The New York Herald Newspaper, May 15, 1871, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, MAY 15, 1871—TRIPLE SHEET. RELIGIOUS Sermons and Services in This City and Elsewhere. Plain Preaching on Prayer, Penance and Papal Infallibility. The Patience of Job and the Volicy of the Catholic Church. Discourses by Bishop Ja Rey. Drs. Hall, Armitage and Potter 3 Mr. Hepworth, Rey. Father Boyce and Other’ MOS, Rev. ‘fhe religious world, at least the New York portion | for devotional sterday of it, exercises sph was dence. ada splendid ds The delico the chill blasts of the previous week, | The streets were filled with more than the usual crowds of well-dressed church-goers, | Never in the brightest and m, ort ‘8 of the late French ei in the gi c ne, Were seen more pretty women | Soul to te contemplation of the greatn Organist, formerty of Dr. Rogers’ church; Miss Hen- tmey must sg con- | holy and eternal God. In His fellowsnip is happi- Tietta Beebe, soprano; Miss Agaes Palmer, traito; Mr. Charles Fritsch, tenor; Mr, W. H. 6 Beckett, baritone, composed the new choir. During | of sin divine service the choir gave, with excellent effect, the Deus Miseratur, The untson was perfect, ‘THE LOW, MELLOW TONES of the organ floated out, mingled with the vo'ces of sounds. The organ execution throughout was marked with excellent taste and judgment—never drowning the voices of the singers, but sinking and swelling with their voices, softening and meilowing their notes, The character of the music throughout was suodued and rather sweet than good or im- posing; but its influence was emtenily religions and emotional. ‘Tne voices of the singer 'e KOOd and excellently cultivated. Mr. Beckett w suiering from a sight cold, bul, never- theiess, he succeeded in discharging his part most creditably, This new choir will go far to make Dr. Armitage’s church @ favorite with all chureh goers who love goo! S10, And hail Ure aid which sacred harmony br in’ elevating the o4 the Creator, It would be diMecult to over-estimate the effect of music as A STIMULANT TO DEVOTION, men cannot do better than bring their ttening and re- wurech more purity and & 53 of the atmo- | mething for which to thank a kind Proyl- | seen of me aiso, the hold such various temptat the cold or the indie fhe sermon was pi ythe Rey. Dr. Armi- Who took as his text St, Paul’s First Kpisile to rintinans, +8, 9—"And, last of all, He was sof one born out of due tune. For Tam ihe least of the Apostles that am not meei to an apostic, because I persecuted Two things are nece: be calted ynd, he should have seen tite All Tuifilled these requisite conditions, espe tinted silks or satins. All the new colors | Sia Pan, mous he did not see Lim at - i ‘periipats vent were | We. Same time as the otners, Christ ad pes that fashion or art could invent were | gicq “and ascend helire. Baul: “head sakea displayed for the benefit of an admiring public. | Him. He appe to allude to this tact tyne churches were thronged with the same | the p tical Words was 08 one born ont of due Trini? chit | tum n the conversion of St. Paul we lave & crowds, and from Tr nity church, t the | notaole e mple of t war of ession carried head of Wall strect, to St. E ti’s, at Fort | on by Christ against the enemy by meu captured Washington, the same inspiriting em of the sesthetics of fashion way not ahe best of which are given below, were glowing ‘with piety and brimful of earnestness in the great ‘work of salvation, Even the reverend teacners of morality were more or Jess infused with the deli- iciousness of the glorious atmosphere, and their dise jcourses seemed brighter than ever with fresh @houghis and soul uring exhortations. CHURCH OF THE MuSsiAN, No Room for the Lord—Sermon by the Rev. G. H. Hepworth. The attendance at the Church of the Messiah last | ening Was, as usual, very large and was com- posed of the leading representatives of Murray Hull Roctety. ‘The popular pastor delivered one of his charac- feristic sermons, taking fils text from St, Luke, xl, 7— “No room for tuem in tue inn.’ He said:—Dear friends, how doleiul and disheartening those words must have sounded in the weary travellers’ ears, ‘The aged man and the bright young girl aad toiled on their journey over the rough and dusty road from early morning, and knocked at the door of the mn, hoping to tind there a comfortable and welcome | esting place, Joseph was old and infirm, and Mary fwas overshadowed with that sacrea mystery which akes a Woman forget herself and think only of the ew life she bears in her loins, The inn was full, nd the couple were compelled to seek a place on the straw in the stable. Duriag the wight the SILENT soRROW Pf the Woman gave way to the unspeakable joy of the mother. A new jight shimmered in the heavens | nd the child, begotten of God, saw the world which | He was to save by His presence and death. Ali! how often do we entertain atigels unawares. Had they known t hatin that mother all the predictions of a long live of prophets were to be fulfilled; had they known that in the Virgin’s ioins was the Messiah promised ior ages, the wealthy and the ramed wi have spared no par © give Him a prop welcome Into the world. Bat as it was there was no room for a tired girland a wornont old man in the inn, ‘Well, the Messiah’s welcome to the Judean caravan. Bary 1s but the feeble type of His reception tn our homes ever since, That Christ, in some disguise or other, has been ENOCKING AT THE DOOR OF HUMAN HEARTS and asking for entrance and a placesto lay His weary, weary head, and we, like surly innkeepers, have said, “No room BO to stable and lie on the straw. If He should come im person, heralded as ove of ihe Eternal three, every door on | Filth avenue would be thre wide opel Teception, and we should ait Him the most | pressing invitations to wake our hous vever aller we should boast of His acquaint- OUR SET. jut when He e Him, Bi Tor id and star unger; we will not so as lift the latch or utier a word of welcome. He cries out to u “You have # guest chamber tm your hou you allow me to occupy it a penediction will | spread itself over all tiie householk stil we are deaf to iils entreaties, and dumb when we should welcome Him with all we'he What ex- cuses we make! In the old He s, when the | Master invited one to follow Him, the man replied, «Yes, I will, butI have just pought a yoke of oxen, ana I must go an first; hen He in- vited another li 1 wil, but Lhave just ried a wile t go nome ior a while.”