New-York tribune., 1881-11-28
,IR. FROTHINGHAMS VIEWS.
A com CONFESSION.
a GUUU IUNF EcSIUN'
zhe Fer Robert colyer Church Of The Messiah (Un
tdTidnD.

The Robert cOuyr al ,a2;s6 s eureA Of the Messiah '0f
The Rev. Robert Collyer preached at the
Church Of the Messiah yesterday "octavius Froth
ingham's Confession" The confession referred to In
this subject "a statement recently made by Mr. Froth
incham in which he declared that the drift Of free
thought was toward dead materiasm." He also said
that he did not believe any more in revealed reg-
ION than he did years ago. yet he doubted more and had
stopped denying to wait for more light. Mr.. Colyer
took bis text from LIKE xx:3S For he is not God Of
the dead, but Of the living"
The saducees he said, stood in the front rank in
Chrlst's time for character and culture and
class upright and downright in their purpose that
their name was synonym for justice. They had no
great assurance fair hope touching the life 20
come but there something grand the ground they
took which, in word, that the hopes and fears
which cOthe the future with such glory the hand
and such gloom on the other alike bondage the
souls free action. This should be left free, they
said, so that men should God, not
or a hope of reward - a fear Of punishment
but through pure love Of goodness. They were true
such light shOne for them, and make 1t out did
the best they could. | cannot but believe that Jesus
must have been aware through His divine insight how
very much OF freedom from doubt touching this
mystery OF the life to lies in our freedom from
thinking Now, it will not do to say that your simple
minded peasant ncwminted convert fresh from
the last revival has any real right to rank and
women whose minds weighted with thought and rich
learning, aud whose lives full Of the
ism 1t is not with harshnes5 that the Master meets
these men and women. They must have had very
human hearts, these SadduCees as such men have now
And may leave those inquiring Sadducees stand
ing there with their eyes eagerly looking the
Masters face and touch the question only touches
us all. it Is simply to say what have steadily tried to
say since caught something Of the blessed faith we
hold in common, that we ponder over this question
Of the souls abiding and waiting oD God to make good
His promises thick In what seems 10 he their
very breaking and be able settle the ques-
ton than child first learning its letters can settle the
meaning and purpose OF the stars What shall all do,
and whittier shall al! GOT Jesus gives but answer,
"God is not the God OF the dead but OF the living, and
we all live unto Him. Did the babes care what did
with them when they lay our heart and what
hut babes IN this limitabe home O God, ana what
We do better than TO nestle down and leave all in His
hands
ference between Christ and The sadducces because my
heart has been stirred deeply by the confession dear
friend and brother Mr.. Frothngham has made just now
oi me SHADOWS thl nave iaeu ahOnt MS PAIN ana the
doubt lac feels about the high worth OF the movement
aud is touched al through with sucb clear courage as
eau only cndcar ln niresh 10 those who with Jof
James Taylor "l love the truth even wnen it goes
against me- u touches men alsO who answer very
nearly to the type We have been looking at-men who
think that the soul should not be holden either by its
hopes and fears of the life come bu should
10 The truth for its own sake They also among our
best thinkers, and In their search Tor what tLcy believe
To he the truth they have borne hardship like good so
dicrs-yery great hardships Of them ~ | know.
haH done nothing 10 say this pure worth OF human
Kind. in those whom hold brothers. deepen IT,
aud make Il more tender and true
road ," ", in fhr Irn.n.traiHr * cL i. snt made
hr thinks touching what cannot do In the direction
his couiesssn points for the religious che fe which
springs from Uf Gods presence with and His
love Tor u.s. and that faith IN the immortal life that burns
and guWS thruu 10 our iat IN Jesus Christ II great
tbing To know even what cannot he done from a man
who naA watched The drn aud outcome painfully,
capnol bat cc also that there s Tar more in the move
lFIg4f "A ed
nccrin my mend and mr. friow,ininkcrs nave done a
noble part IN showing bow much wider the area II IN
which uiay live aud suii maintain our tiith 10 the
primal and essential truth, whca uudcrlic elisioUs
HE. II said Ui the movement WuiCu preceded THIS
have IN mnd. " rms hefry NJ Claiming cannot
Up'u INTO Christian Me- but " duA Here are oar
,an,.' they SAID cAu they False hneri' Aud so The
wider arrH uh Ga blends reason and ulth more for
tutu aud right,ou-uc-s Iucn Parser came ard alter
aim uua ac trIrnd and tbe word went i0rih again,
hut wth too utuc tth, t"u tur warmth, and tuo much
reason but ~ tue acI"n-irati"n ~ area 3 widrhcd
again. vithin wtch human souls can i've near % God and
Er"" mob" aEd u,uiii Ana 80 ana The w"r OF ,nost
""riu u" me I lu'N COM ''r'''h u tHat ia "ihCh Le
touches the tfl'u ~ith such Gear COURAGE tlat 10 ns
IiHd Yostiue tu Too Gar y reasoning. out uf an
'i~nh l"' '"iIi ne 'i- Us "'hNy, 10 toward gross
Iuu dead iGiJcTIatu. Iutrv everlasting negatives
sil Ing uth IN the human heart md 90" Mru vino have
ho ihh raise n 'hLNrrh !" th"" H'll "nrh tn9 tINc
80 lc would judge thc tror b., t- iTtnt, aun though
Is, worth tHc pains,
% ~. qa,, natural. think also fora ot his fine
tu The !Iliu uIth'st from Ais o"n tHau he had
suspected w hiH eager search Tor new hi'h
btra, Nh ur Iai. with the church the living tod.
maintained through The $685. without ih, and thAt the
rrHsrl pusc. ui the church oi the living God Tor all
truth and al righteousness s th" urrD oi those vino
have ri to ttuy Ntl s 10 ahTu. It's good con
'feul, aud hri.' and true aud lrt what VII b,al tHe
ov,uct with which my frIaud now take, sue. there
-I.a- boz CNtIys.u OF organized power
do good and true Nort Ia bfuthrry kndIC>s ANA good
30 aud freedom irOnl -uo,ipn"l sttlc FOR the r.st
why should Tear Man cannot 1--we shut out tie
hope ct bcttor nc. Ihls auIt toward matelasm can
uut ht uI,It than ras-.u, shallow. the heart and
luiud cannot live IT, Iu,y viii como back last To
old pure ih m Gods prcEoIcv in Tho revelation lie
nAs mad, to iii, AAy uoursh great
tr ndcr concern AL shut Uui the hope of
heaven aid suut by lot OF urcry -atuuH aud may
We hu! l,rt The iih delivered o. tie saints.