The New York Herald Newspaper, July 3, 1871, Page 6

RELIGIOUS. Services and Sermons Yesterday in the Metropolis and Elsewhere. THE PROGRAMME OF SALVATION. The Festival of St. Peter and St. Commemorated in the Churches. Paul THE FIGHT OF FAITE. Discourses by the Rev. Dr. Dix, Rev. Merrill Richardson, Rev. Pere Aubri, Rey. E. S. Harrower and Others, Beautiful weather, warm, yet pleasant; good ser- mons, by perspiring parsons, to very slim conarega- ‘ions, Thus may yesterday in the churches be summed up. The wealthy members of the various congregations have generally betaken themselves to their summer homes, and those not biessed with so much of the world’s goods seek relief and recrea- en on Sunday in the fields and pleasure gardens near ine metropolis. It was but natural, therefore, Uhat the attendance at the churches yesterday should be smail, The most noteworthy of the ser- mons delivered yesterday will be found below, and will well repay perusal. ST. PAUL'S CHURCH. mplaint and the Source of Cheer=Ser- by Rev. Dr. Dix. Yesterday evening there was at St. Paul's churen, opposite the HERALD buliding, a fashionable and also highly respectable and devout congregation gathered to join m the Episcopal service and listen ¥o @ sermon from the rector, the Rev, Dr. Dix. The text seiected was tie first verse of the tenth chapter of Job-'My soul is weary of my hie; a wil leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the Dditterness of my soul.’’ Having recited his text the reverend speaker pro- weeded to note the manifold causes for weariness of soul and bitterness of spirit, among them finding Joss of wealth, disappointment with sons and daughters and disease; and he declared that the skies above us cover more sorrow, more of pain- Jui uneasiness regarding progress in life and hope- lessness of reform, than 13 seen in the cases of suicides, than the unobserving are prone to believe. Alter referring to THE CAUSES OF SUICIDES = * and the anguish which places the afflicted in a condition of unwillingness to wait for God to lake that which 1s only His mght to take, he said that, judging from observation, this mor- vid condition comes because we can do 80 Ittle worthy to be remembered. He had been informed by a man of lengthened years that, during all Dis extraordinary length of ite he had known, among the many, only taree who were known to dum who had attained to anything evea approaching the degree of usefulness they had marked out lor themselves. This FALLING AWAY FROM OUR OWN STANDARD of tne degree of eminence we should attain was, he claimed, the cause of the major portion of seif- belittling which gives sorrow and even bitterness to sensitive minds, This seif-belitthng, he claimed, Bives to those who would do well the weariness of dife and bitterness of spirit which sometimes induces to suicide and almost always tO weariness of life. ‘That 1s, almost always, except where the mind as cheered by @ gilnpse of the after worid. dn ints regard the feeling of sorrow occasioned by what, unger a feeling of dissatisfaction, comes to be vot life. We, wien disheartened, were so apt to reduce life to the simile of the dally common places, aud speak of it amount- ing to the laying aside of your garments at night and patung them onin we moruing. Suike from jue its gher thoughis, amoitions and exalted plea- sures, and other than the Christian was apt to he down to the thonghé that existence was the putting on and taking of of garments ior 405 days m the year. Hence the weariness of hie, and hence the desire to the opening of Me gates to the hereafter for themselves, from that came the wearmess of life. ‘there was no greatness to satisfy the ambition; no distinguish ing line to gratify the interna! desire; ant because of them we ought to more thoroughly know how ruinous they are. THE GREAT REMEDY, he claimed, lay not so mucn in the condition per- Wuning to self as im the relauon to God. If any Christian found weariness of soul all he required Was to look to God for ine more comprehensive view of iife. Look to history and find how lew there are who meritoriously anid parmanentiy distinguish themselves, and he would find that the undistin- guished life has its sacred Christan duties as well us that which 1s rendered more prouitnent, both going to fill up the needs of the time and to work gut to the glory of God, EVERY ONE HAS A PART TO FILL in the worid, and however humbie it may be, if well periormed, it fills a necessity. Each one 1s a neces- sity to the completion of the work laid down tor the whole; nu one can give sully and with entire ac- curacy the philosophy of history, and yet there is a | oct e ia 1t; and thouga our individuality may swallowed up in the whole it is still a part and @ Mecessary part of it, To Mnd fault with itis to find fault with God, aud to find fault with God is wrong; for no one whomsoever in this world 1s too low or mean to be considered with the sphere of requirement. There are many who presume that wealth and position are necessities to usefuiness in the work of God; put they are not those only fill their allotted place: tne others are also required. View the struggle for con- Spicuous positions in life, and It would become ap- parent, perba| that such had greater cause to call on God to help them and care for them than the humbiest in the fold. Therefore, let the humblest hasten to do better, and thank God that He bas given them the power tw do 11, The above brief allusion to a learned and effective discourse is, of Course, not the full language of the speaker—simply the conveyance of a correct idea ol the lesson given to the weary of life to fd their eource Of joy. AMERICAN FREE CHURCH. An Old Style Discourse—Charity—Our Duty te Our Neighbors—Sermon by Rev. Charles B. Smyth. A numerous congregation assembled at the American Free church, in the Untversity building, yesterday morning to attend divine worship and listen to an eloquent sermon by Rev. Charles B. Smyth. The pastor, according to an ancient Pres- byterian usage, explained the first of the psaims sung and delivered an expository lecture on an en- ure chapter. ‘these fatures in public worship, although they were very common among the Puri- tans in bygoue times, and still not infrequent in Heotland and some parts of England, Ireland ana the British colonies, ure strange to American con- gregations. They are, nevertheless, when’ well Wrought, both interesting and tustructive. The chapter selected in this instance was I, Corinthians, vill. The speaker, in explanation of his discourse, said that THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH at Corinth had written to the Apostie Paul for in- traction upon several subjects, and that this chap- ser was in answer to one of them—the eating of «meat offered unto idols, The Christianity which Paul taught was liberal and bore @ striking contrast to the bigotry in many palpits of the preseat day. The more enlightened any person becomes the more liberal he ought to be. “We all have knowledge, ays the Apostle; but he would likewise have us mossessed of “charity.” The former does not answer its proper