? ES, of following Christ, and we ali mean t core but while ‘we are young we want to play the rdle of the money cha: gérs, and do ne @ to hear His brave © mun soy jnst now ing and wi eabie to have iD his ideas “I want t denunciat too much busine: right im the midet of and it’s not aiwa: table who is as st the pis.” m ing, quite necessar or courted a with » Pp 5 Jength Stranger'sta or if im the g £0 Into tb after ano such a low un, as in oy a th 6 only epould turn room for it Not wake that if y temptit no root have no room fo a@s reasona christ? You must either be His fr compromis Jour faze m covered, or t eis no ye 10 ors} bie. 4 HITE LIKE ERTE and the other wil give yoo no de not coufined to any cuurot loaded dow! aay t wi yet not that your fa bondage and a bigotry. Christ in your hearts, if your is ro 3 Jaws, your years will be happy and your en Fious. ‘There 1% nothing worth living wiicl how bo get. Christ does not tell you FIFTH AVEVUE BAPTIST CHIR nou bY the The Attributes of the Apostles=Ser Rev. Dr. Armitage. vutifal weather yesterday exerted a fave xce on this church-goimg community, and | crowd the charches with fashionabiy comgregations adies took advantage 8 ) appear m their most elegant which plea eved the sombre re: Jigious liues of the 4 rhe B toburch in Forty-stxth street Fifth avenue, where the Rev, Dr. Armiiage oficiates, unusually erowded, pwing to the announcemeast that a new and super. Freociient choir bad been ¢ 4 and would sing Bex tue fret time on Sunday. Mr. E. J, Connolly, | from the Devil and made to serve the interest of ‘edi 2 C The sermons, | ye enemy than God, Jesus n hud 2 mightier or more r it Paul, and to-day the ies an event that has infueac’ se the progres 8 uta. ured celeb | anything e | the conversion of St. Pau | persecutions and gave gr the doctrines of Christ ces Of his conversion Were as extraordinary as important, ‘The re unique, The ageat o! tits conversion Was nova man, Dut yates oonday, yens and CHRIST HIMS#LY appeared to him tn person. in the broad n the Son of God came down from the he: spoke to Saul, It was no dream-like impression ar hearing = the spirit, but a coming of Curtst to lis sresurrécted humanity to speak to man. No event depending on the evidence of one wan can be better authenticated, and St. Paul distinctly bases bis im to be an Apostle upon his having seen Christ. as a Hebrew of the extromest type; a Phar, fed in the chief bbinical School of the Jn strict compliance wiih the observances visn faith he seems to have outstripped his fellows and became a red-hot enthusiast lor Juda- ism. But he thirsted for light with the iniensity Which only a noble nature can feel; freer from te lower instincts than most men it was easy tor him tol up to the Pharisee law, which required not righteousness of the spirit but of the ieiter. At the moment of the apparition of Christ Paul felt His ola Si power in being cast to the eartu and BLINDED BY THE LIGHT. that encompassed the Lord. The depth of his ha- milauion ts revealed in the five words which he could utter in an agony of distress, “Lord, wnat must I do y’’ These are the words of one completeiy crushed and broken, Confused and bewildered, be is carried into Damascus. One fact shattered he whole betic? of his life. The Nazarene whom ted a oppressed lives and is God. In this conversion of St. Paul we have two miraculous ele- menis—a voice and a light. Is there anything anal- ogous to this in the converston of sinners’ Every man has a right to expect that ligit, the first ele- ment of conversion, which floods & man’s soul and reveals him to himself, will be granted by divine power. Light is but a poetical term for thought, irom which spring ail actions and = revo- lutions, Creation Is only one of Goil's Uioughts, Listt and thought are the same, and when God's thought descends into a man it recalis him to virtue by convincing him that sin will drag him down, Have you never heard a Voice in your offices and at your amusements plead- ing the cause of 1 nee and virtue? It was the voice of Chrigt caliing ou. to you, “Why dost thoa persecute me?” Paul discovered that the outer Show of faith was not the right way to salvation. The highest wisdom 1s to see if you have made the Pauline mistake, and if so to try to imitate this Pauline conversion. Don't be idie waiters on criti- cal arenes, for God is ever With us in the still and quiel VOICE OF CONSCENCE, if only we wii hearken to Him; and there is no proof that Christ will come to us us Le aid to St. Paul. Let us then be docile and seek the Lord while we may, that We may not be “as one born out t for His | Servic wi 1 | th and | go 71a Has dis- | christ | ume,” but rather like those born to salvation. the sermon the choir sang tbe benediction in ul style, and at its conciusion many of the cons on acquisition of such excellent artistes lor We e of the church, ils home, | ST. JAMES’ METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Interesting Ded catory Services— Bishop Janes. Yesterday the St. James Methodist Eptscopal , course by churci, corner of 126th street and Madison ave- nue, Harlem, was dedicated to divine wor- snip, with appropriate ceremonies. This cditice 18 an impostug brown stone structure in the Normar- Gothic style of architecture, having aspire 190 feet high, aud so arranged in respect Lo audience room, Sunday school and class rooms aud social parlors | as to render it spacious and convenient. ‘this new church is another contribution to the numerous public buildings that are making the metropous of this country 80 attractive, while it reflects credit upon the public spirit of a denomination which 1s said to average tie erection of one church each aay Jo the United States, The ititerior of the church 1s tastefully irescoed and comfortably furnished, and } all its appomlments are such as to make it a de- sirable resort for the families of the Methodist per- suasion Who contemplate making the upper part of the city the 2e ‘Lhe atten THE DEDICATORY EXERCIS throughout the day Was large, a number of min- isters and Jayme from this being present. “The comm ements 4 a double «isa cuce of pson, Who ¥ aci the moruing | ev. Mr Of the st. John's unce A pL jivines tha kness. by a yolu e € ui eir huues by si hymns, iminary €. sue prel Dr. procee arésupou the visiva uf th ied In the SIXTH Chapter, I 2 imtroductory ture ue red hip and im Uworld i ‘out per-ous God as having eres agencies, aud then being ENTAROSED sholding its won- 13 Tesulls; it requires the sa these operations that it did the same Wisdom to supervise that it did tem, God was sovereign of the moral world and laid ent, 1 Ww nin the pat tt n »wn laws for the government of families and of nations, ¢ those precepts were oveyed, piety, exs and all the interests OF community were ube served; but their violation brougut disorder, sirife and Would that he (he Bishop) could say to this