The New York herald., 1877-10-01
SPIRITUAL LESSONS.
Vacant Chairs and the Uses of
Adversely.
THE FU T URE LlFEg
Popular Religion and Why It
Prevails.
THE VOICE OF GOD.
MASONIC TEMPLE.


WHY THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION PREvAILs-pIs-
COURSE BY REV. o. i. TRoTHINGHAM.
Rev. o. B. Frothingham addressed large congrcga
ton yesterday morning His subject was Christianity.
wish. he said, upon brief discussion Of the
power and causes popular religion, and BY that
term l. or course refer TO the religion that Is called
Christianity IL incluoes all those who work In grace
who have the centre oil their belie, an image OF
grace who look upon grace MS thor saviour; who
look TO future when they may meet with grace and
enjoy It's smile. II includes all those who look 70
Christ as source OF power, and ali such as belong to
the Christian Church, whether Greek, or Roman, or
German, or English, whether Catholic or Protestant,
and OF whatever Protestant denomination. II includes
the Univcrsalists, who, though calling themselves
liberal sect yet believe Christ, and it includes the old
school OF Unitarans who. though calling themselves
liberal sect, also, alter fashion, believe IN Christ;
but Il docs include the school OF Unitarians,
any who believe In education, in culture, In
science In knowledge in the intrinsic capacity OF man
TO all questions that have to be answered, and
10 lift himself alone from tho mire OF materaIism and
bestalty The popular religion Is the rel gon Of those
who DO not believe in man. That 1t prevails Is not
surprising 1t has all the churches. administers all
the sacraments ordalns all the ministers and SENDS
out all tue missionaries Now the question is, why
does this religion live, why does it prevail9 The
multitude viii say Of course because 1t is truc, and
tn0 truth must prevail But We 10 not say tnS ESQ
We should not be here The only thing that justihes
my speak ing at all ami your coming here 10 listen TO
me, is that believe this religion not to be
true; that We believe It to be superstition,
fancy, Imagination. aud that 1t is not
founded In history, law or in reason.
II II be true, why has it not prevailed moreY III
backed by supernatural powers and used by the Deity
means OF spreading the truth why has II not pre-
vailed entireyS In these latest days, when there is
more knowledge than ever before in the world, when
Nil the powers of man at their fullest stretch Of
activity why is IL that this religion prevails less
and less? Why, II the system be lruo does 1t not
prevail and more is better able TO receive
aud appreciate itf Do you say that is because
lower IN intelligence and power than ever bciores II
you fall into abyss OF scepticism utterly bottom
less throw into outer darkness all human capacity
and ability, and all knowledge is Ia vain. Your civi-
ization s an illusion and a dream Are we prepared
% that. in order to MAINTAIN TINS system true
me human mind must DO botted outY do not
Wong do not believe ei that un,rntb rules
tho world, that mendacious prophets bave so long
prevailed over the minds Of iuen There are charl.
lans, false creeds ialse prophets men who |
preach what they don't believe but they not the
supports OF the system they are eating out ils heart
on the human mind as TO say that cccevfns priests
and lying prophets haye mlsled The world for ages.
The system prevails because believc IL to be
The rst cause OF It's power lies IN the universal rcvcr
snce Tor antiquity Il IS older thar the prophets.
older than Moses: II had its origin way back the
past. where history eau only conjecture, not walk.
Antiquity is always credited with power II is thought
that II anything prevails II must do by
inherent strength. Gigantic OAKS that have /
breasted the storms Of centuries anu grown |
mighter with increasing years are moro venerable In
proportion ther age. house that is built OF we'll
baked bricks and seasoned wood may stand for ages;
IL 10 good house. But what Is true Of trees and |
houses ~ not true OF men, mans age IS not sign
Of inherent worth. II is merely sign that he has
saved himself that he mas not been worn by the irc
ton OF duty, that he has not cared ior others. Sci
hshness Is his main principle Is Il lie that pro-
serves him. No; It Is deatn.
An Institution becomes strong from age, from the
accumuations OF time, though u may be Dey are the
accumulatons OF debris. IL may DO Nth and fraud
has preserved IL lives by virtue Of having lived
habit. Men cling 10 !, because their ancestors have |
believed in IT, II Is not questioned, not anay ts
history Is not examined II Is taken upon trust. TO
what does the Bbie owe It's preservationy 10 lis IN.
herent aud absolute v.rtueY Not at all No other |
book issued from the press been so
nursed, so followed alter, SO guarded and defended.
In the carly ages, during the supremacy OF Catho |
clsm, 1t was hidden away IL was declared to be SIN
To read IT, and the Church thundcred excommun caiion
those who dared To read II with open eyes When
Professionalism came in the book was freed but fol-
lowed by select train OF thcoiosians and ndcis and
critics warned away. This is the first generation
that has freely read and criticised IL It's preservation
has not pecn due to It's essential truth Dut 10 the
taken that II should not be exposed harm. Is
tquity guarantee Of worth? Is there anything older
than ignorance than superstition, than brualityy
Ono OF the oldest supersttions Is belief in denonaca
possession You ind u among tho indians 10 this
country, among tue negroes in Central Africa,
among the ancient Egyptians Farther back y
deeper and more widely spread. Is
there anything older tuan the beicf that
calamity OF all kinds sent by the Deity a sign
OF HIS wrathY 1t Is OF the Oldest superstit0Ls in
world ls the belief any more beautiful tor being
old Is It any the less contemptole any the less alb
surd 10 New YORK to-day than in Tncbes 1000 years
ago?
RELIGION.
Science was born only yesterday, philosophy Is just
maturing. We are only nov beginning to know some
thing OF the world. We learning that SHOULD
seek the truth; that they should question their own
hearts and the constitution OF nature ANA Of society
The newness vi this system IS the sign that 1t belongs
10 world Of light and not oil darkness The same
creed has been preached, though slightly different
forms, ny all tho thecioeians OF the world
But It forgotten that ali mcn are wser
than any single wise nun. That the wisest Is
wiso only In strcaks aud lines. Men are shut ur IN
their systems, aud, while knowing everything that re-
lates to Lher particular study be iguorant as
children. 1t vs. said that Christianity has Ueen be-
eved and preached by the wsest greatest and best
men VINO ever lived; Dut IL is forgotten that some OF
the wiscst who lived have had their super
stiops Bacon OF the greatest mi nds OF the race,
had superstitons that chlnrcn now would laugh AT.
Sir Thomas More. the greatest OF Engsh minds,
OF grand heads OF Henry Vlll Is reign, be- |
heved IN characterization az dcvouty the !
most ignorant Cathoiic you could pick up |
in the street, Samuel Johnson, gisan- |
Tic ntellcct, 10 whom take oil our caps !
the present DAY. mad fearing belief in spirits tic
had brought the powers OF uis mind 10 bear on
this SUBJECT What gives Christianity It's hold upon the
minds o and iastcns It's root deep ~ the heart Is
the belei that IL IS the religion OF the poor, OF the
downtrodden, ouicast dcicnccless-a religion o sor-
CHRIS; uvowcd that II Tor the weak.
'Bcssed are the meek Tor they shall inherit tho |
earth the sorrowful Tor they shall be comfored the
poor, for they shsll be rch.n
II III H. n ty1tI