The New York Herald Newspaper, May 17, 1869, Page 3

RELIGIOUS. Highly Interesting Services in the Churches Yesterday. The Evangelical Alliance, Ritualism, Hebrew and Christian Confirmations, Sen- tational Preaching, &e. THD FEAST OF PENTICOST. Divine Worship in New York, Brooklyn, Washington, Poughkeepsie, New Haven and Other Cities. As will be seen from the subjoined reports of divine services solemnized yesterday im the metro- polis, the national capital and other parts of the country the ceremonies and the subjects of the various discussions were more than ordinarily di- veraified and interesting. The heavy rainstorm which prevailed in New York as well as other cities had the effect of diminishing to some extent the attendance at the various places of worship, particularly during the earlier devotions of the day. RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN THIS O!1¥. ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL. Sermon by Archbishop McCloskey. At the principal mass in the Cathedral yesterday the altar was neatly ornamented in honor of the fes- tival of the Pentecost, and the ceremonies consisted of the solemn high mass, with the Episcopal bene- aiction. The Very Rey. Father Starrs acted as cele- brant and was assisted by the Rev. Dr. MeSweeny a8 deacon, Rev. Father McGean as sub-deacon and Rey. Father Kearney as master of ceremonics. The Most Reverend Archbishop occupied his throne at the gospel side of the sanctuary and was attended by his chaplain, the Rev. Father MeNeirny. After the gospel in the mass had been sung his Grace the Archbishop ascended the pulpit and proceeded to deliver the sermon. His Grace took for the text of his discourse the Gospel of the day—John xiv., be- ginning with the 23d verse, He then called atten- tion to the promise made by our Divine Redeemer when about to remove His personal presence from His Apostles to ascend to the seat of His glory in heaven, that He would send the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth, to teach them all things, and not onty to teach them all things but to abide with them forever. He next drew the picture of the Apostles waiting the fulfilment of the promise in the private place to which they had withdrawn, and then anticehy portrayed the descent of the Holy Ghost, ie effect on the Aposties and the supsequent astonishment evinced by those who had known the Aposties as poor fishermen, inhabitants of Galilee, and now beheld them conversing in all languages eloquently and learnedly of the wonderful works of God. The reverend prelate then alluded to the fact that it was this miraculous gift of the Holy Ghost and the fulfillment of the promise of Christ which the Ohurch in every part of the worid was now ceie- brating in the testivalof the Pentecost. He alluded to the fact that the Aposties had virtually received the Spirit, or the Holy Ghost, before, when their Di- vine Master had told them to and teach all na- tions, and that whose sins they should forgive would be forgiven; but they had not until the descent al- luded to received the Holy Ghost with ali the plenitude of his and tn 4 visible and sensible manner. Although Onrist had given them permis- sion to become the teachers of the world, and had endowed them with miraculous gifts and had in- vested them with the highest prerogatives, yet He bade them not to enter upon the work of their mis- sion antil He should send the third person of the adorabie Trinity to teach them all things and to abide with them forever. When the Holy Ghost de- scended upon the Aposties they were filled, and they started out upon their work immediately, The Most Reverend Archbishop then quoted from the writings of St. Augustine and others in substantiation of the idea that the sending of the Holy Ghost to dwell with the Church of Christ forever was like breathing the breath into the body ofaman. The Holy Ghost would be its quickening and the Spirit breathed into the Charch was tne ae truth; that wherever the Church is there Spirit is, and wherever the Spirit ts there 18 all aged ‘That the Holy Ghost entered the Church as to a tempic; not as a transient visitor, but as a per- Lore guide. It was necessary to perpetuate that Chureh through all coming time. Heresies, schisms ‘and dissensions of all kinds must come; it would be necessary to battle everywhere with the princes of the world and powers of darkness, and if the Church were not sustained bythe Spirit how could it be perpetuated? From this the rev- erend prelate argued that as the Church now lives despite all the influences of evi! which had been aimed against it was evidence that there has been that divine light within it without which it could never have survived the persecutions to which its children have been subjected. His Grace then briefy recounted the doings of the general councils of the Uhurch which have been held under the dirs tion of Christ’s Vicar on earth, the Pope of Rome. and of the manner in which the Holy Ghost had manifested Has presence with the Charch in the conducting of those councils and resuits which fol- lowed them. He stated that the Holy Ghost spole in this council as the voice of Christ; that Christ was represented by his Vicar, and that when this Vicar spoke in the name of the Church he ke under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. alluding to the coming Ecumenical Council his Grace said that whatever may be done or sat in that council we know that the voice in which the Church speaks willbe tentical with that in which it has spoken in every age and in all places, That the Chureh would speak under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. That, in fact, the bishops were sum- moned from every quarter of the world to consult together, under the guidance of the pony aoe, m relation to the preservation of the truth and the sanctification and salvation of the souls of men. ‘The musical Roe of the services, under the di- rection of Professor Gustav Schmitz, consisted of @ mass by Giovanni Baita Meiner, for the first time. The greater part the composition 1s arranged for chorus and is strong yet highly expressive in arrangement. Throughout the work there are a few solo arrange- ments, but they certainly would not achieve inuch glory for their author. The only solo which was at all worthy of connecting the concerted parts was the Agnus Dei, and the beauty of this was materially en- hanced by the fact that it fell to the lot of Mrs. Wer- ner to sing it. That lady gives every solo which she sings with so much artistic taste and pathos that even a bad composition might be made to appear tine, In the solos other than the Agnus Det the singers did not appear to be quite au sai, and this may have deteriorated somewhat from their merits. ‘The chorus parts were exceedingly weil rendered by the volunteer choir, which Mr. schritz has trained most enectively. If some of the choir could be trained a littie further and taught to give their voices rest when ordinary propriety, if not religions zeal, would oblige them to be silent, 1 would to their creait and to the comfort of ott CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION, ‘The Religion of Ritualisu—Sermon by Bishop Bedell. Last evening Bishop Bedell delivered a sermon in the Church of the Ascenston, the subject being the “Religion of Ritnala.” The reverend gentlemen took for his text chapter Xiv., Sith verse, of St. Luke's gospel:—“Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its savor, wherewith shail it be seasoned?” Sait ‘was thesymbol of the Church, It symbolized its diffasiveness and wholesome imfnence, but when it Jost ita savor a remedy was needed which could only be supplied by the adherence to true doctrines, Christ spoke the parable and the lesson was sharp and