The New York Herald Newspaper, December 6, 1869, Page 3

RELIGIOUS. Characteristic Ceremontes---Sermons and Celebrations Yesterday. The Offices of Christ and of Man and. Woman. How the Parsons in the Pulpits Treat the Becent Richardson Tragedy. Discourses by the Rev. Messrs. Pullman, Frothingham, Beecher, Hepworth, Armitage and Others. SIXTH UNIVERSALIST CHURCH. Tho Late Richardson Tragedy—A Libertine ‘Worse than an Assassin—Sermon by the Rev. James M. Pallmann. $ At the Church of our Saviour, in Thirty-fifth street, besween Fifth and Bixth avenues, the Rev. James ‘M. Pullman preached a sermon on the all-absorbing topic of the Richardson-McFarland tragedy yester- @ay during the morning service. Because of the un- propitious weather few were present. The preacher selected his text from Daniel v., 6:—“In the same hour came forth fingers of s man’s hand.” One subject, he said, bas tn all ages been closely veiled. Intemperauce in all its forms, slavery in all its hor- rora and oppression with allits abuses we discuss openly, but the one abuse referred to, which has more evil in it than all these combined, is kept away from our schools, from our churches, from our libraries. and ean only force public recog- Bition by @ public denowment, As the Alpine traveller is led through all the tor- tuous windings of the glaciers he 18 reminded by his careful gaide to speak lowly and softly, lest his Yolce, producing @ concussion in the atmosphere, ‘will loosen the vast mountains of snow and ice and precipitate the avalanche into the valley below, pro- Gucing disorder gnd ruin. Thus it is with the evil we are considering. Men may be silent, but God says that the evil shall work to th; ee dy has broken out. During vhe last week It fasbed through echoes througtout the land. Goctery ia agusted, the ou! . iy t body politic is wounded and a@ cilnic must be hela over injury. The wound must be probed; social Meas must be re-examined, Just as tne sound dies away @ clamor seis in, A man has been killed, ‘Whose fauit is it? Answers pour in irom all uate But two voices reach us clearly. early. ne jastufies 1 Martyr and Teproates’ the assassin; Hie othe Pret ing aespey guilt of the dead. Public voloe "on 7c mastinotively, “I will divide the we ¥ pete be ~~ sat three Clagyes;. oss IPR «a pessonal inichus sid admirere of the do. Teale at Se asa faite im to bt ‘erin charged, Third, those who do He of AN that the cag moe merited such a terrivie retribution. tne fi ,Persetal feeling for a friend in sufesma ai. Jn the second class I enumerate ‘the ministers. Their acts and eulog.es were nothin, but apologies, An undertone of excuse pervades ‘heir sentiments and they exhibited a feeling that there was something to atone for, And I believe that something does need to be explained—that something does need defence. By acting as they have a stain has fallen upon themselves and their profession. The third clags acts upon the advanced Glass, Who proclaim advanced principles and reform. These men sometimes stop at nothing; they invade the marriage tie. But I won’t speak of a lunatic with resp not of @ man who advances the idea that an old ordinance must be re- formed because it is an old ordinan and Fae YE are ay a things ed ae agains! ings Ol these phases of opinion swell the black current of damuation running through the substratum ot New York society, And Bere comes up that class of men of strong miuds ‘who tell us the sancity of the marriage state Is fool- tab. How woula society be if we heeded tueir advice? But {will not argue with a mad dog. When one attacks the holiest of all institutions he cannot be argued with except with the same logic as that of the last ten days. In it we see a Vice President giving his name to the sympathy of the deceased. The fact is significant. ‘there social order 1 lay down the pro} ition that the worst foe to social order is the iibertine, and not the ‘assassin. Human life has ever been held the most sacred of everything on earth, 1 stand here to con- trovert that View. Of all beings the deliberate Nbertine is the vilest. He enters happy homes, creeps like a guake and skuiks like a fox into the Gomestic relations. He succeeds. What is the con- wequence? The wife is driven from her home, loses her self-respect, follows the street and closes her in- famous career in a potter's field. Had he been killed would the result have been worse? The story of all famity wrongs shows that we are living wrongly in the cities. We well in boarding houses, we introduce men who, fair without, are rotten within, and they spread and isseminate the poiwon of a baneful wrong. Tne average sentiment of man is that if he gets hurt no one for he 1s a social outlaw, Though I don’t gay that the killing of the man whose corpse is now before the public eye was right, we all say that it was @ natural justice which overtook him. ‘The influence of unbridied passion, of literature, renders a social tragedy like this possible. Our rock should be the family relation ordaiued of God. Yhe reverend gentleman closed his discourse, which was delivered in a very positive and emphatic Manner, by reasserting, by quotation, the invio- lability of home happiness. There was no maniles- tation during his frequent (eclarations that murder ‘was inferior in di to seduction, save in the de- parture of one genticman from the middie of tne congregation in high dudgeon, LyAlc HALL, Aspiration and Perfection—The Richardson Tragedy—Sermon by the Rev. 0. B. Froth- fingham. ‘The lecture room of Lyric Hall, Sixth avenue and Forty-second street, was about half filled yesterday ‘morning by members of the congregation which ‘worships there and strangers who anticipated a sermon from the pastor, the now celebrated 0. B. Frothingham, touching the lamentable tragedy which continues to absorb public attention and the Astor House marriage atterpiece, in which the reverend gentleman played a conspicuous part. ‘The result showed that the congregation, or that portion of it which thought proper to attend, bad calculated aright. After the usual singing and prayer Mr. Frothing- ham announced as the text of his discourse the fifth chapter of St, Matthew and the forty-eighth verse, ‘‘Be you therefore perfect, as also your Heavenly Father a perfect,” Beginning with an analysis of the char- acter of Christ he said that many men have waued through biood that they might be made kings, but He gave his life to prevent being crowned. Jesus put away all passion, and lived and died a man tor men. His perfectness consisted in his imperfectness; be saw beauty in ugliness, and shed tears of pity for the wretched, We are all on the wrong road to the perfection which characterized Jesus. We confound ambitton with aspiration, and err accordingly. Am- bition means climbing up; aspiration means going down; aspiration is making yourself less than your fellow men;ambition means setting yourself high above the level of ordinary people, ‘There is the ambition to be perfect in form, to be cultured to at- tain political power and eminence, and to be so- cially distinguished; but when a man attains one or all of these objects of his ambition what is the re- sult? He becomes lonely, isolated, cold and inhuman, But the most fatai of ail ambitions is the aspiration alter virtue and the periection of holiness, The man who sees his God above the clouds di reach his hand to the clouds he wants to be a spirit: as God