whole nation, to its rulers and lus } fevlow uzens in every pa {the land, that tie dis- yioe | Accomp: he Violation of His holy His divine precep tion His indignation auc J, nothing but Christlantty, tis great repuvile and enable tt to 1 ibe designs of Providence in raising us up as u people, In the moral world God governed by mouy All law implied penaity, @nd henc HELL 18 THE PENAL COLONY OF THE UNIVERSR, Where devils and lust mea who had fortelted the j Div ‘or and incurred the penalty orf. His law were suffering (he deserts of Uneir gulit and leaving | the realm of junocence find love tranquil because their presente was not there to disturb. in the spiritual world, aud Hy humanity i$ @ mediate | interposition o! our Lord Jes ard of God's authority batis, the trat 1¢ standard of moral excellence, both in heaven ¢ upou earth, aad if men would know their cow the singers, and filling the church with sweet ' the | dd adjoming cities | which is pt on a gallery and ironung the pulpit 1b is a ut instrument, Then foliowed a oi he ritual form yi dedication, | of scripture ersperset { ton must compare themselves with the | ness, in His resence Is heaven, ana nothing but amunit, , can take us to heaven. But when convinced it was the further economy of God’s love to reveal to man the plan of salvation. This was illus- trated in the text. At the instant when Isaiah saw that he was lost, then flew one o! the seraphim, the sepreenatve of the Holy Ghost, and touched his lips with a live coal from off the altar, thus purging away his iniquity. Isaiah was then saved, par- doned and regenerated, forgiven and sanctified. He had the witness of it in the heart. 1t was an ex- perimental, A PRL SALVATION ‘ from Goa through Christ. Oh, the inspiration of Such a coaversion! Isaiah then neard the voice of God saylag, “Who will go tor me y’? Whom snail I send?’ and responded, “Here am IL Send me.” | This was the auswer which every young convert under the inspiration of such a conversion always gave when au unpleasant and even perilous duty was to be performed, 1b was the young men and women wh» were transformed by the Holy Ghost who would convert tie world, by preaching and by laboring m Sunday schools, han tu day school Was because they had lost thetr first love. Wxpertmental and not sacramental re- ligion is to convert the world, The Bishop con- cinded Witt a sUrring apveal to ak and young to Conmes Te themselves to tae great work of human salvation. At the concluston of the discourse Rev. Mr. Ives made a FINANCIAL STATEMENT, mwhich ftappeared that the church, incli lots, the parsonage and the organ, cost $ that $46,500 had been thus far sec! of the old ediiice and from other sources; that the trustees resolved to iund $40,009, the interest on Which they hoped to pay from pew rents; and that the doating debr of $: e dedication. An appeal Was made to the con- etlou, Which was Liberally responded to, *. Ives preached in the afvernoon, and Rev. wman, of Washington, in the evening. S'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. erat The Sacrament ef Confirmation Administered by Bishop O?ikeiily. At st. Peter's church yesterday afternoon three hundred boys and seven hundred girls, besides some twenty adults, received the sacrament of confirma- tlon at the hands of the Right Rey, Bishop O'Reilly, of Baltimore, 'The altar was handsomely decorated for the occasion with natural fowers and biazing with hundreds of wax lights, As the boys, aitired im their newest and best, and the giris, im spotiess white dresses, with loug flowing veils and wreaths on their heads, marched in pairs vo the altar they presented a most enchant- spectacle. Ranging in years from ten to six- i: young faces, lit up and glowing with reli ions fervor, must have hail a very edifying effect on id crows of elder persons who had gathered to with ty Serewony, Long forgotten memories of like occasioiis Gain back to the crowd of parents and friends who were present. Some of them had ten, twenty—perbaps thirty or forty years ago—been confirmed in the same church at the same altar, They were then as young and innocent as these children who were now re- newing Une professions of faith that had been made jor them in bapism. The unbdidden tear trickled down their cheeks as these thoughts o! youthful de- votion recurred to their minds. Au unspoken sermon was thus delivered to them, anda sermon Which will likely lay deep in ther hearts for time to come, The reverend pastor, | Father Wiillam Quinn, and his curate, her C, | O'Farrell, assisted is Grace the Bushop 1 the cere- mouy. BROOKLYN CHURCHES. Piymouth’s Pastor on Metaphysical Puzzles—Rev. Dr. Taylor on Patriarchal Wrestling on Celestial Grounds—Salvation for the Souls of the Sal:s. PLYMOUTH CHURCH. The World a Primary School~Denath Does Not Make Men Aagels--Development to Bee gin in Another Sphere at the Point of Ar- rest in This. Mr. Beecher preached a very remarkable sermon yesterday upon the common imperfection and unde- velopment of all men, showing with great power nothing in the a)solute distance of tne le race from God, the ideal perfection, The old orthodox idea that death transforms men immediately to angels he disclaimed, saying that he believed this world to be a primary school, from which we enter the other, more or less developed, according to the work done nere, and that fhe soul goes on through growth to perfection. The text was Ephesians ti., 8—l0—“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of your- | selves; it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any ation remained to compliment Dr. Armitage | man should boast. For we are his workmanship, { | created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.’’ It seems as.if tee Apostle had a conception of the possible manyood tat altogether-outran the popular notions of moratity, That which he saw as the TRUE MANHOOD | was so large that he speaks of 1t as being the work | of God through Jesus Christ, If we are saved tt is through that whichis done upon us and in us by | another aud an artist hand. We are. to be saved by | grace, I understand by grace generosity; the good- | ness of God in contradisunciion to His justice, | Man’s work on himself is VERY Foor, | and If he is saved it is by the work of God. The vast | majority have no ideal of character. They have a few rules for eXternal action, but these are very ! poor. ‘the more you loox into men the more you feel that there i8 nothing savabie without outside . Every man must say, lt lam saved it will be n God's mercy. | Among the pranary duties is that of bringing | out into strength every part of our nature. No superfluous part is given to the mind. 1t is arge and various, and the faculties are related to each other so as to form a complex whole. Now, nov one-fifth part of the average mind of man 13 | ir | developed at all. It tue body were developed as the | Tuind 1s we should have mon: hands, @ monsirous stom ofa head. The | are somewhat | that is Tous feet, monstrous ch, and a litue button svcial mstinicts and the intellectual eveloped, but the part of our nature arest tO God is desolate. HE HUMAN SOUL IS UN- | Men a goes, But The frst floor y floor grows less and less il you get to WHE ATIC, AND THAT IS EMPTY. There is not only to be power but ‘harmony, you divide man’s nature into the lower, | tue” social 1 moral; if you consider | that each of the u the question of orgaul: ex part quarrel with them- thy out the most in- 1 wordination, HS rio give th ad Dare, ALHOOD. dommanee to that jected al ts pt witch | | these cwWo stand the gre 48 the tide sways the 8 that Moat upon ik They have no yield aceording 10 @ Ov Yieldin.e is aiterna- 2. sis, All good things re the e bosom of MUST Ha jod, and most meu 4 to Us spiritual rule. success of men In doing things ot selves With success im building sei. Aman may bulid a city, but m little to boast of In hime sel, Most minds are ‘They work upon alow plane, The mmd is capable of wonderiui de- velopm' yery faculty bas the possinility of achug by intuition, of flushiug to resuits, Isn't it | our duty to develop every potency mus, to find ourselves out by unwinding? Are all these ecstauc of tne soul to be neglected ? What art isto moraiity just that t nthe higher Nere is tn forms of human character—wh: chinery Snist enough to gr ot enough to spit Out Our Acquicseence; @ to be obedient to the highest, so that when our good ts developed it wil be beautiful. If & cuuer briugs sharp goods m0 | them. call in mae it 18 not market without finish and art ne cunt sell in ‘The tdea of perfection lie THE DIRECLION OF THE eTIC, Now, mdn are not finished in the tion of the Men are relatively g but they 1 beautimiy, geuially or gracefully. e Of right habits with automatic Known, Ti quence 19 measures indard—an act worthy of @ at bY Bh {eal Bt he manhood, VERY LOW | CHARACTER 1 RVEN IN THE Iomnet. Jn treauing of the second God in worship— | yen have 1 e8, but 100} Nt I a Men have wes, but looking at hed eevon: Daa some extended remarks, and them comple: are! There is noth awe ee ene . ing that we have sown Uial would tempt a divine IMPORTANCE AND BENEFIT oF PuaLIO WorsuIr, | eing to hurvesvit. Looking ut the World aye characterizing it & form of evoliun, GNBAT WORKSHOP m The last thought i on—was feelingly le tha e Artist, God, can look at with elucidated. The first manifestation of if this be true one of two f cs mast prophet was to convince him of M3 sinful and po- Change of position wii not endow us Juted condition, leadiag hitn to exciaim, “Woe 8 | wita perfection. We pass (vom Unis world as from @ me, for I am undone!’ This taught us that tie | genoul, as knowledge of God was the principal rource of ail | CHILDREN FROM A PRIMARY SCIIOOL. true conviction for sia, The character of God is the | Tt qoes not scem to me that men dying 80 shrunken, so paralyzed, Will ‘spring up as angels, ‘© | We salt euter lie Siugdom of heaven in wore | Jacov'a former life ands ls career The reason why gray- | d inen and women Were not active laborers in | 500 was expected to be paid | that the relative goodness of the so-call@g good is | senses than one as little children enter to go on with pores theron goo) Not such a3 we have here on earth, but that which wil! be equivalent to it, and ited to our felations. We shall ‘have another soil, and another clime, and another growth, but it will be growth. That which is left undone must be done, A missionary to Labrador takes with him a seed from his native land, and, Dianting it, nourishes it for ten years. But there 1s NEITHER BUD NOR BLOSSOM, He takes ic home. It is the same root, but it 1a an. other climate, The sun searches for the hidden things in it, and under these new influences there are blossoms and clusters of trait, But the troit comes from the new soit; it would never have been developed In the old. All our nascent virtues, all our tendencies, will | BEGIN AGAIN | Tdoubt not, and if we ever become perfect it will be when God’s hand with artistic touch will bring us to symmetry. To bave a deep conviction of sin is re- garded by many as a sign of weakness; but there is nothing more noble, If a man realizes that be Mes under the eyes of God he inust feel un- worthy. and he 1s never more maniy than tn falling down and crying unclean, The Church stands before God tn ard to char+ acter in the same position as men, No man will be saved because he Is @ baptized man, and | A CHURCH MEMBEK IS No L888 A SINNER, | According to the generai sense of sin, Aseing con- verted 1s being begun upon, In the Church we are | fuil of imperiection—we are only attempting Whit | others are not attempring—and ii we stand before God saved 1t will be from His unspeakable pity. I | this be true the reality of sin shonld be no reason | why we should not goto God daily for sympathy. { Men Who have no purpose to be Christians dare not | go to God; but there is uo haman belug that is not | ub object of God’s love. It may be that He looks ‘ with more pleasure upon the soul that has been de- veloped inty beauty, bat | i 1US LOVE PRECEDES ALL REFORM. ‘There 18 not a drunkard, not a gambler who has not aright to look up and say, God, helpme.” It a man is a sinner that is the very reason be should go toGod, When we are dangerously sick we send hurriedly fora physician. If men shduld not pray | til! they Were good, no one would pray on the globe. Don’t wait till you are changed to pray. O selfish man! O prond man! O worldly man! wi ng you wre Hie Selfish, Jess worldly, venture on God, and He will (rgnsfopm Yous wr oe = siete SLORY oat DISCUSTS ONE with the discord among sects than a sense of the profound tinperfections of all Christians of ait sects. Quarrels among the rich and strong are bad enough; but what must we think when we go to a hospital | and see fever railing against fever aud dropsy swelling with superiority over emaciauon? ‘The churches are all hospitals; and where is there one 80 good that it can afford to be arrogant? One great household, the earth; one great Lah the rac we are in the first low stages of growth, and, inas- mich as only the loving power of God keeps the } whole experiment from dismal collapse, it behooves us, as it were, to help each other to our utmost along the patniul paths of development. | cHURCH OF THs Pu.cRins. Spiritual Loneliness—Wrestiing with God and Prevailing