The New York Herald Newspaper, February 12, 1872, Page 4

4 ae RELIGIOUS. The Eloquence of the Pulpit and Yester- day’s Church Services. THE WOMAN QUESTION IN BROOKLYN Beecher and Talmage on the Side of Miss Smiley. FATHER FARRELL ON THE EUCHARIST. Frothingham on the Atonement and the Religion of Humanity. Another Crowd at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Inaugural Discourse of the Rey. Charles N. Babcock. ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL. Observances During Lent—Necessity of Faith and Good Works—Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Starrs, V. G: The Cathedral was yesterday crowded to the floors. The last mass commenced as usual at hait- past ten o'clock, the Rev. Father MvuNamee officiat- ing as celebrant, at the conclusion of the first Gos- pel the Very Rev. Eather Starrs, Vicar General, as- cendea the pulpit, and having read the Archbishop's circular setting forth the regulations to be observed during the holy season of Lent, selected nis text from St, Luke, xvill. 42—“Receive thy sight; thy faith had mage thee whole.” Those words, said the reverend gentleman, were addressed by the divine Saviour to a poor blind man sitting on the Wayside on the road to Jericho, and when the Saviour was passing by he cried aloud, “Jesus son of David have mercy on me.” His confidence in the power of the divine Saviour and the ardent Gesire o! receiving his sight urged him tocry out again, notwithstanding the opposition that he met ‘With in the crowd, At length his perseverance was crowned with success, and the divine Saviour, stop- ping on the way, ordered the blind man tobe Drought to Him, apd asked him what he desired— «What wilt thon that Ido for thee ¥’ and he aatd, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.’ The Saviour then spoke, saying, ‘Receive why sight; thy faith hath made thee whole.” ‘the blind man hnmediacely re- ceived his sigiy and began to follow the divine Saviour, GLORIFYING AND GIVING THANKS 4n conjunction with the crowd that had witnessed tunis illustrious miracie, There was'here presented @ remarkable instance of the efficacy of a strong and lively faith, It was to that the divine Saviour attributed the cry of the blind man, and the Seri, ‘ures assured us that by faiuh tts man received hi sight, and that without taith it was impossible to lease God. It was the principle or all Chrisnan pea and the root from which all fruits sprung. twas the first step to our salvation. The Scrip- tures told us that there was but one true faith, a3 there was only one God, one sheep fold, one nouse; and as THE DIFFERENT SECTS throughout the world were at present divided and Subdivided into various forms of belief, it was ne- cessary from time to time to remind men of the na- ture of the faith given tothe saints, and that that faith could be found only in t Catholic Churca, Faith was the free giftof God, and, as St. Paul sald, by grace we are saved througn faith. It was not of ourselves, but by the gift of God, that men received grace; he wishei all to receive faith; but ali did not ask for it with the proper dtspositions, The condition of the poor man Mentioned in the Gospel might be in a spiritual sense applied to four different classes of persons in tne world, There were those who be- lieved not even in the existence of God, because reason cannot comprehend His attributes. Those persons would not submit to revelations because they did not comprenend the mysteries, and, although this was applicabie to the pagans of old, there were many persons who rematned in the Game condition to-day. In the second place, there Were those who were PREJUDICED BY EDUCATION and early training, and although they belleved in a certain kind of revelation, still they would not sub- mit to the doctrines taught by Christ, because per. haps it would interfere with their self-respect and esteem before the World, as well as with they position in life, Thirdiy, there were those who believed in all = the_—_ doctrines, but who, bliuded by their _ passions, ‘would pot give up the pleasures of the world or conform to the practice of faith. In their case it was Dindness of the heart rather than biint- hess of the mind. The fourth class was composed Of those who believed in all the doctrines, but at the Bame time practiced certain forms for themselves, aud who would not submit to the rules of the Church, but rather preferred to fofow their own ‘will, aud had 80 much self-respect that they did not practice the faith in union With the spirit of the Church. The doctrines submitted by Christ had always beea the same, Cnrist commis- Bioned His apostles and authorized them to go forth and preach the Gospel to all nations, wiih the promise that he whu believed and was baptized would be saved. ‘Those doctrines haa preached and taught during the last eighteen centuries, No change had taken place. The same delivered by the apostles were now delivered by the rs of the Chureh, and hence there was the to go by—the rule o1 faith, which is the Holy @atholic Chureh, and GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD and by the ligt of the Holy Ghost nothing could go astray. But althouga faith possessed many advaa- Tages, still Jaith alone was not suflicient. St. Paul bald that if @ man had faith so strong as lo move a mountain profited nothing withoui charity, Faith be accompanied by good works, because faith without B000 works was dead in the same manner as the body without the spirit was dead. The reverend gentleman concluded by exhorting the congréga- Hon to practice faith and good works, and that, by Amitating the example of the blind man following dn the footsteps of Christ, they would finally reach ihe road that led to the heaveniy Jerusalem, The wass sung was by Butier, m ) minor, and the “Sanctus” “Agnus Del,” byHaydn. At tue offertory Rossini’s beauufui “Ave Maria” was sung by Mme. Chonié with great taste and artistic finish. ‘sue Forty Days’ Adoration commences next Sun- day, whea solemn and appropriate ceremonies will ‘take place, while the occasion will be rendered ad ditionally inieresting by grand and tinpressive Sinaicdl eeleonigesy under the-direction of Professor c a it must 4 THE NEW CHURCH, Sermon by the Rev. G. UW. Hepworth on Moral Courage—The Brave Young Men of Modern Life. Mr. Hepworth delivere1a sermon to alarge au- Gience in Steluway Bali last evening on moral courage a8 an clement of success, especially in New’ York. His text was from Matthew xxvi ‘Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man.” He began by describing the scene NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1872.