The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-29
TEMPLE BETHEL.
THE TEMPLE OF HuMANITy-sERM By

THE TEMPLE OF HUMANITy-sERMoN By REV.
DIR. HIRscH, OF LOUISVILLE, KY.
The period when the Temple about to be rebuilt
by Zerubbabel was first described by Dr. Hirsch of
Louisville. in his sermon to the congregation assem-
bled in the Temple Beth FL. Lexington avenue be.
tween Sixty second and Sixtythird Streets yesterday
morning. OF Zerubbabel and his associates he said
inveterate dolators the fathers had departed; de-
voted worshippers of the and only God the sons
returned. The iron smelling furnace of keen
misfortune had separated the worthless dross
from the sterling gold. With what emotions
must these rcgcneratcd descendants Of degenerate
ancestors have approached the sacred spot tor
which their souls had so long and ardcntly pined
around which the fearful memories o. an eventful
past clustered. in which the stern duties of the
present centred from which the bright hopes Of an
unknown future sprdng. Ours, too. my friends, IL
the sacred obligation to rebuild the temple OF hui
manity We, too, this day standing before q
shapeicss mass OF unsightly ruins every broken
rafter every cracked pillar urging us on to set them
right. What was II that overthrow the sanctuary .
What the sins which the returned exilcs will
have first to eradicate IL work OF reconstruction
IL not to faily Three combined to overthrow
the Tempc-idolatory, disregard Of the nobility of
man and bloody strife and are not the same dsin-
tcgrating influence operative In our times?
PREVALENCE OF IDoIATRY.
ldolatrytlat is. indifference to true religion-is
tho characteristic feature IN the pnysognoy OF our
age Church ind synagogue are fellow sufferers from
the bune. Antagonists during many centuries the
irony of history has willed them to be comforters
reciprocay under the smart OF common injury. The
spacious temples and richly ornanentcd tabcrnacles
everywhere greeting our eye seem to have been
erected but to become costly monumental tombs.
The nervous activity manifested Of late in building
seems to be but the delisvc energies OF the dying
system. How cold tho paganism OF the present age
when contrastcd with that of former times. Where
then there was poetry and there naught but
cold, hard scicncef The heather, dcfyng nature,
at least knew how To warm and cheer the senticnt
heart. while our sclfconccitcd, selfadniring
atheist only shuddcr and tremble IN the cold,
vast void he himself has fashioned with ncfarious
hands. Az Of old becomes the
slave Of nature not her master. The gulf
that divides him from the lowest OF ANIMALS dwindles
down to essentially nothing. In common with the
whole OF nature told our existence oscillatcs
pctuation of our own kind. We talk OF mind and
heart, and are asked, What they than brain
tissue aud muscley OF love- and told that II is
but another form Of sclfishncss. Honesty is perhaps
the best policy, but in itself OF no intrin-
sic value. Thou shalt not steal. thou shalt not
murder, are not eternal truths, but only laws
enacted by society for mutual scfprotcctiof. JUS
tca wells haggard face while cunning and tricky
smartncss everywhere WELD the sccptre. But in
the depths of hearts rcigns the genial sunshine
of low sensuality. eevatng us far above the petty
considerations OF outward circumstances. II will
guide from the gorgeous palaces OF the wealthy 10
the lowly cottages OF the poor; 1t will smooth the
pillow Of the sufferer. cool his fevered brow and
quench his maddening thirst
II il this that gives the sweet hope of immortality.
The Divine in us can never die. Not from mere no.
thingness evolved to return to nothingness
when our life here IN ended. Not the cradle and the
coffin mark the confines Of our existence Virtue aud
love will outlive the grave and death and will usher
into life beyond of higher duties aud greater In
tinscy with our Father ana God