The New York Herald Newspaper, May 9, 1870, Page 4

4 cording to the ant my blood 1 ord for my files 19 meat indesd, dink indeed,” and the waters of mercy fo wig vom the s.cramenuts and other channels of grace. Lasty, the Jews in th: de Wes Gerin $ al. ¥5 oxed forward to bes hter and mo & lorious days |: (he Promised Land, ani even pelore ey Feacheu tt gots, ecime ps of is HOONTY AND FRUITEULNESS, In like manner be p opie of God have glorious pros- pects oo Lh heaveniy Tr gion Lo Winch bey are pros grossing. ani o aionaly dnd seatte up and wh the pages O ft spiradon deaoriptions of that Tucure ©0ry Wich should @n-Ouags them on their way even iu Oarkeat hour. The preacher cons cluded by e shoring nis hearers to rememver thas they had not bere an abidiug dwe!iing place, and, therefore, sould Ave 50 as to merit the joys of heaven. 81, PHILLIPS (COLORED) CHURCH. Large AttendanceD tful Muslo=Liaquent Sermon, ‘The attendan.e sesterlay morning at this fasiton- able religious resort ef our colored fellow citizens was large an‘ atrentive. The passage of the Aite-nth amendment ial nothing to do with the increased fervor and devotion exiibited by the sable brethren who, in the peni ude of their spirttua! @motton, came togother to W rship the Sup-emo Giver of all gifts and sing His praises to the best of their ability, Every seat was occupied, and when the service began th: lout ensemb! presented by the large and devout assemblage was parucularly fine and lupressive, The music Was ol a rue order of excellence, com- biniug the choce-t pieces of Mozart, and the happiest pro’ Coos of McGulicuddy, The tenur surpassed himself, aul :he soprano Jet ao room for criticism, Tue cou ralto was fly | to the ovvasion, aud ho tass came ap to the highest ex. eotations of hs uuuerous admirers. OF BADE uated ie keys and stops with @ periect.oa of tou h thatsvowed him to be no mere tyro in his profession, Ou the whole, few con: jons that assembie yeverday to g.ve thanks to God listeved to more cestatic inusic than that which echoed within t1e Wa.s of this humble temple on Mulbe ry streei, Tue preacher at tae proper time ascended the pulpit and preached an exceedingly eloquent and impressive seriavu. He spoke of the good ‘RSSULTS OF MORAL TRAINING, The influeace on character from ecariy schooling in the docuumes oO Cheistian toachiug. Of all our eurthly experience noue prefers @ bigher lesson than that whi Rh Lares ousand years ago inspired So.o- mon tosay bring up acid ia the way he should go aod Wueu oe 18 vid Rs Will Mot go back on ii. As the tree is ben. 8» 1, will incline; and thus it is that human ch racter 18 formed; thus it ts that habit, stronger than will or pean, and rising superior even tO the dictaes reasou, overmasters tne nature of he individual and readers bim the slave of passion, the v u Of uncontrol ed desire and the wretched prey of imsdirected understanding. But he who, whit @ Christian spirit aud following in the FOuISTEPS OF THE DIVINE REVBEMER, looks forwaru siuply to the object of rendering the spiritual batore withia him ptted to eajoy another sphore of exis ence, pur.fled of the dross and vietous- nes of Workuy coatact, he, fudeed, is one to whom the wors ofr 1 ious teaching, of warning, of hoe and spiritual Joy aud cons dation have meaning Dbeyoud that Of the oracies of oid, ‘To those who truly real ze tue respousibls duiies of the Uhvistian man there 1s noviung which fila their mtuds with more exceeding trevidatiun than the thought of moving onwad to the tomb, the final end of al, un- prepartl to meet a ihe cther side tng judgment of the court of tieaven, WL LSH CALVAMSTIC CHURCH, The Prayer and Hope of the Christian—Ser- mon by tho Rev, W. Powell. Services were held in this edifice yesterday after- noon and evening, aid were weil attended by a numerous and devout auditory. The services are conducted in the Welsh dialect, and this being known among the members of the Welsh commu- nity, the church 18 week after week filled with an audience whose delight it is to hear the Gospel. preached and to com- mune with ibeir Creator m their native tongue. The church has been for some time with- outa pastor, bub have at last secured one whom they trust will have the prosperity of the church at heart and strl.e to increase its sphere of usefulness among the lar eé number of Welsh residents of tifls city. The Rev. W. Powell, the new pastor, pra hea yesierday aternoon and sel cted his text fron Psalms 1xxxv., 6—“Wilt Thou not revive us again tnat Tay people may re- joice la Thee’ The preicher rewinded his hearers that within the memory of every one present they could recolieci tue time when God had vis.ted them, had spoken the word of comfort, had cheered them in the hour of soli ude and jed tiem into THE PATHS OF PEACE. ‘The text was justly conceive to be the language and inspiration of the Giurch when inastate of tempt ton ani ds onlency. The Church in o.den Ume, as in the preson time, Was subject to coldness of heart to, the great Father of All. They ceased to proclaim dis Kugel with the zeal and ar.lor of former Gays, ant relicious eftoris were cha- racterized by indiJerence und lusewarmness. They had negiec@i.o , and was it surprising that He should jiae His face ir m them for asvason? The Churen to-day ne ded reviving; It stood in want of rhore ze lous aud move s:andard ministers of the King of kin { neeled more holiness and more vetvity. I Chur h was fortified with the presence of God ad His holy sprit, and if that Chur h, with a spnitual eye and sense of need, relied upon that Divine Being who ruled the universe, the Church would extend its ramitcatious u baiwarks aod strengthen its posi- ton and matntin its ground against all opposition from within wil ut, THE CHURCH HAS LOST ITS STRENGTH there can be ne power to co: sum: the work within its legttim ts spiere; no conv. ns CIN De made, and the usefu ne nd the reputation of tue Church is Mode aby: tve and brought Into ques- tion, e-peciully among the sceytioul. When this ts th case the purideation of the Chureh 1s ne- ce-sary and must be accomplished, The Divin a must be soughs. the Ciurc must be aroused to ac- tivily, both collective y andfindiyidually, aid work to regain its sare of usefulness whici it formerly enjoyed; Nay, 1) Must seek to Outstitp the old post- tuon. The power of Godewas invariably exercised throngh the minisiry, and great was the re- sponsibiii'y atiachiog io th ir vocation. It was the duty of the minister to proclaim the truth in his best manner and to rely on he Divine aid. The power of God was ev r exhibited through his servanis, for many and many a person had been arrested in their fatal course by a dart of convicion excited by the truths delivered from the pulpit through the agency and blessiugs 0 J hovah. Let the Church pray un- cea-ingly, that the kingdom of Christ may be ex- vended, that the harvest may be gathered in, that the path of the Lora may be made straight and HIS KINGDOM GLORIOUS. If they would have the power to work and the wer to do goud, ‘hey must expect no other means ‘hun the assis ance of God—ihat will enabie them to carry on the work of. regeneration, They must cail upon Him in the hour of necessity, and having faith they will receive that ad which they have so long hoped and prayed tor, and will realize. that happiness which ‘3 ube hope of the Christian and believer. The Rey. W. Powell will be publicly installed in the pastorate of the church next Friday