The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-03-12
THE MODERN PRIESTHOOD.

ITS OFFICE pEFINED-LEcTUEE BY PROFESSOR
FELIX ADLER.
Professor Folk Adlcr's subject yesterday morning
was tho Office OF the modern priest. ! have spoken,
SAID he IN my lecture OF the priesthood was
aud in part still Isl but where Is the mysterious
tty OF Godship now? II Is trick OF the fancy, bar
rem delusion. II is not however, to the man, but the
office TO which the blame belongs Tho pages Of
history depict the fanatic priest who believes all the
doymas of creed, buLthoy also black with the
annals O! the iailhless priest who believes NOT but
derldes in his heart the superstition which his heart
teaches say IL with upilted soul, there shall DO
new ideal 10 attract mems souls, new service OF tho
infinite and new priesthood to do It's ministry. Its OF
this modern priesthood that propose to speak to-day
IDEAL PRIESTS.
Priests we shall have but they not OF the cassock
and surpce. They will have altars, and least of all
shall they have dogmas. They shall be than
human; they can be human only. We have priests OF
science, OF ART OF literature Socrates was ideal
priest; he held no Office; he mins.ered ut no shrine;
but he in true sense priest He was the reverse
OF dogmatc. In comparison with the vastness OF Tho
unknown, he was wont to say, all human knowledge
was little comparison with the infinite. TO those
who were still concerning themselves with questions
OF religion SAID Are yo then masters vi The hutnan-
ties ye seek to pry into uivnity" He was con-
dcmned to suffer DEATH and met his tate as became
i
tried sphe cs, ho said then welcome ueath II sleep
oniy luen also welcome death. He sun 10 which
the world turned and was thereby enlightened. SO,
alter a this thing which we desire Is not new thing
There has been priesthood OF the ideal IN all ages
teacher vi the ideal Is priest What ~ the ideally Is
than really II SO, then, who would teach The ui.
rcalf Is II more than really What can be more than
really Art Is the ideaism OF forms anu that
which dwclls behind the iutlre the intellect also ex
hibils these Two teutures-the real and The ideal Our
real lie Is two0ld, but deep down in the basic struc
turc OF The mind ,horc are true laws Logic expresses
il he
Is the realism VI tho passiona Beneath these again
there laws OF feeling. The laws OF ethics We
call them. Character Is the root from which springs
every virtue, every grace.
There has arisen IN these days morality based on
certain kind ot commonplace utility. We are virtLous
because II is interest We pre honest because
It il the best policy. The true n0ruiity scorns INTEL
lectual utility. Tue ideal lie where We express tue
moral actions Morality Is not sour or gum.
IL does mopo in corners. ~ Is social aud loves
genius BY pleasant converse the mere animal enjoy
ent OF food drink raised into something beyond
ITSELF There TWO rules Of good manners, Of which
first ana perfect seli-possesson IL public
speaker loses his secontdence his audience becomes
impatient. So IN tho social world Society says II
trust you you must trust yourself. The quality Of
possession Is selfrespect Difference second
quality. Difference Is the acme Of pol,eness. Tho
same claim which you desire Tor yourself. you ara
willing TO allow TO all others. From simple moral
aualty can deduced all the rules Of new Chester
held. The word manners means the same as morals.
When shall have better morals, then also We shall
have truer aud swecter manners The real Is the
lransitory and transient; the ideal alone endurcs,
Professor Adler here gave the ideal views o business,
Ue he said, called priest OF the ideal, who draws men
away from the absorbing pursuit OF the realities We
have that only which we are. but common judgment
reasons differently; It tells you, you are what you
have Good things the scales The ladder 10 LIE
but life more than acres, equIpage. nc. We spend
too nuch in seeming to be; We are governed by
the rule OF 'Thcy say" This c0rrups the state and
has made the churches sick, and by It's evil DO.
tepcy men rushed TO their ruin, aud
women waste their precious lives on the
vaiuest shows Give one who II content to De him
sell aud not 10 seem what he not, and will show
you u priest OF tho IDEAL Happy ye will be II you
labor through life and seek rccompensc save the
lists recompensethe JOY In his workand that shall
be your reward. Marriage Is tho foundation OF all
ethics. It's celebration does not end with the we'd
ding day. IL Is perpetual celebration and ntercom.
mun,caton OF two souls. 1t IL the supreme festival OF
humanity the term priest In 10 narrow or art
order Tho slumberIng echo WITHIN you shall wakcI
To the music OF humanity. priest OF tho ideal must
have the gilt OF tongues and kingy words 10 uttei
kingy Thoughts HIS passA ord Is freedom, his Greco
is boundless. The multitude would seek 10 compass
the infinite and tho boundess They would have
names even though they understood them not but TIT
deal Is rnhnity.
ST. STEPHENS (P. E.) CHURCH.
SERMON ON THE VIRTUE OF GOOD EXAMPLE
CONFIRMATION BY BISHOP POTTER.
The unique little edihce West Fcrtysixsh stree
known as 81. Stephens Church well llIled ycster
day morning. The speakers text may be found II
Philippians, H., b-'Lct this mind be In you, whic
was also in Christ Jesus" Here, my brethren, tn
speaker said, IN the very forefront Of the Gospel W