The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-29
MASONIC TEMPLE.

MASONIC TEMPLE.
TIE GOLDEN gULE-A SERMON BIZ REV. o. n.
FRoTHSGHAM AT MASONIC TEMPLE.
In the Masonic Temple, yesterday, Rev. o. B. Frosh-
ngham preached 10 large audience his subject being
"The Golden Rule His text Matthew viii, l2-
Therefore all things whatsoever yc would that men
should do TO you do We them for this Is the
law and tho propheism II seemed to be supposed
that the rule laid down In the text peculiar
Jesus But such not the fact for II found also
in the Hebrew Scriptures in various orms all meaning
the same, rule for the guidance OF the Jews,
form being Thou shalt love Thy neghbor thyself"
In the East the rule expressed in the decara
ton, "Be careful rot put your neighbours head
hat that hurts your owan These forms OF tho
rule had been written fully hundred years be-
fore the time of Christ on earth. Then there
another form, expressing the rule. sBlame not
your neghbor for faults which your own" and in
the writings OF Coniucius for the government OF tho
Chinese 1t appeared IN every FORM aud was equally
universal among the moraiists OF the East and the
West in Rome, as elsewhere, tho rule was the same,
though IL remarkable that IT should be
there than IN the EAST the people OF the East
imaginative than those OF Rome. Still
markablc II TO find 1t in China, where Confucius
gave expression to the whole law In reciprocityn
Now, finding the enuncation OF the golden rulc
throughout tho East and West, and through all time
We could that It cardinal rule OF
tho race. II plain common sense. and
required sacrifice. II told to como down to tho
essential OF natures everywhere in the dccara-
tion, What ye would that men should do to you, do
To them That was the declaration OF Christ to
His disciples, and they again preached it TO others
We come, then. to lind that the golden rule uni
versal, practical aud good for all But some might
say, .sWhy live by rule? Why not live by natureYn
Aud yet, not the golden rule natural law Did
IL not a voice OF nature To some minds
and certainly there nothing grand in which
was not by rule rho Hebrews living by stric,est
rule lived on through ages and were still extant
the same to-day that they were 900 years ago, and
that because they lived and live by rule that had
been handed down from father 10 son through ages,
always the same And the same true of the Puri-
tans of New England who lived and live by s,rctest
rule. Under It's influence they had been enabled
mosphcre Caor with the influence their rule OF
life, and wherever they went their influence felt
through the years because with them the spirit OF the
golden rule strong Therefore was II shown that
the golden rule was, in ITSELF grand for The human
harsh in judgment Of less strong in the right,
making for those who more feeble than
he in living up to his standard He was arisocratic in
ethics, cold, severe sometimes really brutal for mis-
taking somewhat the spirit OF the rule, he made
cuse for others less strong than himself There were
those, however, who believed that should
not follow encourage tho scishness seemingly
implied in the golden rule claiming that man should
live Tor others, forgetting himself That was a ruc
which, however picasRly self sacrificing II mighl
seem, had been found 10 expose many to idlcness
''Whatsocvcr yc would that men should do TO yon do
ye even so to them There was an element OF selfish
ness in II which really healthiul. The preacher
then passed 10 the confederation OF the seeming oppo
sion to tho golden rule expressed the phrase, 'rhe
Lad come to believe and say, "iou must tight
your way to the front, and let tho
hndmost take care Of themselves" There was har-
ocncd narrowness implied In tho expression. The
golden rule taught not To strive TO put down, but
to strive TO build upto do TO others would have
them do 10 you The rule was as was the curiously
structed tent of the Eastern potenateoldcd, 1t
closed parasol; spread out, II covered 1000
So with the golden rule. If II followed
pliciy how many enmities, how many hatieds would
be avoided where, without IT, tho breach which
enmty creates is widcned continually. SO would the
same rule Il applied the contest between capital
and labor, be effective for good Without that rule each
OF the contestants struggled 10 weaken the other
they had kept on In that way until Tom Hughes and
another stepped IN with tho doctrine OF reciprocity.
The same true of religious or sectaran quarrcs.
to-day disgraceful; WHILE II they followed the golden
rule, there would be peace and harmony. On Tuesday
next he said, would be engaged in decorating the
graves OF those VINO fell in the war; Among the
graves there might be OF those who without
the incentive Ct principle; simply Tor the pay received
But where there such there would be many
who went Tor and died for the good OF their country
and II was TO honor those and those only, tina, the
flowers were spread for they had acted In accordance
with the golden rule That was the golden rule well
applied And yet IL was easy TO make II seem absurd
Say means, 'sGive 81, 0O0'' or stsivc 1
your villa Newport ami you were not asking in
accordance with the spirit much the letter oil the
rule In tho East there was man appo ncd to see TO
It that tho weights aud measures just. |
He went out to attend to his duties,
and finding the weights and measures or \
his father wrong, he caused HIM to be punished /
there and then, bodily and by fne When punish
ment had ceased the gave all possible comfort to
his father, but while doing caused him under
stand that while acting official he acting for
the many, and must see that right done In that
capacity he was not his son, but when HIS duty had
been performed he could be his again and havo
deep Tor the pain inflicted. That was not
violation OF the golden rule, for hts dny TO
the interest OF the many instead OF to uphold tho
law for the good of all There were three rules recog
nzcd in conduct toward each other. The nrst was
the iron rule, evil for good; tho second was the
silver rule good Tor good. That lar society
had reached but in the future good for evil would DO
the golden rule, and by It earth would become .
heaven.