-TRIPLE SHEET. : dare to face and not be able to conquer a bad habit, Be may be brave as a lion, and yet not have an atom of moral courage, A man has courage when he has convicuons, and stands by them in of the world. Whea the @ ravaged Europe, men and women were fou knowing that death might result at any hour, sll went about ministering to the necessities of the stricken and the dying. That 1s what J call moral cour: They knew what their duty was; they deliberately determined to take the hazard; and when irightened multitudes were flee- ing for safety, they stayed to close the eyes of those who were helpless, So the y fastionabdle —sowiety. his principles, his ter mperate or hus religious habit is sneered at by ‘his set,” but who calmly pockets the sneer and. keeps true to nimself and God, has something of the noblest ele- ment of heroism. And that independence, that manliness, based on thoughtfulness, on conviction, 1s needed by the young men of to-day more than anytning else, We are all to flexible, too pliable; we are not stern enough in our sense of duty and in our adherence to what we know to be right. There are some men who always go wiih the majority and always toink with the majority, ‘They. are empty and fill themselves with the opinions of others. They are made up, 80 far as dreas is concerned, by their tailors, Whatever shaped coat THE PARISIAN ®OP Wears that they wear. ‘They are made up, 80 far as polltics are concerned, by the dominant party. They grow furious about slavery or antl-slavery, 1n abe- dience to the company they keep, and they go to church wherever the crowd goes. I have no pa- tience with thatsort of man. Then there are others who say, “I never pretended to be good, nd make that an excuse for all soris of e Well, suppose you never did pretend to be fo0d— 16 your logic so Poor and your soa! so shrivelled up that you cannot see that this is only an added guilt? Suppose you go up to the roof some fine morning, and saying, “I never pretended to any Knowledge of the laws of nature,” jump off—what will be the conse- quence? , you will simply break ‘our neck like any other idiot. it is your usiness to know what the forces of nature aré, so far as they regulate your life, and it is also your business toobey them. And in religion the case stands the samo; you are not excused for not knowing what it is your business to know. The simple truth 1s, you ‘are living ina world whose laws are partly discovered and partly revealed. And in this world the only safe course is to take great pains to find out what the law is, and then to Obey it, Disobedience always ends in regrets; Obedience always ends in joy. Make no mistakes. Don’t dream to get sweet things out of moral turpt- tude, Matters wil: turn out just as you expect them not to. I once went shooting. Isaw a rabbit on the roadside, I thought him as good as in my bag. I loaded my gun very carefully, vwook good aim, firea and—what? Well, I foun myself unexpectedly on my back, ana my rebellious gun was quietly reposing some distance off. As for the rabbit, he may be laughing at me yet for augnt Ikvow. 1am sure 1 did not hit nim, ‘Well, that 13 @ good illustration. Wrong is a kicking gun; don’t use it, It shoots at the wrong end. No matter where.you aim, it hits yourself, hat do 1 advise? That you ally yourself to duty. That you do it calmly, deliberately and prayerfully. God will help you, Christ will never desert you, but be at your side to answer your prayers and give you the | needed assistance, =. 8ST, PETER’S OHURCH. Sermon by the Rev. Father Farrell on the Eucharist. Yesterday morning high mass was celebrated in St. Peter’s church, Barelay street, and the Rev. Father Farrell preached an able and eloquent ser- mon upon the observance of the holy Eucharist and for what porposes it was instituted by our Saviour, The learned divine sald that its first alm was to keep in constant remembrance the death of Christ; its second to give a new strength to all who partake of it to resist the attacks of the demon. At the last supper Our Lord took bread in his hands and broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘This is my body, which 1s given for you;” and of the chalice, “This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which 4s shed for you.” Christ instituted THE BLESSED EUCHARIST. for the nourishment of our souls. Thirdly, our Saviour left for us the sacrifice of the mass. He offered Himself @ sacrifice on the tree to Ais Father for us, and when He gave to His disciples the bread and wine, telling them that it was Tus body and blood and bidding them, “This do in remembrance of me,” He intended that the sacrifice He nad made for us should be ever present in our hearts and minds. The bread and wine of the Eucharist are changed into the body and blood of our Redeemer. Christ, our great High Priest, instituted mass, and ‘we owe more than we can ever render to Him for this great benefit bestowed upon us. Mother Church for this reason causes the priest to say, “1 will take this chalice of salvation and in- voke the name of the Lord.” our respect, our love, our adoration, yet how little He receives irom us! Many come to church sinpy for the sake of keeping up the ap- pearance of religion; many deceive themselves into the belief that by the mere act of attending service wey are leading holy lives, and will merit ricn re- ward herealter; tew come to church With fervent and glowing hearts to partake of the blessed sacra- ment, aad of those who do come only the minority even deign to bend the knee, Phey betray a markea indiverence to the service, heeding not the teach- ings of their pastor, but allowing their thoughts to wander far away from sacred things. Many receive the sacrament only at Easter, when it is absolutely imperative for them to do so, and consider that they have suficiently performed their duties, Yot CHRIST INVITES US venderly. He has no more ardent desire than to seo us approach Him in the holy sacrament. He holds out every hope of salvation to us if we will do this, and He even threatens those who neglect it, “If ye do not eatof my fesh and drink of my vlood ye shall not see salvation.” In conclusion the preacher exhorted his numerous hearers to properly observe the ensuing Lenten season, and not omit to purge their souls from the dross of sin. The service periormed was Righini’s Coronation Mass in D minor, for four voices and chorus. The Offertory, ‘‘Ave verum’? (Miliari), ine tenor solo, was well rendered by Mr. Filiippt; ang the duet, “Christe, eleison,” was beautitully executed by the same gentleman and Mile. Agatha Munier, a young lady Who possesses a voice of marvellous richness and compass. The solo, “Et incarnatus est,” was well performed; and the be “Benedictus,”’ Was exquisite.y given b: me. Easton (soprano), Mille. Muuier, Messrs. Filippi and Staud. ‘Tne “Agnus Dei’’ brought into play the full powers of the soprano and contralto, also the basso (solo) of Mr. Staud. The accompaniments and voluntary were most ably executed by Mr. Peciier upon the powerfully sonorous organ that adorns the rood lort of st. Peter's, CHURCR OF THE MESSIAN, Object of the Unitarian Beliof—Its Duties, Its Kelations—Sermon Dy the Nev. A Wood. bury. The morning services yesterday at tne Church of the Messiah, corner of Park avenue and Thirty- fourth street, were well attended. The minis- ter was Rev. Aug. Woodbury, of Providence, He preached the second of the series of dis. courses to be preached here on tho special tenets of the Unitarian beiief, His sabject was ‘What vo We Stand for?’ as based upon Revelations til., 11, 12—"Hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will make a pillar ia the temple of my God.’ A small bat faithful church; how dow di 4 what dyes it gtand Tor Ta Se cttw Christendom? Every church, in order to be, must have a reason for its being. 1¢ must not be an accl- Gental appearance, an unaccountable growth. 1t mist be designed to represent some principle, to have an aim—a duty to perform. But this prin- ciple must not be infringed, this aim abandoned, this duty abandoned; if they are the church must die. Tne Roman and Protestant Churches took upon each other as being wilfully opposed to Chris- tian trata; 80 orthodoxy views heresy a3 DEVOTION TO ERROR, After illustrating this and showing that intol- Christ demands 4n which Peter acted so prominent and cowardly a 4 CT#uce springs from deep, earnest convictions, he part—a part which he never ceased to regret. How watural, he sald, it 1s for a man to curse and swear ‘When he ts accused of something which ne 1s not willing to confess! The Apostle represents the average man, Who always makes up for his weak. nesses by blustering and swearing. The true man, he who knows be 18 in the right, keeps quiet, invites Criticism and investigation, looks you in the face Qud tells the truth. The false man always grows red in the face, becoming unduly excited, and makes the strength of his cause to depend on noise, or threats, or oaths, Now, to get on in its best sense, a nan must have moral courage. He needs iif he lives tn the smallest village, for emergencies ‘will sometimes arise even there; ne needs it, espe- cially, In such a city as this, where life itself, from beginning to end, is one great, continuous emer- gency. Let me tell you just what 1 mean. The word bravery expresses @ very admirable quality, but 1t does not exactly indicate the element Of character of which I wish to speak. A man is generally brave on impulse. When is heard dhe alarum of war the general fever runs high, Without exactiy reckoning consequences athousand young menrusn to the army, You see them in the hick of the Nght; they are borne on by an excite. Ment which spreads all over the Continent. ‘they Dght, they die. Vo we not honor them ¢ Yes, with bil our hearts, We never forget them, WE BUILD MONUMENTS to them; we tell our children about them. And yet even they may OF may not have that suli loftier ele. ment of character which @ true religion teacues. (One may march up to a cannon's mouth, aad yet not proceeded to apply these Principles to the charac- ter and condition of the Unitarian saith. What reason have tly for being? What fs their provi- dential work in the world # What do they étapd for and represent in the religion, thought and actionpt their time? What 1s their duty to other churches and to themselves? The Unitarian Ohureh ts n accident. lis principles have cised a vast ina ence upon the thougnt and ile of Christendom. It has held an important place im the ci of Christian society. It has been a wer in modern civilization. The influence it has exerted is far_more than commensurate Dumbers. It has taught the worla that sents |, are pot the measure of sirength; that truth ts not aiways determined by majorities, ‘Tried bya nu- merical test Christianity itself is @ faiiure, as, atier eighteen centuries of active life, it has scatce.y con- verted half the humag race. But the glory of Christianity is that 1¢ leads the worla in thougne and spirit—in al! the powers of genuine life; 80 that there 1s Dot a nation Under heaven but has felt its influence and been quickened by it into new life and higher aspirauons, ‘the Unitarian Churon is the interpretation of Obrisuanity ww the fainess of its generous love. It does not elevate the Founder of Christianity to @ place in the Godhead, for God cannot be divided. Thetr PROVIDENTIAL WORK in the world is to breathe into it a better spiritin ajl its thoughts and actions—to set the human soul free from the sbackies of superstition—to open the mind to the enirance of divine truth, Aiter ampil- fying this part of his discourse at esoquent Jengtu, be proceeded to show that honest men of opposing creeds must of necessity admit that the Unitarians were wrong, aud he respected them the more for it, That meo must differ seemed to him inevitable. Some were born to be Romanista, some to be Protes- tants. There is @ spiritual law of gravitation which Operates slowly, indeed, bus mevertheless, gnerringiy. Men and women must neceesarily go to the place where they belong in the Lord’s Vineyard, and where they can best do the Lord’s work, The vinevard is 80 large and the work so great’that it 1s not worth quarrelitng about the par- ticular forms of the instruments used. He was cer- tain he could not handle the tools so deftiy used by his neighbors, nor his; but this did not prevent them from being cordial to each other, we do not believe in the FIVE POINTS OF CALVINISM, or the ceremonials and authority of the Roman Church or of the Protestant Episcopal Church, or the necessity of observing a lorm of bap- tism, there are honest men and women who do, and who, moreover, think us in error. We believe that tne spirit of a man’s life ig more important than his opinion of this, that or the other on religious subjects, For it ts the ae that worketh in him; and if that Spirit be and trustful, and according to Christ, we hear in pa- tlence and reply inlove. We find ‘points of agree- ment instead of difference. for all; we all belong to the Church universal, and we are all working to make the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN Teal upon the earth. There are many ways to the celestial city, aud we ail hope to arrive there in God's own d time, We do not think that on our arrival the question wilt asked through which Church we came, but rather, have you Beer an Bo the truths you recoguizes® Tne duty eir own. Chureh yas plain, ‘Hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” Cnarity to others 18 not to induce indifference to the truths thev hoid themselves, ‘The best way to answer the cavilings of those who talk of our decline is co be ail the more active in our well-doing—to make our work more and more needful for human good. We must convince them that the truth they hold is the most satisfying to the needs of the human soul, and nearest to the heart and mind of Christ; tne most helpful in duty, the most encouraging in temp- tation and trial, most conducive to man and the glory of God. There are those wno go away from us because we are not sufficiently ortho- dox, Wiping’ that divine truth cannot be ex- rpetes y dogma; but their raitings are powerless 40 hurt ua, ST. STEPHENS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. Sermon by the Rev. Father Vasseur, the lebrated Jesuit Missionary—His Expe- rience Among Three Hundred Millions of Pagans—' the Great Battle Field of Christianity. St. Stephen's Roman Catholic church was yester- day filled by an attentive congregation, who listened to a sermon from the Rev. Father Vasseur, of the Society of Jesus, the only Roman Catnolic missionary who has ever represented the United States as a missionary among THE “HEATHEN CHINRES.” The text of the reverend gentleman was as follows:—“Put on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil, ffaving yonr feet shod with the preparations of the gospel”’—Ephesians vi., 4-6. This solemn theatre for sacred eloquence, this so large and so reapecta- ble an audience of the faithful, the splendor and divine ceremony of the house of Gcd, are not made for a poor foreigner and a poor missionary, accus- tomed but to adventures among a little flock of CHINESE NROPHYTES OR CATECRUMESS, but Iam encouraged by your beloved and well de- serving pastor, who 13 an ardent lover of the miz- Sion as well of the great flock committed to his care, to speak. Moreover, I have lived for several years among 8 nation of three hundred millions of pagans. 