end without the latter; for by itself it merely “puffeta up.” The child at school vo soouer nds itsel! familiar with studies to which the attention of some other has not been directed hab If PEELS 17S SELP-IMPORTANCE and begins to look down with disdain upon its less fortunate littie neighbor. The same thing is true of students at college, and very often of members of a church, who pride themselves upon their orthodoxy, or what they deem such, “and despise others;” for “men are buvcnildren of a larger growth.” But “eharity” makes one like an architect and builder, who turns lis theoretical knowledge to practical account, and therefore Paul says “charity edifieth.” What would be thooght of @ person who had chosen fe enaped engincering lor @ business, oue who had been sent to schoo) and to college, and led to pur- sue his studies with that end in view, but finally, oler running his curmeulum, and, peradyenture, NEW YORK HERALD, MUNDAY, JULY 3, 1871. medals for successful competition, is now seen his time in strenuous idleness, as A COMPANION OF LOAFERS AND sOTS? Such isthe mere professional Christian who has acquired by study the “knowledge” of the truth, but yet has not attained to the “charity” which “editieth.” He “knoweth nothing ashe ought to know,” for if he knew it ag he gr he would put it im practice under the hand of bright charity, A minute of this greatest of all gifts, conunued the speaker, is furnished in First Corint! thir. teenth chapter, and what the Apostle exhibits in the remainder of this chapter 1s but an applicauon ot Christian Knowledge, moderated by charity in a certain direction, AT THIS PARTICULAR SEASON, just when 80 many of our youth have graduated and entered upon the “commencement” of their future professional career, it is important that they should be directed how to apply in external life the knowledge which they acquired within tne en- closures of their Alma Mater. The doctrine which is here taught 3 Paul respecting the exercise of charity towards the conscience of a weak brother, in the matter of eating meats offered to idols, in- volves a practical principle of every day application in social intercourse. ‘The last verse in this chapter, the speaker said, 18 very concise, only misquoted by advocates of teetotalsm. Many an excelient cause has been lost through the incompetency of the gen- eral or the tneiticienc, ot his army, and in likemanner many & good subject has failed to produce convic- tion through the weakness or vulnerability of the arguments employed by its advocates, The verse does not read as it is too often quoted, “If meat offend my brother I will eat no ineat while the World standeth lest 1 offena my brother; but it reads, “Il meat MAKE MY BROTHER OFFEND I will eat no flesh while the world standeth lest I make my brother to offend.” ‘Thus it is not the person who eats that offends, but the other who follows his example. By violating his own con- science he offends God. This ypresupposes that the person who offends has @ conscience against the things which he is mduced by the other's example to ao. It is an entirely different case from that which 1s supposed by those who run to this passage for an argument in favor of the abso- lute duty of teetotalism; tor the man who uses wine, whom the teetotaller 13 “nxtous to convert, has no conscience againat so domg. A parallel case would be that of a Catholic, who objects conscientiously to eating Mesh meat at certain times, belng in company With & Protestant who has not any such objection; or that of @ Protestant, Who cannot conscienuously contorm to CBRTAIN CHURCH REGULATIONS for which he does not see any express warrant in Scripture, and yet into the observance of which he is Hable to be enticed or coerced. The inverality of the Aer in this chapter is directly at variance with the narrow-mindedness of sectarianism in every form and 1s a plain ips: dizit of man when set up above the supremacy of the individual conscience im any matter which is not expressly and authoritauvely commanded by Christ himself as sole head of the Church. The ser- vices were then ended with tne singing of the for- tieth psalm, NEW ENGLAND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. The Wisdom of God as Revealed in Christ Sermon by Rev. Merrill Richardson. A somewhat sparse congregation, the effect, of course, of the advent of summer and exodus mto the country at this season of our people of wealth and fashion, was assembled yesterday morning at the New England Congregational church, corner of Madison avenue and Forty-seventh street, The ser- mon was preached by Rev. Merrill Richardson, the pastor. His subject was “The Wisdom of God as Revealed in Christ,” and the text upon which it was based I. Corinthians, 1, 24:—“But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” He started of with the idea that MANKIND NEEDS SAVING. The conviction of men was universal. All kinds of religion make it essential that men should go through some process of purification to ensure their salvation. Christ came with this message from Heaven. God was not partial. He was not willmg vo lose a single chiid. He was not at enmity with any one, but only with sin. Men must repent of their iniquities. But God could pardon men while in their sins, It was not men were condemned. They condemned themselves by their sins. God is without variableness or shadow of turning, Over the whole earth God provides the same elements of lite. His rainbow of promise extends over ali nationalities. Man is the same everywhere and needs the same saving grace. Not Jew nor Greek was to be redeemed, but the whole world. The Gospel of Christ breaks down the walis between pagans and Christians. It began on the day of pen- tecost, Having elucidated this portion of his theme he proceeded to show that the whole aim of Christ ‘Was to bring men to obedience to God, The Gospel did not create laws or repeal them. If natural law 18 suspended the world goes to ruin. itis so in the moral world. — Christ preached the law 1n ali its breadth and depth. In Christ justice and mercy Kiss each other. Cold, relenties, iron justice forms No part of God's ww PROGRAMME OF SALVATION. He takes into view temptation, We cannot love @ ivan Who has no milk of human kindness mm his nature. Neither can we love a man who 18 ali ten- derness, all weakness, While Christ imvites all to Salvation, and is ull of tenderness and love, there Js justice and mercy as iis basis. If God was only justice, if onty thunderbolts were huried from #13 throne, we would fear and tremble, but we could not love Him. The Gospel reveais God a character such that we can both houor and iove Him, He will not allow a jot or tittle of His law to pass away, but He 1s full of tenderness and pity—a tenderness and pity that culminated in the gift of His son for the salvation of the world, Christ said that men who had scen Him had seen the Father, had seen Him setting down no law; had seen Him tender, loving and anxious that all should be saved and none perish. This blending of justice and mercy is recorded throughout tne Old Testament. Justice, tempered with