as a Princo—Serman by Rev. W. M. Taylor. The handsome and substantial Church of the Pil- grims, in Henry street, was filled with an attentive audience, who yesterday listened to the words of Rey. William M. Taylor, of England, who, while on a visit to this country, is temporarily filling the pul- pitfor Dr, Storrs, who is travelling in Europe, The church 1s probably the most convenient in the coun- try for public speaking. Large as it is, and capable of seating two or three thousand persons, a whisper in the pulpit can be qdistinctly heard at the door. ‘the Rev. Mr. Taylor's sermon yesterday was based on the narrative of JACOB'S WRESTLE WITH THE ANGEL at Veniel on his return from Padan-aram, which is found in Genesis XxxiL, 22-32. The immediate words of the text are found in the twenty-tourth .verse—“And Jacob was. left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the aay.” Had he preached from this text twelve years ago, he satd, he might have gone on to speak of the spiritual lessons which it contains witiout waiting on the threshold. Bui in these days of insidious in- fidelity and doubt regarding the historical authen- ticity of the Pentateaca one must stop and verify the records, Those verses, taken in connection with the few chapters preceding, cannot be resolved into a myth or fable in which some spiritual truth is enshrined. If you so resolve thts portion of Genesis intoamyth you cannot account forthe historical places, names, customs, <&, here men- tioned. Indeed it is hard to see how you can retain anything whatever. You cannot keep the kernel and threw away the sheil, because both are growing together. You must keep the nistorical character of tie books and take the story, literally, He.limself so accepted It, and he had no dimculty in replyang to the inquiry, Who was this stranger who wresiled with Jacob? The patriarch himseit declares, “i have seen the Loid face to face.” It was no created angel, but the ANGEL OF THE COVENANT, GOD. It ig a prophecy of the incarnation—one of the many which we have throughout te Ser.ptures. While the form of the wrestler was corporeal the es- seuce Was spiritual. ‘Tis wrestling was ‘he agonizing Of an earnest heart. Consider now the spiritual les- sons here taught:—First—The loneliness of spiritual distress. here 1s a loncliness about every nan, @ skeleton in every house, a someting in every soul Which has never been revealed to others, and such 1s its power over us that it can draw us away in mo- ments of silence to talk with us in the secret cham- bers of our hearts, It may be MEMORIES OF GUILT, AS CAIN PELT, or pangs of bereavement, as David experienced when his son Absalom was slain: or it may be umes ot temptation, such as the Lord Jesus Christ felt when He withdrew into the wilderness to contend with the Prince of Darkness, or His great agony in the Garden of Getusemane; or, as in this case of Jacob, guilt and suspense may have troubled the heart, Jacob had robbed Esau of his birturight and of his blessing, and he wasin doubt and sus. ense as to how his brother shoula meet him. He ad taken every precaution to propitiate that brother; he had seen his camp all rignt on the otner. side, ana then he withdrew across the brook Jab- bok that he mighe BE ALONE WITH GOD. We know allabout it And as! speak, said the preacher, each one of you has been feeling that secret spring whicn unlocks the secrets of the soul, That act of thougntlessness—inat tierce temptation which came sweeping everything before it; that wound received tn the most susceptible nature; that cloud laden with dark ruin, of whicheven now we fear to speak toothers; but when the children are gone to bed, when the household ts secured, Ja- cob-luke we cross the tord and wrestle alone with God. 1s it nov 80 always in our spiritual distress? Ana no one comes to our help but He the divine Saviour who went over the billow alone to tempta- tion and todeath. And when we have spoken a word of sympathy to the sorrowing have we not often felt that we were drawing a bow ata venture because the heart had a deeper sorrow than i had reveaied unto us. And like Job, it haa, as it were, exclaimed, “O, that you would ALTOGETHER HOLD YOUR PEACE!” And how often has our loneliness been expressed in tuose lines of the “Ancient Mariner:’— jone! all, all alone, Alone on this wide nea, So lone fi ts that Gou himself Scarce seemed himselt to be. Jacob was left alone, Second—Arising out of ths tof loneliness 18 aaother—that our only re- in Spiritual distress 1s God facarnave. Ja- olitude was not of long duration. On bis Go | cob’s: mysterions One he threw himself tn agony. appeared to him in the iorm best adaptea to soothe his sorrows, heal its wounds and drive away his 1 He sees One in human form to whom he y speak, and aiso a Divine Leg who can impart lements of strength which he needs, Had God appeared in majesty aud glory Jacon would have been driven back; but now he could wait and wres- tle even ull the breaking oi the a: This was a foreshadowing of the incarnation which took place ages afterwards. And thus the Divine Man comes to us in all our times of trial, As man He shades away the divinity and tue glory of Gou, and as God of awe, the new of love., In Humer’s “Idd” there 18 a story of the parting of fiacar and Andromeda, where the former is represented as appearing in mask and armor, ready tor fight, and Ins litte son fiees from him terrified and affrighted; but he re- Moves his armor and the child recognizes tts father, to his arms aust the old and the new. not be afraid. the omnipotent God we obtain strength, and wis- dom and courage which 18 not in ourselyes.' No matter what the secret of your sorrow is {tis well known to Him, who sits beside you; 1t is well known vo Christ. Come to Him and He will give you suc. cor and surengih; He will garrison your soul, 1s 1¢ @ fear of meeting an ofended brother, as in. this casey Whatever itis that has sent thee this morn. ing over the brook Jabbott dail upon Him, as did israe!’s king— ‘'O, Lord, 1 am oppressed; enureat for me.” ‘Third—Our first applicalion may appear to fail, but believing lmportanity will ultimately suc- ceed. The hour of weakness 14 the hour of victory, and a3 a prince you may prevail. Chris:’s purpose is to bring our faith to the test, and WHEN WE AKE WEAK THEN ARE WE STRONG. Ana blessed is that weakness which throws ali tts weight on Christ. Jacob went over the brook Jab. bok thinking of Esau, but im wrestling he forgot all about 1. It was not so much reconciliation he needed as the (riendship of God, He recetvea a new name—lIsrael, prince. Has it not often been so with our es? In sorrow we go across the brook and ask Him, it