pungent. It was applicable to the present as- pect of affairs regarding ritualism, which be cou- sidered was a departure from the true doctrines of the Church. He considered that there was danger from the incnication of Roman doctrines, The balwarks of Protestantism were threarened, More- over, there Was @ very stealthy progress of the Roman Catholic doctrines into that of Protestant jam. He was not frightened by the new ritualistic displays. The danger was not that which appeared, but that which was hidden. He warned the con- regation of losing that saltness referred to in ne gospel, Through the persistent efforts of ritaualism the Protestant. Church was being encroached npon, He desired to show the necessary, logical, practical and Inevitable result ‘of the process, then proceeded to dilate upon the aspect which the Roman Cathoile Church as pre- sented at Rome now exhibited, which he thought was sadly degenerated. fle considered that it should maintatn the doctrine of the gospel. Hesides, there must be ability displayed in teaching; and he was of opinion that the Church of home had lost that power. He then adverted to te pictures displayed = in Oatholic churches and. sub- mitved that they tailed to convey the idea for which they were intended. The Saviour represented on the crucifix suggested only helplessness. ‘There was nothing to indicate that He deserved the victory which He achieved, and the thought suggested was that of pity. He de- bed what he considered the popular idea of the jour at Rome. The divine nature was repre- sented a8 sitting in jrcgment, while licanta were shown as interceding to the Virgin Mary for G@eparied souls. Ohriev’s kingly power was only sung of real we ized, and nant of Christ's sove- was apparently divided with the Virgin. was following in the paths of Rome; but he submitted that its doctrine referring to the atonement of sins was erroneous. He described the ceremony’ of the mass as performed at Rome, Gemsing te various services incldental to the sacrifice, pointing out what he con- sidered the erroncous impressions created by its cel- ebration. The Rivugiists, he said, were following in the paths of Rome and the doctrine inculcated by the sacrifice. He thought it was marvellous that any one should believe in the sacrifice of the mass. ‘Phe reverend gentleman alludea at great length to the parable mentioned in the Gospel, and explained the waru which it was intended” jo convey. ‘After an elaborate dissertation on the services of the Roman Oatholic Church, commenting chiefly upon the consecration, the efficacy of which he disputed, Bishop Kedell proceeded to show that Ritualists were following inthe same footsteps. Ritualism, he thought, must end in idolatry. The doctrines of Rome were now being presented by tractarians, and all churches that went in that direction must eventually gowruin, But while Ritualism might carry souls to ruin it coulajnot injure the Church, because 1t was seasoned. He warned the congregation inst Ritualism and the doctrines it inculcated. He de- pricated the use of symbols, as used in Roman Cath- ‘olic Churches, a8 failing to represent properly what was intended should brought to mind; for, he contended, the faviour was all merciful ‘and should not be exhibited a8 an object of helplessness upon the cross. In conclusion he besought the congrega- tion to abandon sin and take up to the service of Christ, and fnally implored a benediction upon those present. ‘The regular services of the church were then proceeded with and terminated shortly after nine o'clock. reignt; Rituallem TRINITY CHAPEL. “The World’s Trinl”?—Lecture by Dr. Dix. ‘Trere was a large congregation last night at Trinity chapel, Twenty-fifth street, to hear the sixth and concluding lecture of a series on “Phe mystery of the Holy Incarnation of the Son of God,” given by the rector of Trinity, Rev. Dr. Morgan Dix. The special topic last night was ‘The World’s ‘Trial.’ ‘The speaker commenced by saying that he proposed to speak of the relations between divine truth and the world to which it 1s revealed, and to show how the world actually stands with reference to the gospel which is preached In it; but first he would refer to some strange errors on this subject, One of the signs of the last days, as foretold by the Son of Man, was that men’s hearts should be failing them for fear. No sigus of that fear yet appear in the world, or, if it 18 anywhere visible, it is in the Church, The attitude of the world 1s bold and de- fiant. Fear and failing of heart are found not there, but among the children of God. The world ap- pears to assume or says Siastoney, that the Church and Christianity are on trial; and it would seem as if many inthe Church thought so too. The world ascends into the throne of judgment and arraigns the dogmas and traditions of the Church, and an- nounces {ts purposes and competency to decide what is their nature and value. While the wor'd pur- sues this course there are those who avall and abet it. They are forward to explain, quick to apologize for desirous to justify what they call their faith—to say of doctrines, or rites, or practices, that they are not adapted to these times, or that they are at variance with the spirit of the age, and that men now-a-days will not receive tem as the heaviest of all objec- tions and decisive of tacir expulsion from the list of credenda and agent. it appears, for instance, that the multitude cannot be brought to receive Catholic teachings; that they are averse to the solemn ritual in which such teacliings are enshrined and set out to the eye; that they wil! not lead the life of self denial recommended by the satnts. Nambers in the Church conceive a suspicion of these things and say, “We must not teach them nor do them or let them be taught or done among us. If the worid will not take this we must find espe | which it will accept; we must, above all else, avoid getting a bad name outside for extreme views or any views out of harmony with the spirit of the age; for, in- deed, it is not the world that is on trial, but we and our religion, and the vote of the multitude, together with its good will and approbation, are what we by Many concessions aud much yielding wish to secure.” This is the contest between the two classes, On the one side stand the worldly, assum- ing the right to judge of all things In heaven and earth and demanding that each doctrine shall not be out of harmony with the desires of the natural man. On the other side Gpicrin Christians, bowing before this tribunal of pablic opinion and cringing to the shape that sits there in y ent, offer- ing apologics for anythmg im thew religion seemingly out of keeping with the nineteenth cen- tury, promising to have the Prayer Book revised, the canons annulled or anything else done that in any way keeps alive the faith in a mystical and sacremental religion or respect for an august cere- monial, This spirit of compromise and concession grows out of the loss of the right tdeas of the relation between the world and the Church. It is of the highest importance vo see which of the two is on trial—the age or the world. When Christ was arraigned before Pilate, who that was present sup- posed that the real judge was not that brave, proud soldier in his place of authorivy, but the sad, sorrowful shadow of a human that stood before the steps of the other’s bar. Yet so it was. ‘The man on trial was Pilate, Christ. Here the speaker drew a parallel between this trial! scene and that of the ‘Chureh and the world, insistung that it was the lat- ter that was on trial and not the former. Yet if this is 80, Why are Christ's people, it was asked, 30 nerv- ous, 80 resvless, so doubtful of their own cause? Why are they afraid of the charge of believing in mystical