is sire is to be there with him. down upon men, measures him: learns to hate pleasure and separates himself from hus kind, until at last he dwells alone a hater and scorner, instead of being a lover of his kind. He goes from height to height with “Excelsior” as his Motto, until finally, in the unholy ambition to be holy, in the ungodiy struggle to be like God he is lost inthe snow and his heart becomes an icicle, The Rreacher ete batho eee Piper! dace erfection of aspiration. Faith Js a splendid thing and Hope ts magnificent; but they avail a man wmothing if he, not charity and kindness toward 18 nO good- as God i in heaven, his de- He begins to look if against them, E Ld aliens iF No tness in which charity has no place. said he spoke teelingly and ear- mre he. mud vate ba vane ‘wee he congregation was thinking. ‘or four a See ae heard nothing but the clamor about itrage against social Jaws, the biow leveiled at the sacred mar relation,” &c. There was mofe than one way of doing all that. ‘To make vain, mall band unjust statements; vilifying Innocent people and dragging them forth gefore the public to it them with random anuse Ss damemoe to the armouy of society. To fiitupa new: with i to cover @ gric! Peericea. ‘Ae! nceless woman with reproach; to fasten a cont chilfren is to break up social rela tard tee Imermony of woctety. To ji Of justice; $0 create public sentiment abuleg asadgn ois to disturb in advance in favor of an the harmony NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1869—TRIPLE SHEET. ool and made this Albert D. Richardson was bis parision he was in town or went to church at all.came here, Waen, therefore, Mr. Richardson’ him to say that he was wanted his | ecrrenoe he did not hesitate a moment, If Mr. Richardson’s assassin had been his parishoner, and bad sent for him, he would have alacrity. He knew little of Mr. Richardson, an nothing of the woman, but was intimate with many of their friends, whom he knew to be of irre- w to be persons proachable truth. When they told bim that the man and woman were innocent he believed them, ana believed still that they were not guilty or what was [the preacher) went s them. He ce and @ solemn duty on his part, clearer in his lite as to his duty red since to chi him. we leclared now that relation bet r ped #0 m the children trom the He orld Jong as he was a man he would stand ip r the nity of nocent and advocate their cause unt tem, '# love for his creavures abides forever, and the love that 1s human is like unto God’s, ‘There is hut one true course to be fol- lowed in respect to the lamentable ocourrence which tilled the public mind ee and that course is silence, loving kindness aud forgiveness, PLYMOUTH CHUACH, ee Influgnee of the Béeve of God—Sermon sy the Rev, Henry Ward Beecher. As it was Anticipated that the Rev. Mr, Beecher might possibly refer to the Richardson case, owing to the comments which his connection with the hy- meneal services in the Astor Housg elicited, Plymoyth church, notwitiseatiding the inclement weathi®, WAS crowded to the doors, Ho did not, however, advert to it, and not a few were accord- ingly disappointed, as his views upon the subject were looked for. After announcing that in conse- quence of @ domestic affliction, the approaching death of his grandson, there would be no evening service, the reverend gentleman took his text from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans, vil, 24—'Oh wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me trom the body of this death?” He firat alluded to the traveller wanaering on in wretchedness. He was over wearied, was discouraged, was on the point of giving up all hopes of the struggle for rescue; he saw suddenly the glimpses of a light, and, know- ing that the road was near to a dwelling house, he exclaimed, ‘Thank God, Iam saved |” and yet he did not stop to point out all the reasons which led to that exclamation. In this wise victory was interpreted. God in Jesus Christ was the solution of that profound mystery of human life which mano in all ages had observed. Rising up from all competitors man was found standing at the head of all earthly tribes in power and harmony, and while he might be inferior to animals in certain special organs, collectively he was far superior to them. And yet larger and transcendant as he was, man was not happy, not in any p rtion to the pro- ductiveness of Ina nature and the foregleams which that nature gave,The history of the race was a sad one. Man knew more of everything than he did of himself. He could manage the physical globe far better than he could bis own body. The first ‘and facts that met the student was the physival force whieh had been given to man as a creature living upon the material globe; the next fact was the supreme supra elements existing in his nature. He was the creature of affection, love, moral sentiment and spiritual life. Men had learned but very imperfectly to carry themseives 80 that every part of their nature snould have fair play. Regarding man as & race, the animal propensities and passions were always predommant, There was @ conflict waged, he hoj with some degree of power, between man’s physictal life, as represented by his appetites and passions and his moral life, in- cluding, bis social atections and imagination. This was the strile which had been going on, 1d to all souls aroused to true lignt the struggle had been a severe one. How to have the power over our whole organization, over the despotism of our animal and sellish nature—that was the problem of practical life, Remedies had been proposed to bring the con- flict between the soul and the body to @ close. One method wi to ere way to the pas- the her feelings. apt dismal sions and ki however, was a brilliant opening, but a close, What was more wretched to behold than a sullen old man burnt out inevilf Men thus freeing themselves from the struggle were like a party en- tering Mammoth Cave. They have lights enough to carry them througa if they are sparingly used; but they at once set all their candies on fire, heediess of the warning voice of the guide, and they wauder many miles from the mouth of the cave, when one light after another begins to flicker, burns low and goes out. In hasty alarm they turn back. Twilight comes, and then the utter darkness, yet they are miles from the exit ‘Then foilow the outeries for help, ana some, wandering they know not where, plunge down the chasms, while others, giving up jie down in despair. There was, as a method to ri themselves of the struggle, the example of those who wasted all lg hme and jons in youth and at last wandered into great darkness iar from the exit, Superstition was another way, & sort of stupefaetion, which, while it neither strengthened nor weakened, succeeded in banishing sharp alarm. Morality bad given to it a compromise, not that mo- rallty was to be despised, for 1 was the average ob- servance of the laws and customs of society, It was, however, an empirical remedy, but it did not fully enable the radical, fundamental conflict between the flesh and the biood to be carried on. ‘Then came philosophy. It propounded to men maxims and proposed certain rules for guidance, but they were not applicable to ali, and, tuereiore, if there was no remedy except philosopny, it cer- tainly proposed none. What, then, was the final remedy. What did Christianity offer in this case? It undertook to bring to