The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-15
SABBATH LECTURES.
PROFESSOR ADLER ON THE Use AND ABUSE OF
THE CLERICAL OFFICE.

|
Standard Hall was crowded yesterday with large
audience hear Professor Felix Adler, who had
chosen for the subject ostne day Tne once OF the
Clergy: Its Use and Abuse" Wherein, ne asked IN
opening his address, the charm tho teachcrs
OF religion exercise over usf What is the secret Of
their powerf The charm consists in our own honest
belief In our weakness lies their strength He did
| not desire TO bring Wholesale charges against tho
clergy. II they could help mankind along thrice vel
como their help But could they do soP Did
hey help manKnd? That the question 10 be an
swered. Nobody could dony that in modern times
there existed a stern sntpathy TO the priesthood.
for the simple that there were as
many quack priests ms there arc quack
physicians. The protest OF modern times
against all sort Of sanctity, sanctty In men and
sanctiy in houses. Every place, every home sancti-
fed by good actions hocr than a church, and
there holy water so holy as the tesrs Of grief
shed for the suiferinps Of mankind. No man was
sacred but the one who stood for truth ana human
greatness. IL was well 10 consider once what the
teachers OF religion, called priests by some, have
been and what they might have been.
ORIGIN CLERICAL POWER.
In the olden time, while men we're wofuy ignorant
OF the sicknesses OF the body, thoy turned TO tho
priests who then also II was the frat
duty the priests cure physical weakness. When
in the second stage OF civilization had learned
OF meteoric phenomena. and had begun to build
beautiful houses. 10 burn incense and sing hymns
10 the gods they had conceived, the sorcerers
OF old the superiptendcnts of the worship
Their power became greater aud greater as taeir
political ambition led them to resist tho secular
powers They constituted themselves the royal min
isters OF the Goa above, through whom all petitions
had to pass before being presented on high and by
whom all DEGREES had TO be countersigned 1t was
then that arose among men the great reverence Tor
clergy, tho bendng OF the knee, the kissing oil
hands. And tho OF the hereafter the
priests greatest ally. They conceived the aea Of
future punishment and long vstas oil regions where
the uman soul would be submitted to new torments
pictured the horrors OF future state aud the ter
mcn,s, which no one could DO brave enough 10 face
eternally. IL was by these means that they placed
the yoke mans neck. THIS dream of birthstone
ana fire haunted even OF the people Of
day-ay and hut lew OF the clergy had to-day the
OF clyzation had aasi so far tho priesthood was
concerned, yet passed. They still appeared at
frmies still crushed the intellectual liberties OF tho
| world, still famed the ianaticism that led to
the auto ia ys The ns., nne',sn'h century had
this bigotry, but the power was yet want
ing. Even among the Jews, whose priesthood
moro their rabies became true teachers OF
religion very unpleasant change hal come. Instead
OF being moral guides 10 their people they had become
in,erlopers in families and sentimental pedlers OF
cheap religious doctrines. Tho idea of pastor''
priestiy vestments so magnificent, that they could
not resist the attraction. But they were longer
the type OF religious teachers; that type could
not be found in the Synagogue nor IN the Church.
NEED ANY MINISTER'S AT ALL?
The question IS, Do need any teachers OF re-
leion at air People might say that they knew all
| they needed 10 know; but they should remember
that this was an age OF specalisms. IL DO
special department tor letters ana the arts should
there be special teachers Of religions but they must
sired TO rise above the little plot Of ground on which
they moved they desired 70 rise 70 the questions OF
eternity This soemnty Of life, this bridge OF time
whit oh iand "A bOt m WaSp
with mystery. To ,cacl men that their mission was
here on EARTH ana that the promotion Of happiness
their great soace ana reward, and to penetrate to
the infinite within our own souls was the great work
OF the modern teacher Tho formulas OF theology
too narrow to help neither could the philosO
pny OF matter render us any assistance. Simple
trust the good and confidence that in
quence would help us. II only the modern teacher OF
religion should teach men what they should not be-
Ieve his work would be partially accomplished. He
various religions Of the time. remind them
Of the duty inspired by tho Hebrew religion, the SYM
pathy eDjoned ny the Hindoos and the selfsac hco
| OF the great Naxarcnc then mold them all into
and reconcile the old with the new IDEAS SO that
ligon again on the brow Of The rising
generalion. Tho teacher Of should also be a
scholar OF great moral vigoE He should be q man
capable OF helping men 10 find out what their duties
are, not very easy task, givc them clear
ccption Of these duties Pie affections aud obligations
OF mankind were 80 deeply entanged that II the ex
perenccs OF others trials could DO collected q book
OF duties written as It were with mans heart blood,
thousands would clasp suCn ooox 70 aner hearts IL
It's conscience. Tho teacher OF religion should be
| physician OF the soul the Tor large ana
truthful generalization. HIS next duty should DO TO
| exempliiy what he preached.
Boston clergy had stated recently that tho study
Of theology to-day more extended than ever. He
! professor Ader) could testify that the majority Of
theological students tho various universities
united for anything else in life Tho great stream
OF INTELLECT leaving theology and going to the
sciences theology longer tho. mistress Of uni
versiIcs, and orly narrow bigots or shrewd knayes
MI the pulpiis Of day They religious tramps
feed the oal OF knowledge, on the weaknesses
| OF women and the Ignorance Of men. Mankind
need no longer the sorcerers old, tho
telgent theologians had already confessed this ac
but not In phraseoloqy that all people could under
stand it. TIE time had come when there was plenty
OF work for those teachers OF religion anxious 10 do
right and to help on the great work Of Independence In
| thought Tor the rcgencraion OF mankind.
| JOHN FOX, OF LONDON. REPLIES TO INGERsoLL.
| AT Chickering Hall, Mr.. John Fox OF London, re-
| piled TO Colonel lngersol "Hell.n Not more than
dity people present, and the audience, including
ushers reporters did not at any time, consist OF
sixty persons Although u was advertised that Henry
Ward Beecher would preside. and that many clergy
would be present, not man OF note represent ed
| In the audience or tho stage. AT quarter-past
eight p. M. Mr.. Fox appeared and introduced himself
He said that there prove there hell.
OF late many controversies had taken place this
/ subject among two classes OF pcoplc-on the ono
| hand the extreme inndels, and the other
| tho ministers OF the Gospel. Cannon Fsrrar,
! OF England, the lrst one TO preach
| his doctrine and he was followed by Henry Ward
Beccher who took his sermon from the Canons text,
but did give the other side OF the Atlantic credit
| for IL. Beecher thought II great discovery, and
hastened It 10 the people before any
on this side got hold OF It. Many ministers followed
su a. and although some OF them defended the Scrip
lures, the majority thought tnat Beocher's and
Farrar's views were right. The speaker said he
did not come 10 rcfute this doctrine In order 10
nh his POCKETS with money or to Ran notorioty. no
Aafw ait run
ou ana until the learned ministers OF the Gospel
failed TO come forward to defend the Word OF God We
are told that there Is no hell, but sny there II
| place OF punishment because Christ said so,
| when he remarked, depart IRON mo ye cursed into
everlasting punis ment and come ye righteous into
! life eternaln II Christ says this don't care about
the words OF any other man, whether he Is the Popo
OF Rome, VINO has declared himself infabie or n
\ canon OF the English Church. or Boccber, the best
known clergyman Ia America
IDnaeity has become popular Of laie. III Ingersoil
4 Ian Ii