ceremonies or holding irrational dogmas ? There are multitudes like this constituting the broad church school, Why arethey soy They have sub- stituied for the gospel schemes of their own. Christ is the gospel and the gospel is Christ. For the Gos- i all manner of schemes have been substituted. Rome gives us one and Protestantism a dozen. Men have made tueir own ideas into gospels and put them tn place of the true. Give us, said the preacher, # simple pure Catholicism and you will ve us peace. What is on trial now is not Christ iy but false conceptions of it. And these fail all over the world. Romanism fails, Protestantism fails, but the faith and the wuth are alive stil and will shine forth by and by. FIFTH AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. ‘The Evangelical Alliance. ‘The Firth avenue Presbyterian charch, corner of Nineteenth strect and Fifth avenue, was densely crowded in every part last night by a highly fasiuon- able congregation, which had gathered to hear ad- dresses delivered tn connection with the American branch of the Evangelical Allignce. The pastor of the church, the Rev. Dr. Hall, took charge of’ the opening devotional portion of the exercises and in- troauced Mr. W. L. Dodge as the first speaker. Mr. Dodge stated that the meeting had been called fer the purpose of providing information as to the ob- jects of the Alliance and for reminding Christians of the great object which the organization had in view. At the last meeting of the Alliance it was intimated that in the antumn another meeting would be held in order to perfect arrangements for car- rying out the proposed world’s gathering, under the auspices of the American branch of the Aliance. The attention of some of the distinguished divines in Europe bad been called to the proposed work's guihering, aud it had been found that im conse. quence of some loportant meetings on thar side of the Atlantic during the autumn it would be inpossibie to have such a Tull gathering ws was wished for, and upou conference with the Eng- lish branch of the Alliance it was determined to poscpone the world’s gathering in this country anti the autuiana of 1570. {tb was desirable that the churches of America shonid be fully prepared and that Christian people should understand their par- ticular relation to this meeting. The Alliance de- signed during the interval to put into operation tn rv cities the same means of usefulness which had, some extent, been put into operation In this city, in order that every part of tae country might be interested tn this great work, It was essen- ually wary that at this time Christians should =} united in their efforts to stay ihe progress and encroachments of Catholicism and infidenty, A stream of emuration, composed of intelagent men, from Europe, was setting In to- wards this country, and these inen came with sent- meuts of infidelity and rationalism, 80 common in Europe. Great numbers, al were coming from Rome and tts dependencies, imbued with the super- stitions of Catholicism, who intend t endeavor to have and control this country m the interests of the Romish Church. Only the united efforts of God's people would preserve for them the Bible, the Sabbath and other Christian institutions, and Christians must lay aside denomi- natuonal rences and rally together in a compact body if = would still pow there Diessed advanta: ir. Dodge referred to the com- pletion of the Pacific Rattroad, and said that the people of God should rejotce in the new opportunt- ties 1 world provide for supplying Eastern countries with the blessed tidings of salvation, rhe Kev, Dr. & T. vrune, the secretary of the association, was next called upou to give some statement as to the o- of the society, The reverent pee said it was not necessary for bia to make any statement, as circulars placed in the wa would furnish all the information needed. ne Alliance was an asgociation of Christians of all conntries, ana its object was to exhibit that hiving and essential union which binds true beltevers together in the fellowship of Christ. It proposed now to extend its operations over the whole country, from auxiliary alliances in all the chief cities of America, and thus engage the whole evan- gelical population of tis country, of all churches, in its blessed work. The assoctation had not hith- erto ever appealed for a dollar; but from the pro- posed extension of its work and the projected world’s gathering in this country in , the Alitance would now have to ask the churches to rawe $20,000 or £210,000, The Kev. Dr. Adams followed in a very forcibie and interesting address. He said that the very name of the association suggested thoughts and’ words proper for the occasion, The Church was too much divided by unessential differences. He could not concetve of a greater absurdity than these divisions among Christians, St. Paul spoke of divistons in the Church of Christ, and how boldiv did he con- demp them when sald, ‘Ie Chriat divided; war ) gacrifieed = for your oF were you baptized im the mame of Pani? It was strange that, in spite of these differences among Curistians, the mighty dead should come to be considered as pubic property. Their books were read, their hymns were sung, but it was never asked what Church they belo} to. Pity that a man must die ana leave this world before he could be regarded as belo) to all Christian pecnle, The venerable doctor spoke at some length in support of the objects of the Alliance, fe The Rey. Dr. Andersov and Dr. J. Cotton Smith also addressed the meeting, and the Rey. Dr. Hold- ridge omfered prayer. TEMPLE ADATH JESHURUN. Confirmation ServieesELmpreasive Cercmes nies—Sermon by Rev. Dr. Kinhoru~A Sure prise Party. The Temple Adath Jeshurun—Congregation of Is- rael—on West Thirty-ninth street, near Seventh ave- nue, was almost uncomfortably crowded yesterday morning, the occasion being the celebration of the Feast of Weeks, or Shebuoth, coinetd- ing with the Christian Pentecost. The in- terior of the Synagogue, or Shule, was beau- tifully decorated with flowers, and over the pulpit were three arches of evergreens, and all the pillars and chandeliers were similarly embellished, giving the whole edifice a traly summerlike appearance. The day of Shebuoth, or Jewish Pentecost, is confir- mation day, in which, with appropriate ceremontes, and after a course of religious tuition, the young are adopted into the congregation as members. ‘here were seventeen girls and twenty-one boys, the former clad in white, the latter in black, marched up to the chancel at the beginning of the service, at nine * . the girls taking seats within the railing on either side and in front of the pulpit, the boys gocnpying arow ofchairs facing the ulpit, They were:—Carrie Einhorn, Amelia rn- heim, Hannah Goldenberg, Sarah Meyer, Julia Hayes, Rachel Frank, Dinah Wedeles, Laura Mack, Jennie Lebeastein, ©. Altvchul, Julia Meyer, Han- nah Steinfelz, Theresa Lichten, Hattie August, Hen- rietta Meyers, Sarah Eisenmann and Amelia Meyer; and the following young masters:—Moritz Mever, Samuel Ebrich, Louis Strous, Julius Strauss, Eugene Gotthold, Benj. Goodkind, Abraham Sinsheimer, Louis Lichten, Kuias August, Gustave Simwmerstield, Edward Frank, Aaron Hirsch, H. Stiefel, Alfred Katser, Henry Isaacs, Joseph Kurz, Solomon Schwarzshield, i. Schloss, §. Smith, 0. Hoffman and A. Gerns- bacher. After these young applicants for confirma- tion had been seated the Rey. L. Sternberger, the chasan or reader of the congregation, opened the services with prayer. The usual prayers, hymns and invocations were chanted by him, accompanied by the choir and sometimes by the congregation. The sermon was preached by Rey. Dr. Einhorn, and was a very able one, even for him, he being considered one of the most gifted Jewish