men a higher power in them- selves and apply to that side where the power is most benetict It undertook to bring God in con- nection with mankind, The reverend gentieman then dilated at consider- able length upon the love of God for man and the omer which he entertained for him. This was the grand remedy to be sought, no otner being of It was the representation of God as the acher, the personal iriend, the one dictator, supremely beautiful in his intense sympathy—tnis was the view of God we needed in our soul's dis- tress—the power brought within the conditions of our understanding, and that by it the greatness of God's nature acts upon our spiritual life. It was the love of God that gave man power, hope, elasticity ani victory. CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH, Not Lack But Work—Sermon by Rev. George H. Hepworth. The third in the series of Sunday evening dis. courses to young men, by Rev. George H. Hepworth, attracted last evening at the Church of the Messiah, corner of Park place and ‘Ihirty-fourth street, a much larger number than was able to ubtain seats. The subject of the discourse was “Not Luck but Work,’ and as the basis the reverend speaker selected as his text Ecclesiastes v., 12—The sicep of the laboring man is sweet.” It was no oréinary blessing to live under an American roof and in a democratic government. Across the water It was the prerogative of some to look down with contempt on manual labor and manual laborers. The European nobieman believes that he is made of better stuff than the poor laboring man. History showed that those families who are not brought up to work run from heroism to complete idiocy. In America the only type of noblemen we have is the laboring man, he who twenty years ngo was poor, he who has gradu- ally made lus way upward and surrounded himself with the appliances of civilization and art and made himself useful im the community. The only real no- bleman is he who works either with hig hands or his brain. The young man learns that here ali things are within the grasp of a determined will, Ina monarchy property and all that is transmitted to the gon as surely as ins featpres. Society ta thus cut up into classes, and it ie almost impossibie to pase the barrier from ope te anotyer. Here ancosiry you can, itis that spreads its benediction on ig it is that makes the inventor. Thus every one isthe architect of his own fortune. The bet are blank and they and novie or wretched im for his advice as to make their fortune bright tell them, above everything else, not to trust toluck. They should aim high and seek to place themselves in a high moral atmosphere. The man who aims at nothing always hits it. Suc- cess could be reduced to mathematical principles— pay your price and you receive your object. The gl Cae | here was impatience, They desired @ hurry. The who made a effect upon the community. Others make ventures and lose. There are always those who are just going to do something. It does not do to live in commer- Clal air castles, It ls done every day down town. Business should be conducted logically, sensibly. 13 Jatuus, Look upon the commercial giants ask them if there was any luck in their lives. In nine times out of ten they will tell you ‘No. Success comes out of hard, faithful work and that manly Sepencence which dares to do the ari ry i ag and through it climb up to foitune. When Webster made his t 6 many nity. hus f¢ has the he not through those twenty years thus labored he would not have been able to the golden oppor- tunity aad add euch lustre to his name. Nothing common than to talk of the doctor's luck. Is was not juck..Jo the #' case 1m question he centred, study, Had he not he would to-day Waiting for lente. It was the same with the lawyer. me special case raises him above the level read of ordinary humani' in the mer- cantile world. ie nad the nies recen' of our mi rominent business men, talked with those acheiving wealth and distinction, and he found that the basis of their fortunes,were strong wills, patience and a great deal of hard work and not luck. Those were the granite blocks with which to build esabstantial houses. He who thus builds tives in house secure from any tempest. This house is fortress, Like an armed knignt he sits there with his armor on and can defy anything. Ina city across the river a poor paises awhile ago. . He He had piled almost a mi jeter- mined to be rick, He subjugated wrormtee $$ his one purpose. He kept bis vision in view all the while. There was never an opportunity to save a dollar he did not save it, Henever gave. It is true his soul dwindled and became almost a microscopic atom, and it 1s doubtful f on the resurrection dey his soul can be found. A few years ago the idea of an elec- tric wire sero the Atlantio seemed ablan Nighss tale. Alid yet the scheine proved ful, It was the same with the Pacific Railroad. Parsuing this topic at some length he proceeded to show how by patience and perseverance the great victories of life are achieved, Young men mi be bold, brave and persistent, In the army there were too many types of purpose and ambition, One went in with good purpose and when the battle waé hottest he gave the word to retreat, and all the work had to be aone over again. The other general stood at the head of his forces; when he took a step forward he kept it, He obeyed no man’s will. At last he received the biltof the sword that for four years had given the country #9 much trouble and caused such expend, 5 ture of lives and treasure. It was fig; 80. They should make themselves mscofs of the situation. Their destiny was in, at nen hands, no matter what thelr GardéAa, what their lavors, hate, nae wel rt of their discipline, The rodfidd In the great ladder they were climbing. Place no faith in luck, ‘Their only trust should be in honest independence and hard work. Thank God that they had no portion—that had were born poor, Thank God that they were born in thig country where there is no barrier to wealth and position, Be noble, be tent, if they would be successful in true manliness of character, for 1t comes to this at last. ay should see to it that they kep\ their honor unstained and their good names unsullied. They Would then be ready to do God’s work, A thousand Possibilities were calling them upward. FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH. Life in Heaven and ite Pleasures—Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Armitage. The Rev, T. Armitage preached an eloquent dis- course on the above subject yesterday morning, selecting his text from Isaiah xxv., 8—‘fle will swallow up death in victory, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces.” The preacher ex- plained that he had been led to sclect that subject for his text on account of the many deaths that had occurred within the circle of his acquaintance. ‘What was death? Why does it accompany us from year to year, breaving ap the holiest ties that bind ‘us here, removing & beloved one from the household, never to return to this mortal sphere? When they looked upon the gloomy side of the pic- ture they were apt to regard death with strange views, forgetful of the advantages secured by immortal life in heaven. It Was Well not to forget the glad tidings that He will swallow up death in victory and that He will eye away tears from all faces. They were naturally led to in- quire the object of their tuture existence and