New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-01
CERTAINTIES OF RELIGION.
THIRD LECTURE BY JOSEPH COOK.

third lecture Of his course at Association Hail. last
evening. upon the subject "Certainties of RcliG-
ion.v The lecturer nearly half an hour late H.
ms at one time seemed probable, he had failed to
reached the city, he would have disappointed an au-
dieuce much larger, and more fully representing
the culture Of the city than the assem-
blage which listened TO either of the
preyious lectures of the course. Mr. Cook has
before spoken at Association Hall upon subjects
which he treats historically, but last evening he be-
gan tho exposition of his own philosophy lie
seemed somewhat tired. and though he spoke with
out diminution of vigor his eOquence was perhaps
less animated and imaginative The lecture was
prefaced with few words of introduction by the
Rev. DR.. Armitage
THE LECTURE.
We are often reminded by DemOsthenes, said
Mr. Cook that every public speech should begin with an
incontes table proposition 1t IS incontestaDle that
little while ago we were the world, aud that 1T
tie while hence we shall be here longer SO much Is
certainty, and certainty not merely OF the clock OF arl'
metic hut also OF religion Wednesday comes PACK 10
Wednesday January 70 January the name comes back
20 the name but the thing 10 the thing, never The
present moment exists only The flight of time is
the eagles eight straight onward. There are only 49,
600 working hours in the mature period OF he' ana al
the Of this period Gettysburg must be fought ana
won Thus far are not out OF ssht OF the
multiplication table There Is not scintillaton
Of doubt that we go hence But many things which we
know we do not feel 1t is very commonplace to say,
All men must die" but is not at all commonplace TO
saw You, John. and YOU Mary must die" We are the
leaves not II is true that the tree stands
while the leaves fall You AMI L. the leaves. are going
Mrs Browning saw her Italy among the Clouds and our
America is not on the shores OF the Hudson but with the
Father Of Spirits.
The frat of all religious certautes is that hence
The second thai wish TO 20 hence in peace II Is
uossibe that il had not brought before your vision
glimpse OF eternity. you would not have recognized al
FIRST the second Of these truths but you will stand in
the presence Of the first certainty you viii behold the
second You want TO 30 hence in peace. Men have eX
pressed desire emphaucally And standing
at the summit OF the second certainty as
might say, we behold the third, that we cannot
go hence in peace unless we are IN harmony
with our own environment. The law Of seifcOntradc
ton will last the other side OF Jordan Now cannot
We unite the animal and the emotional nature upon the
question: What is our environment in TINS world ana
the ncxt" let ask whether there Is one thng from
winch we cannot hcel While we continue to exist we
ruust keep company with our Individuality In
some sense, my hands is the environment OF the
other is the environment OF conscience ana con
science of reason.
since everything that cx SITS is formed upon plan
from a cyolash Orion, my soul is made on pan ana
/ must exist in harmony w.th the plan on which 1t Is
made. ! do not here assert immortality. say that
while am. cannot escape from myself Milton satan
understood t-i. when ne sand:
(Which way Is IL he'll. myself anu hell"
know fora certainty that my hands shut forward
- .,o t,.t ,-,-lt,,. ,s oyer mad. so that lis
natural action involves i,s destruction. This was
tnc substance Websc's reply 10 HaTue u the great
Debate which Dc;ll our civil War; Secession cannot ne
Constitutional. for otter secession there would be no
Constitution 70 cannot DE That my hand shuts toward
The becs. iorn ITS natural action would involve rs
own destruction. That is The natural action o. piece
OF mechanism which causes the least friction
II have a complicated loom and. without
knowlcd-e at first, hy experience So adjust Its parts
,"-' enc wen - 90. '. - .,, -, +,, l,,o,
a. D,u-I action Uni. an seems very SIMPLE, out ia.
, IN, i.ro,-.f.,~, iu.,,tr,tlol the b..tsr Just as
we must ask for the fricDoness action OF 'ae HAH"u
facllre. IL re would know The divuoiy intended plan
arJ ,,,,,-1ert of tI. soul I'm inauirnz what is
49, va, wish no. ascertain tHe nature
nt |"' ,t 90 Won 20 moi choose am impc,-
fcrt d.veinplnrnt bot perfect flower. Precisely SD,
na,o 7 ,u nm i,to hir ,l he best aiaIi.ic You
sl.i ficn ult INTO ln IN. strongest quae, Of low
order. care not. Now. tlSc man made mp on tbs
sccaud, plan. aud inquire low the faculties Of Ms in
We sai li tt such HIturc cannot DE operated liit-
t'or,e,,,T on tuc side of what call vice.
stit.-i1n NolIIe.ei. eicI faculty must g-t the vote
OF al others before t can accomplish IT'S own des.
fa'di's oi i"is snii.iH r l,'"" ,., i
eNr iit iuli SIZE To iie huildi a'I'
without fTl -tfOl ON the sl.. ol Nl'r NJ is oI-ti1
for virtue Tu,, plan which Lc Is made ls p"jF OLD
one n bats existed thus it. aut 10 is noi 800 iIcl "a
l.loi being oyctCroyu. There Is 20 Na.41'f in illa
Trinity waiting % 1c hI'd d. AN election ln N"-l pt~'
IS. on .ll. earth haNe1 small space. nut since ia" ia
aur.t So wc have tAr points ON c1cr'"r Gan hhR
ana Wi pyoect from t.res points tDr crcc OF moral
law Tor the moral l3w is certainly nli irai 2W -
evident truths ne ON 3oth sides OF the veil VINO
The cos 1" q. ,'i9n Oh '5 So - mere ln,' ~, i,
c"sliuoha' "et,u theic az 9oS1@'' : % L ,
GuN Wc arc 30 To dct u't od' '"Ic oi "D''o" va" " '