rabbis in the country. He took for his text the first verse of the dfth clapter of Genesis—*Tius is the book of the generations of Adam. Inthe day that God cre- ated man, in the likeness of God made he him.” The reverend gentleman sought to impress his hearers with the lofty spirit of Judaism properly un- derstood and as deductible from the words of the text. The Biple, he said, was the book of mankind and its religton for all humanity, Israelitism was not nationally confined, but the living spirit of 1s doc- trines embraces the world, and all men created in the image of God, It excludes all phantastic notions, the imaginations of a God of anger, of hate, of a national God, but it teaches us to adore Him as a God filled with love for all mankind, for Jows as well ax others. We should, therefore, not forget the stranger. In the Mosaic law love 1s united co justice to all. The basis of the Thora 1s the finjuction, “Love thy neighbor 2s thyself and “Do unty others as thou wouldst be done by.” bts is the law and the prophets. As man was created in the image ot God, his soul is the Son of God and his body is the temple of God, and as such we ought to honor it im every one, whether Jew or not, for they are all God's image. Any other course of conduct is not Judaism, which is not confined to puny boundaries, nor can the Bibie be degraded to a mere cook book. Those who do so are retrograding, while Judaism, in its true spirit, is prepress and expansive, the Bible being the book of all men and ail mankind. After the sermon the reverend doctor examined the youths, first on matters bibMcal and dogmatical, and then on the subject of Jewish history, whereupon ali of them ascendea the steps to the door of the ark, which had been opened, and there pronounced the full confession of faith. On descending they passed the doctor, who spoke to each and with hands imposed on their heads, gave them his sacerdotal blessing. At three in the after- noon ail these children and their parents and friends, assembled at the house of Rev. Dr, Einhorn, where the Misses Rachel Frank, and Dinah Wedeies, and Master Moritz Meyer, made adi- dresses, and presented hum with a check Tor several hundred doliars, which the children coutwmibuted and baa saved up during the winter. SEVENTH STREET METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The Law of Labor—Sermon by Rev. Horace Cook. The pastor of the Seventh street Methodist Epis- copal church, Rev. Horace Cook, preached on the above subject yesterday morning, taking his text from Thessalonians 1., fourth chapter, eleventh verse. The speaker said there was no instinct so universal as that of seeking happiness. Philoso- phers had sometimes said that it was the pre- dominant instinct of human nature. In regard to no other impulse had 80 many mistakes been made. Men had sought happiness in every conceivable way. They nad pought it by the exercise of single faculties und by the exer- cise of a variety of faculties, They had sought 1 by avoiding activity. Moderate and excessive efforts in every form had been practised. He dia not be- lieve there was any sncli thing as happiness for a man Who was not active—active With a irm purpose and intent, Mechanics knew very well that a ma- chine wears more by lying sttli without using than by moderate use, if. man had no daily tasks which he was obliged to periorm he would not live half his i he spent his time in regular he would be apt to be lo lived, “ There was no way in which a man could be dilapidated farther than by Indolence and inactivity. There could be no vigor, robust- ness and buoyancy of spirits without suilable exer- cise or actt' The universal law of usefulness was that @ man should be useful just in proportion as he was active. An impression prevalis among the young that some men were endowed with a cer- tam facnity which was populariy called genins, and consequently they derived their knowiedge without study. They imagined that if @& man was sinart, either im polities, scholastic affatrs or any other walk of iife, he did things easily and without effort Bur the reverse of all that was true. In proportion as aman was useful he was coutingally mdustrious, There Was no inan vorn so great that he could afford to be idie, There was no man, though his head were as massive as Daniel Webster's, but needed to study. ‘There Was no man, though he were gifted. like An- gelo, with all the artistic tasies, but needed to be what Angelo Was—the most industrious man of his age. It was activity that made a man’s talent and usefulness. Every man should make up his =m at the — beginuii wo keep whatever facuities God had given hi in ceaseless activity. There was an almost universal repining among men wien they were obliged to labor. The young man just entering on life said— “I ain obliged to rise € and sit up late and labor incessantly, butt aim poe forward to a better tune.” In nine cases out of ten thas better time was the evil paravise of laziness. He pointed to the favored sons of rich parents, who were born to work—who were more than Use- less to society—and he envied their good fortune. But he (the preacher) told them that that good fortune had been their ruin and labor was the salvation of those who practised it. Instead of bemoaning their condition they should thank God for the exercise of labor—for the exercise of the brain and the bone and the sinew. He loved to see some sturdy, blacksmith or some deliver in the earth elevating his vocation and making every man who came after him @ better man, because be had left an honorable name behind him. There was no reason why a man Who had to be constantly at labor snould not be refined in his manner. There was no reason why aman who laid brick could not be a perfect gentieman, There was nothing in labor that was in- consistent. It was the culmination of ail the highest traits which beantstied and adorned life. CHURCH OF MOUNT ZION. “The Second Child”—Sermon by Bishop Snow. Bishop Snow, of the Church of Mount Zion, Ad- ventist, preached yesterday afternoon in the Unt- vesity. His text was Ecclesiastes tv., 15, 16—“I con- sidered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in nis stead. There is no end of all the peopie, even of all that have been before them; they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.’ This passage forms a small part of those deep things that were tndited by the Spirit of God, and is a striking prophecy of the times of the Messiah. The inspired penman ia taking a comprehensive survey of the masses of man- kind and their doings, He considers atten- tively all the living, the whole human family, down to these last days; and in doing this he con- miders the second child. Who is he? [t needs no argument to show @ man of sense that thore can ve no second without a first. Who, then, ts the first? Evidently it is he in whose stead this second child was to e or stand up. And to asceriata who was meant ie first we examine the preceding con- text, See verses thirteen and fourteen—"Beiter 1s ® poor and @ wise child than an old and foollsl king, who not more be admonished. For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that Is born in his kingdom becometh poor.” Tere is & comparison between @ poor and wise child and an old and foolish king. As this is prophecy, and as all the prophectes testify of Christ, this frst child 18 our D.vine Redeemer; while the old and foolish king 1 Rome, the grand apos- tate, Out of the cola prison of a tomb, where he was shut up and ded by the instruments of the Roman power, Christ came forth on the third day to reign in righteousness and glory. Dut the kings and rulers that the empire of Kome hae produced, though born in the al y are becoming poor, The Pope, who So Teganfed be their SHEET. NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, MAY 17, 1869.