forbearance of love, ts the teaching of the prophets, is tne burden of the songs of the Bible. In the operations uf NATURAL LAWS the same thing is shown. We know when we have violated physical laws. Tae penalty of violated law always shows itself. The mo- ment you stop the cause then follows that we call mercy. Some insist God too good to punish, that he never inflicts pam. This is true. ‘the law of government is to keep men from penalty. It ts so in God’s government, Man brings the penalty of violatediaw or himself. Here 1s a man who for thirty years has violated his constitu- uuonal laws, has saton the rack every year and curses God for the pam he endures. It is the man’s own fault, He might have kept his bod. strong, healthtul and vigorous. His sufferings are of his own making. But then men say that God is too good to infict pain; they must go farther and admit that tne pain through following the law's transgression is mis own work and that God will not avate His law to abate such pain. The Gospel insists on the law. Man cannot be saved unless he repents. Whoso- ever may can come and be saved. Salvation 1s without money and without price. All GOD'S ATTRIBUTES are in harmony. 118 Jaw and mercy are emblems of creation. God’s Gospel plan meets the wants in other religions. It meets the requirements of sacrifices, It answers the wants of all. While grace is the foundation of every man’s salvation he will be judged by the deeds in the body; just in proportion ‘vo man’s fidelity and good Christian works will he be rewarded. No law 18 changed, vo law passes away, no principle 1s violated. After sin grace Mmeeis the sin, in conclusion he said that God's Gospel, as the only true scheme of salvation, meets the universal wants of all. After the sermon followed the communion ser- vice. SIXTH UNIVERSALIST CHURCH. Discourse by Rev. J. M. Pullman. ‘The attendance at the morning services yesterday at the Sixth Universalist church, in West Thirty- fitth street, was not very large, owing, perhaps, to the cloudy state of the atmosphere, and not a little tothe fact that the exodus from the city for the past week has taken away a great many of the wor- shippers from this church, Tae Rev. Mr. Pullman occupied the pulpit, and preached a very effective sermon to a most attentive congregation. The rev- erend preacher took his textjfrom St. Luke xxiv., 17— “And what manner of conversations do you have ‘when you waik together and be sad !"’ In explanation of this he sald:—Suappose I showed you a complicated lock. I would first endeavor to explain to you its wards and turnings, and would give you a key so that you yourself might be able to understand and open it, So, with the lesson of to-day, I will en- deavor to give you the key of life, that vou may get an insight into its mysieries, The journey of the disciples from Jerusalem to Ammeas seems to corre- spond very nearly with THE JOURNEY OF LIFE. They had started on the path of Christ, and their Master had died like a common felon on the cross and His lifeless body had been laia m the sepulchre; therefore they were ead aa they walked. And so it is with us who walk through lie; wheu disappointed we are sad. These disciples were foriorn, and a stranger Who waiked by their side, secing it, asked them why they were in sorrow? Aithough @ stranger, they received his advances kindly, and, instead of Waving bim off, they answered him and tola bim why they felt sad. The same divine stranger comes,to us daily, and if we desire com- fort we can aiso BECEIVE HIM AND BE SOOTHRD, This stranger walked along with the disoiples to the end of their journey, und through the sympa- thy which sprang up vetween them as soot as he seemed to be going away trom them they asked him vo tarry and vo enter their house with them, and the divine stranger went in and supped with tnén, And as he broke the bread through some means, I know not what, out in some way quite natural, thet Lord and Saviour stvod revealed to them—their Master, whom they had left im the eepulchre be- Mind them, was in their midst. Does it never hap- pen to you that the same d vine stranger comes sua before youwhen you are sad? Does it not often happen that you feel this same stranger soothing you in your DIFFICULTIES AND DISTRESS, and giving you strength to meet the trials and temptations of life? Think over your easily remem- bered experience and ask yourself where you got our strength. Was it from over indulgence and juxuriousness? or was it from the resisting of temptanon’ Did not you gain every Uine you fought against your evil desires and feel comfort in spiritual warfare? But withal, if you do not feel wholly imbued with the spirit of religion, if you do not bring with you, outside of this temple, that religions teeling which ought to be diifused throughout all your actions, you gain nothing to your soul. It is not sufficient that you come here and sit through the service and then go away and think not of what you have heard from this pulpit, That will not do. You derive no benefit from such a course, You must regard RELIGION AS MORE OF A BUSINESS than you have done. You think, perhaps, that it answers all purpeses to attend church on Sunday; but that 1s one great mistake, and the sooner you reconsider the matter the better for yourselves, I will ask you WHY ARE YOU 84D? That question I will answer in part myself. It is Part of your national character to be sad. It 1s one of your characteristics to be unable to feel joyful— not to be able to enjoy @ holiday; you cannot feel joy as other people do; nor throw of sorrow and ‘Wear a joyful air. Mr. Pullman went on at some length to explain the subject to the satisfaction of hi» hearers, and in conclusion asked them when engaged in tie busi- ness of life to be prepared for the visit of tue divine stranger, and not to waive him off, but to take Leaps with and receive from him comfort and con- solation, ST. STEPHEN’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. The Authority of St. Peter—His Divine Mis. sion—The Apostolic Power Perpetual—Ser- mon by the Rev. Dr. McGlyun. In the fashionable Church of St. Stephen, Twenty- eighth street and Third avenue, is weekly assem- bled a congregation of the Catholic élite of this city, who reside in its uptown vicinage. Yesterday morning a more than usual array of persons of both sexes of the wealthier classes gathered within its walls to assist at the solemnizatiop of High Mass. ‘The festival of the day was that of Saints Peter and Paul, whose actual anniversary 18 on the 29th day of June. In Cataolie countries it is the custom to observe the latter day as a holiday, but here ‘in this WORKDAY WESTERN WORLD,’? as Dr. McGlynn expressed {t, the special services are held on the Sunday next following the feast. The mass was beautifully sung by the splendid choir, The sermon was preached from the eleventh chapter ot the Gospel according to St. Matthew—‘Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I wiil build my church, and the gates of hell shall not pfevail against it.” ‘The reverend gentleman thea proceeded to speak of the deep sig- niticance which this act of handing over the body of the Jaisifal to tne hands of A LIVING LIEUTENANT had, and the immense responsibility which it en- tailed. The words of our Lord in tis are an eter- nai answer to tnose who would deny the spiritual authority of the Church. In the Gospel of St. John itis related that a few days before the Ascension Christ addressed himself to Peter, and asked him, “Lovest thou me? Peter, minafal of his former protestations on ihe dark nignt in Gethsemane, answered humbly, ‘‘Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.” But Peter had denied Him thrice, when He sat among those that had apprehended Him, and it Was not until the question “Lovest thou me?” was thrice repeated that the Lord, ever receiving the one reply of huinility and trust, paused. Then He said, “FEED MY LAMBS; 'EED MY SHEEP.’