The New York Herald Newspaper, February 19, 1872, Page 4

4 RELIGIOUS. The Preaching Friar at the Dominican Church. *¥ather Tom Burke on Heaven and Hell. Oscar Hugo on the Bible in the Public Schools. ™r. Northrop on the Theatre and the Dance. iA LENTEN SERMON AT GRACE CHURCH, What Mr. Frothingham Knows About Divine Providenc>. * Archbishop McCloskey on the Forty Hours’ Devotion. Robert Collyer, of Chicago, at the Ohurch of the Messiah. ermons in the Catholic Churches on the Penitential Season. * THE GREAT DOMINICAN FRIAR. Prather ‘Tom Burke” in the Pulpit—The Most Gifted Orator of the Order of St. Domi- nic—The Congregation of St. Vincent Forrer’s Church Moved to Tears. About seven hundred years ago, and shortly after the occupation oi Ireland by Hepry IL, there was Dorn in a QITTLE HAMLET IN OLD CASTILE pohild of the great house of Gezman, who, at his rth, was devoted to the service of the Church by bis pious parents, Tne child was baptized “Do- mingo,” or, as it has been Anglicised, “Dominic.” Wwenty-three years after this infant, then grown to BB mMan, was made a canon of f tof HE CATAEDRAL OF OSMA, and, five years after, a priest and Archdeacon Dom|- nic, or, ashe is now known, St. vominic, and was peat on missions throughout Spain, then the most ®arnest and fiery Christian nation on the globe. Gis eloquence was s0 great, his delivery so forcible, And bis learning go profound, that THE PROUDEST GRANDES OR HIDALGO Woffed his beaver and knelt to receive Dominic's blessing, even on a lonely road, when he passed. Whe world has since learned what came of this mnan's earnestness and zeal. THE TERRIFIC CRUSADE gainst the Albigenses, the death of Raymond, Count of Toulouse, the foundation of the 4 DOMINICAN ORDER OF PREACHERS by Innocent ILL, in 1215, and the great diffusion of she order all over Europe, which became so general that at the dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry WIIL, three hundred years after, the Order of St. Dominic possessed in England alone fifty-eight houses, with maguificent tracis of land, GARDBNS, GRANARIES, REFECTORIES AND MESSUAGES appertaining to their splendid estates, The order adopted the rule of St. Augustine, and in England were known as BLACK FRIARS, while in France they were called Jacobins, from their house in the Rue St. Jacques, Paris. Pope Honortas Ii. by a bull confrmed their privileges, giving the order the order tne name of Predicants, br Preaching Friars, and to this day they have fre among all the religious orders of the Roman tholic Church, merited as well as preserved the bide of THE “ORDER OF PREACHERS.” And well they have deserved the name. First and foremost among the devoted men that have planted the banner of the Catholic Church in every olime ave been these same WHITE GOWNED AND WHITE COWLED chilaren of St. Dominic. They were with Columbus in Hispanola; they were at tne bedside of Pizzaro; their treet bathed in the waters of the newly foun cific waste of waters; they fought Martin Luther ad to hand they died like heroes tn the agonies pf the French Revolution, while Danton, with his lion roar, thunderea inside of the walls of their dis- Jmantled convent in the RUE ST. JACQUES, Bnd a few years since they established a community and founded a house for their brethren in this city. Always remarkable and prominent for their elo- quence, they have swayed nations by thia the greatest gilt of God, and yesterday, in the Church Of the Dominicans, at the corner of Lexington ave- nue and Sixty-flfth street, in this city, there ap- eared in the pulpit A SIMPLE BROTHER OF THE ORDER, founded by the fiery and eloquent Castilian, upon ‘whose shoulders itis believed that the mantle of Domingo Guzman has fallen. The vast church, ‘Which for taste, elegance and simple purity of ‘erchitecture is not equalied by any Roman Catholic Rdifice in New York, was filled to overflowing by @ apt ana fasnionabie corgreyzation to listen to PATHSR “TOM BURKE’? urope has already rung with his magical and coated ag eloquence; and tie crowds of Monseignori, English, French, beigian and Austrian nobles, to- ther with swarms of fashionable and titled ladies jonging to the proudest houses on the Continent, ho Were wont to listen to the Lenten sermons of ather Tom Burke in the exquisite church on the PIAZZA DEL POPOLO ran never forget his burning words and tne gran- eur and perfection of his gestures in the pulpit ‘Gified in the languages, he was fully as eloguent while preaching in the musical Italian tongue as ‘when his fowery sentences were uttered in the lan- egert which he first lispod at his motuer’s Knee in 1c old ROMANTIC TOWN OF GALWAY, for Father Burke 1s an Irishman, as his name indl- cates, and, despite his long residence on the Conti- ent, he is still the “man for Galway.” Thomas ike was born in Galway, Ireland, of poor parents, jut of the kindred of the ancient house of De Burgh (Marquis of Clanricarde), and at seventeen Years of age left his native country to pursue HIS STUDIES ON THE CONTINENT. He was six years at Rome, where he studied oxy, from whence he went to Florence to finish same branch, and thence to Perugia to study pailosophy, Then again we find him at Rome, now { A RENOWNED SCHOLAR AND PREACHER, aaa the inhabitants and visitors to the Eter- yy