may be, to spare the child's life, but whien tere we nd there is something more needtul then that, When we ask for emporai piessings God kisses hum. It 18 SO WITH THB TWO DISPENSATIONS, Christ 1s man; we need does not always grant them until we find the need of ritual, aud then He gives both together, The fourth lesson to which Mr. ‘Taylor called attention briefy was that spiritual conficts mlways jJeaye a mark behind and make memoravie the piaces of confict. ‘This point attention was cailed to the marked contrast between tifa natn with the tears yet trickling down its cheeks it jumps | He 13 also God, and can help us. In | fhe two things that teoubied vacob most wll moot Mor and ‘May wes loli: ever tore uot we oe 4 the blessing, ‘and. as’ princes prev fain Most NAVAL GOSPEL. A Lesson on Justification by Faltth—Sermon by Chaplain Kano on the United States Ship Vermont. * The officers and men of the United States receiv- ing ship Vermont, lying off the Brooklyn Navy Yard, . assembled afton the gundeck of that vessel, yes- terday morning, to the number of about two nun- dred, and joined in the services set down for their Spiritual digestion, Chaplain James Kane preached the sermon, taking for his text komans V.,1—“There+ fore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” DOCTRINAL PREACHING, the reverend speaker: said, 18 otten denounced as wearyiug, uninteresting and without profit, and the preacher often finds himself competled to apoio- eize for what he may have to pre sent as the message from the living God. Sermons on moraitty or justification by works re- quire no persuasion to be accepted, and no effort is needed to obtain a hearing for suc themes. How different it 18 when opposite theories are unfolded which find no congéniality in the human heart! Offer the salvation by works and it is eagerly ac- cepted. Justification by faith was a stumbling | of contention in the'tine of the Reformation. If we take the Bible as our guide we must be doctrinal mopetene and doctrinal hearers, Tue doctrines of the . GUILT, CORRUPTION AND RUIN of man by his fali; nis full, free justification by faith in the atoning blood and obedience of the Redeemer; pe adoption by faith mio the family of God; we oly nature and evidence of this faith; the mmme- diate evidence of the Holy Spirit im the work of re- Pimaptcney progressive sanctification, and in all | his offices of heavenly consolation, hese are car- | dinal points in the ministration of every scribe | mstructe. into the Kingdom of heaven, Bui we | speak only of what 18 to pe done inside the mind ‘and heart of man tndividually, as evincing con- clusively that this saivation of the soul caunot be brougut about by ee et and ne SLENDER E\HIBITIONS OF REPENTANCE. Pardon of all sin from God and purity for eternal ages, We musi remember, are overed not as a cheap thing to be forced upon an unwilling recipient, but a8 a priceless boon. If thelr religion be noi rejected altogetner, and the hearer piu expects aud hopes to derive an everlasting benefit from it, he should take 1 precisely as he tluds it, and allow its truths to wound first that they may heal afverwards—to slay in the beginning inat they may make alive in the cnd. How would any one auiong you feel, ship- 1 | last earthly Sabbath? How trivial and insignificant would not the things of this seem to you. Exemp- future. THE WISE MARINER PREPARES IN TIME, 80 that when the storm comes he is not taken aback—he 1s not found wanting. Reforjmation, ina moral bearing, is effected by bringing the desires and incimations from which actions spring wader the control of the intelligent mind, Justificauon is the act of @ judge acquitting one who is charged with crime, Itisa higher biessing of grace than pardon, The latter frees from the peualty due to stu, but it does not fully restore the lost favor of God. Faith does not justify because of its own inerit—other graces cocxist with 10 in the heart of the beltever, as repentance, love, &c. Every tree must bear its own fruit; so every indiviaual must bring forth the truit of a good life and accept THE APPOINTED WAY OF SALVATION. The benetits resulting are peace with God, His justice being satisiied turougn the righteousuess of Christ, in witness whereof His holy spirit 1s given us. Inward peace of conscience comes trom a con- sciousness ol our reconciliation with God. In con- clusion, the speaker said the acceptance of this doc- trine does not lead to security in sin or induteren with regard to it, personal reformation and holiness being an indispensible duty. The chaplain tnen gave the prayer, alter which the congregation sang the Doxoiogy, the harmonicon lending tts tweezy accompaniment, and the services ended. It 1s nut here out of place, perbaps, to call the attention of the philanthropic who take an interest in the weli- being of the men who “go down to the sea in ships,"” Uo the fact that a new and sweet toned instrument Would greatly enhance the Sabvath services on the Vermont. WASHINGTON CHURCHES. Rev. Mr. Steele on the Efficacy of Prayer. BEAR YE ONE ANOTHER'S EURDENS, ST. MARK’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Rev. Mr. Stecte on the Efficacy ot Prayer. WASHINGTON, May 14, 1871, The services at St. Mark's Protestant Episcopal church this morning were conducted by Rev. F. A. Steele, the rector, who discoursed on prayer, select- ing for his text, ‘Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name He will give it you’'—John xvi., 23. The thought, he said, presented by this day’s services is, THE EFFICACY OF PRAYER, through the intercession of Jesus Christ. In the Gospel history we have followed our Lord through all his walks. He ts, as it were, in the observance of the festivals of the year, about to ascepd into heaven to be our High Priest at the right hand of God, and to receive gifts for men. He alone can ask the Father on the ground of His own righteous- ness, for His own sake, and all must plead His righteous name, ever dear to the Father, if they Would obtain the blessings desired. Prayer, in a general sense, is an act of asking fora favor. In a religious sense it is an act of asking God for the benefits which;He has to bestow. The Creator has made this mode of communication with flim not onl 4 A PRIVILEGE, BUT A DUTY. Prayer is offered under different circumstances and for various objects, Itmay be made when in our chambers, with none but the All-seeing eye upon us; together with the family, as we walk upon the street and in the congregation of worshippers. It may be supplicatory or intercessory for ourselves or for others. He spoke particularly of family prayer, which he fearea was too much neglected, and which