? Thus was Peter appointed shepherd of His flock. thas been considered by the best theologians that the lambs are the youn- ger children of the Church, those requiring spiritual food; and the sheep the elders, the veachers, the priests and even pishops of the Church, The charge was not given to him over a part, but over all—*Feed my lambs; feed my sheep.” Itis the well authenticated tradition of the Church that St. Peter removed to Rome, and from thence directed his pastoral care, Those Mlogical enough to doubt tnat our Lord intended this power to be transmitted from hand to hand through the succeeding generations are answered by the certainty that Christ built His church to endure. There is no government in the world—despotic, con- stitationally monarchic or democratic republican— in which power over property and even over life 1s hot centred. It is THE NECESSITY OF GOVERNMENT, and any one who looks at the civil powers around hum in any country or in any form will observe some one person or tripupal supreme in each. Thusis the succession of the Papacy in its immense spiritual power accounted for. And now, it is asked, caunot 2 pope do wrong? With much reluctance, I must answer—he may. Even to the query whether a Pope may lose tts soul? 1 must reply—1 would that Jt were impossible; hut, forced to a direct answer, 1can only say—he may. There may have been bad popes; but does the sliding in the scale pf life lead us to infer that the sacred authority vested In him is thereby vitiated or that he will TEACH RELIGIOUS FRROR? Not at all. He may err 10 inatcers of worldiy polity, even in matters of Church discipline; ne may not appoint the best bishop, but in jeeding the lambs and sheep of God witi ‘the high, heavenly manna his work must be as much perfection as the word of God ts eternal. Such 1s the reverence with which we must look upon the Executive of Heaven upon earth and in- voke the blessing of the same Lord on him who hoids St. Peter's seat and on the whole congrega- Uon of the faitnful in his charge. CHURCH OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL. “Keeping Hely the Sabbath’—Sermon by Pere Aubri. Owing, no doub:, to the great heat, the Church of St. Vincent de Paul—West 1wenty-third street—was somewhat thinly attended yesterday at high mass. Perhaps another explanation may be found in the suspicion that our French fellow citizens are not so fond of going to church as they might be, and that many of them are kept away, tempted by the fresh, green fields, the cool, bracing sea breezes, while others would appear to cevote the Lord’s day to the accumulation of ‘wealth. Such, at least, seemed to be the impression of the reverend gentieinan, who preached on “‘keep- ing holy the Lord’s day.” However, those who were present made up in some sort by their devo- Uons for the neglect of the absent ones. The altars ‘were pleasantly decorated with flowers, which ap- pear the most fitting decoration for the house of God, and infinitely to be preferred to THE POMP OF GOLD or silver. After the Gospel the Rev. Father Aubri ascended the pulpit, and, taking his text from the fifth chapter of Si. Matthew, “Re- member to keep holy the Sabbath day,” sald:— My brethren, we are now in a season that it 1s the habit to cali the vacation, when the ordinary occu- pations of life are left aside, and the community take refuge from the cares of business in distrac- tions of voyage, or seek repose in quiet nooks, The Church does not condemn this recreation, which gives to the poor tojlers the opportunity of regain- ing thetr strength tne better to fulfil their woridly duties. But we should not forgec that it 18 also atime to seek the vindication of the Lord, It is the time when THE FRUITS OF HEAVEN reward the laborer’s poins, and recompense him for the care anc iabor which he has bestowed upon the earth. The smiling flelds are laden with the goldeu guts of God to man, and yet we know by cxperi- ence that this hour of God’s goodness and bounty is ame of forgetfulness of God instead of one of thankfulness. And this ingrautude of man to his Creator is especially liable to occur when mea for- get the imporcant commandment of keepmg holy the Lora’s day, which bas at all times been so strongly insisted upon. FORGETFULNESS OF GOD is almost sure to happen when one 1s in the habit of continuing his usual occupauion on the sunday, forgetting that tne Lord fumself tells us to keep holy the Sabbath, See with what care the peopie of the Lora—the Jews—sauctified the Lord's day. From sundown the preceding day all business was suspended, and the night aud day devoted to prayer and pious works, especially to visiting tne sick, ‘They did not allow the slightest amusement or ciis- traction when tney interfered witn the proper observation of the sanctity of the day. We should rememper that the day which Christians keep holy 1s thac on which the Lord, after thirty years of suffering on earth and giving Nis biood as a proot of his love for mankind, AKOSH TRIUMPHANT FROM THE TOMB, ‘This is the day which Christians shonid sanctify vo the end of ume. Ibis connected with the most important events of Christianity. On this day tie Spirit of God descended to enlighten the whole world in Cnrist. It 1s, par ercetience, the day of the Lord—**Le jour du sole” —as we reget call it, Sun-day, when Christ leit the world and fuililled ait tne promises Hie had made to His people, and »9 confirmed their faith and hope in Him We ongnt, therefore, to consecrate it to the me- of His sacrifice, The old Christians great importance to the proper celebr:; ton of the Lord’s day, and no dangers could pr vent them meeting together to praise God. Ofte: indeed, were they surprised in their assemblies by their BARBAROUS PRRSECUTORS and put to death. In that time the Unristian diset- pline was extremely severe, and the fervor with which the primitive Christians assisted at the holy sacrifice was most touching. Often unbelt ceeded in ey tye] themselves into the secret reunions when the Christians came together to offer up the holy sacrifice, as, so impressive was the depth of dev: “n displayed by ths worsnippers, that the unbelieve = ere raarly alweve vonyerter. St. Cyprian, why shea su.a lusire .. the guctent Church, was brought into the fold in this way. When leaving the humble