—TRIPLE father and federal head, 1s becoming so poor that he is obliged to call for contributions of “Peter pence”? from even the poor Irish servants. And soou he will become 80 Very poor that none will be found to help him or do him reverence, Amen. Betier, in- finitely better, is he who was crowned with thorns, natled to the cross and laid inthe tomb, than Kome, with all its sortie power and glory, but which is too stupid and stubborn to re cetve admonition, The mulutades of the na- tions appertaining to that old and foolish kingdom have lo been perry 4 away in their folly, and now the second child is standing up in place of the first. Whoishe? In Proverbs xxx., 4, it 1s asked, “Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Wno hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is h's name and what is his son’s name, if thou cans’t tell?” In answer to the first of these questions we read in John iil, 13, “No man hath as- cended up to heaven but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man.” In Ephesians iv., 10, we also read, ‘He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens.” {t18 plain | that these passages are speaking of Christ. It 18 He, therefore, who has gathered the winds in His fists, bound the waters with @ gar. ment and established all the ends of | the earth, His name is Jeans; bat what is the name of His son, the second child, who stands up Ais stead? He is the poor wise man, of Eccle- siastes, ix., 13-16, who delivers tue litte city—the Church of God—but whom men do not remember, whose wisdom is Seared and his words not heard. In the text also it is declared they that come after will not rejoice in him. He 1s not acceptable to the mass of professing Christians, but is to them @& stumbling stone, as the first child, Jesus, was to the Jews. He stands up in Mount Zion, as the ambas- sador and representative of the King of Kings, to instruct the children of the kingdom in the truth; but few Indeed wiii receive him tn his mission, and learn divine truth from his mouth, Few, indeed, are they who can rejoice in him. Who is he? Blessed, thrice blessed, are they who can tell. LON CHURCH. ‘The Church and Revivals—Sermon by Bishop Southgate, ‘The Right Rev. Horatio Southgate preached on the above subject yesterday evening at Zion church, on the corner of Madison avenue and Thirty-erghth street, from the text, ‘When they heard this they were pucked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ (Acts ii, 97%.) Before the sermon the preacher announced to his congre- gation that “Ihe Churchman’s Reading Rooms and Library” had just been instituted under the auspices of the American Church Unton, He said the benefits of such an association were not to be over estimated, and that it woula, tf sapported, be- come to the church what the Young Men’s Christian Association was to the sects, and more, Such as were desirous of supporting such an excelent object were desired to contribute at the evening collection taken up for that purpose. The attention of the congregation was drawn to the circulars placed in the different pews. ‘Thus sets orth thatthe admission to the reading rooms and library, No. 1,165 Broadway, open trom nine A. M. to tea P. M., 18 iree, and that full files of Ameri- can aud English church papers and magazines, and the principal secular newspapers and monthties, and a collection of church books are to be found there, Clergymen are invited to make the rooms their head- quarters. No distinction will be made on account of religious denomination. A list of boarding houses Jor the use of young churchmen will be kept. Members of the church out of employment are in- vited to leave their names and resitences, and those wishing,to hire employes are licewise requested to do so. Information wil be furnished to churchmen, strangers in the city, of the location of churches and hours of divine service, busmess matters, ob- jects of interest to be visited, &c. Essays and lec- tures will be delivered from time to time. The preacher, alter prefacing bis sermon with & few remarks, proceeded, He said they had neard of revivals im modera days, but had seldom heard of them in the Church, He thought it was deleterious to Christian reverence and the right conception of the Holy Spirit, which, as described in Scripture as like “the wind which bloweth where it listetn,”? to pass # hasty or contemptuous judgment upon any work that professes to be the result of the mighty operations of the Holy Ghost. It is better to treat ic calmly upon the basis of Scripture. ‘The Church's want of revivals has, perlaps, more than any other cause, led the denominations Which begirt her on every side to deny to her the coveted and crucia! name “Evangelical.” He would ‘and 40,000 miles of telegraph; our domain increases, our mastery of distance and obstacles increases, and it will be as to hold the continent in the Union as it was to hoid the, ‘hirteen States. time and gore more godlike in mind and power for ages, he Fedneing, miles to clearer new advance in the Huge sins and dificult visions of sence, Fourth—It is work of overcoming the world. eviis remain, Grantie evils stand yet more to level or tunnel than Alps or Hoosic mountains, The millennium 1s far from our doors, Dandies on velocipedes do not herald the angels in their chariots of fire. But much has been accomplished, and this event gives us new hope. Let us bridge the chasms between want and plenty, joy and sorrow, the earthly and heavenly, Let us run roads of union from heart to heart, roads of knowledge, roads of seawahte roads of liberty, commerce, honor and faith, ‘Then our victory will come, and bells of joy and bells of peace wil! ring it from all the steeples of beaven. RELIGIOUS SERVICES IV BROOKLYN, PLYMOUTH CHURCH. Rev. Henry Ward Beecher on Churches. Rev, Henry Ward Beecher preached yesterday to a congregation as large and as interested and atten- tive as is usually attracted to Plymouth church each successive Sabbath at morning and evening servives, After the preiiminary devotional services the reverend gentleman proceeded with his sermon, taking for his text Mathew v. 6—‘Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.” ‘These were the words of Christ himself, who delighted to instruct hus disciples through parables. They are intended to convey the assurance that all that seek Christ shall find him; that the longings of thelr hearts shall be gratified and that they shall be filled with righteousness. The Christian Churches teach this doctrine, and the impression that a church makes on the moral consciousness of the commu- nity is a fair test of its vitality and power. Every chureh 1s bound to make an impression for good on the minds of the ave of those attending its ministration, drawing a distinction between the members of it, collectivelysand individually. It would not be right to determine the good eifected by a church or to overlook the impression made by & church on the average number attending it, by the improper act of an mdividual or the acts of two or three individuals, no more than that one should say that because five or six disreputable persons, out of four or five hundred sojourning at the st. Nicholas or Metropolitan Hotel, were to be reste dents of these hotels, that consequently they must be Immoral and bad places to live. Isolated instances of depravity were not the criterions by which to judge of the morais of a whole community. But @ church must be judged by the impression it leaves on the moral conscious- ness and better natures of the community oe it. That impression is not easily traceable at al times. icmight be likened to a man using a seal and making the same impression day aiter day. ‘There