evening. (CHURCH OF THE REFORMATION. Sermon by the Rev. W. V. Feltwell—'the King- dom of God Cometh Not with Observation. The services yesterday morning at the Church of the Reformation, in East Fifiieth street, were con- ducted by the Rev. W. V. Feltwell, of City Island, N. ¥., the Rey. ALbott Brown, recior, being out of town, The churci is rather small and devoul of ornamentation, but an air of sanctity pervades the whole building, which is wanting in many larger and more pretentious places of worship. The con- gregation, too, seemed imbued with the gpirit of religion and entered into the devotions with much Tervor, After the usual Sunday exercises had been con- cluded the Rev. Mr. Feliwell ascended the pulpit. He took for his text “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation.” This text he exemplified as liows:—The Pharisees made most profuse profes- sions of relig om and heralded their good works and charities wich @ loud voice. But their eyes and hearts Were casi upou an earthly kingdom and not upon a heavenly one, and the coming of Christ they expected would be amid splendor and jory. Adherence to our Lord should not shown vy a spasmodic vehemence, but rather by a quiet bunt sincere devotion. The coming of the Saviour is not heralded, but His presence is ielt in the hearts of the faithful, and be often bes ows His gifts on hearts which are Not prepared to recvive them. Christians nowadays are more reprehensible for not knowing the presence of Jesus than even the Jews of old. His coming then occurred without observa.ion, and only some ure hearis, like Mary’s, were aware of it, and only @ like tne holy shepherd, heard the divine music of “Glory to God on high, peace on earth and goo willto men.” Jesus lived thirty years tn Nazareth without observation, while to tnost people Be was only ag ‘any O:her boy that played among the hilis of Gal.Jee. And so silent and unobtrusive was He that the cry was, “Who ts He? “What is Hey? and He died on the cross, and the Jews thought Him some malefactor, or, at best, some victim of priestly. craft.. While men were lookin: for @ Messiah according to their own faney He nad come, accomplished His’ Work—the —redemp- tion of the world—and gone back to Heaven before many were aware Of the jact. His teach ings had emptied the pagan temples before the people who worshipped in them feir the mfaence which caused it, This sievt tfinence he excimpii- fied by relating an incident waieh occurred during a sermon preached by Bishop Moore, of Staten Island. A large congregation bad ‘assembled to hearthe Bishoh wheo sume unseen influence riveted the atten- tion of the Whole andience, ‘The preacher ended his discourse, but the congrevation did not move, and one ofthenumber arose aimida dead. silence and re- quested Bishop Moore to proceed and give them NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, MAY 9, 1870,—TRIPLE SHEET, foms mors of the Gospel watch had produced such Bien tefct Tre preaorer conti! to ths happy iremene evi ne ev. events pippnes ed ga preveding tie mieaninm bappy time was at baud, THE CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH. y expressing M3 Opinion Wik Rites ot the tuiatacn: of many ee Popular Government and the Catholic Church= Sermon by the Rev. Mr, Roberts. ‘rhe Rev, Mr. Roberts took no text, but announced his subject as the present state of the Christian Church, the body of Christians set aside by baptism, ‘This Church was bora on the Day of Pentecost, wien te Holy Spirit descended upon o small company of Jews assembled in the name of the Lord. A now thing then appeared in tne world, yes Jt was not of the world, It was & new creation of God's owa handiwork, the spirit of life and power and the glory of God; the same which descended upon Christ at his baptism, This manifestation was the first sign of the unity of this group of believers with Christ im heaven; they began to speak with new and, to them, sill then unknown tongues, and to testify of the Father, It wasastrange thing to the majority of unbelieving Jews of that day. Christ, the manifestation of divine love, had died and was buried, and was no longer present to torment them. Buton this day he manifested himself as sull pre- sent, appearing to and through THIS COMPANY OF BELIEVERS. These were commonplace persons, poor and gen- erally unicarned, in no wise remarkable, Judged by oritnary standards. But now they compel notice, Every one is desirous to hear what they have to say. Christ i9 once more among them—not nm rson, out in He 1s alive again. hrist eracitied returned to the wortd to work Heaven's will through the visible body of believers, He manifested Himself to one hundred and twenty, to three thousand and then to five thou- sand, The marvel ts not that many believed, but that all did not, Here was Christ in many members, yet one body. Many raking of one heard one judgment by Him. ‘Ali were held ‘oo in Christ by prayers and breaking of bread. ‘They thus realized the ideal of the Catholic and Apostotic Church—one body and one spirit—one Lord, ove faith, one baptism. This snould it always be with the Church, and thus will i¢ be when the number of the elect 18 completed and His kingdom 1s set up on earth. The Churchgis not coi of mert matter, Christ ret the rule, when he said, ‘Not my will, bus Thine be done.” ‘This he sald, hot of necessi'y, not bv Kes ial ‘but inte! gently, joyfully, knowing that God the Faiher doeth all things well. Such 1 telligent taith the bapt.zed should have looking to the kingdom, The Church, acting tor the Fatuer, gave divine mysteries. APOSTLES, PROPHETS AND TRACHERS. But in time dissensions arose. One satd, “I am for Paul,” another, ‘I am for Apollos,” aad another, “1 am for Jesus Christ.” The result was discord among ihe bap ized. In our time evil 13 in the ascendant, Love and faith are at a discount. There 1s plenty of fal'h in creeds and dogmas, but faith in Christ ts at a ow ebb. Churches are occupied in vindicating their doctrines rather than im mantiestmg Christ. Wes 1s the use of the body unis it shows what the man is? Things are growing worse in the world. Will worsh:p, epliciam and infidelity abowad? All these, especially intidelity, are gaining ground. The result wil be to bring about @ persecution of the faithful more bitter and terrible than any the wo Id las yet witnessed, Some think there \8 too much benevolene in the world for ths. They do not know the human heart, and the evil that ts in ft, ihe enmity against good, The Reign of Terror in France was produced by infidelity with the watchwords of “Liberty, equality, fraters nity.” France was delugea in blood until this spirit was at last concentrated upon @ seli-willed ralér, Wao would bring THE WHOLE WORLD UNDER JUS SWAY. The French Revolution showed that ‘man cannot do wi'nout God. It showed him with all his boasted civilization more wicked and degraded than the heatien, ‘The evil one obtains control by degrees; he will at length gain a compiete ascendancy on this earth. The time has come when evil can Work un- restrained. The time of greatest desolation ts at hand. Herctofore there Was some check upon the progress of evil. When the divine rignt of kings and of the Church was recognized Some res'raint could be put upon the evil passions ofmen. But the doctrine tirat all power is Irom the people hay reimoved all re- straint from the power of evil: it strikes at the root of all law. Rulers become ouly the tools of fickle