temple he said, **It 18 nob men I have seen and heard, put CELESTIAL SPIRITS ;"" and, goimg away, he sacrificed all he owned, and mre his wealth to be distriputed to the poor. Hts- y tells us how he lived to become a gre: of the Church. In the midst of persecutions the primitive Coristians offered up the sacrifice of the mass, and preserved this holy tervor for centuries. Even in the fifth century St. Augustine tells us Christians began wo sanciify the Lord’s day on Sacurday evening at sundown. So late as the twelfth century servants demanded in thelr agreements Uhat they should be allowed to close their week on Saturday evening in order to prepare for the sanctification of the Sabbath, so that in the twelfth century much of the o!d Christian devotion still survived. Whea we consider these things we must blush for the Christians of our day. What @ contrast 1s offered by the zeal of the priml- tive Christians for the sanctification of the Lora’s id OUR COLDNESS AND INDIFFERENCE! Happy are those Christians who Keep holy the Sabbath. As St. Paul tells us, we have an altar whereon Christ presents himself as really as He does in heaven, surrounded by His angels and saints, where ‘he Christian can obtain all tne me sary to salvation, even to the remission of his ‘sink, for God is all goodness and mercy to those who sin- cerely eer ‘This, then, is what we find on the altar of COME, THEN, WITH EAGER LOVB to that altar, at least on the Sunday, and ask for the protection and forgiveness of your heavenly Father. Here you shall receive the Word of Goa from a minister of Jesus Christ, and you will find strength 1m the holy book that has been left for our guidance, Come on Sunday and make pro- vision of holy maxims to sustain you for the rest of the week, St. Augustine never ceased to advise the necessity of spiritual exercise on the Lord’s day. How can a Christian more fitly pass the Sunday than seated among his children instracting them in the great truths of salvation? Innocent amuse- ments are not forbidden; on the contrary, such amusements add to the health and happiness of the community, Tne Christian who shall keep holy the Lord’s day will receive « thousand biessings that will prepare him to pass from this world to the King- dom of heaven. S8T. LUKE'S METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The Fight of Faith—Sermon by the Rev. E. 8. Harrower. Yesterday was Communion Sanday at St. Luke’s, in Forty-first street, near Sixth avenue, Nearly all the congregation approached the holy table and received the Eucharist. Six new member3 were brought into the fold and offered the rignt hand of fellowship, Tne sermon, by the presiding pastor, Rev. E. 8, Harrower, was an elegant exhor- tation, particularly applicable to the day. He took his text from I. Timothy, vi., 12—“Fight the good fight of faitn; lay hold on ternal life.’ He said there seemed to be a fitness in these words for the day. I have given the right hand of fellowship to several dear friends not only in your names, but in the name, too, I trust, of the Great Author and Finisher of our faith, To-day, too, we are not simply ia form and imagina- tion, but in fact, to receive and give new prvof of oyalty and sympathy with our living Master. Moreover, it is the season of relaxation. Our re- lugtous life takes on less of form and order, and we are easily diverted. The fields, sky, rivers and mountains and seas are more in our thoughts, Pleasure and comfortable conditions engage us. It 4s well to remember that we wear AN INVISIBLE ARMOR. We are soldiers. Both for our own sakes and for the sake of our Lord we have the good fignt of faith to wage, There are possessions which we may have by faithful warfare. A whole continent is the prize andthe present occupants are wild beasts. The warfare 1s against them—‘the world, the flesh and the devil.” ‘he incessant, pitiless cares of life, Which are sure to consume all the body and soul if possible, stand in our way. There are grudges, am- bitions, pride or indolent love of ease to do their hostile work agamst us and there remains the headstrong Evil One, giving Way towhom is to throw up purity and peace and Heaven. And how shall they be van- quished? Only by a committed will—zeal for God's glory instead of personal ambition, an humble de- pendence on God's gracious heip. “Such is THE FIGHT OF FAITH.’? And now, not to despise the fizure but to simplity the use of it, there are two foes we are to fight with all zeal—viz., sin and despair, ‘hese two are the destroyers of humanity. They are the crocodiles and tigers which waste tbe land. Sin ruins the sinful and despair rains even the good. How sin does its work we know full weil. How aespair does its work you will see if you reflect how the good are given up to jaint hearted- ness and positive sufiering. The result is partial or utter despair, Against these foes, sin and despair, ve Ciiristian is to make war like a good soldier of Jesus Christ. He does it not by words, He must mamtama purelife, He musc cul- tivate a hopeful and tuspiring habit of thought. He must seek to bring others into the same thought ond life. Now the temptations that endanger the purity of the soul are muci the same to-day that they have been in ail ages of material prosperity. Tf SEEMS LIKE FANATICISM to say the world is an enemy to God; but remember What history tells us abont this in the ancient mon- archies of Egypt and Assyria. People worshipped nature, and nature made no difference between the good and the pad. So men were religious even When grossly immorai. Now, we do not worship nature; but we do get enamored of prosperity. He set our hearta on gain and gold. ‘There is the same tempt mm, “8 Mr. Froude says, to distinguish betw morality and religion, tolook lightly upon lies and injustice, holding re- lugion to be a propriety of form and merely an or- tnodox belief. Tiers are special reasons to-day why all men should set their hearts upoa purity of lite. The corruption which prevails among public men ts sure to send its foul poison down through all classes of society. Itis easier wo cheat, to lle, to delault, with these things always before our eyes, And what 18 true of official corruption is true of falseness everywhere, only the child outdoes the father. In view of the dangers of the age, the dangers of every prosperous age, I exhort you to a special care in maimtaining a pure life. Apply THE ITHURUKL SPEAR of God’s commandments and the example of Chriss to every doubtful motive in life. When temptation comes remember that every sin is a record in the soul, which 13 yet to be brought out when memory applies her mystic power. Be pure, be true. Let the sentinel stand at the gate o, Pompeii when all the city were rashing out to save their lives be an example to us. His work Was to .do his duty, and he did it. It 18 also Important to CULTIVATE A STRONG, HOPEFUL HABIT OF THOUGHT, ‘Try to cultivate @ sense of immortality, not that we are to live ip the future, but rather more and more to work in the present, to take interest in im- proving this world. Still we must not forget our desuny. A man may not live