The New York herald., 1876-10-09
MASONIC TEMPLE.
THE SPIRIT OF THE NEW YAITH-sERMoN i

THE SPIRIT OF THE NEW YAITH-sERMoN By
MR.. o. B. FRoTHINGHAM.
The Masonic Temple was crowded yesterday morn
ing Without text OF any kind Mr.. Rockingham
opened his discourse AZ folows:-The theme l
have selected tor my discourse this morning Is
1.-THE Spirit OF the New Faith" By the spirit,
II anything, / mean the bearing, the intent, the
purpose OF thing, the spri, OF thing is the temper
that animates IT, the spirit OF n movement is the
great tendency Of it, the spirit OF system is tho
general intent OF the system and the spirit OF Is
the drift Of his mind Many years ago listened to
teacher who discussed the question whether It
better to hold truth in the spirit OF
in the spirit Of truth. After spirited argument on
conclusion he came TO say that It better TO hold
In the spirit OF truth than truth in the spirit Of
error for In the first place, there Is such thing
truh-grandy broadly understood Unless the spirit Of
truth be prsscnt-that is 10 say unless one like
the truth for its sake without any prvat6Uesgns
or intentions-disnterestedly as We may say-uness
he has disinterested purpose to dnd the truth 1t Will
be but The sembance OF truth something 81 THIS you
will see in The bright leaves OF autumn which are
pucked from the trees and carefully packed in book
for preservation. separated from the trees they
have no lie or fragrance and soon lose their fresh
and color when taken from the sunshine in
which they lived SO when one holds character, with
out the teaching Of the heart such person does
hold the truth An man will have moro
truth, although he may DO mislcd by inadcquacy Of
resources. Furthermore, said this wise teacher no
man can the truth unless he holds il ia
the spirit OF truth, because man does not communi
by his lips alone, but by his example, by his vo
by his eye and, above all, by the drt OF his being.
And man may 60 through tho world contradicting
himself continually, his heart breathing aroma
thai much good teaching has fallen poweress on
the world. Hence We conclude. not SO much that II is
better TO hold error in the spirit Of error
Whoever teaches 10 tho contrary makes hts
error insignificant The bclgercnt peaceman,
who argues duty with clenched fist with his adversary
md n a o On n
against who oppose his IDEAS VIII do much
to advance the cause OF peace. The antslavery man
procaims his theories in spirit SO tyranncal that
he have patience with those who are opposed to
him broke many chains. The Incorporate
IN temperance earnest just that proportion puts
Intempcrance and intoxcation in Its modes Of
arguing an action. can never Dc mucn roied upon
After speaking at some length OF the errors the
Roman aud Protestant churches, OF the selfish bgotres
OF their beliefs, he remarked:-The new faith must
rise above this from the very nature OF things For
what is the new faith-what ia Its peculiartesY The
new faith composedy upon the doctrine OF revo-
lution-not ex xpcct,ng to define il perfectly but in it's
broad sense. II believes that from the beginning
things have been working themselves into intelligent
FORMS into use Oveliness and power 1t contends that
they have begun at the beginning and the end
1t rejects every thing like supernatural interposion
1t the workings OF the supreme law and wisdom
IN the very texture OF the world 1t recognizes It's
qualities lie, order, righteousness law, goodness
PERFECTION individuality mind and IN the collection of
mankind that call society. Planting itself upon
this the spirit that anmates must be peculiarly
It's own. II cannot be dogmatc. IL cannot be mega
tive scornful 1t stands beyond the very last az
tainment in charity. The first step Of. Ise
world 10 that OF persecution. One creed per-
secutes another Every Church has persecuted
other churches. Romanism prosecuted; Prot
estantsm prosecuted; Liberal Christianity
prosecuted. Persecution was the way Of vndicai
ing the infable truth OF God. Persecution Is used
stl among the Turks The Severiens will persecu,e,
the Christians Of The East will persecute, Romanism
Will persecute In Spain to-day there is the doctrine
federation. Spain claims TO be liberal to that extent;
1t will not persecute with the sword You may believe
you will, worship you will, provided you say
nothing about i. You must not publish newspaper.
Yon may have chapel, but you must not ask any
in, sing SO loud that people outside will be
attracted and come in from the street. This is not
persecution, but IL Is not very easy to define the differ
ence. In closing the speaker drew beautiful picture
The faith, representing II as bcaming with toer
alton and broherly love- When the time shall come
when the believers in the faith should have DIS
covered its full beauty then the converts would flock
into tho doors; then they would have some faint
promise Of true charity.