humanity. They are not free to rule for God or to teach for Christe Troth ts a thing of the past. Anaposta-y fromthe faith will be the result of this popular fieecom. There is no freelom for taith in Christ, yet folt Wherty for all evil if it does not restrain physical indulgence, The time 1 fast approaching when this spirit will bs stirred up agamst God and Christ. The recent disestablisihment of the Irish Church by the English government 1s one of the indications of on epoch of freedom for evil against all just and divine authoriiv. It 1s claimed that the only ground for the recogni- tion of a State Church is that it pleases the majority. ‘The rule of God is obsolete. THE CLERGY ARK BECOMING MERCENARY. What will vecome of the flock when comunitted to the care of hirelings. Self-willed people wil not permit the truth to be preached. Tue popes of Rome have heretofore been hindered from assum. ing their own Infalibility, Now it is permitted, There isto be a coalition between the Papacy and ei ahaend governments to briug about the most terri- le persecution of the true Church. How this is to be done does not yet plainiy appear, unless it be by mutual hypocris Is there no way of escape for the faithful? There Christ promised that when the foretold day of wr should come he would provide a way of escape for his followers. The preacher coutd not explain what that way was on this oecaston, for time dtd not per- ad but on next Sunday he would continue the sub- ject. HIE COMING RELIGIOUS MIZLENN: Anuiversary Sermon of the Amcrican Home Missionary Society. At the Tabernacle, corner of Sixth avenne and Thirty-fourth street, last evening, the auniversary sermon was preached by the Rey. Jacob M, Manning, D.D., of Boston, Mass. Previous to the sermon it was stated that the American Home Mission- ary Society had during the year sustained 944 ~=missionartes. The number of congre- gations had increased from 183 to 6,400, The receipts for the year have been $283,102, being $38,000 more than in the previous year. Six thousand dollars had been expended last year more than in the previous one, The reverend gentleman took @ very LIBERAL VIEW OF CHRISTIANITY. He thought the time was not very far dis- tant when all sects, not Movi pn J oman Catholics, would agree that the great idea of Christianity was @ belief in Christ. “The salt,” said the speaker, “shali not lose its savor. Every knee should bend to Christ.” Biblical Christianity was what all de- nominations were surely approaching to. Even the Roman Chureh, said the speaker, may yet be separated from her superstitions and brought to believe in the one Ohrist. The time was rapidly passing away when mere theological differences would be able to separate men from each other, and divide, as at present, earnest members of the Christian Church, Men would begin to fee! that they must stand SHOULDER TO SHOULDER in the great Nght which the Christian Chureh had waged against sin. The reverend gentlemen's logi- cal and highly hutellectual discourse was listened to with deep attention by the small but appreciative congregation. A NEW JEWISH PRAYER BOOK, Meeting of Delegates of Conservative Jowish Congregations to Improve the Prayer Book. Yesterday afternoon @ very interesting and im- portant meeting of Israelites was held in the vestry room of the Synagogue Bnai Jeshurun, on Thirty. fourth street, near Broadway. The meeting was composed of delegates from sixteen orthodox and conservative Jewish congregations of this city and vicinity, to ‘confer together with a view of endea- voring to,establish a uniform liturgy in their several synagogues,’ with the proviso that no dogmas shall be discussed nor new articles of faith imposed, but only to establish a uniform system of prayers in the Hebrew language and keep in- tact the prayers instituted by the Anshe Oheneseth Haggadoiah—the men of the great Synod. The meeting Was cailed to order py afr, Bennett King. After the call issued by the congregation Bnai Jeshurun last December ‘was read, and also the roll of delegates, Mr. King regretted that not all the conservative congregation in the city were rep- resented, and stated the reaxons Why some of them did not send delegates, He also referred to the great difference in the prayer books in use by the several tempies, and to the necessity of greater uniformity. Mr. Bucksweller, speaking in German, desired the proceedings. to be conducted In the German lan- guage, but his notion failing of @ second was not entertained. A committee, appointed for that pur- pose, Submitted the following names as ‘ OFFICERS OF THR CONVENTION, which were approved:—For President, Morris Becker, of Bnat Jesbarun; Vice President,’ Isaac Goldstein, of Sharal Zedek; Recording Secretary, +. M. Conn, of Shaaray Berocha; for Corresponding Secretary, J. Jaroslawski, of Bnat Jeahurun, On taking the chair Mr. Becker delivered @ short ad- dress, in which he particularly emphasized the ne- Cessity Of giving strength to orthodox and conserva- uve Judaism, which now, for want of unity, is weakened, “dwindling” gradually into ridicule and Out of existence. The great need was a Teflla, a prayer book, common to all orthodox congrega- tion throughout America, These remarks were warmly applauded, To an inquiry by. gate, the President stated that whatever is done by this convention would have to be approved by the several congregations represented ' | | | | before it becomes binding upon them, A motion | for @ commited of one irom eaeh congrogauon DOW | ov hereafter represented, to prepare @ pian for & uni lorm system of livurgy, provoked qué a ae, Which at times grow rai hor stormy, 8X, elyht or ton for jumping up at once and tho p-esilents | HAMMERED AWAY FOR ORORR. Under tho operation of tne previous question the motion was ried, and the several deegatious Were directed gach to name @ member of the Com Mite, After A sort recess tno following were presen’ 5 ay eg stad Rg gs 38'Cr, 0, mnpner, Be de Yaonne $. Bucksweiler, Simon Levy, Jacob New bul Furst, Nathan Hess, Heury lent and secretaries dol preside convention, Having disposed of some m mere routine tue ounvention adjourned, sul the con of ine ehair, pin er eg oe Kee allons uniting in this moveine ort Biatay Tefll, Holot Suolem, Sharat Zoek, Bent Pael Zod th Isract, Bikur Chotim, Beth 1. Berocha, Mishkam Israel, Boal Maminim, Bnai Jeshurun, New York city; Beh Brook; Beth Klobiin, Wile hhamsborg, and B'nat Jeshurun, Tompkinsville, Staten Island, ORIENTAL HALL, Sermon by Rev. Charles F. Les. “No surrender—the Christians motto,” was the Utle of tne sermon preached yesterday morning at Oriental Hall, before the Fifth Universalist Society, by tho Rey. Uharles F. Lee, who took for his text the following verse from St...Paul’s Epistie to the Corinthians:—“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast ana immovable, always abounding tn the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know our labor is not im vain in tnd Lora." pon the eternal banners, the preacher said, was in- scribed the watchword ‘Onward |”) and ap exam. toatioa of the works of God as revealed Ju creation Showed constant: progresssion and deinonsicated the ceaseless acitvity of tie Deity, In like manner should Christians endeavor to earnest aud Un- faltering. With the giorious motto of “NO BI UBRENDE! on their tongues and its spirit in their hearts the heroes of Christianity had triumphed over a sunful world. Onristianity was not @ failure. was @ great and glorious success, Every day some new soul was resaved from the blighting thraldom of sin and ignorance and made to eel ie lovejof Jesus. There were, it must pe admitted, much evil Poe iniquity to deplore, but at couid wot be ques- tioned that the world was more advanced and en- lighiened than ivever had been before, Man nob only was not degenerating, but was advanciug, phy- Sioally, intellectually and morally. The object. of Christianity was not to be found ouly embodied in churches, but in the continual OPPOBITION OF GOD TO RYIL. The true soldiers of the Cross waged constant and uncomprom sug War against sin. They could not temporize with evil, nor Were they of those whoserved Mammon upon six days of the week 10 put.on tie livery of heaven upon Sunday, What was wanted in the preseat day to assure the triumph of ,eligion were men who, despising expediency, waged viguious and Nnceasing War upon wickedness, They were not true Christians whom obsiacies aod dificuities daunted. In conclusion the preacher exhorved his bearers to have courage and stand steadfast ava they would be rewarded by seeing the righ, of picty and justice ou earth and enjoy a glorious immoriai- ity hereafier, THE SPIRITUALIST. Descriptive Features of the Assemblage=Man as He Is and Is to Be—Inspired Discourse by Mrs. Nelilo Brigham. ~ A meeting of Spiritualists, numbering about two hundred, assembled in the above hall on, yesterday for the purpose of carrying on thelr usual service, the chief attraction being the fact of Mrs, Nellie Brigham intended favoring the audience with a spiritualistic discourse. The congregation was chiefly composed of aged and venerable looking in- dividuals, who made good use of their time before the service commenced by reading “newspapers,” taking “snuff,” condensing “tovacco quids’’ and sundry other devotional exercises. ‘There was also a large sprinkling of severe, staid and sagacious looking matrons and maidens, also a fair supply of THE RISING GENERATION of both eexes, evidently come. with the intention of betng initiated into the new doctrine. ‘The choir was composed of the following artistes: Adams, soprano ; Miss Macom id Mr. P. FE. Farnsworth, basso, menced the service by singing the following lives :— Ob, sacred presenos, life divine, We rear for Thee no glided ahrive; ‘We will not mock ‘Thy ho! ¢ With ities bigh of e:ny AN! souls in cf Arotiud Thee as thelr central aun, It would have been no harm if “the spirit” moved some of the Congregation to join in the singing, as the choir, though very well trained, and rendering the different airs in a highly artistic and finished manner, Was rather limited, consisting of only three, Wulch cerxtalnly are hot enough to fill this rather Jarge hall, No doubt the spirits will see the force of ‘this after a short time, and will open the mouths of some of the congregation at least. MRS, NELLIE BRIGIAM, arather young and very intellectual looking lady, dressed in brown silk, a8” became her grave and 1m- portant position of medium, then came forward, and delivered a very fervid and eloquent prayer, supplicating cliefly that grace would attend ail their mee! and always be among them, and success favor thelr society aud increase their numbers. She also drew @ contrast between the spiritualists’ form of prayer as compared with “ordinary Christians.’? After which she retired for a few minntes, posstbly in order that ‘the spirit might descend on her more pientifully and make herthe meditim of a good and useful discourse.’? The subject was ° “MAN AS HE IS AND 18 'TO BR.” She went into a very lengthy, abstruse and almost tacomprehensible discourse, begining by saying that ag ‘man was made from dust” 1) was only rea- sonable to suppose that all his inclinations and all his aspirations shouid incline to worllly matters and be 80 absorbed as almost never to think of the soul, his attention being drawn to the latter by an inward consciousness of a spirit warning him of the dangers to come, Which should now be prepared for. She then drew several very peculiar comparisons between THE SOULS OF MEN AND OAK TREES, not ripening or blossoming for a few years perhaps, and then Springing forth into life by some unuc- countable reason. She then referred to the ancients, how in thelr ignorance of the world and what tt contained, it being one of their many theortes regard- ing the earth that it was only a sort of shell contain- ing water, ALSO AS REGARDS THE SKY being a reservoir, kept by some individual wio some- times opening his gates caused rain on earti. So numerous and etherial were the fights which this lady took into the reatms’ of fancy upon the wings of spirit agency that one accustomed to plod ‘the earth like ordinary mortals had naturally sug- gested to him the ‘wisdom of the adage of sop, “that he who hews above his height wiil get chips in his eyes.” She held that although spiritualists may be accused of not Iiving up to their sublime theortes they had yet sounded the true note of pro- gress. They were at present but tho scaffolding of a building, the true features of which would yet reveal itself in all its beauty and toveliness. They had but started on the path which led $o liberty, light and ove. 1 —_———_—<—$ BROOKLYN CHURCHES. PLYMOUTH CHURCH. A Threetold Collection—A Plymouth Church Slave Girl Going Out as a Missionary—Ser- mon on the Mercy of God—Not One Man in a Million a Professing Christia: The Christian year at Plymouth church is relieved of any monotony by the necessarily varied incidents that so large a church and congregation necessarily crowd into the calendar of its services and ceremo- nials, Yesterday there was a baptism of infants ana @ negro collection as speciaities of the morning ser- vice. Before the prayer that precedes the sermon Mr. Beecher announced that the children of “believing parents” would be presented for baptism, The pastor descended from the platform, and asmall company of fathers and mothers passed before him, each father presenting his infant for the sprinkling of the water and the endowment of the Christian name by the pastor. Before the baptismal service commenced the choir chanted in aneéffective manner appropriate Scriptural passages. i$ { ‘The negro collection was preceded by a conversas | tional kind of address that was thoroughly enjoyed, | evidently, by the audience, and must have been deeply interesting to many Of those present whose memory went back to one of the scenes described. Mr. Beecher said that he asked the congregation to give that morning @ collection that would virtually be three collections rolled into one, inasmuch 99 it was for three objects. The first was for the Lincoln University for the colored people of Missouri, and the significance of that appeal would be best considered by those who could remember what Missouri and Kansas were in 1366—frontier States out of the confines of civiliza- tion—and then pegs thelr memory back from that, and thinking for a moment that Plymouth church was asking for a contribution to a university for colored people in one of those States, The sec- ond was a contribution of $100, very mach needed by a colored church in Gravesend, who were bie 314) for leave to exist. Two brethren connec! witl Plymouth church had investigated the case, and it ‘was one that was well worthy of their sympathy: ‘The third was a home matter. Many present would remember LITTLE PINK, the Lad. To those who do not remember it he might make @ long story short by telling the story in | Ne Sane fow words; During metime when ovr Israel Was r the Rel pea—ho did not meau the lsracl of utry—he Wis told by of (hg col ends in South that a ‘very pretty, mte- rest ng Mtile girl, very sligitiy eviored, alivery aid be purchased. and he at tha’ was bu slaved—a work that he aways looked bick Upon with great complicercy. Ho told his Southern frievds that he could not entertan any idea of @ purchas» uniess the girl were brown} North, | 16 was need*ul in or ler to do this that bonds should be entered into for this girl's return if she Were not purchased, When the negotiation coin: menced for this with the slave den keeper that wor paid him @ vory high compliment aud “HENRY WARD BEEONBR'S worn ‘WAS WORTH MORE BON! THAN BONDS, and thatif Henry War Beecher sald she should bo returned, if not purchased, he would raiher have that than ail the bonds in the world, So L'ttlo Pink came on, and sho was plaved one Sunday morning on that platform, and the price of her re- demption from slavery asked for, There was & waking up of entuusiasm that morning thas that churoit ee never wit before or since, and: rp hey ‘was wanted vo purchase her realized on 2 8] Among the con'ributors was a Literary lady named Rose Terry, who did not happen to have a3 much ta Petry ook as she thought sh to ¢ ve, an took from her “Law tat ring in the baw ket,” said her, “and [ placed it at once upon her finger as an emblem of her redemption.” Long after this occurreuce Mr. Beecher said he Was staying at the house of Chief Justice Chase, when he was told that bse aes to speak to hiin, Rose was her nawe then, they had changed her Name and blended with tt the is wheeareibe ring and his own name, and she was by the very pretty name of ROSH WARD. Rose continued to support herself and her aed grandmo'her by labor, and now she is impressed with the idea that she Co do something for her own colored people. She 1s desirous of fit- ting herself for that, and for that she re- juires $150 to enab'e her to go to Washingvon miversity to be Giucated. Plymouth church con- erezaiion had redeemed her body; it was therefore fitting they should now redeem hermind. He knew fe ¢ he asenge it, The Crys uk Ay — and from the appearance n bask we should think that Mr. Beecher’s threcfold col- lection was an unquestioned succe-s, ~The sermacn was from St. Matthew, ix., 13—“But go ye and Jearn what that meaneth; I will have mercy and not sacrifice; for 1 am not come to eall tne righteous, but sinners to repentance.’” ‘The preacher at the outset referred to the social character of Christ when on earth, His frienditacas to the non-orthodox and sinners of the time, and said that if Christ were now on earth He would be objected to as too liberal and mixing up with pie who would be likely to injure His reputation, An analysis of the attributes of justice and mercy, as shown In the character of God and His dispensation towurd man; the setting forth of the evidence that mercy and not justice was the leading characteristic of those dispensations formed an eloquent prelude to some characteristic remarks on the attitude of the @hurch towards Christian ty. Speaking of sectarlan- ism as shutting itself up in its own peculiar notions of polity and tts own special! phase of faith, he said thatthe time had come when the experiment of more Liberality and # deeper religious spirit were in- ev.taple if Christianity were to fulfil tts mission. As evidence of the need of thishe sald that though ae hundred years had passed away it was a fact that NOT ONE MAN IN A MILLION PROFESSED CHRIS- TLANITY, Africa was barbarian, Asia was beathen, and Europe and America were only civilized, and not Christian. He closed by amp!ylying some views that conscience to be made perfect must be allied with love, and aiso the great blessing that the contemplation of this bes of mercy was toa Christian man in his dying our. CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF MERCY.- Sermon on Sell-Mortification and Tenchings of the Life of Christ-By Rev. J. MacEiroy. The congregation of the Church of Our Lady of Merey, of which Rev. Father Taafe 19 pastor and Key. James MacEtroy ts curate, is one of the largest in Brooklyn, numbering in all about 8,000 persons within the limits of the parish. ‘There are several ‘wealthy people regular attendants at the services of tuis church, though the majority are of the poorer class, The pastor, who is a young man, is full o zeal and devotion and ts ever most urgentiy solicit. ous for all that tends to promote the spiritual wel- fare of his fock regardless of personal fatigue in the ? discharge of his pastoral duties. The church edifice, located on Debevoise street, near DeKalb avenue, is a new and handsome brick structure, lighted by beautiful stained glass win- dows, the waila and ceiling being tastefully frescoed, ‘There are accommodations for seating 1,900 persons, ‘The altar, which is of white marble, is chaste and elegant in design. THE VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL embentishments are excellent, the choir being second to but few, if any, in the city. Rev. Father MacElroy preached an admirable sermon at ihe principal service yesterday, taking for nis text tha! portion of the Gospel of St. John, com- mencing With the sixteenta verse—“A litte while and ye shall not see me, and again a litle while and ye shall see me; because I go to my Father.” He said, In substance, taat from the time our Divine Lord took to himsel his twelve Apostles He inteaded that every public act and saying of His should be fraugut With bright and shining exampies of char.ty, purity and seldenial for ail men for the ume tocome. ‘The life of Christ was one of 1struc- tion to man to curb down evil pass.ons, and to enable us, by imitating His exawple, to elevate our minds and hearts that we may be worthy the reward which He bas in store for us. Before THE COMING OF OUR LORD the teachings were “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"! en sought to enjoy the things of this world, and did not regard the necessity for control- : ling their desires or passions. But our Divine Saviour said, “Ye shall gn» and lament, but the ‘world shall rejotce, and ye shali be sovrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.’ Thls was the promise in store for the followers of Christ, and the significance of the words were wninisiakable, Trials and tribulations in this worid were the share of His followers. ‘We are not to cous der that this life is a place for our gratification. On the contrary, self-:nortification, denial and humility are the vir- tues which earn for us the reward of eternal happi- ness, as Christians. Every action of Christ while on earth taught men to enjoy the treasures of Heaven, and not the things of this world. Yet, there are those who profess to be Christians, and yet they are as far from practising His doctrine a8 men were when He estaviished His Churci one thousand eight hundred years ‘The reverend gentleman then proceeded to define those virtues Which were so becoming in THE LIFR OF YOUNG MEN and women, and to point out the danzers and temp- tations which er should a3 Christians avoul, Wwe cannot forget God here, and enjoy Him ever) .stingly in Heaven. Tho world rejoiced at our triais and tribulations, but “ihe sorrows shali be turned into joy.” ‘The Church in all ages had been reviled, but midst all her tribulations she has gone on still