what was tobe the manner of thetr existence. Was it to be an unchangeable, and fixed and permanent state? They knew that they had the most trust- worthy accounts from the Redeemer himself of the perpetuity of the state in heaven, of ita joys and leasures. If they inquired into the nature of eaven they would be treading on woracte grounds, though such an inquiry would be profitable, elevat- ing one’s thoughts, and expanding our aspirations and exalting our views to some extent. That was the reason why so many desired to know more of heaven. provided two worids for them, the probationary and the external world. Man was made for the external—-for in heaven, and death was the happy transition from death unto life, from misery and sorrow to joy and happiness. Once in heaven they would be as the angeis, and they would not see the Divine Being—tnetr Lord—as through a glass darkly, but face to face. He did not believe in those es which said “that in heaven they should merely see the God of tne salvation.” No, they would see Him face to face as Hels. One of the greatest and most joyful considerations of a heavenly life was that there would be no sorrow and weeping, but singing and joy and happiness, ‘They would never be tired of the joys of Heaven; there would be no samences there, and they would dis- cover fresh pleasures and joys from day to-day. Their bodies, according to the laws, would waste and crumble away, but at the day their bodies would be raised, immortal, like unto His glorious body. But thetr bodies woula not assume the appearance and likeness of Christ’s body on earth, but as He is now—as He sits on the right hand of God to intercede on earth for His be- loved ones. It was of the utmost importance that they prepare and fit themselves fora heavenly 1! Tapping the life set before them—relinquishing sinful pleasures and sensual appetites, and prepar- ing fora life of purity and happiness by spiritual- izing and enlarging the spiritual aspirations. He trusted that they would not harbor the supposition that the happiness of heaven consisted in hearing music and enjoying rest. There would be hoty im- ulses and affections and nobler conceptions of the ivine Creator to cultivate. Their inteliectual power were now cramped, but there they would be urdiess, conceiving the brightest views of God and rendering Him homage day and night. ST. ANN’S CHURCH, The Office of Jesus Christ—The Divinity and Humanity of Christ Established—Sermon by Rev. T. S. Preston. At the vespers in St. Ann’s church last evening the Rev. Mr. Preston preached an eloquent sermon on the ofiice of Jesus Christ. The church was densely thronged, every available inch of space—the stand- ing room included—from the sanctuary to the vestt- bule being occupied. The reverend gentleman took his text from the epistie of St. Paul to the Hebrews, 1, 1-2—"God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in tme past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he bath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the world.” He said Jesus Christ was the chief corner stone in the plan of redemption. Christianity was the system introduced by Christ; it was the doctrine of salvation, the mesyage of ace and reconciliation from an offended God fallen and sinful man; without belief in Christ there was no Christianity; with Him it stands or falla, He would therefore establish the humanity of Christ. He would give the ona for his faith In the magnificent truth and mystery of His divinity, and would point Him out as the grand me- diator between God and man—the overflowing foun- tain of grace and troth and heavenly beatitude, Christ was man, because He was born of a virgin in the likeness of man, with all the attributes and qual- iues of man, gin only excepted. This truth was pre- dicted by the prophets—by Isaiah and David and Michaei and others, centuries before the angel of God directed the Galilean shepherds to the crib at Bethlehem, where the Divine babe Iny trembling on the straw ina r. All the early heresies were directea agai the manhood of Christ, which ed the existence of the belief in it even in the @ of the aposties, and all the are numbered and will continue to be numbered for all time from the date of the birth of Christ. The scriptural proofs of the Divinity of Christ are Most numerous, St. Paul says God #0 loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to save it; Bt, John, that he that does not belteve Christ to be God is an antichrist. Jesus himself claimed to be God. He said I and the Fatver are one, and he that seeth me seeth the Father also; and when the Jews asked him if he were God he answered “I am.’ This trath he established by miracies, which aro an infringement ofnature. ‘That he wrought miracles ‘hich none but one sent from God could perform. ‘hat he cured the sick; calmed the winds and the #e8; Faived the dead to lite, and even mused himself from the dead, sacred and’ profane history attests. ‘The man who will not admit the testimony of mira- cles is no logician, and may be said not to be ra- Honal, And without evidence there tno faith, no knowledge, no society, no creed, and the world bat ane vast, panceamia of deceit. i Onriat were iy Sanctioned the greatest imposition the world ever saw. THE SECOND ADVENT. The Coming Judgment—Sermon by Elder Miles Grant, of Boston. Elder Miles Grant, of Boston, delivered one of his characteristic sermons last evening before a large congregation at the Mission church, 138 West Thirty- fourth street, between Sixth and Seventh avenues. Mr. Grant selected for his text Revelations vi., 17— “For the great day of His wrath 1s come, and who shall be able to stand.” Afier a few preliminary re- marks on the general meaning of his text and the certainty of @ future judgment, Mr. Grant sald that mankind might be divided into two classea— those who could meet the second coming of tne Lord (to which the text referred) with joy and love, and those to whom the second coming would be a day of sadness and woe, and who would seek shel- ter from the wratn of the Almighty, and call in vain upon rocks and hills to sheiver them from the majesty of His presence, Among the most promi- nent of those who would be unable to stand at the coming of the Lord would be the covetous, and how many would be included in that class no man could number. In the present day the whole of the Ten Commandments issued by Moses from Mount Sinai were disregarded by the majority of the community, but there was no sin more prominent than that of covetousness. It was the canker which was eating out the heart of society, and no covetous person God himself had declared should enter the kingdom of heaven. Supposing that a covetous person could enter within the gates of heaven, he would be unfit for the society of the pure and ‘the good, for even there his propensities would prompt him to covet the very guid with which St, Jobn tells us the New Jerusalem is paved, Mr. Grant then spoke at length of the emaller forms of pride and covetousness which are so prevalent in the present day, and referred to the strong desire evinced by tradesmen to obtain premiums and prizes at the fairs and exhibitions held in our large cities, remarking that the only premium worth the seeking alter was the salvation of the soul— the only prize, the crown which will be awarded to God’s own children, who have fought well and bravely in the great battle