The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-03
MASONIC TEMPLE.

THE REV. Mn. O. B. TRorHINGHAM's ARRAIGN-
MENT OF rHx PoPuLAR RELIGION.
Tho Rev. Mr. o. d. Frothingham. who preached
yesterday morstng ID Asseais Temple, rwenty-ih'rd
street. endeavored 70 that tho popular religion
OF Christianity has proved to be an utter failure hen
applied tho practical questions of real le He
that tho subject Of his sermon had sought him, not
no The subject and that IL was As I'M
pleasant rs imperative. The question Is that
between the proiessed religion ana It's useful
applicability TO tho solution of the problems OF real
lie Questions about tho deity OF Jesus. the divinity
OF His mission and such like only Incidental ones,
and properly belong TO the thinkers closet Our
lives as husbands. wives, sons, daughters-hess
tie questions that affect the immediate welfare Of
ciety. No who tho social situation
do without feeling hts heart throb, without being
forced 60 into every highway and byway OF his
existence 1t may fairly be asked, Is there not d.
between the popular religion and tn daily duty
life OF the community The subject that has most
forced itsoli upon thinking Is the lessening Of
moral lies, tho neglect vi duty. tho gigantic
oi cathocity. Protes,ansm and the other Chris
tian sects. THIS implies That revealed religion, IN
Whatever form takes, has lost ts Influence ana con-
nectlon with the things OF daily lie; not that ihe
coupling has been severed put that men disobey and
disregard the teachings Of that religion which they
profess.
ARRAYSG THE cLAssKs AGAINST EACH OTHER
There Two classes Of people arruyed against each
other IN principle and IN 6eie these are the radicals,
or dsbelevers and the professors ot revealed religion.
Tho radical class say that the popular proiessed reg
lou IL sham ana smulachre; u something that
Hypocrisy; hoowness They say, How better
things Do expsctedY Does not Christianity undermine
the foundations OF sociclyY Look at It's absurd doc
trincs VI heaven and ncli-an idea which appeals 70
the lowest form OF stshness Inherent 10 man 10 the
confessional, whereby priest becomes. by iaith.
substitute tor the Saviour IN inc forRiving Of sins.
Tho radicals ask How II possible that good resuns
eau flow from such reiglony Tue professors OF re-
lgon that tho belray Of trusts the robbers and
tho evil men among their ranks exceptions, and
that such ovidoers would persevcre In Their
now do under nu all cro"ms.aneos We 'n sss
among the believers loyal husbands tender
wives, happy amiiies upright men ana good citizcns
Tho truth 49, SAID The preacher that the defenders OF
both ideas nave ovcrstated their cases. II Is
that the sweetest results have accrued from Chris
uanity; nor IS IT lair to judge Christianity by lis
creeds, Tor. the abstract, II will be defended during
ages 10 come. Yet, how many proessed Christians
arc more WHO reay IN their souls believe IN tho doc
trino OF eternal damnauonY How many In prcdesti-
natiohY How many put their trust III Christ as the
means OF what thoy call salvation through His media
tionY NO. NO; these IDEAS have lost their hold
mems minds, and tho modern man must live by tho
inodorI idea OF light
The popuiar rcigon OF Christianity mover aimed at
through bciIcl admission into the kingdom oil Coz.
WHAT was the idea OF Jesus. That the klppdom OF
heaven was aI hand. What idea mad He that KING.
dom--was IL u higher Or better condition OF society
than lie knew? No, u WIS the coming IN Ut Inc new
u
good laws Jesus never thought of establishing u
reign Of br0thery love- nothing was further from HIS
ideas than make this world what think II ought
be. rne condition when IL. put tor entering Into
the Kingdom VI heaven was latin in Himself, not
JUSTICE truth, right, but iaith In HIM. Make
yourself poorer; make no effort 10 DO richer
Inan you arc. Tor Christ says:-"Blesscd
the poor" This was tho very herald cry oi Jonn
the Hspist, taken up by Jesus. The Kingdom OF cd
proiuiscd 10y Christ was 70 at upon thrones and to
wear cro~ns-lurougn fa,tn In him. The condilous
Tor eHteriug into that phantasmal Kingdom are not
tboso munliuess vi lave tor liberty not manly
morality, but the contrary. Tho popular religion has
aimed at building up tho word as Il should DC
" never has done anything 10 rcgencrate society.
This proposition will be disputed