1 have seen them prostrating themselves before im- pious tdols, killing their children and selling their wives. Icannot be silent; 1 must speak, even in my uncouth language, to help them to Know their God, their Saviour and the way to ETERNAL SALVATION. And whether, at thisdread moment, when a ter- rible flood of calamities is rushing against the Church of God, 1cannot begin to detach your eyes from the general cause and fix them on one single part, I shal! conform myself to the views expressed some months ago by our Holy Father in his anawer to the deputation from the United States:—‘My beloved children’’—did fis Holiness answer—“‘tell ail my sons of the United States that I bless all of them, Tell them that at the present time there are no more Catholic governments, but only one great army, composed of ail the SOLDIERS OF THE CATHOLIO CHURCH, scattered through the battle fleid of the whole world, Yes, one battle fleld, in which are but two camps, two chiefs, two flags and only one victory, and that will be ours, Now, from all the io of this immense battle let us look on igh at the blessed Mother of God, help ol the Christ, and we will overcome our enemies.” Let us conform onrselves to this view of our com- mon father, and to-day, meeting on the young and thriving soil of America—I, coming from old Pagan Asia, youfrom oid Christian Europe—let us, after naving saluted our common fiag, follow the inten- tion of our Holy Father and animate ourselves to fight for Christ in taking a general glance at the whole BATTLE FIELD OF CHRISTIANITY, Then We will foliow the direction of St. Paul, ex- horting us to put on the armor of God, for a two- fold purpose. First, to stand our ground agaiust the enemies of God in our own countries; second, to advance In the battle field, to prepare the way tor the Gospel and win over all the nations to the king- dom of Christ. I had occasion to consider by my- self around the whole world the principal parts of the batcle fleld of Christianity. Seven years ago, on my ‘way {rom FRANCE TO CHINA, ‘I _was a witness of the Mohammedan superstition enslaving so many millions Oo: souls on the very borders of our Christian countries, In Egypt I nardly escaped a popular tumuls of those fanatics in consequence of the entering of my companions into their mosque without the celebrations of their accustomed signs of respect for tie false prophet, “Oh my God,” said I, “when will Your mercy en- lighten THE SLAVES OF ISLAM and deliver from their impure grasp whole Chris tan countries and the sacrea tomo of Christ?” I have seen the vast countries of India, where 160,000,000 men are enslaved by the superstitions of Asaomanism, over which a powerful nation of Europeau mero! ts are wielding the sceptre of their dominion, not to infuse in them the divine light of Christianity, but all THE VICES OF EUROPEAN CORRUPTION to fill their own treasuries with the proud fatness of their land and to gather from their fields large har- vests of opium to increase thetr treasures by a trade which the Chinese punish by decapitation—by a trade which poisons millions of bodics anu gpuls in the vast empire of China. “on, MY GoD! thought I, “when are the crowded populations an- ciently evangelized = by your Le sig St. Thomas, among which are numbered but a million of Christians, to enter into the Jold of Christianity? When 1s the formerly Catholic natton of Ethetred and Edward the Confessor to un- derstand that her calling is not to pillage and poi son the heathen nations, but to open to them the way of Christian civilization and eternal salvation ?’? What have I seen during several years’ residence in the mission of China? In this immense empire, containing 300,000,000 of men and 100,000,000 of tributaries, THE THIRD PART OF MANKIND piunged into the dark superstition of Buddhism, peer before {dols, a litue flock of half a mil- jon Christians scattered among them, Europeans poe gH unshamelully all the scandals of an un- ly life, The ruling class of China confounding the traders and the missionaries ina common ap- preciation and hatred of foreign influence—availing themselves of the popular TonaganCE OF CHRISTIANITY & make it a basis for pernewnal outoreaks—framing this very moment the host Safe yeoman conspiracy that ever existed agatost Curistlanity, A CONSPIRACY which 1s to break out when assisted by our own en- ineer and i Het i y yw have prepared and armies, equipped with our engines of war, to rush on us with eight or ten mil- lions ot soldiers, and overthrow atthe same time foreign influence and Christianity. The learned missionary went on at length to describe the Catholic missions im China and the re- sults which may be attained by their work, FATHER VASSEUR WILL DELIVER, this evening, at St. Stepben’s church, a lecture on the Catholic missions tn Caina, 1)lustrated 4 maps and drawings, and complete with statisticai infor- mation. From the learned milssionary’s expe- riences during mauy years to China this will, no doubt, prove to be one of the most interesting lec- tures ever delivered in New York city ona simuar subject. LYRIC HALL SERVICES, The Religion of Humanity—The Atone- ment=Christ’s Misston=Discourse by the nev. 0. B, Frothingham. Rev. 0. B. Prothingham yesterday addressed a large congregation at Lyric Hall on “The Religion of Aymanity—Atonement.” Humanity, he said, not only reaches over vast spaces of time, but it had covered, and covers, all the boufids of atone- Iuent, It breaks open the Mountain top and It 81T8 DOWN IN TU DEPTH OF BORROW; all the angels sung wits heart and all the devils howl there; itis at once the dust and the deity. The minister referred to the different conditions of men, and their reiations im life to each other, to show the contrasts tn humanity which go to make up the links in the vast chaim that binds men to- gether, To some the words of humanity are ut- terly unknown; his aim ts self-advancement, $0 get al he can, no matter how he gets i, eveait ne bas to betray pubite trust, MAKE A CORNER IN WALL STREET Or rob the poor; of another class are those who do gvod to their fellows, who contribute to good works, There 13 a contrast between them, as there is a con- trast between a John Howard, the pailanthropist, and a James Fisk; it is the difference between heaven and earth, between God and hell, This dite ference between the salut And the signer ja not al. | schools; ways observed. The most comfortable often are the sinners; they never have love, kindness or hu- mility, yet whey are often surprised by & noble life. Let them open @ book of biography that tells of a divine life and they find something that tells them