The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-03
MASONIC TEMPLE.
IS CATHOLICISM OR PRoTEsTANT1sM THE BEST p
THE CATHOLIC RELIGION DIssEcTED By REV.


IS CATHOLICISM OR PRoTEsTANTIsM THE BEST p
THE CATHOLIC RELIGION DIssEcTED By REV.
o. B. FRoTHINGHAM.
The Rev. o. b. rockingham preached yesterday
morning TO very large congregation on the rela-
i've merits OF Professionalism and Catholicism. The
week Just ended, lie SAID, has witnessed a very
strange ceremonial Tor this New World. hat OF
bestowing upon an American archbishop the RANK
OF a cardinal By this an American citizen was
made prince, only Inferior to a KING ana invested
with an authority second only to tnat OF the
Supreme Pontln. IL was curious congregation
that witnessed this ceremonial some attracted by
IDLE curiosity others lovers OF music and pagean-
try, and others again AFRAID that this new insti-
tuition might be subversiys OF American liberty.
What was the OBJECT or those who went 70 the
Cathedral 10 glory IN this new power OF the
Catholic Church? Was It the hope to make Rome
sim more powerful IL this country !, Tor nv
part, have no fear that Rome Will ever succeed IN
establishing religious absolulism IN the United
States. America VIII do more damage 10 Rome
than Rome can possibly DO 10 America.
Is IT CHURCH FOR TODAY
Il has been frequently said that the Roman
religion, above all others, has ali those qualities
which encnain the mind and fascinate the senses
or the devout. Is 1t trusf Wipe out oil the stains
OF the past, ADMIT that IL Is innocent or the
charges OF cruelty, blgotry, &c.tne question stil
remains, Ifs 10 Church for to-day for American
stand here not as q Protestant, not as q ration
allst but simply one who believes in American
ideas and institutions, and as such ask, ''Does
the Catholic Church stimulate or hinder the
genius OF the American natlonW
THE DANCERS OF SYMBOLISM.
In the nrst place we are told that the Roman
Church, above ali others. brings down the divlne
reality 10 this earth, wnicn the severe
intellectually OF the Protestant faith can
not accomplish. Professionalism tries 70 Ill
up the mind vita pictures OF salntliness
but Catholicism lls the very skies with them, and
the churches and the oriel Windows OF iis cathe-
drals blaze win the images OF saints. It's church
or the senses. 90 not say that II substitutes the
symbol !or the Deity. Still Is IL q good thing 10
have a sym Doiical religion Gould IL ever be pos
sibe ior the uneducated 10 see through the SYMBOL
to the Delryf Never. Unless the IDOL Is repeat
eddy shattered the symbol becomes the
Deity. The Chinaman upbraIds his deity
wnen his prayer has been denied, mauis the image
and throws II on the dunghnl. When his fortune
becomes more prosperous ne picks the painted
Idol up from the dunghil and says; II beg your
pardon.u Qaugnter) | DO not say that II IS as
bad as this In the Catholic Church, out again ana
again nave stood In the prouaesL catnedrals or
EUROPE aud listened 70 ne most mechanical wor-
snip 10 an unlntelleoie language. As lapproacned
their hands, aud the deyutee revealed himself as
Inc mendicanL
Read the history Of lsrael-One VI tue most won
detiul histories you can read and you Will ind
that its leader made II one 81 ns nrst teachings 10
warn MS people against ldOlatry. Aud TINS lrioe
has weathere4 the Middle Ages aud all Christen-
dom could not put them down, and to-day toe
jewish faItn Is the most purely intellectual 10 the
modern world. Wny3 Because the Jews aCknowl.
edge tnat ~ IN the soul wnicn must worship God
10 ITSELF Out not through gllded pictures and sym
Dos.
neutly that OF beauty, tnat II has The cathedral
all tue pomp aud glory 81 color, and that Protes-
tantism u bald and naked. FRIENDS, aid the
Roman Cuurcn create these artistic DeautiesY
No, they were due u the Old pagan ialtn. Inc
finest works Of art we're produced when
this old pagan spirit broke through the
Catholic Church. Remember also tie miserable
dlTty embellishments winch the ehgi0n JAS put
there, tne tawdry shrines, the dauDs decked out
be bought too dearly. II you must pay noefty Tor
1t II certainly Is too costly. Could any beauty
Tecompense AZ Tor the possibility Ol NapOlco on
i'll. Yes, let us nave beauty ~ al cans. For
my part ! visa that Professionalism could clOtne
Itself with art more divine, music more expressive
than Catholicism could ever boast, but would
gregatlon than tue most gorgeous decorations and
the greatest pomp u coor aud sound unaccOm-
panied Dy sincerity, leryor and truth. 1rulh
''REsI1 n THE CHURCH
Tue religion VI Rome IN commended gtlll more
warmly a. being pre-eminently one o. tue heart
and Que tnat iOius all mankind 10 It's capacious
BOSOM, Whlle ff0esrdnisul Il a Iatth OF the mead
only. very nO1le woman joining the Catholic
Cnurch SAID 70 me, NOW / am at home; nave
found my mother; nave found restn The word
"fest As so delicious 70 sentimental weak peO-
pie; IT - 50 pleasant to them 10 Oe able 10 90 70
sleep under the agls VI tue CAurch. religion
mat pots the neart 10 sleep, lulllng lts doubts
aud freeing IL from the pan4s OF rem0rse-tnts
seems " be the ldea Of The best religion, one that
people can ''turn on as they cOuld the water
from a reservoir. HOW sweet an idea Is TINS that
no sparrow lalls down without TIE vii OF the a.
Their An but IL does fan. 1he nawk pursues IL,
tue shot OF the marksmau brings ltdOHn bleeding.
We must think VI a Father whO ia la harmony with
universal laws; we must allow Tor the laA or the
sparrow well as Tor rs nignt.
would add my testimony, however, TO the innn-
ituJe " good and noble Geeus which toe CathDic
church has zone. lOngue cannot tell the praise
OF II. But the idea from wnlCu these deeds pro-
ceeded was that men we're 70 De covered WITH
mercy aud 10 be sheltered nom trouDle and WORK.
THIS was MAKING children Ci men, out the rue
heart Of Religion IL that which puts nedrt into
men. Those men iu America wnO IUted up tue
poor African anu SAID, ''lake on the shackes'-
nave they No. heart p Those lounR heroes WHO
went GOWN to tue 'front.' Or tue battle, taxing Their
lives into their hands, ready ~ face oeatu for
pure, noble prnclple-had hey no heart Ine
people who are now trying 10 MT up woman
nave they no heartf Itls not The iaitn wAiCn suI
locates the heart VITA Incense out tuat wnfcn
SENDS u Out stronger and more hopeful or doing
good which ~ the nOOlesf.
ThE CHURCH WITH AUTHORITY
A young man told me Vnoe wat % nad Joined