The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-19
MASONIC TEMPLE.

''THE IDEAL. THR HOPES AND THE DREAM OF
RATIONAL RHLIoIoN"-sERMoN By Mr.. o. u.
FRorHrNGHAM.
Mr.. q. y. rockingham conducted the morning
vices at the above place Of worship Al II known
that this to be the preachers last previous
to his departure for Europe there . large At
tendance After the usual prayer ana singing OF
hymns the preacher addressed himself to The subject
Of the "idcai, the Hopes and the Dream Of Rational
Religion" He began by lucid summary Of tho vari-
Gus religious systems which have obtained In tho
world. traced their origin their working and their
suits The two prominent crecds Of the prerent day
Roman Catholicism and specially
reviewed. The speaker ncxt dwelt upon tho weakness
and defects Of these and various other forms OF rcg
belief insisting upon tho fact that nasmuch az
they demanded what Is called faith without inquiry
being productive OF reasonable religion they
tended ronder such unattainable
rHE NEw. RATIONAL RELIGION,
the contrary, took nothing for granted demanded
savIsh obedience OF the understanding. but taking
all the asccrtaned facts OF science allowed the mind
the ireest scope for inquiry In every direction 1t
would DO Impossible TO define their IDEAL because II
circunscribed by definitions u would longer be
ideal; II comprchended every possible aspiration
OF after the good the true the pure and the beau
tiful Tho criticisms OF those who supposed they
derstood The new religion and opposed i were an
swcrcd Tho main reply that tho old religions
shaved tho mind, and when the subsructure which
they were built was knocked away they tho
ground They could not guarantee any excel
fence, any higher virtue or any greater purity than
tho new religion. Tho development OF this idea IN
detail occupied the preacher Tor some time.
The contrast between tho old religions and the new,
in what they demanded or thor adherenta strongly
drawn. The former required men to bend the knee,
the latter made HIM stinen Il walk moro becomes
man; tho former made HIM raise hts hand In suppl
cation 70 unknown Supreme Being aud cast his eyes
demurcy 70 the ground; tho latter mace him
strengthen hts hands 10 work out his destiny by
ter to understand the nature that surrounded him.
Prayer was
tue oUroRowru OF SUPERSTITION,
aspiration tho product OF tho reo exercise Of the
ligions CLAIMED Tor prayer mn influence upon the
moral and intellectual life, they could clam nothing
which could not DO equally ciaimcd Tor the aspiration
OF tho now religion. The preacher then asked whether
systems OF religion produced any greater viruc
any higher nobility OF character In purity ia
woman than could be produced by the aspiration Of
the ne~ religion Tho answer was negative one. In
conclusion
Mr. rockingham took leave Of his hearers for the
summer saying that there three things which he
wished Tor them-Fist, that they might not miss his
mnistrations The use Of churches no said was 10
teach people TO do without them Second, he hoped
that in tho meantime his hearers would visit other
churches A. to into tho other systems OF
lgion, maintaining that one could firmly hold his
belief until he had heard what other people had
say tor theirs and against his. Third, he trusted
that this period of rest would DO used by them 10
nerve themselves for the long and arduous struggle
which was before them, that upon his return they
would DO found more earnest and solidy grounded
IN those convictions which ho was endcavoring 70 i'm
press upon the world, and thus prepare themselves
Tor the great day when they would enter into that
Great Presence whore all was light