preaching and teaching the great truths which Jesus Christ Himself came on earth to teach. In reading the various notices for the day, Father MacElroy, culled the attention of the congregation to the fact that instructions for children who were about to prepare for the holy communion would ve given on ceriain evenings dnring the week, und took oc- casion to to remark that the interest taken in public schools of children who attended them was @ mooted. question; but it becomes Catholics that parents see that their children are religiously edu- cated, It wasa deplorable fact that while so much has been done towards educations, that ignorance on religious matters should beso prevalent, This fault is due mainly to the negligence of parents, and not of ihe Church. Parents must co-operate and see tha} their children atiend Suaday schoois regularly at the churcues, ‘ SIMPSON M. E. CHURCH. Satan and Sin—Sermon by Rev. Richard M. Meredith. ‘The Rev. Richard M. Meredith, formeriy connected with ths) Troy Conference, and who has just been calied to the charge of the Simpson Methodist Epis. copal church, at the corner of Willoughby and Cler- mont avenues, preached bis Inangural sermon yes- terday morning,, He read for the morning i¢ssons portions of the frst chapter of Job and fourth chap- ter of Matthew. He then took for histextthe tnirty- first and. thirty-second verses of the twenty-second chapter of the Gospel according to Luke:— And the Lord said, fein Simon, bebold Satan bath desired to bave you, that he might sift you we wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and ‘whendhou art coaverted strengthen thy brethren, It would appear that the first ministry of onr Lord was to iead His disciples to have faith in the eter- nity, yet notwithstanding the fact that He frequently unbvosomed Himself to them, expounding. the mya- tery of His doctrine, He scans never to have succeeded in entirely dispelling from tueir minds the belief that He was to establish anew kingdom. They believed that His mission woud establish the Jewish nationality on a firmer basis, and finally relieve the Jews from their bouds. Under the beef that He was to be A GREAT HUtyR Fis favor was sought for high positions, which some of His followers belleved were in His gift Jesus sald they knew not what they were taiking abont, Notwithstanding the reiteration of His siatements that His kingdom was not of this world they still had sharp controversies as to who should have positions in the great temple of the kingdom which they atill bal eo the Messiah would establish, It was possible they might have ‘been th ig of THR SPIRITUAL KINGDOM: but it mattered not whether it was the temporal or spiritual kingdom, the spirit which Jed. ‘to these con- troversies was bad. It was pride. It was selfish- ness. Iv was unholy, and Jesus saw the elements in it that would destroy the Charch, His Ohl was founded on charity and brotherly love, its atremgdi depended upon thew fatth, and the love for $$ Terr wa a As: corned in regard to those | emboiiment of it, wae con consider the wimamenta frou nature, from Provi- dence, Li Wiiose fai migut be casiy shaken; beuce Ho bad, “SIM N, SIMON, BEHOLD SATAN wn tse lee fen ae ae ga Ww ; fi Wn Es imareaeIP Ta seen ol eben tte being @ ieader. He Was one of the ohief ment, and & reat deal ve! “upon his dirmogess in tho faith. men are sedab, grave sober, Whie others ure dinpulst! Hrapeuu uk Simon b toned to the impetuous class, and such men full more dastly or are more susceptinie to tempiasion, and they Bllould be constan. ly on their Onn for RATAN STOOD REA! to sift them as wheat, If they were impetuous they should beware, for Satan was after thein, ‘The discourse, of which the svove is but a bricf bstract, Waa ‘8 LISTENED TO WITH MARERD ATFENTION, ‘ the reverend genttoman sald that he was juainted with inany of the on, He k! ew they would pray for him. Was dis already ac and liked thei. Alter singing and prayer the congregal missed, FOURTH STREST UNVERSALIST CHURCH, ae ‘The Rev. A, J. Canfeld on ‘sPatienco of Faith” and the French Elections ¥sierdays ‘The Fourth street Universalist church, Brooklya, B.D., ta composed of all tho hberal Christian ele- ‘Meats in tho district. If the ediflce 13 not 80 con- @piouously grand in architecture as some of its neighbors, it certataly drawa to ttself much of the intellectual. and social worth that gives tone and standing even to religious organizations. A very large aud.ece gathored yesterday morning to hear the pastor, Rev, A. J, Canfoid, discour.e on the ‘Putienco of Faith.” His text was selected from James, first chapter and third verse— “The: trying of your faith worketh patience.’ Referring to the late letter of Joseph Mazzini, the bee Tialtan agitator, why». for thirty years has ied He advance Of liberty througiout Zurope, bit who has at last become weary with bis work and dis. courage! with mankind, Mr, Oanield proveeded to Bpeak of the patience of talth as a cure for discour- acements in doing . He argued thatwhiue le was doubtiess a great mistake for tho mass of the people * : TO NEGLROT MEN OP THOUGHT, such men might themselves be misied by unreason- able and impossible expectations. y reforiners Who siart with @ high fatthin humanity grow sour and cynica! from contact with vulgarity and genseléssness, and end with becoming as bearded and prickly and grim as thistles in September. Because the worid does not at once come up to thélr expectations they conclude that there is nothing in human nature but roguery, sus icion and Ald#huess, Of course such & miserable lad of belief can iusptre no patient zeal and lead to no practical attempts at pitlantaropy. AU the greatest things tu life are done by faith and pa- tience. One is equaily as important us the other; but the endurance and tenacity of the patience de- pend "pon the quality of the ideas and the loftt- ness of the objects with which faita becomes linked. A noble faith inspires its possessor with A SUBLIME PATIBNCE. Italy, with Mazzini, had faith enough in 1848, but it seemed to be In vain; yet thirty years of patience bave shown most wonlerfal results, France, Lafayette in prison, hat faith in self-government in 1789, but it lacked the steadiness of pationce, It bas since been twice a monerey, twice a republic and twice an empire, and lay it takes the first step toward becoming a limited monarchy again, e preacner concluded that, on the whole, though indt- vidual reformers and iministers might become «is- couraged, and even get Sank. ee Philosophy was no cheat and religion no delusion. True progress takes piace in the providence of God, wno, from per- fect moive, of perfect material, and for a perfect. purpose, created tis human nature and put Into tt all thé elements neceasary to its coniplete and final development. JERSEY CITY CHURCHES. The Catholic Church and the Marriage Ques« tion—Sermon in St. Peter’s by tho Rev, *John Grabame—Free Love and the Doctrine of Af_lnitios Viewed from a Catholic Stands point—The Abyss Into Which Socicty is Drifting. i. Jn St, Peter's church, Jersey City, solemn mass ‘was celebrated by the pastor, Rev. P. Corrigan, at hatf-past ten o'clock, After the first gospel Rev. Jonn Grahame ascended the pulpit and delivered sermon on the sacrament of-matrimony, which was an.cloquent exposition of the question of mar- riage considered in its inviolubility as laid down by the Catholic Church. Tho preacher confined himeelf to this aspect of