ofthe miserable creatures they are, and they are presonee-ot, ladies and gentiemen-—chey. desire to resence Oo! gentle troep away that they may not be discovered. Such experience a8 that is a revelation, and it results in conversion. Such @ feeling was experienced when Jesus came with such a mountain of adamant, such @ food of loving, kindness for the pure 1n heart. came with @ character that made all feel them- selves very black by the side of His whiteness, The sorrowful were sure of comiort; the sick were healed, and EVEN THE WOMEN OF THE TOWN, afraid to be seen, touched the hem of the garment and believed, and were forgiven. When you re- member His love you will feel your turpitude off like worn-out skip. He was infinite! but simple, because He impresses you, Say you | have touched the root of the mauer? That is the genesis of the reli On the one side there are purity and love; on the other hand sin unable to craw! towards iim, Christ, who 1s the ideal man, takes the initiative towards this atonement, and comes down to the earth @nd takes the form of ordinary humanity, Prince, but as @ man, to shed @ perpetui regeneration. Atonement is regeneration—a blend- Ing together of heaven and earth, ‘The pastor Spoke Of the sentiments that animate men of dif- ferent vemperaments, and showed that a man sepa- Taved or isolaved from his kind becomes animal in Anstlacts; the instincts of the brute will take the lace of the finer elements of humanity that make im a social being. He spoke of Benedict Arnold, who deserted his as @ man who cut the By being a traitor he for- 18 18 @ Vulgar mdividualism; THERE 18 4 NOBLER INDIVIDUALISM, that claims the righ: to do right; that prevents the strict adherence to wruth; this touches the essence of humanity; it feeas upon the sunshine. Some men Will start a drinking oF gambling saloon and say “It is nobodys business; I caa do as [like.” It is everybody's business; for society has vital bonds, and the man who violates them CUTS THE BONDS that bina him to 1t, and 1s away; so from one s0- ciety into another the person drops down and gradually sinks into obscurity; if you look inside of such @ person you will find A SPECIES OF DRY ROT going on there—a gradual sinking down towards the beast. Sota it with the indolent man; he be- comes a piece of drift wood driven about from shore to shore. So with the drunkard and che vicious man; they do not love; they do not know what love 1s; they have no connection with this world of sweet- + rng with the dissolute man; society drops him, and he FALLS AWAY LIKE A WITHERED LEAF. We are saved by the Christ of humanity—by faith in the principles of humanity, Do something, give something. No matter wiiat 18 done, 60 it be in thought and feelig, and the atonement 1s effected. Yet the contract must be with humanity. A man may love his family, but itis not enough; he must love his kind as well, The problem of atonement 1s to effect a reconciliation between the higher and the lower. It was lor this that Christ came into the world. The one burden of ali the preaching is that the Son of Man came; unat He was loving; bore the cross; that the stripes were fala upon Him; that HM PRAYED IN GETHSEMANE and died for humanity. We must come back to the true Christ; the simply human, the just, the true in everybody’s heart. That is the Christ that goes about the world, bowing in Gethsemane, mounting Calvary and making ine Golgotha glorious, AM-RICAN TRACT SOCIETY, Meeting Last Night at Madison Square Pres- byterian Church. A meeting of the friends of the American Tract Society was neld last evening at the Madison square Presbyterian church. The meeting was called for the purpose: of hearing a report or summary of the transactions and labors of the society during the past year. Rev. Dr, Adams presided. The Rev, F, E, Shearer, the District Secretary of San Francisco, gave some interesting personal observations of the progress of the mission on the Pacific Coast. He said there was in that Tegion @ great moral and spiritual destitu- tion; whole counties without any Sunday 160,000 children deprived of religious instruction. The mission has organized Sunday schools and preaching the Gospel to heathen, The Spanish-speaking population have no preachers, except the colporteurs and the three hundred Spanish publications of the society, There are also some sixty-three thousand Cnina- men, who are reached through tne schools and col- porteurs of their own race employed by the society, ‘rhe Home Secretary then gave a detailed account of the workings of the association for the past year, of which the following is a summary:— ‘The American Tract Society 1s about to begin its forty- eighth year. Since 1826 its annual issues bave increased from ,000 to 157,000,000 pages, newercluding an annual issue of over‘eizht million copies of ite six periodicals. Its business {s self-sustaining. Donations and legacies are wholly devoted to missionary work. ‘The receipts from these sources, tor the last year, were $109,821 15. it expended in salaries and travelling expenses of missionary colportenrs, and ym cash appropriations for mission presses abroad, 585, and and made grants of publications to the value of 50,482, the benevolent expenditures thus exceeding the benevolent receipts, and the whole expense of collection and administration being met from other sources. A summary Operations 1s contained in “The locument distributed in the pews, y oF: biications soldiers, saiiors, prisoners, freed- men aud others in a great measure without the living preacher are supplied with saving truth. Pastors, home aud foreign missionaries, chaplaina, Sunday school superintendents and teachers, Young Men's Christian Associations and other inal- vidual of organized Christian workers are rendered timely afd, and tho efficiency of their inbors 1s greatly increased. The value of these grants {s about one thousand dollars per week. Cash appropriations in aid of foreign mission exceeding six hundred thousand dollars have been Made since the formation of the society. The appro- jation for the current year is x10, ‘th @ institutions it aids abroad it prints in 143 lan; dialects. The purse is to foreign right hand of power. In mission effoi aad nominally Christian lands, the alm ol 0 teach the central truths of the Gospel rather than our denominational differences, It will be seon that 48 this the society has a world-wide field, and its friends will be glad to learn that ite publishing be issued at foreign commitias hare approved w mission stations over four thousand distinct publicatio which 688 are volumes. By Union Missionary colportage Society reaches the homes ot the destitute, It 1s organized lay preaching of the churches, in which nearly five thousand men, representing all the evangelical donom- inations, have labored, and in which over ten million Chris- tian family visits have been made, During the past year colporteurs have labored chielly in the needy districts of the South and West. These go from house to house, en- gage in conversation on personal religion, direct’ in- quirers to Christ, lift up thelr voices in prayer, Induce persons to nttend churches when any are accessible, enlist others