his fervid and impassioned pulpit ora- went Friar Burke to work reaching to great audiences every great city of England. Then we get a glimpse of him in Dublin, where WALTER BLAKE AND DEAN KIRWAN d preached betore him. Everywhere Friar Burke rent vast assembii were held entranced py his joquence, and but a short time since be came to passed through this city without any jourish of trampets and went to @ mission in lemphis, Tenn., where the same success attended Yesterday morning he preached in THE DOMINICAN CHURCH, of which the Kev. Fatner Lilly is pastor, to an im- mense congregation, and when he ascended into pit 4 his long white gown, and the white of St. Dominic almost hiding his face from ago had it falien to the floor, could have been b at sauas ARE NO OALLERTRS eee the church, and the sound of a human v' pum articulate amid the stillness. Father Burke is from a terrible cold, having arisen from a iok bea to preacn the Lenten sermon. His costume iteelf alone would attract attention, and when threw his hood back m his face, and DISCLOSED A CONTOUR | song ev line of which genius shune, borer 2 seemed to scare and penetrate every person in the great audiens Men and women Strained thetr necks to get a sight at him, and per- sons standing back in the alsies stood on their tip- Coes to listen, Father Burke is a man of TALL AND IMPOSING APPBARANCR, ind in his gestures reminds one of a combinatton, such there could be, of tne elder Booth and Fech- ter. But Fecnter, with all his art, 18 an actor—this man Burke is deadly in earnest, and even Horace Greeley would not close an eye while he thunders forth denunciation to sinners or passes to the cere beatification which awaits the just in TUE COURT OF HEAVEN, From the depths of terror into which he has junged his bearers by his description of the place ot rments reserved for the wicked, Le (ransiers them by 4 magnificent wave of his arm, which seems to pweep over the head of every man, woman and ouud in the edifice, to the piace where rust dot! op hecreupt or motns decay, His language 1s fi e MOST BRILLIANT METAPHOR, and yet it is patent to tho lowest understanding. Father Burke appeals to the scholar or the swine- herd alike, and his description of the ihe pen of the Redeemer in the desert, while fasting forty days, ‘was graphic, powerful and stirring. It would have been an ordinary Lenten sermon in the mouth of some clergymen, but coming from Father burke’s lips it became 4 PRE-RAPHAELITB PICTURE, of the most intense and powerful nature. .#ather Burke will preach @ series of Lenten sermons at the Dominican church before leaving America for Europe. This evening and Wednesday evening of the present week those who wish to hear him may be gratified, and it will be necessary to be at the CHORCH AS KARLY AS SEVEN O'CLOCK in the evening, as it will be impossible to procure & seut after that hour, such is the desire to hear this gifted orator. Should his health fall it is possible that the reverend father will be unable to preach as oiten as he wishes; so those who have @ desire to listen should go to-night or Wednesday night. ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL. ° The Forty Hours’ Vevo:ion—Sermon by Archbishop McCloskey on the Blessed £achariat, The ceremonies in this church yesterday were characterized by unusual solemnity and impres- Biveness, Solemn high mass was celebrated by Rev. Dr. Starrs, assisted by Fathers McNamee, Kean and Kearney, as deacon, sup-deacon and master of ceremonies respectively. The Archbishop, af 13 his wont, delivered a discourse savoring of that exalted simplicity and beauty of style which may be said to be peculiar to men of eminence and sanctity in the Church. Having read the gospel of the day, he saia:—It is your great’ privilege at the beginning of this holy season of .Lent to be blest ‘With special favors and graces which may aid you in 118 proper observance, and which may be ob- tained in rich abundance by means of that beautl- ul devotion to the holy sacrament of the altar called the jorty hours’ adoration, which will com- mence to-day. Tho holy season upon which weenter 1s to be devoted to more assiduous practices of prayer, mortification, penance and almsgiving, than all other portions of the year. It is the season in which, as children of the Church, we are earn- estly invited to come and coxtemplate around her aliars the great mystery of man’s redemption--to Meditate on the humiliations and sufferings, the Passion and death, of the Son of Man—to accompany Him tn spirit in HIS WAY OF THE OR033, even to the Mount of Calvary, and in this devout meditation to find sources of contrition for our sins, which have been the occasion of all His most tretful sufferings aud craei death. In this work we will be assisted by Christ himself, Whatever trial may be in it will be made sweet and agreeable to us; all the necessary graces will be given us by an ouser- vance of the Gevotions of the forty hours. Kor that same Jesus WHO spent 80 many hours of trial on earth, although He is gone to take His place with Ais Father in heaven, 1s suil with us—is with His peo- ple in the mystery of His love, the sacrament of the altar. He is there the object of adoration, homage and love of the angels and saluts apo’ He 18 