is the impress of the seal, but you cannot distinguish it clearly whether it is a dragon or an eagle or a@ liberty cap, but the impress is there. Many churcles are kuown as ex- cellent places of resort on Sundays, for there are to be seen the best dressed people, the most prosperous people—pcople representing religious mutaal insur- ance companies, And people say of these, these men live in brown stone houses and worship in brown stone cuurches; they are the lucky ones. But the church, if it be true to itself must leave an impres- ston sor good on tue average number Of its communl- cants and that impression the church 1s bound to make apparent to ali men. The true Christian must command popular opinion, that 1s, the prerogative of power. ‘the Christian 18 bound so to live that men of another cnurch will say tt is a pity that such @ good man and active Christian does not belong to our church. Christ does not care for sects of Chris- tians, Christ is like a sportsman going into the fleld in quest of game. ie has pockets in every porns of his dress—pockets in his coat fore and behind, in his trousers, in his vest, big pockets and little pockets, Ail the sects of proiessing Christians are pockets in the garments of Jesus Christ, and it does not matter to the members of any particular sect whether they go to heaven in an outside pocket or an inside pocket— In a big pocket or a little pocket, so long as they got there at all. The Christian man was bound to let his Christianity be scen and known of his fellow men. No man lighteti a candle and puteth 1t under not return these compliments of what Bishop Sea- bury called “left-hand brethren.” It was better to iuenicate truth than to attack others, and therefore he would review this subject of revivals. It could not be said with any regard for trut that there was nothing of agreat “awakening” (if he could use a term which had come to have sometit of the air of cant about it) m the scene which 18 described in the second chapter of the A of the Muititudes “pricked in their hearts,’’ and 3,000 added to the Church in a single day was a triumph of divine grace that should make one pause before attributing to any interior influence ciforts in modern times, which are called by the school of Christians to which allusion had been made, the “fruits of revivals.” No awakening of the present day gathered such @ harvest as that in a single city, and he was fain to ask why the Church had no such mighty movements new. The preacher luded the rapid conversion spoken of im the acts of Jews and heathen, in Samana, Lydda, Saron, — Cesarea, Antioch and other cities, and asked, Why should it not be so in New York, where myriads were steeped i grosser wickedness than the heathen?’ It might be with us as with the people of Capernaum—the Lord can do no mighty works among us beeause of our unbelief. Ail must admit, however, that revivals had been greatly abused; that revival preachers were, as @ «ustinct class, dangerous imtraders upon the regu- lar ministration of the Word; that a “ire devoureth before them, and behind them a flame burneth.” Some could remember names which once moved the community with awe and intense excitement. The passage of one of them through the land to-day would as a deso- lating whiriwind. ‘Those times it was to be hoped would never return. But the fruits of that bitter experience remain in the noxious weeds of intidelity that had sprung up from the scorched and seared surface over which the unhallowed fire p 5 “anxious seats were’ now abolished, the “convicted rsons,” as they were called, was, as ie was informed, Mttle practised, The physical machinery for work- ing up feeling and rousing emotion had been thrown out of gear. This was not universally true, but the prevailing sentiment. But the Church provides for assemblies for prayer to a far greater extent thau the most zealous revivalist ever dreamed of. Sue opens her doors throughout the year twice daily. ‘bat the revivaltst seeks to accomplish by extra- ordinary and spasmodic efforts, the Church aims to accomplish #3 part of her daily and incessant work. Thus it is not lable vo the danger of abase to which revivals are from their acknowledged transitory character. ‘The preacher concluded py urging bis hearers to “continue steadtastly’ in the apostie’s doctrine and teliowsbip, BLEECKER STREET UNIVERSALIST CHURCH. ‘The Pacific Railway aud Its Lessons. At tie Bleecker street Universalist church the Rev, Day K. Lee preached in the morning te a fuil con- gregation, the subject of his discourse being ‘The Pacitic Kallway and Its Lessons” and his text as fol- lows:—“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with My father on His throne.” The preacher went on to say we may well believe Christ spoke these words from Heaven. ‘They give to man te highest watchword of life—“Overcome.” “Overcome evil, suffering, time, space and the world, and I will grant you to sit with Me on My throne.” His throne Is the seat of good- ness, victory, liberty and heavenly light and peace, ‘This is the throne of God most exalted. To be seated with Christ on His throne is to be established in goodness, victory, liberty and light; to sit on this parading — of a bushel. The Christian must avow his Christianity. As without oxygen you cannot make a flame, 80 every portion of the divine grace one really pos sesses will make itself felt far and near. He (Mr. Beecher) had no overweening attachment to the church a8 a physical organization, He was rather under than over in his attachment in that respect. He belteved in the usefulness of the churches, but he did not believe that any church on earth, from the first to the last, was ordained of God, The churches take the same stand in a community as schools, 80 far as they tended to promote morality in man. Churches are useful just as governments are useful. God did not make governments, but he made man to be governed. So us every government is good enough to answer the purposes of government, so every church is good enough to answer the purposes of a church, All churches are In some respects apostolical, but as to any one of them having de- scended irom the Aposties that was a delusion—not one of them so descended, It was a supreme tmper- tinence to say that apy one church presented the form and lineaments of St. Peter or St. Paul. No such thing. It might as well be said that they gave us the patterns of the aouses we were to buiid and live in, #8 to say they gave us the pat- tern of a church in which we were to worship. Baptism is bapuisin whether administered by a@ pope, cardinal, bishop, pe minister or lay- man; und so the sacrament of the Last Supper 16 as much a holy ordinance when administered by the father of a jawily to his children or by a man to him- self, as if the same was administered by priest or minister, Men were no doubt etter through church fellowship, and ali men should stand up and openly avow themselves Christians and as belongiug to some Christian church. The Christian man should bear witness to his Christianity and to his faith in on redeeming grace and love of the Lord Jesus Christ. ST MARY'S CHURCH. Confirmation Ceremonies Yesterday. Yesterday the Sacrament of Confirmation was ad- ministered to upwards of twelve hundred children at the church of St. Mary’s (Star of the Sea), South Brooklyn, The event culminated in a most satis factory manner to the pastor, Rev. Eugine Cassidy, and also to the Sisters of Charity who have been engaged for weeks pastin preparing the young people for the reception of the si ment. The day chosen being the Feast of the Penticost of Whitsunday, on which is commemorated by the church “the descent of the Holy Ghost on the heads ol the Aposties in the shape of tougues of fire,” was appropriate