in Christian effort, organize Sabbath schools and prayer meetings, distribute Bibles to the needy, and auy ply, by sale or grant, books, tracts and papers auapted the'wants of the people. In more or less direct connection olportage more than three thousand hopeful con- rsions were reported from the South during the past year, 1¢ labor of these colporteurs is directed from eight centres, such as Richmond, Chicago, St. Lous and San Francisco, The District Secretary trom’ the latter piace is present and will give detalls of colportage in the field west of the Rocky Mountains, Jonn Addresses were also delivered by Rev. Cotton Smith, by William E. Dodge, who has just returned from Syria, and Mr, Ruius W, Ulark, who has recently returned from Japan. BROOKLYN CHURCHES. PLYMOUTH CHURCH. ‘The Hanger and Thirst for Righteousness The Juward Necessity is the Source of the Outward Act. Mr. Beecher preached yesterday morning to his usual large congregation from Matthew v., 6— «piessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.” Hunger and thirst indicate the wants of the body. The alarm bell rings when the body needs, and we hunger. It is a sign that the body is wasting and food ts needed. Hunger may ander certain circum. stances become pain, but in its normal state it is not unpleasant. It is only when the want is denied that it becomes painful, If you look at human iife in its origins you will see that hunger has been one of the most important stimulants to action. Now the same law prevalis in the mind—that 1s to say, out- ‘ward activity springs from inward hunger. Some yearning or longing, the development of some faculty craving its food, answers tothe hunger of the body. All the outward motions of the man are developed from some appetite inheringin the in- ward. This isthe law, then, which we recognize familiarly in soctety m regard tothe body and the wind, The law is uniform throughout the man and the outward spiritual states have their key here also, So tj\foughoat life men are acting from an inward wantsrhe inward determines, then, tae real action of m Men without an impulse for something higher anavetier than they bave in the present bee -est class, There isa great class of Tong wo the om. “rep rather than walk, and who Weal: men vies Yor Uelr Weakness; but’ there is @ Should be pitied for “these, who live low volun- class mronges “wfeat society, They are ore Hable 10, becow." enemies of | society. ‘They are the stum ous % Which criminals are made, Crime SmoOn.” teir shame, One @ virtue and they gloat over .° -niy great under knows hardly what to do Witt v. tive class Kept ciass, Avove these is the great a tny, Above within law, but still of the earth eM \roie con. tnese is the nobility that 18 capable of a ave the ception of life, A young man can paras’ it tus herotc im him woo aves not go into hie With , ping LIVING BETTER than the masses live. ‘The ideals of spiritual excel- lence are latest and are most dependent upon influ. ences from without—from above mainly. A longing jor vurty in the iuward mao: for truth crys cause we know we cannot: never try to reach these use they are so high that ereaan ‘and to live better than other men, KEEP ('P THE IDEAL than to gain ease of conscience by vulgarizing the thongh it keep demnation, 18 @ man, and he who lets ideal is a zed man, We should use our as rations as & spur, and not a8 @ d: ment, 'o make our uselul we must join to them divine ssrenae @ childlike faith in ist and in the future. We are never to be made hay reality of what the best we are tull inharmon! and our joy on ae chiefly from the fact that we are loved of G God Loves us not for what we are now ; bat it is His necessity to love, and He 1s will- ing to wait for our development. Parents see their children’s taults; but do they not try to educate them to their ownideals? We are put the fruits of ‘What we ought tobe. And does not God love us, knowing that we are unfinished? and ts He not will- ing to walt? In this faith we must find our peace. We mus. live by our best conceptions, and in the revound we must take refuge in the bosom of Christ. THE BROOKLYN TABERNACLE. The Rev. De Witt Talmage on Women as Preachers and the Action of the Presby- tery. There was a large congregation at the Brookiyn Tabernacle yesterday morning to hear the Rev. De ‘Witt Talmage upon women’s sphere of usefulness, He selected for his text the following:—“Rise up ye women that are at ease; hear my voice, ye care. less daughters; give ear unto my speech"—Isaiah xxxil, 9 Women had not come to the usefulness which God mtended they should, nor would it be leftto the preacher or the politician to discuss the question as to what should be her work for the Lord. Much of the work which she has done for Christ haa been under the superstitions of the’Dark Ages, The reverend gentleman then proceeded to Speak of the treatmentof women in various lands and ages, saying they were generally treated as if they were A NECESSARY NUISANCE. In Greenland, while the men hunt ano fish, the ‘Women were compelled to do the hard work, They were compelled to skin and tan the hides of the an- imals, and if @ fowling plece missed fire it was charged to some woman as being a sorceress, and a life had to be taken. In China WOMEN WERE HITCHED TO A PLOUGH and made to plough the flelds. Even in the East at the present time, when a man finds it necessary to speak of ifs wite, he does it with an apology. and what was the difference between the women there and here? O woman! said he, you would have been hitched to @ plough were 1t not for the fact that in this land the Lord Jesus has appeared and woman has come forth in her true dignity. Women had voted beiore now, and he would tell them of two, EVE VOTED IN PARADISE to enslave the world in sin, and Mary voted in the manger for the emancipation of the human race, There were three or four spheres of usstulness for women to which he would point them. In the first place he wou!d say that home was the grand sphere of usefuineas, If there were a family of three or four children to look after the. mother would have very little time for anything eise, They might be sent to day school, they might be sent to the Sab- bath school or left to the servant, but alter all no one could take the place of the mother, ‘The world was full of omen who were jostling and contending. The one who has the doilar was struggilug to keep it, and the one who has it not Was struggling to get it, and while this wag.going on the woman was enjoying the quiet of her home, where SHE REIGNED AS QUEEN. She might better be there than in the palace of the princess, There might be no carpeis upon the floors, or the walls might not be adorned with pictures or silks in the wardroves, but it was home, and as such was endeared to the heart by the sacred memories of a father and mother. If they wanted a tender remembrance of the past they could read it im just four letters, fuey coula read it out with capital letters, and it was home! Wha’ was their ideal of a Queen? It Wes the womau who presided over their tather’s housenola and went down by his side to the grave. They would be willing to kiss ‘the sod or the dust over her grave could