here, not indeed as resplendent to the eye, power, majesty and glory, but in majesty and glory veiled in the sacred elements of the stavernacie, really and truly present, the same co- everual Son of God, in the same divinity and humanity before which cherubim and seraphim, ange!s and archangels and all the glorious nost of Heaven vow down. He ts here the great LIGHT OF THE SANCTUARY, the glory of His Cuureh, the centre of all that is grand and of all thats holy and veauutul and sub- lime. eis here the object of our homage and adoration, the Object of our faith and of our love, We see Him, notin His glory, but with the eyes of faith. We believe Him to be really present, not be- cause our senses tell us, but because faith teaches us. We believe it because the apostles so taught and Holy Church so teaches, The saints of that Church and ail its trae teachers from the beginning have so believed it, We believe it because we see realized the ancient prophecy concerning it, We behold here that walch meets the yearnings and cravings of the heart throughout so many ages of ume. We believe it because we see something worthy of a Gud—a miracle of power, goodness and love. 1 am speaking to believers, and will there- fore use no arguments—in fact argument now would be out of place. Ispeak to you that you unite in rendering to Hun that homage due to His infinite Majesty. When you see Him surrounded by the lights that svymoolize the brightness of tne saints, when you see Him surrounded by tne gifts of pious hearts, bow down in adoration and love beiore Him, ail the powers Of your soul, ali the faculties of your understanding, all the taith of your heart. Worship Him as the King of Kings coming to scatter His benedictions, His ulessings and graces. BOW DOWN AND SAY to Him, “Ibelieve O Lord! help my unbeltef;’’ I believe and recoguize in you the object of my profoundest adoration and respect. As well as being the ooject of our faith, He is, as I have sald, the object of love, for he is the source and fountain af love. It is from His holy tabernacle that the rays of His love are reflected on our hearts, filling them with consolation and joy as He exclaims, *vome vo me, all ye that labor and are burdened, and | will refresn you.” Fear not to approach my sanctuary; 1 am here as your Father, ready to li3- “ten to you and accept you supplications, Come, all—priest and people, young and old, great and little, without distinction of rank or sex or nation or tongue—I am the Father of all, And, oh! who has not nis tribulations and wils? How many are the afflictions and cares that encompass us—how many hidden sufferings and sorrows wituin aud = witnout us! But, oh! you who nave the greatest of all —burdens—tne burden of sin! What load is greater than this, that weighs you down, harasses your conscience, dis- tracis your mind and oppresses your heart? Come and lay it at the feet of your biessed Redeemer. 1t may be difficult for you, but He will give you grace to make a sacrifice, if need be, of joys that you have long loved—ot pleasures you have vainly sought alter. HE WILL GIVE You compunction and contrition. He will forget your sins and remember them no more. Come, returning Him tove for love, and otfering Him thanksgiving for His countiess mercies, ‘hink of the humilia- tions to which He submits Himself in this adorable sacrament, for He remains present therein, not al- ways lor love and adoration, but not unfrequentiy receiving scoffs from his rebellious children. Hence we owe Him acts of reparation. Pray for them who turn their backs upon Him; pray that the rays of grace may penetrate their hard hearts, and pour out your hearts, making known to Him your wants, Pray for your friends and your families, and pray especially for His holy Church. It was in consider- ation of the sufferings of tne Church 1a the sixteenth century that Clement VIII, instituted this torty hours’ devotion. And when have we had more need of prayers for the church than now, when our holy father Pius IX. is in 80 many aangers, and when his Church suffers so much? And fail not to pray that you may be made worthy to join in that worship and devotion at which you wiil no longer behoid Him yelled in the sacred elements, but in the fulness of His power and majesty, to be reireshed forever in the torrent of ineffable delight, At the close of the msss 120 young ladies, robed in white and girt with sashes of Varivus hues, wear- “the reason why they are ing garlands on their neads, flied from the vestry, many of them Neck candies, banuers or flowers, The acolytes followed ronnd tne church, and the Archbishop carried the blessed sacrament beneath @ rich canopy. which was borne by four laymen, When the processionists returned to the sanctuary the priests and acolytes commenced ihe Litsny of the saints, the church choir singing the responses, ‘The blessed sacrament remains exposed until Tues- day, When @ solemn high mass will Close the devo- Sie nee church will be kept open from six A. M, nine P. M. THE NEW CHURCH. Rev. George Hepworth in Stelaway Hall— Mr. Hepworth’s morning text was taken from Mark 1xj,\24—“Lord, 1 believe; help Thou mine unbelief.” He began by describing the circum. stances under which the text was uttered. The poor man, sald the speaker, who