of life. The drunkard, the profane, the adulterer, the lover of tobacco more than God, would all be unable to stand at the second coming, and would ve condemned to eternal oa acre In concluding the preacher enlarged upon the s0clal Shd moral state of society in Peghttl to the orime of aduijery, He believed the world was rapidly becomlag ohe huge brothel, and 1t behooved all men to stand out against “¢ free lovelsm and kindred abominations which were gévag such a firm hold of society. The congregation were of & most sympathetic character and several times audi- bly expressed their appreciation of the speaker's remarks, At the conclusion of the service several members of the Cains ey rose and stated thelr religious experience go far as 1t bore upon the eyéil- ing’s discourse, CANAL STREET PRESSYTERIAN CHURCH, “Woman’s ciate in Society—Sermon by Rev. i i David Mitchell. Yesterday the services in Canal Street church were conducted by the pastor, Rev. David Mitcnell. At the morning session First Corinthians, xl., 7—‘The Woman is the Glory of the Man’””—was announced as the text. The reverend gentleman said that a very remarkable, full and suggestive article on woman had appeared in the New YoRK HERALD of Satur- day, 27th of November. No one could have read that article without having been deeply moved. The public were greatly indevted to that enterprising journal for the thorough manner in which it pre- sented all questions concerning our moral condition, our prosperity and happiness asa people. Tne press might justly be regarded as the great feeder of the pulpit, In this case, the article referred to con- tains matter that well might occupy the attention of all our pulpit. He went on to speak of woman’s piace in society. She was the giory of man, Adam, in the garden, must have been a poor, forlorn, restless being till he found his Eve. And so every man who sought his greatness in solitude would be found to be wanting in his true adornment. Woman as a mother, wife, sister, daughter or friend was man’s pride and glory. But not merely tn her individual, but collective capacity, was woman the glory of the man, The genus man was divided into two great portions—the sexes—and humanity would be incom- plete without either sex. Arace of men without women, or without women in due proportion, as in many new settlements, becomes coarse and brutal. It 18 the womanhood of the world that softens and refines. Man without woman would be like the earth without its green grass and lovely flowers and fruit-bearing trees, or like @ tree without its foliage and blossom. The poet inay say, ‘‘Frailty, thy name 18 woman.’? It was the fratity that was the counterpart of man’s strength. The flower with- oat support might trail on the ground and lose 1s beauty, but, supported by a tree or wall, it gave to that tree or wall all its adornment. Woman was frail and weak without man, but supported by his strength she adorned him in turn with all her soft and endearing loveliness. The reacher further remarked that while he aomestic sphere was emi- nently womans by right, it became a serious question what she was to do in case of being [eben through the complications of civilizea ife rom occupying her true sphere. Nature settled in the general case the kind of work @ woman should have, She cannot compete with man, nor can man compete with her. At the same time there were women highly qualified to be physicians, authors, skilful workers. Let them take the places for which they are fitted, Let our laws protect them in every honest calling. Let not nan crush and trample upon them, else instead of being his glory they will become his enemy. The question of what we ought to do with fallen women was next considered. This question was left too much to chance. The Church as a whole ought to take it up. Many thousands of these girls were sighing after a home, They had been badly brought up, or left orphans, or betrayed by their leaning confidence in man. ib, how many might become good members of society bad they only the chance, and again be man’s glory instead of his di: and ruin, Mr. Mitchell continued this sabject at great length and with considerabie force and eloquence. The sermon was made interesting by introducing stories and apt illustrations and was listened to with deep attention by the congregation. ALLEN STREET PAESBYTERIAN CHUICH. Celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Church. The golden jubilee of the above church was held yesterday to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the church. Many members attended the services yesterday who connected themselves with the church forty years ago. The names of the former pastors of the vhurch were inscribed on paper and framed, decorated with evergreens and suspended at the rear of the pulpit. ‘rhe pulpit and other portions of the building was likewise taste- fully decorated. Service was held in the morning, when the pastor, the Rey. Dr. Newell, preached the historical sermon. He reviewed the past work of the church; 518 members had been enrolled during the past ten years and §15 members had been en- rolled previons to that, and at one time 154 persons had communed with them who had never communed with them before, abundantly testifying that the blessing of God attended their labora. A reunion of pastors and friends of the church was held at seven o'clock, when the edifice was crowded to excess. Rev. Ur. Newell presided and Rev. Dr. Coe opened the meeting with prayer. Letters were read from the Rev. Dr Bradley, Rev. @, W. Cheever, Rev. W. ©. Lucas, Rev, Alfred Ketchum and about thirty others who were formerly members of the church. Dr. Coe, in aadressing the apg observed that a question arose at one time as to the Segoe ng 8 of closing the church, bat nothing seemed more fool- ish to him than this question. Could they look at the results of the past labors of the church and after hearing the statistics read this moroing say that the church was of no use? The blessing of God had attended and would still attend their labors for the advancement of Hila cause and the good of His Church. Addresses were also delivered by Messrs. W. E. Dodge, W. E. Hart, W. W. Hewitt and others, The musical portion of the service was performed by persons who were formerly members of the choir in a very creditable manner, THE NEW REFORM TEMPLE OF ISRAEL. Second Meeting of the Congregntion Yester- day=A Temporary Hall for Divine Worship to be Procured Without Delny. The members of the new Jewish Reform congre- gation lately organized in Brooklyn, by the name of Temple of Israel, held their second general mecting yesterday afternoon, at the residence of Mr. A. Fleischhauer, No. 80 Douglass street, Dr. S. L. Moses, president of the congregation, in the chair; Mr. Gabriel Baum secretary. The mtnutes of the last meeting were read and approved, It appeared that already thirty-five of the reform Israelities of Brooklyn had signed the certificate of organization, and this fact being reported to the meeting the pre- sident stated that he looked with pride upon this zeal evinced by their coreligionists to propagate and perpetuate the principles of pure and true Judaiam; for he himseif and he knew all present felt that by their work they would not take away from the means to do this, but they will add to them their own efforts and a new temple. From the Board of ‘Trustees @ report came of their proceedings, which