in bis tower; but let him go up occasionally. Let the thougtt of your immortanty be like @ mountain of vision. Gather strengti, too, from the certain friendship and sya- pathy of God. eu ‘ There's u kindness in His jastive, Which is more than liberty. There fs no place where Earth’s sorrows Are more feit than up in heave ‘There is no place where Earth's failinge Have h kindly judgment given. If our love were but inore simple, We should take Him at His word; And our lives would be all sunshine In the aweetness of our Lord, THIRTY-FOURTH STREET METHODIST EPIS- COPAL CHURCH, Christ the Apostle and High Priest of Our Pretfession—Sermon by Rev. John E. Cook- mi A siim congregation, composed mainly of the cant-get-aways, gathered in this church yesterday morning, to whom, it being sacramental occasion, the Rev. Mr, Cookman preached upon the subject of Chrisv’s apostleship and high priesthood asa ground for holiness of heart and life in His people. The text was Hebrews ii., 1:—‘‘Wherefore, holy breth- ren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Onrist Jesus.” This, the preacher said, 1s part of an ex- tended argument; yet it may be Isolated without inyury to liself or the context, We may confine our views to the properties of a single ring, although tt may be a link in a chaty. There are three thoughts expressed in this text. First, the agents to whom the words were uttered—‘holy brethren;’ second, the objects of thetr consideration—“the Apostie and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; and thirdly, the acts enjoined upon those who preach Christ Jesus—to “consider.” The bur- den of exposition lies upon the second, while the first looks forward and the third backward, and both to Jesus. “floly breturen’ is a phrase by which the apostie designates not a certain class ‘whom he 1s secking to convert, but rather converted sons Whom he seeks to edify so that the werd of their ministry may quicken the dead. The applica- uon “holy brethren” does not, nowever, give « cer- tifcate of sanctification to the whole asse ly. These two terms are pcresang, Le rand or separately. ‘they flow down from the Decalogue. They are the first and second tavies of the law transferred to new hearts, and PRINTED ON THE LIVES OF BELIEVERS who love the 1ord God with all their hearts and their neighbors as themselves. ‘ihey are holy toward God and are brethren toward men. They are holy men moved by boly influences, inspired with holy joys and feelings and bound for a noly place. I Their inward and outward jilfe ia inscribed “Holl ness to the Lord,” They are partakers of a heavenly sider 1s “the Apostle and High Priest of our profes- sion, Christ Jesus.” The term apostle menus “sent * and corresponds to our word missionary, and Jesus Curist is the Apostle of our profession. ' And whether we consider the sender or the sent or the message brought, there is dignity in the fact that CHRIST JESUS WAS SENT OUT as our tle, And as our High Priest, too, He assed Within the veil and sprinkled the altar with 18 own blood, and thus became the High Priest of our profession. No hand had qpenea wide the veil that we might look within, No ray of light nad pierced the cloud nor issued forch to Earth unul m the fulness of time God sent torth iis son to reveal the secrets of the in- ner life and the inner world to mankind, to become an apostle, and by acquainting Himself ‘with our trials, temptations and sorrows, our fears and hopes, our joys and woes, he might be able to return to the holiest of all and tell them to His Father and our Father, His God and our God. He drew aside the impenetrable veil, and the eternal, the unseen, the deep and hidden things of God are made manifest to us, He comes forth bearing our image aad God’s image— THE SON OF MAN AND 80N OF GoD— the Word made flesh. He comes as it were right out of the heart and mind, bearing blessings of grace and giving to us those things which we need, and whispering in our hearts the untold truths that God thinks of and cares for us. And having finished his course He vecomes our substitute, our vic- tm, and gives us what no apostle, prophet, philosopher or sage could have given, ana then returns to His heavenly, home again. He ts our Apostie by His death aud resurrection and mediation, He has opened up a way for us whereby we may come to God, He 18 God’s advocate with us and vur advocate with God. How comforting, then, 1s 1t to have such @ High Priest of our profes- sion—and shall we not love this Jesus? Though as- cended into the heavens He stil curries on His apos- Ueship and proclaims the sume truths which He de- clared when on earth. as the one sun in the firma. ment reflects its rays upon the crest of every ocean wave so Jesus shines upon the hearts of His min- isters, 60 that there is no longer one apostle, but maby. Wherever there is a dear SOUL WHO HAS RECEIVED CHRIST there is an apostle. There is in this way a reduplicatipg of Christ's Spamennip and high priesthood, Every man who prays for an- other is a high priest, and there are a great many little priests who fear to speak in public, but who plead in secret with and for their brethren. The term ‘consider’ in this sense and in the passages of the Scriptures implies that men are so immerved in business they cannot think of Christ as they should. But we are called to fix our gaze and our undivided attention upon Jesus, to look for him as the shipwrecked mariner would look for the morning or the drowning man for the rope that was to rescue Him. ur God js a consuming fire and we could not look at him but through Jesus, who be- came one of us, Let us, therefore, consider Him as our Apostle and High Priest, And as He stands be- fore His Father Five bleeding wounds he bears, Recetved on Calvary ; They pour eitectual prayers, ‘They strongly speak tor me. Before the throne iny surety a My name is written on his hands, ST. PETER’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. Celebration of Sts. Peter and Paul’s Festival, St. Peter's, Barclay street, the oldest Roman Catholic church in the city, yesterday celebrated the Teast of Sts, Peter and Paul with uncommon splendor and devotion. The attendance was unusually large, and the ceremonies of more elaborate and impres- sive ritual than is common to the Sabbath. The de- corations of the altar were tmposingly beautiful, and the music was delivered with superb effect. Being the festival of the tivular saint of the church a grand high mass was celebrated. Rev. Father O'Farrell officiated as celebrant; Rev. Thomas W. Lynch, of Troy Seminary, senior deacon; Rev. James W. Power, of Troy Seminary, sub- deacon; Rev. William Quinn, frst master of ceremonies, Mr. Joun Finnigan second master of ceremonies; the acolytes were Messrs. Frank Fitz- gerald and John McKeon. The sermon Was preached by Rey. Father O'Farrell, Jr., on “The Lives of Samts Peter and Paul.” ‘The preacher dwelt upon the strong points in the character of each apostie, their marked zeal for God, and their utter seif-abne- gation in the performance of their high ani sacred Talssion. The mass was Haydn’s ‘‘imperial’’ and the solo