they but near her speak again, As anotner SPHERE OF WOMAN’S USEFULNESS he would polut them to the hospitul Men could could not perform the duties there, Their nands were too rough and their fect too heavy. ‘there Was no better illustration of woman’s usefulness In the hospital than during the late war. When a man was wounded upon the battle field tue first question which would be asked him when he was icked up by aman was, ‘What regiment do you long to??? The first question the woman would ask was, “Where are you wounded?” and then she would proceed to put on the bandages and admin- ister the cordial. WOMEN IN THE CHURCH, ‘There was anvther sphere he would mention, aod that was in the Sabbath school, There was no sphere, he believed, where she could be so useiul as here; and she would ere long be allowed to do the work in the Church. Meanwhile they must be loyal tothe Chureh. During the last few days THE COMMUNITY HAD BEEN AGITATED because a Woman had preached in a church, and some came to the conclusion that society was re: to tumble to pieces in conseqnence. Had ste horns upon her head or hoofs upon her feet? No, Sne was only & pista, Quakeress, with a plain cap upon her head. Did she preach treason to the State in place of God? No; she only told them now Jeaus came into the world to save sinners, Then the ministry came to legislate upon what they called the crime of this woman, and alter two davs of deliberation they called the attention of the clergy of the Presbyterian Church to the resolution oi the General Assembiy of 1832, wich declared that A WOMAN SHOULD NOT PREACH, There were ways of having euactments of this kind changed, an ne prayed that — the time might soon come when that item would be revoked. (Amen.) He believed tnat the — vast majority of the people were m favor of women having the right eto tell of Jesus, He nad no faith in those who Meant to enslave women and who considered her preaching wrong. (abpiaue.> He hoped they would not applaud. ‘as woman preaching a crime? Jt was forty years ago since that enactment against woman preaching Was passed, and vere ‘were many changes since that ime. This woman had angered the Baptist Church or the Methodist “Biaeth by her preaching, and he did not believe it would endanger the Presbyterian church. ht _, Gospel to one man ji X cdink yee A irnteny etwas two? Yes. Might she preach to ten? Yes, Might she preach to twenty-five? Well—yes. Now, where was the difference between bags to twenty, or one thousand? He did not see any. Some mi adie, ee SH. & FRROCTOUS ANIMAL, who should be kept chained for fear she would break out and devour somebody. He believed the time would soon come when women would preach the Gospel all over the land. Meanwnile he would have them select some sphere of usefulness and do all the good they could. CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The Exceency of the Gospel Over Other Reli- gious Systems—Sermon by Rev. Charles N. Babcock. There was & large congregation assembled in Christ Protestant Episcopal church, Bedford ave- nue, yesterday morning, and previous to the deliv- ery of the sermon Rev. Dr. Partridge, the esteemed rector, stated that neversince he had been con- nected with the church had there been such a dis- position on the part of the members to aid him in the great work which the church had to perform in that community. He thanked the vestry tor providing him an assistant minister, through whose instru- mentality souls might be brought into the fold of Christ and the church enlarged and beautified, Rey, Charles N. Babcock then proceeded to de- liver his inaugural discourse, which was an able and eloquent production, He took for his text the eighth verse of the fortieth chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah—*The grass withereth, the Nower fadeth, buat the word of our God snall stand forever.” Nearly twenty-six hundred years had passed since the evangelical prophet uttered that deciarauon, the voice of tne Inspired speaker was heard no more on earth, and he himseif in his own mortality contributed hig item to the evidence of the trath he uttered, The Jewish people in their then existent state had passed away, their Tempie was destroyed, the fires of ils altars were extinguished, and a victims of its sacrifices no longer shadowed forth 4 one great sacrifice for sin. The Levitical types Les 4 figures iad served their purpose im the economy OF Heaven, and the people to whom th Dp ate ++ better things to come were aratt ahings among the nations of the earth. And yet A netle ‘vere hot changed. Man, in his frat! and pei eed natase, id now as he was then, and the mei P| i. of the PRophet was still applicable to the stal Of MICDs bemg an imperfect ot in favor of @ proposition mathematical demonstrauoa;” & third “Whatever is expedient 18 right;” while a counselled men to depend upon the intuitive evidence of tne moral sense as its standard, 1m the scale of which il doubttul questions were expected to find tneir true worth. in gearch of guidance man ascended to a higher and more extended plane of thoughs he found the same diversity of opinion as to the philosophy of religion. On the one hand he is informed tnat all religion has its origin in superstition, in the ignoble fear of unseen and supposed supernatural powers, and in order to ease hum of that uncomfortable superstitious dread he 1s told that nature alone 13 competent to produce all things, and that the beilef in a great First Cause behind nature is but an evidence of a weak aud spacer mind. On the other hand, it was affirmeé at God himself 1s mature aud nature God. if, however, pantheism nor deism carried conviction to his heart the secker for a guide need not sto) there; for the wide field of rationalism spread itse! out before him, All tnese aravems proved fallures, and the cry of Raananity, was still, “Give me @ uide.” TI on! isfactory response was & be found in the Word of Goa, whioh, by world, preacher proceeded to sho\ gospel was inaugurated false religions had imposed Upon their devotees heavy burdens; the most re- fined and educated people had become vicious ana Corrupt; social und political integrity was under mined, and what tnere was good in ureek philoso- phyran into that which was bad. Some funda- mental everlasting truths which could not be cor- rupied and concealed, although surrounded by sophistries and encrusted with er! remained to remind the peopie of purer aud bet davs, like antique coins, which clink and glisien amid tbe ruins they adorn. But when man’s inventions and philosophies had tried their led, the Gospel came, because God said it should, Kings, warriors, prophets and statesmen had passed away, but the Word of God would remain forever. At the appointed time the Desire of all mattons came, and He lived and died, and tallen man was ransomed. The Gospel He brought obtained an influence philosophy had never Known; it had no uncertain sound, but reiterated the glorious message of Him who sent it forth—“‘He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” Its instruction was not for earth alone, but for the next world also; it taught that lite was more than mere existence and death something