The New York herald., 1877-12-17
MASONIC TEMPLE.
LIFE TEST OF CBEED-sERMoN BIZ REV. o.
u. FROTHINGHAM.

LIFE A TEST OF CBEED-sERMoN BIZ REV. o.
u. FRoTHINGHAM.
At Masonic Temple, Twenty-third street, the Rev.
O. b. rockingham preached an argumentaiive SER
mon the important subject oil Life Test OF
Creed" In accordance with his practice before
beginning discourse preacher read selections
from the sacred anthologics OF the Arabian, HiDdoo
Chinese sages, the purpose OF whicn be
that OF placing them in Juxtaposition with bblica
writings TO show that the latter could boast of no
positive superiority in point o. morality grandeur
OF thought when compared with tho former The
preacher chose from that fine passage Popcs
sEssay MANI which ends with tho memorable line,
'lg can't DO wrong whose life is in tho right"
warm tribute Of admiration was paid TO the genius
OF the Immortal poet who bad penned thcso lines ;
which the preacher dwct upon tho fact that tho
poem written to please the authors inGdcl friend
Lord Bongbrokc. lie then askcd:-li We are TO
from mems lives back TO creed, how many
lives must taken and whose lives choose2
Whose lite is perfect enough to admit OF founding
Greco upon II The Hebrews say Moses; the Cnrs-
tuns say Christ; tho Chinese say Confucius the Him.
docs say Buddha, anu the Mohamnicaans urge tneir
prophet There Il an nsupcrablc diiculty 10 inicr
universal creed from any mans iic may, however,
be sure that when man woman's lite
that Is good Tor something there creed bchind IT,
The creed OF Cbristcndom may be mentioned IN fcw
words as IT'S cirdioal principles are easy TO number
your ger cnds IL lays down the doctrine that
man, unguldcd Dy tho hand Of an overseeing frovi-
dcncc. has no hope OF being ablo lind his way
through this world prison wnerc he Is placed
sona God drills, dIscptncs anu eads nm at last TO
the delightful realms OF heaven beyond tho grave
The believer Ia Christianity thinks himself divncly
appointed To ms WORK, ana goes through the world
ike a spy enemy's camp Pleasure no despi-cs,
both and luxury, and the tasks oi buying,
selling trading no VIII DO as part oi the
nrcadiul discipline TO which he IL subjected by
The Divine VIII; not NJ benefits 10 his fellow
man nor as contributions to the worlds wisdom,
but like a task imposed upon hun worm OF the
This Christian man rs indifferent 10 the calls of
lruth he cares not for tho facts nf literature OF
science no viii give money to rclleve suffering, pov.
erty misery, but his charity not OF tho heart
text books him TO play Tor the purpose OF
spiritualizing mankind. What matters II, he,
whether a be little moro or less rich or comfort
able, when In few years all VIII be over with hin
here ages OF cterbai bliss aie TO be lived on the
other side OF the grave
MoDRRS GREED or tvoLvTioN
The creed that The preacher next sought to explain
was that OF fcvoluuon--procccdinR from very differ
ont beg aiming well as ,oOking toward other ends
than tnat OF the Christian. IL Is, he said that an
unknown aud indcscribabc force lying bcn,nd crea-
tiou projects ana impels 1t onward and upward The
worlu IS growing, is making progress from year 10
year ANA tue races OF are becoming gradually
more elevated IN ntel.cct as culture Man Is the
real MAKER, the care taker The ultimate Providence
Thus The actual state oil the world dcenes upon tile
force wnicn drives the wheel Oi progress lhe sort
OF lie growing OF TINS Is exocy opposite 10 tnat
analng from tue lann nc bolaer o tins creed
docs Ut snrInk crawl through the word; nc WALKS
through 1t Ike a man-or at least
he tres TO do tnis Ic believes that the merchant,
~ ARCHITECT. tho anapcisr and the men 0i