offertorio was finely rendered by Mrs. Eas- ton. Mr. W. F. Pecher presided at the organ with ‘his usual skill and of execution, BROOKLYN CHURCHES. Beecher on Life and Intensity—A Characteristic Discourse by the “Columbia Street Pope” — A New Catholic Church—Laying of the Corner Stone—Discourse by Bishop Loughlin. PLYMOUTH CHURCH. Living Men Versus Galvanized Corpses—Val- uable Action Only To Be Attained by In- tense Life—A Litle Spilling Over Te Be Forgiven. Mr. Beecher preached yesterday for the last time before the summer vacation, taking for his text Romans XiL, 11:—‘Not slothful in business, tervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” The aim of the New Testament, said he, is to inspire a noble manhood, In this manhood the soul ts based upon God. Tnere 1s to be completeness and right quality and the highest activity. In the New Testament fulness, activity of hfe is made the most important thing. It is not enough that men should be free from sin, they must be positively good. WE MUST BE GOOD, but oar goodness must have heat and sparkie. Fer- vency means a@ quality so full of light and heat that it radiates both. Men are to be like fire that 1s burn- ing. We are to avoid wrong and practice right, but we are: to be fervia, to glow with light and heat, ‘This is the inherent idea of life. Our faculties may exist in astate of passivity or of receptivity They may be roused toa condition of attention. Higher than that ts the condition of excitement, and higher still 1g intense action. ‘This ts the highest condtuton, The lower down excitement is, the more clumsy is mental action; the higher up, the better and nobler 1s the work. No man lives really except he 1s in hese higher moods, He does not compass real manhood. When indolent we work with thumb and finger, but when the man ts aroused he uses all the power of the hand, and ail the power of the arm and of the body, So it 1s with the mind; the neighboring faculties must all get up and work when one faculty is intense. When @ man’s moral sentiments are awake the best judgments are gen- erally the truest—the most generous, the purest— and the sober second thougnt generally whittles them down. There are experiences of truth of every kind, which are impossible to any lower stage of excitement; they are never possible till the soul is aroused. There are E RXPERIENCES IN FINE NATURES that blossom out in tue summer heats of the mind. Blessed are the pure in heart, jor they shall see God. We can only see so mach of God as we carry with us, Iron will not weld ina low temperature it must be red hot. So if my nature glows and yours glows, WE CANNOT HELP acting upon eact other. These higher moods are the propagating moods. Tue Aposties were hot all over and all the me, and wherever they went they lit the sacred tire, Men are amply equipped with learning, bat ‘weir temperatare 18 low; it beside them are men with mtensity Who, with no learning, do vastly more, It isa’t the learning that 1 at fauit; the learning is net hot. White heatin vhe brain gives power. And ifa man wants to make truth iniective let him be lervid; euthusiasts get disciples, even If they are scatter-brained. Most of us use up inost of our elec tricity by COMBATING FEAR. Tt you live high you have no care, for the same Teason that the eagle has ne dust on his wings. A state of exaltation is a state of grace. Is it unsale tobe too high? ‘The safest horse in the world is the one that is spavined and knock-kneca and so weak that he can’t think of running away, and if he did he could not ran. Moderation! Why there 18 no such moderation as there 1s in an _ icehouse, The man whe docs anything must have fire in his soul. Dignity 1s well enough, bat there ts a dignity of summer as well as of winter. There 1s no such dignity asthe dignity of light. Men in the world at their work are fuil of lite. They go to meeting with all their faculties asleep, and call that an offering to God. ‘This kind of worship “19 A SHAM. Critics are to take their lessons from feeling, and Not sulyect feeling to criticism. Feeling 1s always grand. There 18 nothing so above criticism asa genuine moral emowon. A_ fatl and glo- Tlous expression of a true feeling 1s the best poetry. You can have intense feeling and full expression of it within the bounds of reason, Life ig the one thing. Life, life, is the first element of all that is proper and in good taste. Fanaticism Is the vice of people that are over cerebrated. Some of you may havo moch brain, but not many of you. A rich soil runs to weeds, If you are shallow enough you can get along without spilling over, but if you are full you will oftey have two much, phail we way al a tothe formers barren soil is best because weeds won't ie ‘There are USANDS WHO DO MISCHIEF because are hedged up. Put aman in a church, With an ek on each sidé and a minister before and behind, and he will be likely to explode, Our orations and speeches and endiess talk saves pouti- cal explosion. If you doa’t let the common people LOOK OUT POR REVOLUTION. Indolence rusts, high excitement meeps health and life, But the excitement must be on the right side of the mind—ine side towards. God, We should bend toward the acquisition. of character our most intense forces, A man’s sum of enjoyment depends on what he is, Money caunot make @ man happy any more than 4 can make music by touching the table. There must be something back of th? ke.s if we are to have Tousic. Money can give happiness if there is some- thing in the man. When the love of God 1s so aiin- ent, tilling the world with light and lile, shall we be torpid? We have an cternul inheritaace, undimin- ished, untaxed, Be afraid of bad feelings; but of right feelings. let them mount up; so shall we grow towards and so fill the measure of noble manhood. After the sermon the communion was adminis- tered, Mr, Beecher sayiug in his ivitauon to the congregatioa:—“You nave as much right to the Lord’s Supper as you have to the Bible. We admins ister it, but we don’t own it,” CHURCH OF ST. PETER AND ST. PAUL. In Williamsburg, at St. Peter and St. Paul's Ro- Man Catnoli¢ church, the festival of the two great Apostles was celebrated with becoming pomp and ceremony. The edttice was crowded to its fullest Capacity, Anextra force was added to the regular choir, together with a string and brass band. Rev. Father Loeliir, formerly a Lutuerau minister, as- sisted by Messrs. Duity and #rady as deacon and 8ud-deacon, sang the solema high mass. Rev. R. Merrick, S. J., preached an effective sermon from the text in the epistie of St. Paul to the Colossians:— “And you are filled in him who is tne head of all Principality and power.”’ Tne preacher toucheé ‘upon the divinity and promises of Christ, and hoped that in consammating His pledges all would be con- verted and brought to a knowledge of Him crucified and given that faith which enlivens charity and seeks neaven for its poruon, CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF VICTORY. Laying the Corner Stone of a New Church Edifice—Remarks of Bishop Loughlin. Tne corner stone of the new Church of Our Lady of Vietory, on McDonough street, near Throop ave- nue, Brooklyn, was laid with appropriate ceremomes. yesterday afternoon, in the presence of a large as- Semblage of the faithful. The convention of Irish societies recently voted to puradein honor of the event upon the occasion, when some argument arose as to THE ADMISSIBILITY OF MUSIC, the Bishop of the diocese of Long sland having declared that he would not oMiciate if any bands were paraded through the streets, The Hibernian societies and temperance orgaulzations very gen- erally acquiesced to the wishes of Bishop Loughin in barring the bands of music from thetr ranks, but the St. Panl’s Church Society men said they would have music—and they did. Here was a drawback. Four o/clock was the hour appointed for the commencement of the ceremony, but the prelate had not made his appearance up to that time, and it was an hour later and after the dis- mussal of the band when the Bishop arrived on the ground. THE CEREMONIES were then begun without any further delay, Vicar General Dr. Turner, Rev. Fathers McElroy, Keegan, Creighton, Corcoran and Kearney assisting the Right Rey. Bishop in the solemn and imposing cere- monies. The Bishop read for his text the words of the First Book of Kings, nineteenth chapter. He then reviewed in brief the advice of the Royal Prophet to his Son to baud a house, not for man, but for the honor ana glory of God. Such ‘was the honse the corner stone of which had been blessed to-day. It 18 but just, and in conformity: with sincerity and faith, that those for whom it is being built should coatribute liberally towards tis erection, All we have in this world comes from His hands—our health, happiness and money. He gave the means to us that we might prove worthy of all these good things by putting them io a proper aud fitting use. Now a/ demand is made in Bis name upon you to contri-* bute to His Carts and to your own welfare. both! temporal and eternal. Snch appeals are always’ successfal, No city in the world cau boast more lasang evidence of your FAITH AND DEVOTION, As portrayed in the uberg! contributions which you have ever made towards the erection of temples to God. The bishop concluded by congratulating tne pastor upon his success in the timely purchase of the ground, and alter the benediction the crowd, which numbered fully ten thousand, dispersed. The societies numbered about three thousand meim-| bers, wearing rezalla, carrying their banners and! marshalled by Mr. Michael Fox. THE BUILDING will be 86 feet deepand 42 feet in width, with an ornate porch 16x8 feet. The side walls wili be 18 feet in height, and the gable iuside walls 42 feet. The walls will bez feet 6 inches thick. The ina- terials employed in the constraction of the building will Hank stone, with trimmings of blue and white granite. It will be of the French Gothic order of architecture, and will be completed before the end of October, The cost of the building is estimated ut $25,000, There 1s to be neither steeple nor galleries. In time it 18 pro- posed to erect a larger editice on the ground a*join- Ing the chapel, as the house of worship now in course of erection 1s more properly ter! THE PARISI ' of “Our Lady of Victory,” which is under the pase toral care of Rev. Patrick Creighton, was organized’ about three years ago, and embraces the entire Twenty-first ward in its limits. A snail, neat frame Structure has served he immediate wants of; the parish thus far, and has an attendance of 1,600 persons. ‘The trustees were fortunate! enough to parohase thirty-four lots of ground at & period when they were comparatively low, so) that the Investment now bias fair to prove a most) Valuable source of revenue to the rapidly rising: parish of “Uur Lady of Victory.” Mr. James Harper omMctated as chairinan of the committee, and kept &@ corps of active collectors. circulating con- stantly among the people soiiciting supscriptions. About one thousand dollars was re ed, ptain: McLaughlin, of the Ninth precinct, was efiicient: with his men in maintaining order among the press- ing throng. NEW JERSEY CHURCHES. ST. PETER’S CHURCH, JERSEY CITY. Selemn Commemoration of the Feast of Panl—Father Renaud Dis- the Saints Peter courses from Chriss Sermou on Moumt—Letter from Rome to the Yo Mcn’s Sodality. /The feast of Saints Peterand Paul was celebrated im the Catholic Church all over the world on Thurs- day iast, But in order that the festival mignt be clothed with greater solemnity and that the faithful at large might oe enavled to participate in the celebration, the Jesuit Fathers of St. Peter’s church in Jersey City postponed the celebration til yesterday, when the congrega- tion were enjoined to commemorate in a vefitiung manner the festival of the patron saint of the parish. A solemn high mass was celebrated i lalf- past ten o’clock, Father Beaudevin, 8. J., being cele- brant, with Father Busam, 8. J., deacon, and Father McQuade, 8. J., sub-deacon, After the first gospel a sermon was preached by Father Renaud, who took for his text the gospel of the day, which inculcates FORBEARANOZ TOWARDS OUR NEIGHBOR in his faults, and forgiveness of injuries. The goss pel just read, said the preacher, contains some jm- portant precepts propounded to us by our Lord in his Sermon on the Mount, It is set forth, in the first place, that unless our. justice abound more than that of the Scribes and Pharisees. we shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. We are aiso told in the gospel that if we were on the point of offering a gift at the altar und should re- Member that we have anything against our brother Wwe should jeave our gift nere and go and forgive our brotner and then return aad offer our gitt. + You have heard,’ says the Lord, * love thy neigh- bor and hate thy enemy, but I say unto you LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, do good to those that hate you aud pray for those: that persecute and calnmaiate you.” And In another place He says that we are not to forgive our enemies seven times merely bat seventy tlines seven. times. His whole lire was one continued act of love- and charity, When the Samaritans refused to re- celve Him and He was asked to bring dowa FIRE AND BRIMSTONE FROM HBAVEN ‘on the ungratetul people, He sata, “Ye know not of what spirit ye are,” Hits last words on the cross were a prayer for forgiveness on ls eneinies. ‘We must not merely lay aside ail ill-will and rancor, but we must make our enemies sbarers in our prayers, and bestow upon them om. almsdeeds. You will say that this 19 @ very delicate matter, and I grant it, butis the heavenly crown not wortn looking for? Let us remember that it we do not forgive our enemies neither shall our Heavenly Father forgive us, and that AUDOMENT WITHOUT MERCY shall be dealt ont to him who shows no thercy. Whatever measure we deal out to our neighbor, the same measure shall be dealt out to us. It Was announced to the congregation at the sev- eral masses that the parochial school ts to pe putin first rate condition lor the resumption business next September. The svhool will be under the im, 4 mediate superintendence of one of thevesuit Fathers