The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-08

the body, uses the term OF reasonable
sacrince.'' He believed that all people
lived and moved under the sway OF sin,
that sin was wrought in the very texture OF their
lives, and that this principle had so impregnated
their existence as to have subjugated all their
feelings. affections, &C. Now for men who be-
lieved this was there anything more reasonable
than to of1er the sacrifice OF their bodies 10 the
Christ who nad brought them redemption from
sinf what more natural than that such o man
should ALLEVIATE himself from all the pleasures and
activities OF existence.
| THE SACRIFICE OF THE BODY.
The great wonder to me is that people who hold
this doctrine nowadays SO seldom carry out this
idea, there are many who think that sin pre-
dominates all through the world, and these per-
sons should logically cut of all JOY and
pleasure and love, not as flowers. but as
weeds But take the opposite idea. Sup.
| pose one looks at the body. not as a
curse, but the most wonderful construction in the
world, ana he will not think it reasonable to make
sacrifice OF 1t, but rather prefer to strengthen,
beautify and ennObe 1t. Conform to the world.
knit yourself into its structure-that is reason.
able service. Take another illustration. Mr.. John
Ruskln. the great art critic, feeling the many
great evils OF society and poverty and profound
distrust Of what has been called liberty, progress,
| &C, says we must begin life all over again. lie
gave one.tenth OF his fortune lor the purchase OF
large tract OF land. which was to be desecrated
by no machinery, no railroads, and In which man
should begin agan his primitive relations 10
that poverty can only be combated by pressing
| through it he favors slow readjustment and
advises man to do exactly what Ruskin would
not do.
| DIFFERENCES OF OPINION.
| reasonable life. therefore, is one which has as
! It's basis some logical principle. Let me make the
distinction between reasonable and common
sense living. Common sense Is perhaps the idol
| a
OF the gods that have been overthrow. 1t Is
60 81 &c sne % the
| OF revelation in philosophy. 1t is supposed 10
have the same "a power as revelation nad In oden
ment. or feeling. What IS II, thens Is 1t, then
the criterion OF common sense Is IT the sense
not common to everybody. Plato says the dis
1 tinctions OF caste are lmmutable and ought
necessary to the well-being or society. Now that
was 10 certain sense ,I and for certain age
thought slavery 30 preposterous that ne wondered
any one coud tolerate II: up 70 a short time ago
common sense held sway, ana now the other
theory is accepted as the reasonable one.
OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS.
Take another Illustration. General Sheridan has
one idea OF keeping the Indians quet-by the lorce
BY love and Kindness. 1he5 say you viii have no
trouble with the Indian II you only treat him with
ao but have
sense theory oil the treatment OF Indians one
Class OF people look at me use OF liquors as the
greatest evil OF modern society. They say, make
1t legal crime Tor anybody to touch drop OF
LIQUOR Is TINS not common sense theory, con:
the opponents OF this theory say that soc ct, has
no right to decree what anybody shall ear, drink
4 or wear. II you attempt any SUCH policy you set
up despOtlsm more crushing than any the world
ever saw. It Is simply my common sense against
yours. On the ground OF reason, perhaps, neither
OF these arguments could stand. and thus COM
mon sense is simply ephemeral, incidental and
denotes which we recognize all the world over.
TIE UT1ILTARIAN THEORY.
Common sense has naturally q practical in.
! tent; it aims at bringing about the desired ends
not by the highest but by the most effective
passed man who was destitute OF common
! sense ugh he was a brilliant orator, pro.
Sana DaneI Webster passed as man Of great com
mon sense. Although his range OF inner sense
unaerssan as to bear upon the everyday aues
! tiOns Oi common liie Tle first question Of COM
mon sense IL GU Oonol What rs the use Of prayer;
II, and Ii here be being to answer IL He was 80
much superior to US as 10 lie unable TO understand
| usY why 60 TO the church when you could
60 to the theatre, concerts or lecuref 10 All.
81 these onsor system bsswsen
various naval officers. one SAID It would carry
the answer gwen to these wIseacres Dy certain
commodore WAS me right one:-"My friends, 1t
VIII not do this that. it wthot cultivate tree
or build house, but 1t viii fuihl it's purposes"
Thomas Pane tested religion by common sense,
and very hlgn KIND OF common sense 1t was. de
was man without imagination or any OF the
hia ner IDEAS OF mankind. He woulo substitute
books Of political economy instead OF BloIes, But
il it lie tue that religion enriches the sentiment
OF man. enn0bies his nature and nourisnes his
higher aspirations 1t iulns even the requirements
o; practical common sense.
UNRRAsONABLE HABITS.
The reverend gentleman then showed how lit
tie reason Is used IN the smaileSt AFFAIRS OF hfe
as TOR instance IN the food eaten by most people,
in the wines that are being consumed &C. Prob.
view to Its sanitary improvement; no, drinking
Is simply regarded as . means Of fitlliating the
c,pIes TO our houses, II would cause the destruc-
tion OF most Of tue houses In New YORK. There
or dressing room, but never to the nursery. The
one great purpose OF society IL to make men So
Reasonable lie then, is an IDEAL something iar on
and rarely attaInabe ny more than very IL " pee
pie M Is one 70 mediate upon 10 strive for to pray
ing dream or shedOw-a Lie that keeps Ca It's
even tenor, willie ali about 1t the tumult and dis
cord tear the air.
COLLEGIATE REFORMED CHURCH.
THE POWER OF PRAYER--sKRMoN BY DIR. Or
MISSION.
The sermon Of DR.. Ormlston yesterday was upon
the power OF prayer, the text bein. taken from
Luke VI, 12-"And 1t came TO pass IN hose days
that he went out into Q mountain TO pray, and
continued all night in prayer to God" Prayer.
said the speaker, was q subject that must occupy
the mind Of every man; there was no matter 80
grave or oil more interest TO mankind than The
subject OF prayer. whether we prayed TO phys
icai or spiritual God was question that men must
ponder upon; 1t was q mOmentous question, and
NO man living should fansto settle that question
IN his own miad. 1t WAS not q question
alone for theOl0gians but for all. is the
God we worship the KIND and loving father we are
TAUGHT lie 1877 can nolu communion and TEL
loDship with Cody Tue question was a great one.
IL has been argued In mosques, ln Pagan temples
ana by TOE MONKS In their ciolstered cells 1t mas
been preached that We cOuld hold such union
at the deathbed aud II vOuchsafed to the felon
on the "a lows Christ taught now 10 pray,
and never since has MANKIND ceased TO pray. Tue
greatest men the word ever produced delighted
III prayer ana found comfort from cong. There
were exceptional cases where men doubted the
efficacy vi prayer; but That did not make 1t the
less potent. some argued tnat prayer was piece
Of imagination; II 30, II was the most won