The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-17
MASONIC TEMPLE.

MASONIC TEMPLE.
THE BROAD AND THE NARROW PATHS oRTHo-
DoxY IDENTICAL WITH PURITY OF cHARAc-
TER?-sERMoN by REV. o. B. TRoTHINdHAM.
The Rev. o. b. rockingham preached yesterday
morning to a large congregation, among Whom
tie element or foreigners, especially Germans, ana
well known free thinkers was, as usual coaspieu-
GUS HIS theme was the relation Of narrow
faith to largeness OF thought and purity OF me- n
order 10 10 rom Germany to Italy, he said, from
the land OF chill winds TO that OF sunshine, 1t Is
necessary TO pass through The Alps, and even
now after so many centuries OF progress there
are footpatns there that must be trodden with
great circumspection lest an inch's deviation
should hurl the traveller into death. How many
people nave, through the deviation OF an incn,
forfeited all they mad and hoped for.
Human life is full OF such paths in which
a mlsstsp is positively fatal. see IN young man
VINO has no barriers OF conscience and restraint
about him an exemplincauon Of this smile. There
was one time when ne was in just such narrow
iootpatn; his foot slipped, he fell down the
preciplce and lost so II is with the dissolute
with the gambler, with the libertine. / see
happy, joyful family with no skeleton in their
closet the TWO people who furnished that house
walked side by sloe before they were united; they
were circumspect aud careful and everything
beng clear before them they determined upon the
hnal step OF union, and now everything II bright
and far. j see another family, torn, distracted
miserable, without circumspection and trusting
only to caprice, TO appetite or something else Of
the KIND: the man and woman mad decided upon
marriage and now they have sucn future before
them as they would gladly obliterate.
NARROW LIVES AND MARROW MINDS.
See therefore, the necessity OF walking straight
and areIully IN the paths OF lie. 10 be sure, the
sectarian carries the theory rather too far lie
peileyes that IS the faith should be narrow so the
conscience should be narrow. Tine Young hen's
Cnristian Associations devote themselves TO the
task OF taking hold OF young men VINO come from
the country. They wish 30 keep them away from
rationallsn or inhdelty aud con1ne them wItnln
me saIs realm of orthodoxy II his thoughts do
der. ana II his Conscience aud thoughts viii not
wander his appetltes and desires Will not
60 ssray B rue sondsrul w0t domain ~n o
thought, the efulgenee OF truth, IN the mere hope
that your feet may not slide The upshot OF TINS
career would be tnat at tue close OF lie TINS man
wortn while TO 40 this on the mere uncertain
cnance tDat the conduct OF TIE ORTHODOX young
man would be more lrreproachable
sTUNTING NATURAL GROWTH.
For is II so certain that tins intellectual stinng
lat il also may lead to lmpurily u Is mistake
to suppose that the narrow doctrines safely lead
10 purity OF character, river, u y SAID
VII overflow and make marsh AL
nut the liver hnds ITS own way anu
chooses, 30 10 speak, LIS own banks. II banks are
made 100 nigh too close together the c0nse-
quences may be dangerous. You say the narrow
cuurcl lis the strong church True. II Is strong
strong Tor not dong the rght WORK Of cnurch
a. ALL it is strong Tor limitation, Tor propagane-
ism out IL IS weak very weak for sympathy, f0r
helplulness ana rational culture. ] once saw
picture OF old dried-up iroWly monks, ahd IN the
young uright-eyed man was saying rls prayers.
with a face expressive or keen dlsInay. HAD IL
come 10 tIs ne must have thought. III 20 on
living IN THIS narrow, circumscrbed way sualI
be once like these men ~ Was ~ that Wnicn ne
asked himself 2
Jesus having thoughts OF immense breadth had
70 conform them 10 the idea o. the Messiah Wen,
suppose lie communicated His ideas under the
limitations imposed by HIS own age lor IL was
SAID that n lie had not done so ms principles
would not have outlasted HIS owa generauonl.
Christianity has never been abe 70 rid itscH OF
these LIMITATIONS, Just as Prolestantism has net
been able 10 rid itse OF the narrOwness OF Luther
ana CALVIN. Luther, for instance, was a tremen-
d0us man, but yet ne was ianatic.
egot say 0s rna largest ,Sa ca ge" ea TslGe
man IN virtue or sainrliness. aud where there u
malignity In the heart u viii ony seize upon edu-
cation as superior tool for Its dangerous designs:
but Is 10 not, nevertheless, true that as culture
aud knowledge increase crime and vice decrease
UnquestionaoU Il : true that the best educated
communities are tie most vlrtu0us. Educate the
MIND and you tram The man ~ nober purposes
THE THEORY or APPETITE.
There arc a few people who claim that their APP
ana n rs sad that these people are Inc disciples
III broad vlews.u Pardon me: no. III there are
a people VINO are narroW ana limited in their IN
teiiecis II Is they. l have already alluded 10 i
Young dssoiute man who once told me, .liike
drink you ike devotion; Ike spirits ~ one KIND,
Won or anofher.u Qaugntcr1 was tnat a
s.nroadD man No. he had never read book.
never given a thought TO the MODEST Institutions
or the world. He was truly narrow hls mind
that IL might almost be said that ne had no mind
at an. People IKE him WHO i've unon THIS theory
OF privileged RIGHTEOUSNESS are the chdren Of
appetite and desire, ana instinct and no more.
IMP BROAD AND MARROW PATH.
The .broad patnn 10 the mental path. That
should be wide. ASK every possible question,
/ learn AL you can. The vessel Is a thousand tunes
safer in tne broad ocean, where n Is wlidly plung
iug and ieaping than when 10 Il closely creeping
near the sicily Islands. But In the moral spnere,
in the realm Oh conscience the path should be
narrow. The path or duty Is always q narrow
path Suppose that conscience Is the beaten track
I that mas been maze solid and hard by the tramp
Il OF generations aud you nave tue right theory.
Y There Is nothing new TO De learned about honesty
or ignt or Justice. You may multiply the ideas but
I you cannot change immuiable principle. one man
thinks OF paying 81 tailor first, another Of debts
i oil honor ana friendship but the obligation itself
! Il the same tnlnG. No discovery has ever been
made showing the honesty OF not paying ones
4 debts. Conscience is, however, AZ the mercy OF
caprice, wnln, or cnsnge-it "a always the same.
II fellows prescribed law 10 looks neither 10 tne
riuht hand nor to the lett, but simply discharges
Us 0ufy. The main street Vi = New England town
was aid out by the cattle, aud now the once mar
row pain ~ the broad centre OF a arge franc. 50
Il Is vita that narrow path u conscience tread 10
a1ain and again and yOu Will md that lntelit-
gencc. happiness ana intellectual strength VIII
meet you In 10. aud that the PAIN viii become
broader and broaoer untll two broad "a ths ming
ing together, you will enjOv the lie u lie