The New York herald., 1877-10-15

Ieynq that man was an immortal spirit, they could do
justice to the sages or saints OF all the Gentle world
OF former ages. Roman Catholicism gavo credit 10
Socrates, Conucius, Buddha, Pythagorss ana others
for the gooa that was IN them. III SAID tho
antism how t that tho world Is AS good as u
Is society pures How can utterly fallen creatures
venture 10 remove evil or right wrongY Yet such
attempts and Efforts are being made every day; me
product of this belief oil the utter deprayty oil human
nature makes It all but impossible for men to expect
HUMAN NATURE STRONGER Than cREEDs.
The preacher then referred Passan TO the recent
exam pies OF men high IN church standing who have
fallen IRON grace He mentioned no Names but
merely used the aluson TO provo that human nature
stronger than creeds sacraments aud other church
observances said ne .sThe larger the church the
greater the number oi slnncrs which would indicate
that the Christian was no % better NJ anah he,,as ,ns
than the inhdeL But after all we
may conclude" said the speaker, shat mans purity
wrong because he believes or disbceves this or That
doctrine. His condition Is dependent on his suitability
10 his circumstances
Therefore Mr.. rockingham thought we might dis
miss the theory that man Is fallen angel ana sol up
crudo and unfinished product OF nature tho best pos
sble under tho circumstances; not the best possible
under any conceivable circumstances; not beng TO
be worshpped or dcspised. The advantage to be de-
rived from this theory that enabled recognize
good Ia any one OF ancient or modern times. Through
II were able TO understand why, under different
circumstances and in other times and cimes, human
character should assume such different aspects. We
could good wherever 1t appears and allow tor its
limitations There never existed nor can exist, Mr.
rockingham continued, virtue that vii! DO uni
versal or lifted for all timc no man or woman 10
whom the world can bow down forever. Every one
may and can admire sucn characters as Buddha or
Christ Tor being suited TO their day and generation.
They were SAINTS all over "But would they suit our
times and people 20 said Mr. Frothingham: 1--WE can
settle that question In moment by trying
10 soc what We could do with them In New
York to-day. Imagine either as tho president OF
a bank an insurance company. "a pcrcepuble
murmur OF applausel "Our imagination iails at the
first attempt Wo see how utterly united either
would be for the circumstances attending such posi-
lions. Christ was Jew, an ideal Hpw, the incarna-
ton of the Hebrew model INT more you crtl-
Him the you limit HIM; He suited that
time; Ho would not suit ours' The preacher then
went on TO snow how every class and epoch had
virtues begotten by ana fitted to
lie cited great and wholesoulcd generosity
aud pointed out how little some
people ascribe them Outcasts OF the lowest grades
had their virtues, aud and women IN every phase
OF lie had theirs In short, there such thing
as essential virtue. Virtues were born OF neces-
sty.
In conclusion the preacher said that It behooved us
believe that virtue not all OF ono kind and that
trust to artificial standards OF charac-
ter. Men women not so good as they seem,
but they are doing The best they can.