were published in full in the HERALD of last Friday, and the congregation were well ised with the appointment of a committee of three trustees to Ree under what conditions ground could be obtainea from the New York Emanuel for a cemetery. mended tnat immediate steps be taken for procar- ing @ bali in which to hold divine service, and after fome conve! jeasre. Manne and Bernhard Goldstein were appointed a committee for that purpose, with instructions to report to the board of Trustees at their next meet- ing, when, under the bylaws of the congregation, the trustees Will take Onal action. On motion of Mr. ABRAHAM it Was resolved that a finance committee be appointed, and the Chair designated the following geutiemen to aet as such: Simon Sondhelm, L. Langsfeld and Joseph Wechs- ler. The offer of Rev. Dr. Myers to iead the wor- ship of tits col ion and preach @ sermon every Saturday, without compensation, until the new ‘‘temple” should feel able to engage a settied minister, accepted, and the secreiary author- ized to communicate this acceptance in writing to the reverend gentleman. Some conversation followed as to the canvassing for tures and new members of the congrega- tion, Mr. George Falk believing that numbers were not 60 much to be looked after as avality and character, Mr. Simon Basa insisted that the funda- mental principle of Judaism was that all Israelites Were brothers, and none could be excluded. The president, Dr. Moses, said that this was true, in a religious point of view, that they dared not, could DOs and would not deprive any Jew of worshipping at their temple or of any of his religious rights in the synagogue, but they may decline to receive whom they chose as @ member of their cor- Dorate organization under the laws of tue State, and exclude such from the rights of voting mem- bership. The question then dropped. After some mere routine busiaess the meeting adjourned, when Mr. M. Ellinger, editor of the Jewish Times, was in- troduced, and in @ conversational way, at the re- quest of some members, gave his views from experi- ence as to the best mode of organizing reform coa- gregations, ST. PETER'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. Spiritun! Revival in “The Cradle of Catho- Heity” im New York. ‘The missionary labors of the priests of the parish of St. Peter’s during the jubilee season, which has just closea, have been unusually successful. No less than 12,000 communions have been adminis- tered, and even a larger number have approached the sacrament of penance. The exercises of this jubtlee mission have been mainly conducted by the eminent sulpitian, Father O'Farrell, who, since the departure of Father Quinn for Kome, has acted as pastor of the parish. It entailed the deilvery of thirty-five special lectures. To keep this spirit per- manent, some new regelations naye been intro- duced, Lectures or sermons wilt be delivered at the early masses as well as at the last mass. On Sunday evenings vespers will be sung and a lecture delivered, after which a collection for the poor is to be taken up. Confessions are heard three nights in the week, lpstead of one, and sermons are to be delivered on holy days. Funeral ceremonies are to be performed in future in the church. MAIMONIDES LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. Man's Position in Nature=His Past and Fuatare—German Lecture by Professor Louis Elsberg. Before this Hebrew religious-literary society, at its regular meeting last evening at Masonic Hall, ‘Thirteenth street, near Fourth avenue, Professor Louis Elsberg delivered a very interesting lecture in the German language upon the above subject. After some preliminary remarks Dr, Elaberg cited Huxley, Buchner and others to show the importance of the subject and its influence on thought and action. Recent investigations, he said, have thrown light upon much that has hitherto been veiled Mm appar- ently impenetrable mystery. When Copernicus, in about the middie of the #ixteenth century, published his book on the orbita of the celestial bodies his contemporaries called him a fool and worse. Even the great reformer, Luther, said about him:—The fool wants vo upset the whole science of astronomy, but, as Holy Scriptures show Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, and not the earth.’” Now, whatever any one at the present day may think of the Bible, it is Clear that it cannot be regarded as @ text book ofacience. Most probably it was never intended to be so regarded. In any event, all at- tempts to bring the incontestable results of sclence into accord with the letter of the Bible by far-fetched interpretations and word cavilings are lame, ridi- culous and useless. God’s truth is eternally the same, It needs no excuse and no reconciliation with human belief, It needs, on our part, thorough in- vestigation, unprejudiced recognition and cou- Tageous avowal. Advances of science, whether consistent or inconsistent with existing religious opinions, will never injare, but, on the contrary, promote the cause of religion and morals, civiliza- tion and society. Creeds and dogmas, embraced with bigotry and uphela by force, preclude investi- gation and beget hatred toward all who hold dif ferent views. But the time in which. as the poet Schiller tells us, the gods were said to have promibited the raising of the vetl of Isis in the temple at Sais, which concealed the truth, 13 happily past. The spirit of inquiry which now pervales the worid fear- lessly seeks the truth and follows wheresoever it leadeth. Professor Elsberg then referred to the two great errors which Professor Hackel terms the. *geocen- tric” and the “anthropocentric,” the one consider- Ing one planet the centre and chief of the universe, the rest as only subservient to the purposes of the earth and its inhabitants, and the other considering man as the centre and only object of the organic creation, the whole world a8 existing only for bis benefit and on account of his special needs. Al- though both these errors have long and often been exposed they are still believed—and especially the anthropecentric error—by the masses aud even by many educated persons. It has been deduced from Bible history that the first human being was created about five or six thousand years ago, constituted very much as we are bow and even in @ more per- fect state, so that the human race has really degen- erated instead of advanced. Both as to the age of man on earth and as to his primiuve condition proofs have recently been accumulating which com. pel us to change our opinions in these respects. 