The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-22
LYRIC HALL.


the Rev. A. B. rockingham preached yester.
day mosning at Lyric Hall, before very large and
mighty cultivated congregation. His remarks were
listened to with breattesi attention. His elo-
quent argument was 10 the effect that the body
must be carefully nourished and kept pure and
per ect, In order that IL might be successfully at
tuned to the divine harmony OF the soul. His
closing remarks, deprecating animal food as
belonging 10 the age Of barDsrism. were received
with especial attention. ana the sermon
altogether created . sensation. The reverend
gentleman's subject was on "Body and the
SOUL" The following Is the substance OF
his rcmarks:-I DO not propose 70 discuss
the question OF the relation Of the body and
the soul as one OF speculative interest, but simply
one OF practical Importance The practices or Lent
are Of the nature OF q conspiracy against the
body IN the ancient times they were very austere:
IN modern polite society they are very attenuated
and mild. The tenten season with US Is put
gentle slowing OF the fast ST. ain OF society. Lot
Us hope that the old idea Of Lent win soon be for
gotten, and that 1t will only remain as Q rational
pause In the dissipation Of modern society. But
the doctrine which IL embodles Is q very old one,
and ,nat is that the body ID clog to the soul,
prison, dungeon, heavy wear.some thing, that
has to be dragged along as ell as IL can be done,
and Is always burden to the spirit. This theory
came into the Church from the East and became
deeply rooted IN the mind OF Christendom. In
the early Christian Church 1t had o vast influence.
There were holy men who boosted that they could
cruelty the body. The idea had Its root In the
sclousness OF the soul when 1t attempted to rise
superior 10 the body and It's conditions. The
moment one required o aelicacy and per-
sis,ence OF EFFORT the body was in the
way. A third OF the time must be given to the
body for sleep. one-eighth for the digestion OF
meals, and so forth. The philosopher feels himself
weighed down by the senses; the artist In his
seeking for beauty is hampered aud tortured by
this crude physical organization. This II the ex-
perience Of the poet and peasant; there Is no
merchant, no artisan. VINO Is not perpetually
hampered by it. Everybody has something wrong
in his physical system. and there Is the drag upon
the mind. And there lies the root OF the doctrine
that the drag must be got rid Of before the spirit
can soar to Its highest realms.
THE SACRIFICE or TIE BODY.
TIE old inference OF this doctrine was that the
body must be crucihed-must be crushed. Is that o
just lnierence' Suppose any one Is in an un-
healthy, loatnsome prison; what Will do to reform
his condition In 1t He will do what he can to
transform the prison into home as beautiful and
attractive Us it can be made. Is that not the "a
tionsl view to take OF It II the body is prison,
nen mass It happy n give T. esn
car eted and well FURNISHED ceii Is disguised.
Ano:her ,ns1sJ Is thar me body Is the temple OF
itual being, or else the germ OF such being, or else
snmetning like what Is called dominating prtnci-
pie, which the body Is supposed to serve. This Is
very old theory. The feeling taas we are some
BODIES Is sofnnate II is 50 instructive in people 70
t-inx OF Their spiritual as som timing different
IRON their physical propensit,es, that the theory
Will probably continue to be held that the body Is
simply The residence OF the souI.
accptIcS take tie ground that the spirit
ual principl, has hot hing distinctive in II whatso
ever, Dut their number is very small. in o book
sage :-"Let us SUPPOSE that we have investigated
every particle Of The b DO " that every form o. mo,
we have still not made the nrst step toward ex.
these explanations VIII cover ali the sentiments OF
the heart. all the lodgings OF the SOUL" And 1t Is
but too true.
THE TEMPLE OF THE SOUL.
Let US take TINS theory what practical refer
sion OF Paul's magnificent theory that the body is
the temple OF the souY temple Is sacred
building On this theory. that II Is shrine Of the
soul, how we should venerate Il, how we should
tenderly watch Its lnilrmIties Now, 60 further.
rake the idea that the body Is not temple but an
you clog it, Will you nse It that It is impossible
FOR the soul to express Itself through III It can
suffer to be clogged with DUST so that the genius
OF music cannot express itself through its won.
their bodies are organs OF their souls. with what
veneration shOuld they treat them; now carefully
should they cultivate and develop them TIE eye
eye which drinks all the glorious music OF the
world. &C., &C., II seems TO me the only infer
e1ce l. hat men should treat their bodies as they
would the Dobie5t possessions OF their lives.
MATBRIALIsTIC VIEWS.
Take another view oil that materialism which
proceeds from the theory that the BODY creates
the soul. This doctrine says that body Is ali the
aroma, a bloom, something that takes its precise
expression from the BODY itse. The capacities OF
&c. savs this theory, depend entirely upon the
mingliny OF the nerves. II they are coarse the
VIII Is brutal love Is ustIul, hope Is dormant;
but the organization is tine reverence begins TO
bloom, hope becomes pure, and when the organism
is at its best then man loves Lovingly then his
will Is respect nj, then he aspires after the best
thoughts Ihus as the organization rlpens and
natures. this soul ripens and natures. This 10
whetner it viii be ever the theory OF many re-.
mains to be seen. But what sort OF ie would
Surprising man had no other ''I relations
In lie but muscular anu nervous ones then this
man, Of all others Is bound to treat MS BODY with
true that this soul can bloom and blossom d.
vineiy. If man only keeps his BODY pure and
interests. suppose man had wonderful ma
cline and should allow the rust 10 c0rrodc liz fine
what would lie thought OF such person. Sup
pose one had a plant which, II carefully tended,
was able to produce flower Of wonderful beatty
aud matcaless odor. aud be would neglect It,
expose IL to drought, would you not say that sucn
per'on was utterly unworthy 10 DE intfuste0
with any OF this beauty or iraRrancef We know
what care groom ever takes OF rare horse.
Now, suppose one had AN animal very valuable
for It's wonderful speed, and should treat him as a
dray no Sc, what would YOU think OF such man 2
otH DUTY TOWARD THE BODY.
Every man, woman and CHILD pas an organize
ton finer than that OF any creature In tie uni
verse, the external laws working IN 10 every sec
ond or time, and Jet though we know that this
organic tion Is capable OF producing such forms
OF the soul, as love, patience, hope, charity, rev.
erence, &C.. we are careless whether II Does or
La nof mr. mn IN. n
Is the latest science, makes two things PLAIN. In
the first place the soul must be approached
through the body; u we want TO make the soul
fine we nave to begin with the body. 1t has been
discovered that II is OF no uSe 10 approach the
wretchedly poor by addressing their minds first
before appealing 70 their bodies. II you want 10
reach this people with the Gospel you must nrst
give them oOd and shelter and make their bodies
comfortable. by that means you make their sy1-
TEN sensitive and IL Is only when this load OF sui
ering ~ removed that they can Ieel and think. II
II very true tnat wnen great revival takes hold
OF he nnQr flEI iQTQni their nhl