the question without regard to the obligations or duties of the married state, The fol- lowing is a compendium of the sermon:—There sre in uorjtimes many faise and ERRONEOUS OPINIONS concerning questions on which our welfare in this world and in the next depends. It ts one of the misfortanes of our times that many maxims are submitted to because Catholics do not stand in need of apy particular elucidation of them; and secondly, because tie men who promulgate such opinions are not worthy of any special notice. It is not too much to say that there are serious grounds for apprehension Jest many suiter fa their farch on ac- count of the spread of these pernicious maxtns., Happily, in the Catholic Church we have nothing to say on this subject, because every member of vaat Chureh 13 weil aware of ihe inflexibie rules jad down ta regard to tils most momentous quest.oa. No amount of teaching can satisfy the requirembuts of socivly except THE CATHOLIC DOCTRINE on thig question of the marricd state. The Catholic Canreh alone lays down those rules In rier, to marriage Which satisfies perfectly every condition, both human and superna‘ural. Uniess this natural law be preserved tiere will soon be an overthrow of all society, and consequeuuly of all civilization. The farther We remove ourselves from tiis law the nearer we approach to the condition of animais and the more we sink to the level of barbar.ans, Our Lord, when he preached to his disciples and through them to the world, knew that the move strict_y he should enforce the observance of ihe sac- rament of matrimony the more consolidat:d would be the reifgion he came to establish. The very In- jonetion Christ laid on his followers the Catholic Church lays upon her. children to-day. The incipiency of the Reformition was warked by practices which were In direct an- tagonism with the teachings of Christ Ntinselt, as in the case of the Landgrave of Hesse, Who obtained ermis:ion from the louuders of the Reformation B take nnto lumeseif a second wife while the first Was sti) living. The Catholic Church 18° the fey system, opposed to such techings. She 13 tenaciously to the doctrins that es MARRIAGE IS INDISSOLUBLE. There are two cominandments in the decalogue especiaily directed to’ this end, and there is no Ca.h- olic Who has not beard the injunction of the Scrip. ture “Waom God h..t: joined tozether let no man put asunder.” We (ind leaders of heresy, preaching the contrary, ana their preachiag shows’ that there is an afilaily between deistic opinions and the doctrine that mar- nace is a civil coniract and nothing more. But As- modeus is as deserving of the hatred of every iover of Christian society, whether he speaks f’om Wirring pulpits or propounds his theoiies on the sterile plains oi Utah. These opinions, both mykurope and America, will have @ jatal result, and this resu.t is inevitable, Thousauds: will shed their biood, ahd nations as well as individuate will suffer in porituns to the generality of those teachings. Fiee love+what a terilbic expression! What an awful principle is involved in these two words! A principle whieh drags down mun to the level of the beast.. We tind the words .* “SYMPATHY” AND “AEFINITY" included if the vocabulary of this system. | Why, the very same sympathy would ,usthy your taking @ man’s horse or is watch, If you desire to have bis waich at ‘all you have a sympaihy for it, and if you have @ sympathy you are entitled to take it, according to the, new iklea. See what is the resuit of rejecting the superaatural inea of See how necessary are the teachings of Christ. It is our strict adherence to the doctrine of the marriage relation ihat has preserved our Catholicity and our numbers, The corner stone of our Christianity is the marriage contract; It is the sure foundation ov which rests the fauri¢ of our civi- lization. The day will come when society will real- ize that without this relation, as inierpreted by the Catholic Chureh, it must fall to pieces. Society must eventually discover that only in the Cathollc Church can be found the true and ldsing interpretation of this question, WASHINGION CHURCHES, METROPOLITAN METHODIST CHURCH. Sermon by Rev. Dr. Newman—President Grant and Family, and Vice President Calf Pi jhe. olfax Presents Wasutnoton, May 8, 1810. President Grant and family, Vice’ President Colfax, Chief Justice Chase and Horace Maynara | were among Rev. Dr. Newman's auditors this morn. | ing at the Metropolitan Methodist church, Dr, Newman took his text from Habakkuk ill, ¢— “There was the hiding of his power.” In this brief text the prophet announces that results must ‘declare the presence and purposes of the Almighty; that he moves in disguises; that he is not seen either upon the right hand or upon the left, ‘but work3 in power and wisdom and according to a fixed plan, The speaker ied to develop the thought that resuits must declare the preseuce and designs of God. The mvisibility of God ts no argu- ment for his non-existenee. The vast system of pature, the whole universe is, but AN EXPRESSION OF THE THOUGHT OF GoD. His thoaght is written on the stars, writtea on the trees, the @i the flowers. Tnis thought must have existed in mind, The universe: 1s but the eclarad hat ite, ie of God. Bprin, Tobust, mighty oak, 8 L@ve MO umber for our Dr. Newman thon procceded to rel, Wich re oxnize and con- rin the Laoygit of ty We tte hialog pe oi 4 wat need ie ure a siipla Aeol d res 01}, the speaker it fal cup . into up a tender pinot, maure: won Into the cominerce and tho ships tat bear it, and oats pere haps ihe dines of tue Gosvgt oO foreign Jands, or, like the Maviower brings with tt the spirit of ib: erty and Civ lization, Ayalon, the con li ious of sal- vation are so slinple that We turn ibasds. We for. gol tha‘ true greatness 1s olw: ys ma) ifewted tn sim: Plicity; thatit cakes a grent man to besm le anda gre {Go to be siunple. Everywhere in the Bibie it Tha: Lest an or est, burniyg desire to see God. We bevoid His works aml dwaltupyon bis glory, but te. im os.we snail see Him wiea our redemplion feu g Cnished and we dwell forever in His presence. CENTRAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. ‘Chiletinn Philosophy of Life=Sermon by Rev. Dr. Boynton, WASHINGTON, May 8, 1870. At the Central Congrogationat Churokt Rev. Dr. Boynton's subject was “Chrisitan Pailosophy of Lite,” the text being “Cast all your care upon Him, for He careth for you." The speaker began by sta- ting the fruitless s'raggte of the hurnan mind to dis- cover a true method of life, Polytheism multiplied gods, till the crowded untverse was overburthened, and man gave up bellef in them ail, Materialism tried to conceive ot all the universe beginning in nothing, shaped by no tutelligence and tend- ing to no end. But the human soul ts frightened to fin. itseif without any God, and then consents to adopt and worship the first that presenta itself, even if itis an ox, or aserpent, or a devil, ‘rhe Bible presents the idea of @ universe created vy & na! God, separate from but mot in- dependent of Him, and momentarily watched over and ‘ved b; preser ry . HI3 LOVE AND POWER. ‘And the Apostle, after the experience of an event- ful life, declares that tno trae mothod of living is to cast al our cure upon God. ‘Che Christian idea is tha: every creature tn {ts normal condition exercises ite faculties fre-ly within its appropriate sphere, and yet. unier the guidvace of an intelligence superior to nature—-ven