1t has long been known, from the numerous animal and vegetable remaing found scattered through what are cajled the sedimentary or stratified rocks, that the earth must have been inhabited by animals and plants hundreds of thousands of years ago. Now, human remains have been found, together with the remains of some of the animals, that are charac- teristic of an preceding all human history and tradition. These remains are mainly of three kinds— first, human bones found together with bones of diluviat animals in undisturbed cavities and diluvial strata of earth; second, instruments such as fint- stone axes, knives, arrow points, toois of horn or bone, &c.; third, outline figures of the animals that have passed away, and even of a man, engraved upon stone, horn or bone, and even in some in- stances upon the bones of the very animais repre- sented. ere certainly could be no more con- vincing proof that man must have lived during the formation of these strata, and, at the same tune, with the animais he thas represented. It admits of no douvt that the primitive man whose existence 1s thus proved was in reality a savage, who lived in the woods, in clefts of rocks or along the shores of rivers, naked or covered with barks of trees or sking of animals, armed only with his stone weapon in the war he must have waged with surrounding animals, to whom, though inferior in bodily strength, he was superior in his possession of reason. He split open the marrow bones of animals and even ate, as sume Savages still do, the flesh of his own species. Altogether, it has only been very gradually that he juired the quali- ties and churacteristics which made him a man— though, alas, his progress has been steady and of increasing rapidity with increasing acquirements. But although the Biblical account of the age and primitive condition of man is thus by modern science shown to be erroneous, it must not be supposed that that in any way affects the moral truths and lessons which the Bible contains. As the establishment of the Copernican system of astronomy has left these undisturbed, despite the fears and predictions of (he timid believers of the sixteenth century, so will the full recognition of the fact under consideration. On the contrary, the more the Bible ts freed from its errors the more brilliantly will its truths shine forth. The future that opens to man 13, therefore, hope- ful and inciting, Each new advance facilitates further progress. Development is ever from tle lower to the higher. Even though the march fre- quently seems to be but motion in a circle, it tends, as in a spiral, ever onward. The past imposes the duty of further development upon the present, and by that immutable law of evolution and persistency of power, for the recognition of which we are iu- debted to Darwin and the present school of natural- iat, the less worthy character must yield before the better; we need but act well our part in the grand drama of lie and we perpetuate in our de- scendants our nobiest and best qualifications for the unceasing struggie of life. Sel-improvement, there- fore, 1s each man’s task. He can secure bis own hap- pineas only by Ee bis wera of body and mind by “working and watching,” by ‘learn- ing and teaching,” and by harmonizing his doubie nature he will enjoy contentment with his eartuly lot; by practising toward others forbearance, toie- rance and benevolence he will live, not only at peace with himseif, bat also at peace and in har- mony With all mankind. Improvement of himseif and of others lies, then, within his owa power. ‘OPERATIONS AT HELL GATE. Professor Maillefert’s contract for removing the | rock at Tray’s Reef, Shelidrake and Pot Kocks toa depth of twenty-five feet each at low water mark expired on the lst of the present month. ‘The con- tract commenced on the 2d of August last, at which time the depth of water on Tray’s Reef was 12)5 feet. The Professor now claims a depth of tweaty feet on an average. On Shelidrake Rock, where operations commenced, there were sixteen feet at low water, He now claims twenty-nine feet. These rocks are of immense size, Shelldrake being 110 feet long and ninety feet wide; ‘Tray’s Reef is 215 feet long and 110 feet wide. but very little work has | been done on Pot Rock and Shelldrake, as the sur- veys Were but recentiy placed in the contractor's hands, Over 400 charges have been placed in post. tion and successfully fired off. Forty scowloads of rocks, averaging forty-five cubic yards cach, have been grappled from the scene of operations. The Professor will continue to blast until tho 10th of the resent month, when @ survey will be made by neral Newton and & report presented to the de partment at Washington. of te Temple trustees also recom- THE SUEZ CANAL. Galignani’s Messenger, of the 234 of November, to hand by the Hansa at this port, says:—‘‘As might be expeoted, several of the Paris journals remark on the termination of the works connected with the Suez Canal, and affirm that the success of 60 1m. Portant an undertaking reflects the greatest credit on French perseverance.’? [from the Paris Constitutionnel, Nov. 23.) The inauguration of the Suez Canal has fully sue- ceeded; the solution of the scienufic problem, on which for a long time doubts were raised by men of authority, is now an accomplished fact. If, as com- petent men aitirm will be tle case, practical expert- ence confirma this first resuit, the year 1869 will mark an important period in the history of modern civilization. The genius of France created, directed and accomplished this Immense work, one of cour- age aud sacrifices, if such there ever were. Tne Binp ror, who from the commencement has not ceased to favor with his support the gigantic en- terprise of the maritime canal, resolved to affix to it the national seal by permitting the Empress to pre- side at the ceremony of inauguration. He haz also been the organ of the public gratitude in awarding to M. Ferdinand de Lesseps, the indefatigable and persevering chief of the work, the highest reward his Majesty has at his disposal. Never was distinc- tion better deserved and never did it conier more honor on the nation which bestowed it by the hand of the sovereign and on the man who r From the Paris Siécle, Nov. Thus fall to the ground the mal which envy and speculation had pry men to clrcu- late on the Bourse of i’aris during the last few days. To believe some simple and interested alarmists the canal between the Mediterranean and Red seas waa a tailure, Some said itis probably not yet termina ted; others, more positive, declared tnat it was dug but did not contain a drop of water. Lastly, tne malicious, who make @ business of propagating an- favorable news, added, with a sententious air:—The reserved language of the first ac. counts from Ismailia bode no good. Successiul people are not so modest.” For men of sense, on the contrary, the discreet terms of the telegrams, after one-half of the canal had been traversed, was @ proof of tact and judgment. The slightest accl- dent, turned to a hostile use beforehand, would have terrified public opin‘on; in France especially, so impressionable is the country. At London con- Jdence was unshaken. In that state of things the most prudent course was to await the end of the voyage; that is to say, the arrival of the flect in the Red Sea before ratsing the chant of victory; intel- ligence that the work had fatled would, to certain om have been 80 sweet. At present the battle is gloriously and incontestably won. No bear speculator can deny the fact. Fifty vessels of deep draught, of all sizes and of all nations, have just followed the French flag from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. Honor, then, to the eminent man who has been the promoter of that useful work! Honor to M. Ferdinand de Lesseps and to bis principal aids, MM. Borel and Lavalley! Honor to all the skilfal engineers placed under their orders and to the most humple laborers who contributed to thé success of the enterprise! The union of the two seas, conceived, undertaken ani executed by Frenchmen, is and wil! remain one of the greatest oventy of We age, English Reports—Life and City Scenes af Cairo—The “Landslip? in the Canal—The Empress of France—Religious Ceremonies. {Cairo (Noy. 12) Correspondence of London Post.) Out of the 600 European guests invited oy the Viceroy of Egypt only about have arrived up to the present time, but a further contingent of soms 150 18 expected to-day and to-morrow by the steamers of the Messageries Impcriaies and tl Peninsular and Oriental Company, and the enti number will no doubt turn up before the eventfat day, for his Highness’ arrangements are so liberal that few would willingly decline to avail themselves thereof. Cairo wears a very different aspect to what it did three weeks ago. ‘The city swarins with Europeans, a large proportion English, and every hotel is crammed as full as tt can hold; still among the visitors I am unable to indicate any compatriots of note, and my list of fashionables only includes Lora Carington, Sir A. Milne, Sir Stafford Northcote and Mr, Eaton, M.P. The Mediterranean squadroa arrived the morning before yesterday at Alex- andria from Malta and will proceed to Port Said to-morrow to participate in the inanguration sétes; the tron-clads thought it more prudent not even to enter the harbor at ‘Alexandria, 80 you may be sure they wili not ven- ture to try conclusions with the nominal depth of the Suez Canal. Cairo 1s overrun by middies and officers of every grade from the admiral of the flect downwards, and some merry scenes were to be wit- nesged in the city last night. ‘The new opera house ‘was so full that a stall could not be had for love or money. An account of the Egyptian rendering of “Il Trovatore,”’ which I had intended to give you, must therefore stand over. The Empress of tha French returned last night from her Nile trip, and has gone this morning to visit he (Ait tad saci will now be treated with considerably more cere- mony, as her incognita 18 to be discarded for the first time in Egypt. A lundalip took place on Wednesday morning tn the canal, a few miles north of ismaiha, which has caused considerabie uneasiness to the Viceroy and M. Lesseps. The croakers declare that this last con- tritemps 18 e “settler,” but Ido not myself believe that it will in apy way aflect the opening of the that | Judge Pierrepont, on Friday evening last, and im- 54 canal. When I passed Port Sald on my way from Jaffa to Alexandria no sigos of festive preparation were visible, barring a few hundred bare poles erected for flags and tiluminations, The “invités”’ are to be accommodated In large steamers, appointed by the government for the purpose, and the same arrangement will be carried out at Ismailia unless some obstinate craft should stick fast in the canal en route and bar the thoroughfare. On dit, that eighty vessels will steam in procession down the canal at a distance of half @ mile apart. If 80, under the most favorable conditions, when will number eighty reach Ismailia? Ionly hope for my own sake and that of your readers who are interested in the event, that I may secure a berth in the van. The important orders—‘“Are you ready? then go |’? will be given on the morning of the 17th ana (D. V.) Ismailia is to be reached the same evening. The sth will be devoted to religious cere- monies; the blessing of the Almighty is to be invoked on the great enterprise in every language and under every form of worship. Greeks, Latins, Protestants, Mohammedans, Armenians and possti- bly Mormonites, are all to be considered and in- cluded in the solemn act of consecration, and even members of the disestablished Irish Church need not be shy about putting in an appearance on the occa- sion. The evening will be devoted to Mammon, and banquets, balls and fireworks will either celebrate the success or eclipse the flasco of half the under- taking. On the morntng of the 19th the perilous journey will be resumed, and then the most awkward points will be encountered be- tween Lake Timsah and Chalouf. “ce n'est que le premier pas qui coute,” aud I trast that our expe- rience next week of tbe second portion of the canal may corroborate that proverb. Suez reached, the 2otn will be devoted to rejoicings, terminating with & ball to be given by the Viceroy, and then the scene of festivity will be transferred to Cairo, where two days’ horseracing and a final ball at the viceregal palace wii! bring the Egyptian fétes of 1869 to a triumphant conclusion, Such is the programme just issued, but no doubt modifications will ensue. Perhaps one of the finest aights of the week will be forded by the English, French, Austrian, Turkish 1d Egyptian fleets collected at Port Said, and itis great pity that the Itahan vessels have been obliged to withdraw, owing to the temporarily alarming iilneas of King Victor Emanuel. ‘The arrangements for the conveyance of the Vice- roy’s guests and the pablic generally to the scene of action are in a very kward state. This appears to give no uneasiness to the supine Oriental mind, but it may terminate in an ugly rush at last, which will certainly be disagreeable, and pony dangerous; for at least 603000 people are pund to be in Ismailia by the 18th, and as yet no provision for their transport has been made by rail or otherwise. Individually, I have hardened my heart, and am prepared, if necessary. to be penned in a cattle truck with perspiring sheiks; but [ live in hopes that his exceliency Nubar Pasha will not. quite desert us in the hour of need. ‘The return of the French Empress has caused & new and more marked eruption of fi and illumi. nations, and as [ close my letter it is a toss up which to describe as most irritating—the monotonous resonance of the hammers or the incessant buzzing of the fies, THE DIAW3SCK FRAUDS. Volantary Return of Mr. Blatchford—Iwport- ant Revelations Promised. The drawback frauds sensation has assumed @ new phase by the return to the city of Mr. Samuet 'T. Blatchford, who left the country for Canada early in November. It will be remembered that Mr. Blatchford, who was Deputy Collector, was charged with being the principal In the alleged frauds. A few days ago Colonel Whitley, the indefatigable Chief of the Secret Service Division of the United Staves, received Instructions from the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Boutwell, to proceed to Mon- treal, Canada and effect the extradition of Mr. | Blatchford. Colonel Whitey arrived in city, alter ® previons conference with mediately conferred with Mr. Blatchtord, who, on jJearning of the desire of the government to have him return to the Unitea States, informed Mr. Whitley that he would cheerfully waive all forms of law and voluntarily return, as he was by no means the principal in the alleged frauds, and had been made the scapegoat upon whose pack the sins of other offenders had been perched. This will be gratifying news to the friends of Mr. Blatchtord, who aii slong have insisted tbat that gentleman had been used by other parties to benefit themselves. Colonel Whitley and his charge reached this city last Mr. Blatchford will give bonds tn demanded by the governmeut to answer any charges pending against him. It ts bo- heved ihat the return of Mr. Mlatchford wil! result in the sudden departure from the country of more than one official who have so far considered them- selves sale, LARCENY OF MONBY.—Thomas Coleman, @ bar tender, twenty-one years of age, was committed by Justice Dodge at Jefferson Market yesterday upon complaint of Matthew Nial, a quest at the Lexington Hotel, charged with stealing $80 in money from him on Friday Jast.