to the occasion. The day previous the candidates for confirmation attended the con- fessional and received holy communion Pony morning. In the afternoon tiey were confirmed by the Right Bev. Bishop Laughlin, who was as- sisted in the ceremonies by Rey. Fathers Cassidy and Godwin, ‘the edifice was crowded in every part, and the scene was of @ most solemn ana imposing character. The boys were dressed in white pantaloons and black jackets, while the girls all wore snowy white, wiih flowing veils and chaste wreaths of green and white. Remarks befitting the occasion were made py the Bishop at the vespers. The volunteer choir attached to the church acquitted themselves very well. The event, which is certalniy an epoch in the lives of those woo participated m the sacrament, will ever be remeut- bered as a happy one. LEE AVEMUE REFORMED CHURCH. Sermon by the Rev. Mi rroll—Denanciation of Pulpit Pyrotechnics. he Rev. Mr. Carroll preached an excetlent ser- mon yesterday morning at the Reformed church, corner of Lee avenue and Hewes street, Brooklyn, E. »., to which he has just been cailed. The rever- eiminence, as He sits most eminent on the throne of dod. This theme was brought to my mind by a recent achievement, overcoming time and space and gaining fresh assurance that evil and the world will be Cap ooo ey 1 allude to the comple. tion of the wmec Railway and the chime of bells which rang out the tid in this great metro- polls while the feet telegrap! published tt to all the world. Weare ao used to wonders that this does not strike us as it should; but who can hoid the great fact in his mind @ moment and not feel a new pulse throbbing in his heart, nor see a new era open? A bridgeway from ocean to ocean, reducing the wide continent to an island, making New York and San Francisco almost neighbors, opening the wonders of lakes, rivers and mountain \- leys and fabulous min scarcely tot hitherto, and then with telegraph, still more astonishing, over mountains and under the sea, tell- ins te story to all nations, Suppose the Egyptians had had a vision of this four thousand years ago, when they ran a railway track from the Pyramids to the quarries to bring the stones for those structures; suppose our nation had had @ vision of this forty - two yeare ago, When they iaid their first ratiway to the granite ainaer of Quiney, to bring the stones for Hunker Hill monument; suppose they had seen it ike chariots roiling in, would they have believed itt This was all commanded and foretold at the gates of Kden, when the first man wens forth to subdue the earth, To subdue ts to overcome, All the time since Adam man has been overcoming the earth, its eytl, tts susering, its forces, its extent, Sometines he has made great progress, then been delayed, then again risen and made a long march of triuiaph. Wheels have roied for lim, pulleys have for him, — bridges have ried — hin, ships have sailed’ in his service, and all roads, from an tnidiau trail to the Seinplon Fiaminian Way and railroad, have ated him on his Way. Pirst—This is & new achievement, overcoming evil, attaining to higher goodness and rising nearer to Christ. Some evil men hel; to tay itand will use it, bat hundreds of the also, and man at large will be blessed. It aids him in overcoming obstacies, friction, the drudgeries of toil, the wear and (ear of life, uniting men to serve and teach each other. It will weave this re. pe’, together and ir futare disunior le, Five yours ago bad 90.000 miles of end gentleman took for his text the following:— “Therefore came I unto 4 without gainsaying, as soon asl wassent for; I ask therefore for what inte ye have went for me."—Aots x, 29 A call to this people was prompted by God, and to him itewas the cali of God, therefore came he with- out'gainsay as soon he was called. To-lay he stood before them and asked for what had they sent for him. It was not to entertain them with mK words and rhetorical flourishes, God forbid—IT this was all he should not be ,the servant of Christ The Savior was pot a hermit and did not confine his missions to one place, but went about doing good and spreading joy wherever He went. Where sorrow and ailiction war He was there; and, with God’s aid, the reverend gentleman said, it was his intention to follow as closely in his footsteps ae ibie, He should preach noth ing but Christ and the cross, The rever- end = gentiemau strongly condemned = sensa- tional preaching, aud = particularily the habit which seemed to be growing in favor, of making the pulpit a political platform from which to hoist the ballot box for political demagogues. The ser- mons were so mixed now with politics and every- thing else but the Word of God that the congrega- tions after listening to them were often at a loss to know What it was all about. They were like the nostrums upon tne shelf of the apoth- ecary shop. As Daniel Webster once sald, “oo many take their texts from the Bibie and then preach their sermons from the newspapers.” Instead of # sermon, the congrega- tion ofttimes had # discourse ou dolittes, or under the Christian guise, a lecture on medicine, the most approved modes of cookery, or some other question oF ‘the day. They would not expect anything of this Kind from him. There would be no eclesiasti- cal reworks set off there. After a sermon of this kind the poor hungry soul who songht God would turn away from the house of the Lord disgusted. ‘Therefore he should preach the ‘ord of God only, as he considered that the mission for which he had been vent. He should be at the bedaide of the aiflicted, he should comfort them in their sorrow, should {Sa them God's treasure and fooch them His iaws, We was familiar with sorrow; aiid for he had dag seven graves and tasted of the bitter- rnc lates congregation lictened attentively to the Phe coe ‘at the close was dismissed with the benediction, RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN NEW JERSEY. Jersey City. In St. Peter's church yesterday morning first Communion was administered to @ large number of children, The girls were dressed in white and oc- cupied pews in the centre aisie, Rev. Dr. Wiseman, Who officiated, notified the congregation that the ensuing week was the last of the paschal time, within which all the faithfai are bound to approach the sacraments of pen- ance and the Eucharist under pain of severe penalties pronounced by the church. He iy exhorted all those who haa not yet performed their paschal duty to come forward belore the time ex- pired, All the children who were being prepared to make their first communion would receive mestruc- tios during the week. mancencar. being the Feast of Pentecost was cele- brated with great solemnity in all the Catholis churches of the city. In the Church of St. Bonifice (German) last Sunday, the pastor, Father Krauss, administered first com- munion to about 150 children of both sexes, and- seldom has a more impressive and edifying spectacie presented itseli in a Catholic church. Jour hundred children, holding candles and bouquets, marched in proceasion, and filed off through the centre alste of he church, chanting hymns at the same time. In the evening the children assembled again to perform the soiemn act of renewing their baptismal vows. In the North Baptist charch yesterday the ordi- nance of baptism was administered to the caudi- dates who had been notified the previous Sunday. A sermon was preached by the Key, W. ©. Van Meter, in which he gave ap account of his recent missionary tour through the South. A sermon was reached in the First Baptist church op “Self Mur- jer. ‘The Rev. J. Howard Suydam continues his vaiua- bie exhortations on social life at the ‘third Reformed church, He has already discussed many of the re- lations of life, and he addressed himselt particularly