The New York herald., 1878-09-30
MASONIC TEMPLE.

RELIGIONS DEMANDS ON THE PEOPLE OF
THIS NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. BY MR.. o. B.
FEoTHINGHAM.
The address Of Mr.. rockingham was directed to .
reiutation OF the arguments advanced by those who
declare that tho day Of religion is past and that 1t
has claim upon the present age. As preacher OF
religion he veuturcd forth its claim to respect
and obedience. He briefly reviewed the benefit con-
ierred upon tho by religion. It had been the
patron OF art literature and philosophy; it had been
the teacher OF mankind when they had other in
structor 1t had been the champion of the poor when
they were poor indeed. and had upheld the people
when they were being crushed to earth; had taught
the brotherhood OF man in ages torn with social and
civil strife, and made "dcmocracy' its motto when
banners over the world. Tho preacher dwell.
for some time upon the breadth and Tree.
dom oil re gion, and tnsn asserted that a doctrine
which orbids doubt and scepticism any given
point; which attempts to limit the human soul that
limits inspiration to book; that confines the word
OF God TO SPECIAL literature; tnat says This and
this only Is from heaven" making tha great ltsra-
turo OF the world subordinate to one Book-such
doctrine was essentially rreligous. This II be-
tar il limited human intelligence, SO far 1t
confined tho human mind because It said TO immortal
Iigion demanded that when this Book was called sa
cred the Term should DO applied to all the other
books that lad sancthed the human mind
"IEEELiGIoUsn RELIGION.
rosay that any ono sot oi doctrines constituted
religion was the preacher emphatically repeated, to
be essentially lrreigIous. Buddhs, Socrates and
Moses he mentioned IN breath as the groat teachers
OF religion. He appealed Tor wtdening OF the den-
OF word, the seeking OF new truth and the
Invocation OF science and OF philosophy to make
larger aud larger our knowledge OF divine things.
THIS had been all times the cry OF true religion
that religion the object Of which to elevate
ennoole man.
Mr. Frethipgham next devoted his attention to
sentimen talism Ia charity, which he charac erzed
injurious as demoralizng. Nay, he added,
and venture to affirm that the doctrine OF
charity as preached by Jesus, the doctrine OF tho
Sermon the Mount Is open to this charge. affirm
that New Testament, II taken at ITS word at this
me would be Daneful to any reasonable distribution
of human affairs But say that such not the DOC
OF religion but OF certain teacher oil religion
These doctrines grew out OF the time an d were ad-
dressed 10 particular people under certain con /.
dillons.
TEACHINGS TESTAMENT.
The doctrines OF Jesus applied to generation that
expected the world TO come any day to an end.
We saId Mr.. Frothingham, live il a world,
under new system, and we cannot afford IN the
OF religion TO pick out golden words from books
ike the Bible and make them the dictators OF our
limo oil duty. Science, he went on to saw reacts from
sentmentslism ana sets up the doctrine OF selfish
ness OF the OF the ttcsthat s the toughes
strongest, most brutal religion took the middle
ground. 1t said, "What you 10 do wisely. Beware
how you dcmoraliZe break down weaken a
single human beng Build the people up, gIve them
more knowledge aud dev elop them, and yet remem-
ber that each weak, suffering creature is your
brother and to be gwen help aud sympathy" This,
said Mr. rockingham, had been the teacnng Of true
religion in all times past and would DO TOR all time TO
cnme