The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-31
LYRIC HALL

The Vanity and Value of Life-Sermon
by the Rev. .. b. FrOthingham.
Notwithstanding the severe wind yesterday
morning the congregation at Lyric Hail. in Forty
second street, was large and fashionable. Mr..
rockingham announced as the subject Of his dis
course 'eThe Vanity and Value OF Lfe.n We find
the sentiment of the vanity OF life, he began, in
enc Of the most ancient books in India. They
looked upon the world as mirage. In the Book of
Eccesastes read that all is vanity. The beloved
Apostle took up the refrain. He says :-"Love not
the world the things in it, Your life is vapOr
appearing for q time and Vanishing away.n This
tone Of sadness pervades Christianity in all
churches and all the great writings are full of it.
Those who are no longer young can look back to
the time when the
BURDEN OF SERMONS
was to take from the world all our desires and
thoughts. We were to detach ourselves from it's
pleasures, prizes and pursuits The explanation
Of this we find in two great conceptions promi-
nent in religious systems. First, the actual con-
yiction OF hereafter-the belief that beyond this
there; nothing passed away or became old with
time. The idea Of hereafter in the Apocrypha was
more tangible. 1t spoke Of heavens pearly gates
wide open. Of its fadeless bliss and delights that
never came to an end. What man makes is but
the baseless fabric of a vision. What was wealth.
or beauty, or talent or genius, or . golden crown?
You snatch your sceptre through blood; but after
years the hand and sceptre turn TO ashes. The
ether idea was that man personally and
individually was to become perfect. This concep-
tl0n prevails in this feeling OF the vanity Of
all earthly things Jesus was trying to detach
Himself and His friends from the tangible world
he told them to sell all their possessions and give
to the poor. The same stress and emphasis is not
laid upon these two great conceptions as there
used to be. We believe in the hereafter, but we
also believe that unless we live cordially and sim
eerely here we may not hope Tor the felicity be-
yOnd. very wealthy financial gentleman of this
city, who Is reported to be Spritualist, was fire.
quently visited by minister Of the Gospel, who
tried to induce him to give up his great plans and
prepare himself for the great future. The man re-
fused He felt that all the strain OF his mind and
viii was necessary to this world and he was right.
You do net hear OF people in our times
TRYING TO MAKE SAINTS
Of themselves. If man should attempt il he
The man Of science would not devote himself to
the study OF high principles If they were not of
great utility. The sentiment OF the vanity of all
earthly things will be succeeded by an idea OF the
utility OF all earthly things. Men used to speak Of
the vanity of this world because the other is so
grand, so vast so endless. We do not look at
things in their natural relations. In speaking OF
the
PURSUITS OF LIFE
as mean we do not connect them with the things
TO which they belong. In ancient times the priest
hood mOnOpOlized all the learning and all those
head OF the three leading professions the min
1ster the lawyer and the physician. The minister
II dealing with eternal interests all the time. He
ts detached from business and all his wants are
supplied. The lawyer is identified with the justice
Of the world. The physician is associated with the
health OF the pepulacc. One loses patience when
he hears men speak of the vanity OF their pursuits
and the wOrthessness of their endeavors. 1t is
uTesOme to hear women complaining of the worth.
lessness OF their work compared to that OF men to
hear them speaking Of their pursuits idle and
vain. To rear child and TO rear it WELL to soften
its disposition and to teach 1t what it win he is the
nObest work a woman could do. They teach and
rear saints, poets and philosophers They are
working at the very
SPRINGS OF THE UNIVERSE.
1t was Mohammed who said that paradise was at the
feet of mothers. Women dread the wretchedness
OF housekeeping and think 1t is the loss Of all that
IL pure and sweet There are the carpets and cur
tains to be cared for food and garments TO be pro-
vided. IL is home, the casket that contains men,
women and children. II is the place OF their afcc-
ton. Everything about IL should be pure attrac-
tive and beautiful so that men and women will love
10 be there Yet some women prefer to write for a
journal and read lectures from platforms TO the
holy duty OF bringing up chidrenl