to young wen last evening on “Evil Haoits.”” Newark. ‘The church going population of Newark was well represented at the different places of worship yes- terday morning. ‘The weather was moderately fatr, although threatening clouds nung in the skies at the hour for the morning services, and the rain de- scended in floods before the termination of the ex- ercises. At St. Paul’s Methodist Episcopa! charch Rey. R. R. Meredith preached a _ beauti- ful and impressive sermon upon “fhe Character aud End of Simeon.” In the evening, Mr. Meredith preached a sermon, especially caiculated for the beneflc of young men, upon the “Crisis of Lite.” The speaker followed the course of young men from the first entrance the advanced stages of ther expe pointed out by effective and pract the consequences of rash and ill-advised steps upon their future prosperity and happiness. The tempta- tions, trials and disasters which are met in the jour- uey through life, and the means of escape srora folly and sin were the themes of well chosen and welt directed remarks. By words of caution to the tempted, by skilful persuasion and vy earnest en- treaty he impressed his hearers with the importance of a righteous beginning in the great race of life, and @ visibie effect Was produced upon those to whom his sermon was addressed. Rev. R. Van Horne preachea at the Clinton street Methodist Episcopal church a sermon on the great multitude before the throne. A description of the tonya of the “New Jerusaiem” formed the main of address and this was clotied in words of glowing power. The intimate relation of the Mose High to all, to the existence and the happiess of the saints in light led to the discussion of the qualities which are required to prepare the soul for participation in the pleasures of the heavenly world. Christ had laid down the way lor the righteous to walk in and it was through him by faith in is blood that sinful man could acquire the preparation jor heaven. Paterson. PATERSON, May 16, 1809. The churches to-day were exceedingly well at- tended, the beautiful weather bringing out the ladies in profusion in their light spring tollettes, @ movement they heartily repented of, nowever, as they were compelied to make their exit from cehareh in the midst of a peiting rain. Sundays in Paterson, as a general thing, are the same the year round, but yesterday was observed with extra ceremonies in many of the churches on account of its being Whit Sunday. The most notable celebrations in the morning were at the Episcopal church of the Holy Communion, it being the occasion of the annual visit of the Kight Rey. William H. Odenheimer, Bishop of New Jersey. In addition to the usuai Whit Sunday services by the Bishop, assisted by the rector, Rev. Mr. Hughes, the former administered the rite of confirmation to upwards of thirty candidates, after delivering a short address commemorative of the ori and observance of the day. In his address the Bishop spoke of Whit Sunday as being a festiv- ity to which the others, Christmas, Holy Week. Easter, &c., were but the preliminaries, and he considered it as probably the most im- portant day speciflea im the Cnurch calen- dar. It was in memory of the descent of the Holy Ghost and the bestowal upon humanity of the Divine presence. The reverend gentieman’s remarks were listened to witn great interest. In the afternoon the Bishop preached and administered the rite of confirmation in the St. Mary’s church, at Haledon, and in the evening at St. Paul's church, at Paterson, there being a large number of candidates at each service, In the St. John’s Roman Catholic church (Rev. W. H. McNulty) the usual celebrations of the day were observed and an effective and instructive dis- course delivered. In the Jewish synagogue the feast of Shabnoth, or Pentacost, was observed with the usual impressive ceremonies. Rev. Dr. Banvard, of the First Baptist delivered an able lecture from Isaiah 2—5. Rev. Wiliam Lord preached at Primitive Methodist church in the morning and Rev. Joseph Robinson, of Philadelphia, in the evening, the latter also filling the pulpit of the Main street Methodist church ta the morning. The ser- mons delivered by these genticmen were doctrinal and exhortive, and very avie. In the evening Rev. Mr. Lord preached in his own church (Main street Methodist), on ‘*Woman’s honored position and future glory,” treating his subject in an evangelical point of view. In the other churches the services were Lot of a special character. RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN CONNECTICHT. Bridgeport. BRIDGEPORT, May 16, 1869. Clouds and showers during the day somewhat in- terfered with the religious exercises of the Sabbath and kept away many worshippers. Nevertheless the churches were well filled, At St. John's Episco- pal chureh the Right Rev. Bishop Williaws officiated in the morning, aasisted by the rector, Rev. E. W. Maxey. Bishop Williams preached # sermon appropriate to Whitsunday from the text, Ephe- sians, fourth chapter, eighth verse—“Wheretore he saith, when He ascended upon high He led captty- ity captive and gave gifts unto men;” and Romans, fourteenth chapter, fifth verse—“‘One man esteem- etn one day above another; another esteemeth every day alike,” &c. At tw close of the sermon the rite of confirmation was conferred upon a large number of persons by the bishop. In his charge to the confirmed he arged upon them the daties aud responsibilities of the po- sition which they assumed, and exhorted them to be faitnful in four things, viz.:—Prayer, reading the Scriptures, attendance atthe sanctuary and he ing of the holy communion, giving, tu beautial and forcible language, the especial reasons for being par- ticular in regard to these things. At Trinity church in the morning the Rev. O. S Presvott, whe bas been laboring ali the week at this church, preached. In the afternoon Bishop Williams con- fitmed a large number of new members with inter. esting and appropriate ceremonies. In the evening the bishop confirmed a number of persons at Christ chureh, assisted by the rector, Re’ Faulkner, At the Baptixt church the Rev. Dr. ot ‘trinity Baptist church, New York, preache! morning and evening to large © tions. The Rev. Olympia Brown, of Weymouth, Massachuseti4, preached at the Universalist charch afternoon and evening to large congregations. YT arvernoon ser. mon was an able effort from the texi, Hebvewer, second chapter, ninth verse:—“But we sec Jesus, who was made 4 little iower than the ange!s for the suffering of death. crowned with giory and honor, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.’ At the Beaver street Methodist chureh Rev. J. M. Carrotl, the pastor, preached a fine discourse in the afvernoon from tae te. IL Corinthtaus, seventh chapterg first verse javing therefore these promises, cearly loved, jet cleanse ourselves,” &e, God dweils his and when they ae on hin for ‘and obey Him. Success is sure. The history ncient people shows this, Witu the precious: of Hi promises of God before us it ts our dury to put away all filthiness of the flesh and spirit; put away to- bacco as one Of the most fithy of things; be careful what we see and read, aud so keep from sptritual fith, ‘The services at the Advent Christian eharch were conducted by C. W. Leonard, and there were the usnal services im the other churches, with very goodly number® present at all, New Haven. New Haven, May 16, 1869. To-day being Whit Sunday, the day commemora- tive of the coming of the Holy Ghost, appropriate sermons were preached in ali the Episcopal churches, At Trinity church, in the morning, Rev, Dr. Harwood delivered the first of a series of ser- mons upon the subject, “The Work of the How Ghost in the Kingdom of God.” At St. Paul's churea CONTINUED ON TENTH PAGR