was so strongly commended in the Old Testament. Concerning the dispositions In which prayer should be offered, the earnest Christian should come before God with repentance for uniorgiven sins and with a purpose to live in obedience to His law. Those who have cons crated themselves to God, who have formed th havit of praying to Him, will at times indulge sinful desires or tempers, and in the hour of prayer forget, to countess these or to ask for grace to overcome the Jesser venial sios. In the next place, to obtain the sincere desire for the things asked of Him. .. INDIFFERENCE CERTAINLY CANNOT OBTAIN the things one would wish from our Heavenly Father, and one of the greatest aiMeuities with which Christians have to contend in maintaining a spirit of devouon 1s the diMculty of realizing their condition and their wants, though a sense of them now and then comes upon them with an almost overwhelming force. It is not easy to retain it. They need often to pray for this very thing, to know and feel with all possible vividness and tniensity that they are by nature vile creatures, subject, he imparts to us strength and courage. Look until we are reconciled to God through at ihe diference ‘vetween tne ‘old “and the | Cirlst, to the wrath of the Most High, and new economies. The old was an inspiration | tial even after being reconciled and after the Holy Spirit has begun the work of our eanctifi- cation, they are Wholly powerless to door be good | OF enjoy good, excepi as the Holy Spirit helps them every Inoment. Again, prayer, to find acceptance | with the Lord, must be accompanied with faith that He will hear us, not with faith that we shali obtain just what we ask, but that which we need in accord- ance with His holy will. Would it be wise, would 1t be God-ltke, would 1t be benevolent to grant what- soever It may please us to ask? Yet few men make full trial of the power of prayer or go to it with | @ determination to wrest from it its very last ; Tesuits. One more requisite is to be mentioned, For those things which she Christian continually needs he must ask for continually and reguiarly. Most of our blessings are of such kind that their daily re- newal Is necessary. This 1s espectaily true of spirl- tual blessings. ‘ihe power to resist temptations, the graces which mend our characiers in their weak the Church are) more eficacious than dual prayers for obtaining the _ blesses WS members need in common, The true churchman should never neglect » when it is in his braked to attend the services in God’s house, While famuy prayer should have its stated hours and private devotions never be negiccted, Ct aera prayer cotld always ve offered, and the habit of lifting one’s thoughts to God, morning, noon and night, Was the practice of devout Chris- Hans in ail parts of the world. The habit of pray- ing at stated periods is necessary to maimtain that sinper of soul which makes special Invocations In 1 times of need easy and almost spontancous. regular ascents on the wings of prayer keep Us ready for the sudden flights to which we are com- pelled when unexpected evils disturb our rest. IN CONCLUSION he said if tho whole or the greater number of the disciples of Christianity were, with an unfalte! Tesolntion of each, combine in Log | thal Heaven snould not withhold one single imfuence Which the utmost effort of united persevert ! Supvlication Would ghia. It ould be the sia block im the way of the Jews aud was the flerce bono | mates, were you to Know that this was to be your | gilts implored they must come belore God with a | tion in the past gives no assurance of ‘safety for tne | 4) ' relation which he occupies | encourage one another in duty, Shat revolution being at hand which ts to the world for the Lord's second coming. UNITARIAN CHURCH. Lwin Rev. Frederick Hinckley on Bcariag One Auother’s Burdens. WasHINGTON, May 14, 1871, The attendance at the Unitarian church yesterday Was large. Secreiary Boutwell was in his usual seat. The pastor, ev. Frederick Hinckley, Preached from Galatians vi, 12—‘Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fuifil the law of Cartst,” The text was considered with special reference to the topics tuto which it naturally divides iteelf, viz.:+First, the Church; second, the law of Christ; third, the burdens of life which that ‘law bids us mutually to share; then the basis of that law and the grounds on which that obligation of mutual sharing rests. The name Christ, he said, is often simply employed as @ per- sonal designation, a mere surname, to which we attach the name Josus to distinguish Him from others, It is used also im another and distinct sense. We employ it as expressing a certain attt tude in which Jesus st 5 before us, & specific astauion Which he fills; a@ mission which he accomplishes, a fuaction which he executes, & work which he does. In some such oficial sense ihe speaker would use the term ae suggested inthe text, not as THR POLITICAL CHRIST ¢ = of Hebrew expectation, not as The theological Christ, but ina sense much deeper and more im- portant aud certainly more pract than either of , these, In the sense which recognizes Him as the introducer of 4 new erder of things in the spiritual experience of meu, an order new in degree, new mn Talne#, new in force, if it may not be absolutely new in kind and essen For the farther - ance of this work, for Spiritual leadership aud moral headship as wis, Jesus 1s mdeed the Christ, the anointed, The law of Ohrist was then referred to and represented as the law of the higher moral element, As the iaw of sympathy ft enters into ail human life,-co-operates: th all huimen vetion, that itimay elevate and iur- ighest and best possivle results. 