New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-01-11
Old ROMAN SOCIETY.
ALECTrRE BY DIR. JOHN LORD.

PIRE-INFIDEL MATERIALIsM THR MAIN AGENT
OF Observation-Disclosures LESSONS TO Blk
DRAWN FROM ROMaN HISTORY.
DR.. Lords lecture on "SOciety in the Old
Roman World" was delivered yesterday morning at
Chckerlng Hall before audience remarkable alike In
num- bers and in eager interest IN historical themes 10
second course twenty-five lectures designed
to illustrate progress Of society from ancient 10 mod
crn times The OF the course appears assured
Fully eeOurths OF the audience consisted OF ladies'
many Of whom, coming late, failed t. obtain seats.
Among the clrrgymen present were the Rev. Joseph
Cook, the Rev. Dr. Tiffany ana the Rev DR.. OSgeod
Or. Lord held rather extreme Views, and was fire.
Guently applauded He as,rDrd the downfall of the
Roman Empire official aId social cOrruptOns, 10 the
the outgrowth Of maieriasm and Epcurednism ~ me
animatlng principles Roman society and held his pie
ture w type OF what modern society may become
il certain tendencies are not checked.
ltpieaScd, said the speaker God Alm-hiy-who, ltlS
conceded by some rules the word-to sweep away n"
old Roman Empire and to give it to new ard barbarc
races because, as | think moral evils Obscurcd the
brightness Of its civilization and poisoned society III s
very heart. tie dld the same thing to Assyran and
Per, empires Egyptians. BabyIonianS and GREEKS
we kow po,scsscd great culture and power.
set their civilization did not gave them IRON
ing o.us conquest rudcr II il probable that
no ciy IL ,,n among ancient ever equilcd that
oi t Gr.c ana material life was ever 50 splendid
g., tit OF tue Romans Glbb0n sees IN u Inc cuimina
uuu Of tlc 2,orir, OF antiquity Every one eXuted IA
t.c cslty4trd fac OF nature, IN gardens, villas, Owe
grove, vineyards and cornfclds. Grand palaces
filled witt pictures and statues and sscls Of silver
ana gold showed how favored were the rich. how
dlse cd was art how proud is trumuhs The theatres
atrs ana circus, altogether capable % ac-
cmmoJsting 100000 spectators, revealed The sports
and amuscmcnts Of a pleasure-s'eAinG gene atom ID
comparison with which AL modern scenic performances
are tame AIT showed its hi hest charm in splendid
u les
tnam were the eilaut,c staucs OF tac gods IN OyWpin
rcrose; and with all tie material toms of unDoundrl
wealth and artistic and Im0cria power We can
not hut feel mat civilization never EHurd WIKI
proudtr g,or.es Behold word Il law OF pleasure, %
art e luxury. OF grandeur. OF pomp. Of pride. Why
should not such glolicS be eternal .
Til, ,pondd external was deceptive. Beneath tdr
sculpturtd monuments of Imperial Rome were tfr dehs
OF generous vice. viii are sure 10 sap sooner or
n les. co,:liera,ttS ~ the power OF cd Imperial
dspOtism doubtless called Tor 10 crush the greater
evils of communism ana ahatchy, anu l WIN ,l",
Joseph Cook would write about G. lluuulsm IN ancient
Rome. not condemn imperial rue Wuth
il becomes necessary; ana Cesar, wo founded IT, looms
TP on me sclG , 9i lrqI ., Pom, as @rj.
crushed all noble SEPARATION ana ut a'u
fires OF freedom NJ great orators aro>c 40 iu' poets
were b rn, 10 philosophers uttricd tb'lr mug
nant protests. for they dared NOS. \ coid p2"d
| suilcn gloom Oycrspread tIe empire. l.ee
world never knew more able ana p3tflouc
rulers than were in the declining aays cf Roman GREAT
ness bat most OF them were either irlous tyrant' or
DEGRADED -pu-uaiist- some were monsters IKE Ne,".
TAc military power undermined, and wien You de-
stroy military power You also lie io' nprI" .'W Oh
II
the excessive luxury anj udoruee OF The upper
classes produced by Woathand an Epcurcan philosophy,
fortunes are nc dct 10 all civilizations and al ages
They are great evil but they ar the nau al result of
intellect industry and energy. You cannot dt'Ir'y
human iucuEa ties II you destroy them IN one
year they Will reappyar the next Con-
hut Immediately auoler head appears. Dl-piop"rt"a-
ate fortunes, made by unequal laws or monopolies re-
lnonopoiIes are on thcu there is 10 remedy Bn
Rome the great fortunes were made Icy oiJunate se.-
7 Al
fortunes rested injustice and privilege, ana what
nonopnurs are with Thes fortunes were enormous
II took about $50 900 year to support the dignity Of
Sruator Ans Roman General could make -lStn.lc
fortlur ia one wear Offices and wealth in the
hands Of me ancient aud powerful families Wander
bilt or stewart -punging from the ranks would nave
been nearly an lmposs bihty al Rome
Their enormous fortunes. Instead OF being spent ndl
coUsly, we're laVished on chariot races sadlitoIi
: ows and degrading scusuares. The no9cs grad
ually attached less value To rank than to the means
Oi PURCHASING pItasur, - Csuy was pIaG'I,d 20 al
Incredible extent, Rch Old bachelors were n'h III 7u
prene reverence Money become the ultimate emu OF
AL matrimonial alliances, and provided the Drue was
wealthy neither bridegroom nor uou'c l@,' as a.