ditferent from annihilation; it lifted the dark veil that hung about eternity and ree vealea @ beauteous immortality; it presented a living, personal and supersensuous God, and not & mystical entirety embracing ull nature—a God of love, Justice, purity aud truth; a providential and rayer-hear! God. The Gospel imposed the igher law of love to God and to all mankind, ana tne service which God required was but a reflecuon of His own transcendent nature. if The speaker continued to dilate in an eloquent strain Bon the benefits which the Gospel of Christ, which Was proctaimea by the Church, con- Jerred upon all who availed themselves of its pro- mises and hopes, and concluded his able discourse by showing how the Word of God sustained the righteous in the hour of death and promised to tue faithiul finally a crown of lite, WORSHIP AT THE BROOKLYN ACADEMY. Free Religious servic for All—Sermon by Rev. Henry Powers on the Eaithiess and Unprofitable Servant. Rey. Henry Powers, late pastor of the Elm place Congregational church, preached the sermon at the. Brooklyn Academy of Music Jast evening, The building was densely crowded, the congrega- tion being made up from both the wealthy and poor classes, who flocked thither as soon as the doors were opened. By half-past seven o’clock the parquet, balcony and dress circle were filled to repletion, and many persons, unable to ob- lain seats, ranged themselves along the walls, The family circle was soon afterwards crowded alse, very many of those im that part of the house being boys, who kept up a continual buzz ef Conversation until the services commenced. In fact, the presence of this animated throng of juve- niles reminded the observer more of the havitues of the family circte at a theatricai performance than the attendants at a religious meeting. The stage was occupied by a large number of ladies and gentlemen, among whom were noticed many well-known residents of Brooklyn. A choir of about twenty voices occupied the left of the stage. The hymn sung by the choir and congrega- Uon was selected from a printed pamphiet of “hymns and tunes,” copies of woich were circu- lated avout the house, At about eight v’clock the services were opened by singing, alter which Rev. Mr. Putnam, pastor of the Unitarian Church of the Saviour, read @ portion of the scriptures and offered a fervent Prayer. Alter more singing, Rev. Mr. Powers referred to the fact that all the on hiets of hymns distributea at the services jast ~Sunday evening had been taken away, and remarked that if those alstributed last evening were left behind they would be ea- couraged to print more, so that the congregation would have @ better supply. Mr. Powers gave notice Of a meeting to be held on Wednesday even- ing, in the Assembly Room of tbe Art building adjoining the Academy, for the purpose of discuss- ing what sort of a religious organization is demanded by the times tn which we live, All per- sons are invited to participate in the discussion, Mr. Powers announcea his text from St. Matthew XXV., 30:—"But ye the unprotitavle servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teetn.’’ A very hard sentence we thought, perhaps, he said, aud a cruel one to be in- flicted upon such a man; for certainly, ac cording to the parable, this poor man had done no great wrong. He was not a debaucnee, he had stolen nothing, he was no murderer; on the contrary he had many good traits about him. He had that excellency which many admired so muck, He was alraid of his Lord and was so constraiued to a certain line of conduct of which he tells us in the parable. If we would understand chis matter we must study the passage in its connection aud consider the drift of the whole paragraph of which it formed a part, ‘The Lord was discussing to a pre- vious chapter concerning the law of retribuuon which He had indicated, and in accordance with which He carried on His moral government—the Jaw which was about to exhibit Itself in the con- demnation to destruction of Jerusalem and the entire Jewish nation. The particular point of the parable was this: This law proceeded according te this priuciple. It was not whether a man had done any bad especially, but rather whether he had im~- proved his opportunities—wiether he had made right use of his talents; whether he had been equal to the privileges granted to him 1p this life; whether he had made the most of himeclf, thus fulfilling God’s design in him, for the very purpose of creation ‘was this: to manifest to all the care of God in sacr- fice; in the conferring of gifts upon His children, and the essence of man was this: fidelity to such a God and the use of these gifts in the way he had ordained it, 80 HK het eoneae nts pean ely. 80 g0N O! rable HRP UNS Hora batowel this severest ‘cbndemna- tion upon the unprofitable servants. A wasted life is His abborrence. The thing which God most detested was not positive wickedness but rather negative goodness—this sort - of indiiferent- i cl 1 Aid Which accomplished .nothing oF at or Tor ers. e chief burden of ciety was not that which was imp upon it by the weak, but those negative peopleyoung ladies who lived simply for its adorn- ment, the young men _ whose fathers = ported them—who had no animation them—these deadheads of society. The question had been asked why there were so many worthiess young ladies. Tne answer was given in “Adam Bede,’? that they were made to match the men, (Laugnter.) In conclusion, Mr. Powers cited the lessons to be drawn Irom the parable, The neglect of the use of one’s taients was a lasting evil. We should resolve to be faithiut and true to our obligations as we had never been before, No matter what our positions were, the duties of those positions should be fulfilled, Rey, J. Hyatt Smith made a few remarks on the efficacy of ® mother’s prayer, and exhorted his hearers ever to remember the prayers otered im their behalf. The services were brought to a close by prayer and singing. ST, PETER’S CHURCH, JERSEY CITY. The Mission and Its Good Frulite—Eight Converts Baptised=Sermon by the Rev. Father Coupemann on the Mercy of God. ‘The mission which the Jesuit Fathers ovened twe weeks ago in St. Peter’s church, ‘Jersey City, wilt be closed to-day. It was most successful from the first day, the church being crowded as well at five o'clock in the mornivg aa at nine at night. The entire congregation took advantage of the opportunity so rarely pre- sented. Hundreds of persons not within the pale of the Church attended the services, and the result ig that eight adults have been received into the bosom of the Church during the past two weeks, ‘The sermon at last mass yesterday was preachea by the Rev. Father Coupemann, from Psalm cxitv., 8, 9—*'The Lord is gracious and merciful, patient and plenteous in mercy. The Lord is sweet to ali, and His mercies are over all Ais works.” The justice of God 18 terrible In its eéffects, and 1s well calculated to inspire us with the fear of God and to prevent us from the ac- tual commiseton of sine Bul His mercy is 4s Incom. prehensiole a8 it is above all the other works of God, #18 mercy 1s suMicient to bring back THE MOST HARDENED SINNER. They have mung to tear Who haye alyused God's