
| worship OF that above us, the worship OF thst
around US and the worship OF that below U.S. ana
| the worship OF tnat below us is the BEST" HOW
little we understand I'll There Is great honor pau
to the outward state. Friendship Social scquam. an
ance and business interests are on tne salne
| plane Humanity is inhumanty beyond these Inn
| Its. Beyond the spirit OF caste and party are tne
vast and close bonds that hold al togetner ~ one
| family Let us try to live up to the sentlment OF