faStii0us ~ age dcormliles meanhe,N OF ,.Iy or
vusartv OF person. lL' n,eF "a frtUp,t r
hritu. and encrvJted ladies of rank sold themselves
without shame those Ooat"d and equity seusnall'ts
VINO could give them palaces and diamonds
A person Vas regarded as fool WI" made presents
except totlr ricl. Chrlry was unsno"n. iYtu nos
uIfos dtl not cvI. tor thr po,r. The wrrched were
rtt to die unuotice Tn rich killed thomscive, when
led a prccarIous Ife and Gi,d Ike rrltc,,
Haf the population Of the whole Empire consisted Of
Sometimes ;hry physclanN ana srh"omasttF1 ana
were intelligent than their naHtcrs VIZ bL'kr
M Roman .ltytry. How long would . nave taken 10
the sOuti era saves By Their masters Ia"
me same niue crs that robbed Of his rights de
grad Il woman. The poets represented Ter a. lhrror
In man and even more vicious IN natural inclination.
Women were not we'll ,ducatcd they were amused W
rrIyO lies they tocd for the pleasure or convenience OF
man tbry were comparatiyey secluded. they could be
easily divorced. Woman had no dignity; her happiness
VAS in costly dresses. "A rruuue OF slaves
exciting banulcts and gorgeous trlnkets she
was sought IN marriage for what she had,
and not fJr she was. + minine virtue was rev
,rcuccd in the abstract; as when ne virtue Do 81
women was cld at the lowest POINT IN Athens me Far
thcuon arose. the most beautiful temple OF ahdHup'
dcdIc ateu TO female wisdom ana Nr'nt. Tue u, Ut
, ZION women uuutr PaEalIsm was O"lhE 10 cACulL-
stance. more than natural wtdRn. s.. ,,,,. On. an
The darkest picture 20 me OF Roman NE was the do,
,orblug devotion to demoralizng SPORTS. Inc no:llI
huIchcrIes Of the imphtheatre de.dgned tne nGra
SENSE At ~ period can We eau lhe Romans r. n,u
AMI Intellectual people, 50 tar a. sentiment = Cyu
cerned Tucy were intensely practical ana IN, ma
tcrial Their pleasures were ca, out t 81, y,
Why Id not art, with 1t, cvlIng inhu nee, contHtu
Ia save the CrumOng ,mDire ! We forget tna' ART
itself bads degemerated since the days oil fhlIias
and prOst u;cd 10 SUIT the TASTE OF gross ptope
without lofty ideal Nothing IL better utrsi'd than
the gradual OF art from Augustus to Di"cttto
Literature made serious chOIt Tor the Intellectual
GeyaoI 81 tns pe'P that ha MY Gs con-
srrvattve influence. But the philosophy OF t ,ne
lofty and eternal ideas, why, philosophy
was lnllcr to a Roman than theology 10 dandy vita
parted hair and drawing voice Eplcurean philosophy
alone was popular with the Romans teacAin- pleasure
a. tne end Of e, denying future life and ridculng
a. Thps every ntlaence at Rome failed save. aud
tended destroy. There was Christianity but came
TOO atr. and Christianity was corrupted II hdd
not attacked slavery, nor elevated woman,
nor destroyed the amphl theatrc those W"O
have observed the rcslstlrsS tide o. fash.on
aud nhdelity among uN,-dnons the hixner
aud intelligent classes when We nave books anu ot@tOFS
and colleges and Stern pnlpits-ctn CONCEIVE EOW
uowcIlrs> the utu Of an Unpopular religion AT
Rome. the leading peop'e were Fagihs' lhe
F,tlcrs OF the Churcn did not dream W saving
the Empire: perhaps they scarcely wanted 10
save ID. Christianity was not sent 10 save
rotten empire but to save mankind appwuSel ana
yls uc,dul first tor cd race, AMI EN- mes 10 ne
wrpt away An entirely new civilization was To arise
ON the ruins old framed from me Dcd.iul union
OF icuiouc strength with Christian uutu. Tue Roman