The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-09
MASONIC TEMPLE.
PILLARS OF rA1rH-sEnMoN By MR.. FRoTH

PILLARS OF FAITH-sEIMoN BY Mr.. FRoTH-
INGHAM.
Mr.. FrothinRham's theme yesterday morning at
Masonic Hall was .Pillars Of Faith" His purpose he
explained in introducing his subject, neither to
any pillars OF his own to pull down any
eses pillars, but to consider whether faith needed
any pillars at all The question whether the hu-
mind was to be free topursue Its Investigations
whether 1t to be shackled by tho traditions OF
authority The old faith from which they had de-
parted laid great stress upon the "pars OF au-
lhority," which were supposed rest upon the ada
mautine "Rock OF Ages" The speaker conceded that
these pillars had not been without some bcneaccnt
uso in conserving faith and its concomitant results
People spoke OF these ''piIlars," however. as
though they were everlasting and immovable;
but this error, for they had often been
down to be supplanted by and equally
often been transpanted from vicious and roxious at
mosphere to pure and bracng one. The Church OF
Rome found the pillars OF religion in Constantinople
ana removed them to the West Martin Luther
found tho pillars in the Catholic Church aud removed
them to Protcstantism. Theodore Parker found tho
pillars IN book, anu dccmng them Insecure there
planted them firmly IN the very heart oil the soul
WORTHLESS ANTIQUITY
There was patent and not unnatural tendency in
mankind to buid upon antiquity. We vcncfated
the old bowed down before the moss covered
church. But did antiquity resprcscnt vir,ne anu
merity or did u merely represent Ideness indocncc
and the power OF standing still? People lived to a
old age who were ot SO much men ana women they
respectable vegetables. They. were beams
weights cnips. bornc along mechanically upon tic cur
rent OF lite. Od age without It's corresponding
achievements must count 'or very litle indcc d.
The old age oil Goethe, Tor instance. was marvellous
and admirable, Tor his liic aLd towering
high above the lives of his generation the ne OF
ccntenarian that presented resistance, no
tion, no struggle was no HE AT all
THE BIBLE AND CHURCH.
The Bible. whose antluuIty ~ led
would undoubtedly nave perlshed had II been eit 10
It's fate beside suen works as the Writings OF Plato aud
Aristotle. Ii was jealousy guarded clostcrs and
monasieries during times OF danger and assault Tho
Church had become venerable IN antiqupy; but how
had IL become SOP IL hud never slool alone; IL had
cut and said, Question us you Will you
cannot shake me- Tho Church had always sought
protcco from the temporal power by ally itself
with state. In England tho Churc and State wcrc
one, and on the Continent the rope always had
emperor to back him. IL was only IN this country
that there was no established church and that re-
ligion sought merely TO rest by It's claims upon the
and the mind Where does tho true authority OF
faith rest? Not tho Church, because IL had always
sirivcn to MAINTAIN II by tho aid or the terpora
power, by the expedients OF policy. Does IL rest Ii
the sou2 That where the myscs the spiritualists
put It. Theodore Parker contondod that tho pellet
the infinite was native the soul, but John Stuar
MIL another man equally great, maintained the very
opposite conviction. Theodore Parker embraced The
hope OF Immortality and Mill doubted IT, Here then
were these two men equally great and sincere; on,
said the soul the only authority, while the .0thc
declared that we must contont ourselves with facs
with things as they we're.
CHRISTIANITY ARRAiGSEp.
Two thousand years the Christian religion had cx
istcd and what had IL doncY IL had not abolishe,
cIaced the po OF race; II mad not educated labor; 4
had not rooted out slavery; IL had not cxtingushc
violence BY teaching that the salvation OF the sou
was The ony ns y mac sooS ~ On
ing that poverty was provideniial II had made tn
poor proud or their poverty It had conssctasod PAY