The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-05
MASONIC TEMPLE.

THE THREE PENTEcosrs-LAw THE OCCASION
OF LAwLEssNEss-sERMoN BY Mr.. O. y.
rRorHINGHAM.
The services at tho above place OF worship were con-
Quoted yesterday by Mr.. rockingham. Alter prayer
and the singing OF hymn the preacher walked to tho
front oil the platform and without preface text be-
gan explain the character OF whtsunday and It's sig.
nncance.
whrtsuntdc the speaker said, derived Its name nc.
cording TO some from the custom prevalent on that
day Of robmg those to be confirmed in white. Accord
ing TO Others 1t was named from the blossoms with
which spring iavors u.s. Among the Hebrews II cclc-
brated the nnieth day from the Jewish Passover
and the giving OF the law on Mount Sinai
He asked his hearers 20 accompany him in
thought TO the land OF Egypt and witness
there tho departure from 1t OF people who, from
their infancy, had tasted OF anything but thral
dom and the lash. Ito depicted tho great figure OF
their leader Noses specially trained by the probation
and trials OF ordinary lifetime for the task OF mould
ing and leading that remarkable people, and conducted
his through the the foot OF the noun
tain where the law was given.
He then accompanied Moses to the businesses Of tho
mountain where delivered 10 him that law which
for 5000 years. has played great part In forming
and controlling tho moral, social and political lie of
humanity.
CHARACTER or rng law
No law ever imposed upon mankind cquaIlcd tho
Mosaic law. IRON the majesty terror surrounding
IT. delivery, the universal scope and equally universal
minu'encss OF its provisions. and the marked.
distinctive effect which !, had produced upon
the people 10 whom II delivered IL
specified mans relations 70 all things above
him and 10 al created things below
him. II was a law OF and Judgment, pain and
horror 10 him who dsobeycd IT'S provisions, but
iull OF bright hope and promises 10 the man who
obeyed H. IL was one OF tenderness. too. seen in
the provisions by which tho same was accorded
the Sabbath to the brute man as he was
obliged observe himself But the preacher con.
tended that the very minutcnrss OF its provisions
rendered II faulty, lnasmuch those who strictly
obcycd them were apt TO- and did disregard the higher
and indefinitely nob.cr code which Is written in the
heart Of every This the character OF
those who rigidy implied with positive CON-
mands, and who outside II gfor law cover every
possible contingency were vile, rapacous mcrciicss
Hence naturally led 10 the thought that
law itself may become the very
CAUSE or LAwLrssvYss,
and this not only In the moral. but Ia every other
OF that spirit which, scnsc Is becoming 80 great
u calamity. and threatens 10 incrcasc-namely the
for finding law IN everything Science, he said,
was In the beginning merely elementary. Man
tented himself with very SUPERFICIAL knowledge Of the
heavenly bodies. lie subsequently examined this
earth and himself In H. and applying his theory OF the
universally ami rcslstcss orse u law, he to the
conclusion that the furctions of his body. and
action Of his brain, his thonghis WILL feeling emotion.
&c. merely the outcome OF forces which had
been acting possibly with rcsiscss power from thou
illusions and deductions In the or the murderer,
the thicf, the dissoiutc, Re, drawn by the
speaker and left 10 combat themselves lie commended
that however science might draw her mcshcs over
universally VI and cf cts, siill there was
voice within him which told him he was person,
that he had Will, and could choose Dr. leave
nndonc. and therefore ne must look for way out OF
this incarceration Of the nnd which science threatens