New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-08
LIBERTY AND THE LAW.
DIR. HILLS breaches A SERMON ON THE
WORKS OF RUsKIN.
LESSONS DRAWN FROM THE SEVEN LAMPS OF
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AUTHOR SEEKING
TO GUIDE MEN INTO HAPPI-
NESS AND VIRTUE.

TO GUIDE MEN INTO HAPPI-
NESS AND VIRTUE.
"society's greatest peril to-day is the demagogues
who teach and the ignorant classes VINO peneVe
that there Is such a thing as liberty said the
Rev DR. Newell Dwight Hills in Plymouth Church
last evening. in his series OF sermons on treat
Books and Great Authors" The SUBJECT OF the
evening was John Ruskn's Seven Lamps OF
Architecture as Interpreters Of the Seven Laws OF
Life: A Study OF the Principles Of Character Build
ing" Dr. Hills explained by saying that obedience
Is strength and disobedience weakness and death.
The only child Of liberty, he said. was the one VINO
stopped to take the yoke OF law
The church was crowded last night as 1t has
been previous Sunday evenings and many went
away because they could not get seats
DR.. Hills said in part:
Full fifty years have passed since this glorious
youth entered the arena, his face glowing ' WLtn
his breast his message plea for the return 70 me
simpicties of virtue During all these years ne has
that has never been surpassed Over against the
brocaded pages OF Gibbon and the pomposisy sr ol
page embodied simplicity. every sentence ciear as
cube OF solid sunshine.
But Ruskns fame DR.. Hills said, does not rest
upon his skill literary artist He is an apostle
OF righteousness. His fame rests upon MS uhceas-
ing emphasis OF individual worth as the very genius
OF happiness and progress. He continued:
Loving nature, Ruskns earliest. latest deepest eS
ee aeIIgn1 IN Modern Painters ne sets forth the
claim OF rock and wave OF herb and shrub upon
fnme5 Winds the valleys covered with and
cattle, the mountains robed In pine as WIN '1e
man, who goes weeping, laughing, loving. through
his pathetic career. one morning crossing the ns, d
toward Matterhorn he met suffering peasasn,L anu
In that hour the mountain became as nothing IN
the presence of his brighter man ho Is Hight.
bearer, seeking 10 guide men into happiness ana
virtue. Does some youth deny beauty 10 the 6 eye
that he may gather gold and daily eat stalled OK IN
tariIy entered dungeon to spend his time gather.
ing The roting straw from the damp stones 10 t"Ist
Samson OF industry his superior wisdom TO
gather into his hands AL the lines Of some branch
wrecker who lures SOM good ship unto the rocks
that he may clothe himself with garments and
slain by deceit.
Over against these books dealing with mans
Lamps Of Architecture" a book written at an hour
when the sense Of mans wePd through
that hour when the iron entered his soul and in
fnskin turned from the baseness OF man to the
white statue that lifts no mailed hand TO strike, and
for the sacred silence OF the cathedral. Standing
beneath the vast dome, in vision hour he saw
the stones Of the fields and rearing them into some
awful pile with great spnging arches and intrepid
Z above the 1e'1 closds and 5eyond them
He saw walls all glorious with lustrous beauty,
and knew that artists had taken the flower girls
from the streets and turned them into angels Tor
the celllng, ndu 1aken the DSsSdl HOp-
bling homeward and made him TO reappear upon
the canvas Apollo of beauty: he saw chapels
once the OF rubbish and plaster become
chapels Of peace. glowing with angels and prophets
and sybs Ne ere rst oT ru the h. 1eyer
Studying the laws by which foundations were
made firm. by which towers were made secure and
domes perfect he completed volume In which he
forgot man and remembered only the problems OF
stone and steel and wood. And yet, as we analyze
those chapters find that these seven lamps OF
architecture In reality the seven laws for man
life. For soul is a temple more majestic than any
cathedral-a temple in which principles are foun-
dalton stones and habits are columns and pillars,
and faculties master builders. every thought
driving a nail and every deed weakening or making
strong some timber: the whole standing forth at
hay and stubble or builded Of thoughts and pur
poses more precious than gold and flashing gems.
DR.. Hills closed as follows:
Slowly the souls temple rises Slowly reason
and conscience make beautiful the halls OF i'm
agination. the galleries of memory the chambers
OF affection. When makes the coors so
bright as TO dazzle. trouble comes In to soften the
tints. II adversely lends gloom to some room OF
memory, hope enters 10 tighten the dark lines.
OF old the artist pupil was discouraged with his
task and slept the sleep of despair. But while he
slept his master came in. and with touch here
and turned a childs face Nto the majesty OF
angels. and. Weakening from his sleep, the youth
marvelled that he could have feared. and took up
afresh what proved TO be task of inspiration that
brought immortal fame
And the soul is pupil that works with the
Master Builder. Full oft divine form enters the
earthly scene. Thoughts that not mans enter
his mind hopes that not his. like angels, knock
at his door TO aid him In his work. Even death is
no vanGal. When the body hath done its work
death pulls the body down Tintoretto, tong
upon his ceiling. pulled down his scaffod to reveal
TO men ceiling glorious with lustrous beauty.