tie mind of God, A mind may Work under gul lance, and not thereby bacome & machine. Analogies wer: presented mm ihe vegetable and animal kingtems to show that fa Unese lower forms of li’e the iaculties, if we may 80 call them, of th se su) r bein:s all work und r the direc'ion of a re intelligence. May not these point apwaril to higher relations betweea the human mina and God? Ii 80 then tru» philoso- uires that man, worki within hi Baers, ‘should, without anxiety, Mesa ‘all cai about results over upon The made libral_ — quotatio: to show Watchful care of his peop zinaing with the pas- sage, He that dwe'eth in the secret pace of the Most High giall abide under thé sh dow of the Al- mighty.” Me showed from the history of the Church that H GOD 18 FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISES. He showcd by examples the usefulness of care—an ignorant salor, packet the deck during the Teverish anxiety, and looking out into the darkness, when a skiliul and experien’@| ca tein was in com- mand. Christ 1s at the hetm of our ship—tiie uuwa- rh d child worrying leat ite founiains shoud be dry. God's fountains of love never run dry. ‘the follow- i.g@ was the closing passage:—‘Chri tian friends, will you not be eucoura ed to spproach tne throne of our risen Lord and c.st your ¢.reon him? White ever burden pre-ses the heart, whaiever secret sor- row Kies there or eating care, whitever trial dia- tresses, Jesus cares for you ani stands rearly to lift tue burden fromm the weary hear, Lay it down, hh ayy laden one, and bea’ a song away, Bend to Aun ‘the aching brow and He will place on it a crown of rejoicing. Above all, Open your soul for the reception of the higher spiritual life and the Howy Spirit will make your sou His dwelling place. In @1 your aspirations after whit ts nobler and bet- ter, Gast Your ©.re upon Him, for His veart 1s filled | with Living sympathies for those who long for a closer‘union with Him.’ ST. MAITHEW’S CBURCH. Celebration of the Anniversary of Consecrn- tion of the Church—Sermon by Rev. Father Kane, WaAsntnaron, May 8, 1979. At St Matthew's Catholic church tne tnirty-fifth anniversary of the consecration of the church was celebrated. The ceremonies were unusually impos- ing and solemn. Rey. Dr. White, pastor of the church, rendered Cimmarosa’s mass, This mass has never been published, but was sent in manu- script from Rome, and was rendered in Baltimore some years ago. The mass contains many gems. The Domint Deus, at to, ai by Miss Ancers n, Mra. Ki “4d Anders on, tea fT, and the Quontam as lo, im bs by Mr, Gannan, were admirably perf cme i. h@: Kane, oO St. Patrick's chucch, of this city, délive ed the ser eon, wh eh was both elo- quenta 4d iastruckve, He exp.ained the ceremonies attending the CONSECRATION OF CHURCHTS, the sprinkling of the edifice snside and ont with holy water, and the strewi gO @sies, He said that whue the church was place dedicate! to the worship of God, the human boiy was also the ving temple of Gud—that the Holy Spirit dwelt there. From this the reverend fath r drew a very vivid picture of the responsi- bility of men in tieir Itves and tieir duty to God, and the necessity of keeping the bo lies us fit tem- piles of the living Gol. He ex! all to be more pe: severing in the faith, aad to make the anniver- sary of the conse ratio: of the ciu ch the season of & renewed consecration of their Souls to Christ, A very large concourse of people were present, includ- ing @ number of the diplomatic corps. ¢ FIRST PRESBYTER‘AN CHURCH. Sermon by Rev. Dr. Blackie, of Scotland. WASHINGTON, May, 8, 1876, The pulpit of the First Presbyterian church. was occupied to-day by Rev. Dr. Blackie, of Scotland, who js one of the delegates from the Free Charch of Scouland to the General Assembly of the Preaby- terlan Church, which is soon to meet in Philadel- phia. The stalwart Scotciman selected as his tox Hebrews iv., 14 and 16—‘‘Seeing, then, that we have a great High Priest that 1s passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our pro» fession,” &c. He bezan by saying that no book of Scripture conta ns a greater number of cau- tions against being at ease in Zion or more exhorta- tion 10 earnestness in’ reizion than this epistie to the Beare ‘The wrt'er of the boox evidently saw much of the lukewaramess of the church me ubers of his day, and took occasion fo @lopt ths line of ment, The priestly ottice of Christ is here heid as an exhortation to Christian steadfasinesa, He proceeded to notice, first, the ground of the exhortation, and then tne exhortation itself, Christ was here calied a reat Hgh Priest provably to distinguish my from the Jew! Seg It was the business of a priest to deal with win, to absolve the sinner, and secure him favor with God. Christ, our Great ‘High Priest, has passed into the heavens, and there ne ever Itves to make intercession for us,’ What privi- ledge it was to have one who could cleanse us from sin, that thing which is the autior of ail our woes, and which Goi hates! The apostle makes use of this fact to exhort us to HOLD FAST THE PROFESSION OF OUR FAITII, Christians shou!d maintain a close fellowship with the great High Priest. ‘They should not allow any- thing to lead them away from Him. Too much attactiment to the werli, its frivulousness and 1ts follies, 13 liable to lead the hart away from Christ, and Christians should strive against this, The preacher referred to the human sympathy of the Saviour as depicted in the fiftee ith ‘verse—“For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was’ in all points tempted like ag we are, yet without sin.” He ridtcuied the idea of the Roman Catholic Church that the mother ef Christ and ay could be of assistance in obtain- ing favor for the sinner. This @ that Christ had not a fellow feeling with us,” In His human ature he combined all tire soft, tender feeling of » woman With the sirengih of @ min. He was at once the lion of the trive of Judah and the lamb plain from the foundation of the worid. The rev- ereud doctor closed his di-course by exhorting bis hearers to steadfastuess in tre faith, NEW YORK AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Sermon by Rev. Dr. Arnoty of Ediaburg, Score land. - © WASHINGTON, M2y 8, 1870, ‘yhe venerable Dr. Arnot, of Edinburg, Scotland, delivered an eloquent sermon at the New York Ave- nue Presbyterian church, from: Second Corinthians, iil,, 1.3, The reverend Doctor, after stating wat Paul intended to teach that preaciers of the Gospel needed the truth, impressed on the hearts of the disciples, rather than written credentials as proof .of their authority, passed the subject of. the "Epistles of Christ,” which he declared ii) true Christians to be, The truths of Christ's religion, he said, were indelibly written tn large, plain, raised letters by God. himselt, through the agency of His ministers, upon tie heaits of nen, purified from the poliution of sin by the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, and thus disseminated so ‘that all: men, even tie uulearned and the blind, may. read them. He. fully explatued and tilus- traied. his subject, remarking lucidentally §phat Rowe, with all its passion for holy” relics, MAS NO RECORDS IN THE SAVIOURS HANDWRITING. He asserted that God relies on “living episties’” for the spread of the Gospel, and closed with an earnest exhortation to his hearers to be sure to bear abont in tho sigit of meu the Luscription of Christ, and not of Satan.