16 renders those who obey tt appreciative of ail human experience and brings them ito aoted INTIMATE CONTACT ad close comilitifon wh htt expertonce. It kes them helptu: of humAh Ssfiaition and in the and jargest way promotes human welfare. The burdens of life are various, There are bur- dens of duiy—duty to home, to associates, to the — imuneciate == community, — to the world at large; burdens for material support and acquisition and for moral progress; burdens of dis- appointment, bodily pain and mental anguish, of Weakness of the Hesh or of the spirit, of the physical nerve or Of the moral sense; burdens of sinful in- clination and sinful realization. These burdens, says the Christian law, are to be borne im part ab least by those less burdened, not that we are re- e burdens entirely trom their Shoulders, but that we are enjoined to help others to help themselves in removing them, to join hands with them tn strengthening their endeavor. ‘The law of Christian sympathy and service bids us operative With one anotier in evort and cheer each other in disap- pointment and despondency. Tt enjouis us to soothe each other's paius, to strengthen each other's weak- hesses, to laber and purity and reiorm each other from our sins; not worship, but work; not obedieuce to commands, but ins;iration to love; not seeking, but giving. Thts is the grand high Christian obliga- tion, and that religion 18 alone the true one which recognizes and to the tuilest accomplishes tats object. z . THE BASIS OF THIS CHRISTIAN @AW 1s found—frst, in our community of néed; second, in our community of nature—we show difterences of development, diversities of external condition; | but back of these we flud a kindred condition, and the same divine capacities; third, we have com- munity of recognition in Christianity. Christ knows no bond or free, no Greek or Jew, no barbarian or Scythian, no mate or female. He knows none of te disunctions which are palpable in Ife, He looks through that to discern eweh a fwil man and & full child of God. Let us heed, then, this law of Christ, and bear one another's burdens tn heartfels sympatny and in helpful service, All nature feels attractive power, ‘A sirony embracing force, From drops that sparkle in'the shower To planets in their course. So in the universe of mind Ts felt the law of love, A charity both strong and kind For nif that live aud move. Tn this fine sympathetic chain, Alt creatures bear a part. Their every pleasure, every pain, Linked tothe feeling heart. THE PULPIT IN ULSTER COUNTY. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF KINGSTON, A Noble Passioa—Sermon by Rev. Z. Grov neil, Jr. ‘i KINGSTON, May 14, 1871. One of the ablest and most eloquent discourses that have been delivered in this city was preached by Rey. Z Grenell, Jr,, pastor of the First Baptist church, from Acts xvit., 16—“While Paul waited for them at Athens his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.” In open- ing the reverend gentleman remarked that Moses, descending Sinai, seeing the people singing about the golden calf, was filled with anger, and flung the tablets of stone from him so violently that they were broken, Elijah, beholding the MUMMERIES OF THX PRIESTS OF BAAL about their altar on the slopes of Carmel, grew 80 indignant as to forget his customary prudence and taunted tiem in the most exasperating manner, Paul in Athens, waiting for his friends, seeing on every hand pagan temples, images and altars and the general adnesion to idolatry, felt his spirit stirred within him, broke the silence to which he had constrained himself, and alone lifted up bis votce against ideas and practices almost as vener- able and as deeply rooted as Judaism. The stm larity of emotion in these widely separated time | stances of MOSES, ELIJAH AND PAUL : is strixing. Each stood alone, oppused to thousands, yet what fidelity to the trath ! whatlion-hearted bold- ness! what splendid vehemence! what noble pas- sion! This passion in Moses-volced itself in direct cenunciaticn. In Liijan it spoke in sneers. In Isatah it turned to ridicule, as when he pictured a cutting a jog lu twa and taking half to makea tire to cook his dinner, while the remainder was fash- ioned into a god ana worshipped. In Paul it rose to the dignified and glowing utierances on Mars’ Hu Such a feeling as this marks RONG NATURE. A positive cha alone has intense emotions, Sluggisi and saperiicial men are never roused to stich a pitch of passion at the sight ot wrong. The selfish and calculating man never exposes himself to danger in order to defend sometinung he believes, or denounce something he regards as misciueyous, ‘The world's best men—men wio have HAMM HUMANITY INTO SHAPE have been men who could forget themselves in the ardor of their defence of the truth—meu who some. iimes felt thetr spirits Name up ina ee of enthusiasm for the right, or Ina blaze of indigna- Von against the wrong. Luther went to Worms despite the memory of the martyred Huss; Knox, though a prisouer, Mung the image of the Virgin mito the river when it was pomted out for him to worship; Defoe, Bunyan—such men as these—have risen like beacon lights to pierce the darkness of centuries, because their love of God and the trath Was a passion as weil as a principle. We want such men to-day. We want men with such an absorbing devotion to what 1s good and such moving conceptions of the sinfulness of sin. Here is a man who is quite indifferent to what ts beneficial or hurttul in commanity so Jong as hw own comfort is not made or marred by ft, but ts virtuously indignant against a sin that unfavorably affects his own prosperity. He siniles at the sum- ticity of neighbor who is swindied, but when he fimeeir duped he cries out, EE WHAT A GREAT WRONG IS DON! Shall such sin go unpunished?’ He ‘liscovers at once @ great regard for honesty and a vioieut hatred: of knavery. It is not his moral sense that speaks, but his selfishness. Jere 18 another who lives on & little higher plane, whose wrath is kindled wrong done to his fellow ‘creatures because of his sympatiuy for them, but feels no regard for abstract rghteousness—for what 18 |, what ts divine, High above all this 18 the nobie passion of the apostie. It was not agense of personal injury that prompted his speech, It was no merely human sympathy that stirred bis spirit, though he was not imsensibie that idolatry destroys its adherents as surely as the taper flame devours the moth it lures. He was jealous for God! ‘The Atuentans ignored the presence and providence of the trae"God, accorded divine attributes to senseless stone, to imaginary deities. to dead heroes. They poured out the Wealth of human devotion upon the creations of art and the dreams of fancy. The most magnificent products of Weaith, skill and taste were made the ornaments of 1do1 shrines, Paul, seeing his Goad thus dishonored and robbed, felt the double indig- nation of a Jew and a Christian flame up within him, and, face to face with the SPLENDORS OF THE ACROTOLIS, he ertes out against the monstrous sin. God is still y dishonore This example shames an in- a nee to prevalent and offensive sins, In th! community how much wron: abound! what flagrant violations of divine lawt Oppression, profanity, drunkenuess, slander, Sab- buth-breaking; secing and hearing these we should burn with that sort of resentinent that 8) from love, Redeemed as we have been from servitude in which others lle, we owe it to our Redeemer to warn others and seek thetr rescue. We need the spirit of the apostie—nay, more, the gel EF gre iil ot hy AA to ‘Goa and Sralse plrit OF censciess, UNLNOg ONQEstWon vo SL Kinds, wherever seo x ) is done | what vices —