came to Christ repre- sented more than nalt of the world at this moment, He wanted to believe; he saw that faith was able to ‘Work miracles; he coveted the trusting confidence Which the disciples evidently had, and yet there was & lingering doubt in his mind, He fated to see how the matter stood, to understand the why Christ did these things and the how he did them. And yet his affection overcame his doubts, and he threw him- self prostrate at the feet of the Lord and uttered that paradox, “I belleve; help my un- belief.” Christ took pity on the man, as ne did on every one who was in undoubtea earnest, and granted bis petition. Now, in the first piace, said the speaker, I want to speak of this natural tendency to believe something, The mind and soul, like the body, have appetites which must be satisfied, When you are physically hungry you bunt round until you find something to eat. ifyou for any reason refuse to eat, you shrivel up, your functions become disordered, and at iength you die. Weil, you can STARVE THA SOUL TO DEATH just us well asthe boay. The mind and spirit crave food, and shey are filled wita unrest untu tho proper aliment is supplied, The atheist and intdel ure spiritual dyspeptics. Negations are to the soul what improper and indigesuble food is to the physical system. Their higher natures hunger and thirst, and they persistently reluse sausiac- tion 1 do not accuse you of eltuer of these crimes, infidelity, You probably believe someting. But most of us are im spiritual ili heaith, because our diet 1s poor, The prevalence hot of positive, operative scepWciam, bus Of Inoperative, distrust- Ul faith, ls one of Une alarmlog symptoms of the age. We are not assure of ourselves as we ought to be, or as we may be if we take a little pains with ourselves, The old command which enjoins upon us the necessity of’ having a doctriaal BASIS FOR OUR ETHICS and of being abie always to give @ reason for the faith that is in us is quite ignored. Hence, when any new theory is publicly proclaimed, especially if it be enforced by eloquent appe: we are drawn into the current, to our shame and lasting regret sometimes. If we nad well established notions about the sanotier. of home do you believe that this pestiferous whirlwind of mingled NONSENSE AND GUILT about marriage and divorce could blow us off our jeet? If we had @ well-grounded faith in divine thtugs, or any fixed opinions of our own, we should not tolerate for an instant the thousand and one wild theories about great and grave questions which Sweep like epidemics over the face of society, I hope the old days will come back again, When, in the Sunday school, the church and the home, chiidren were drilled into a knowledge of divine things, Better the strictest Calvinism of the straitest sect than this utter thoughtless 1ooseness which Makes a infidelity to ali the proprieties of life, individually need is to muke up our minds upon questions which underiie our own personal en- leavors and hopes. The man who dehberately comes to the conclusion that the world in wich we live is God's world, and not ours; who has learned something of the laws by which it is governed; Who accepts Jesus Onrist as his leader and Saviour, and His words as the spiritual law of life; who accepts with wondering faith the facts of the mmortal life, that man cannot go farastray. He has a wall to PUT HIS BACK AGAINST when he is fighting. He has a standard of which he measures every question that comes up. And Pray what can be more important than the settle- ment of just such questions as these? I wonder that the business of the world don’t stop untll we have met in solemn convention and put the matter at rest—where did We come from, who made What are we to do while here; why are we calle upon to obey the law, to eee self-control, to love our eneniies instead of hating, as is certainly most natural and agreeable; where are we going, when through some accident, perhaps, or by means of some disease, or surely at last througn decrepi- tude and old age, we are pushed out of the present into the futurey ‘These questions lie at the very foundation of everything; and no man can be his best self until they are seutled. But wien the mind is thoroughly fixed in these matters how strong, how independent, now loving, Pitving and charitable @ man may be. wht ideas or are the Ley of the vessel ; Tight ideas of Christ are the stern and compass and wheel; right ideas of duty are masts and rigging, and faith in the immortal life ts the white canvas that sweeps us along. If we are a trusting puasen- geron asiip of that Kind, let it vlow high or blow 10W, let it pe night or day, tempest or calm, we can Weather all storms, enjoy even the battle of the ele- id are sure at last of anchoring saiely in of heaven, We want more taith, and until we n&ve it we shall be resiless and wangry. At the close of the sermon Mr. Hepworth an- nounced that land had been purchased on which the new church 18 to be built, and he hoped it would be reaay for services in the autumn. The ‘Spot selected is @ large plot of ground on te corner o! Fifth avenue and Thiruetn street. Tne charch ts to seat 2,600 persona, ‘I'he seats wiil be on the same principle 48 tuose at theatres, and the form of the Church 18 to be alter the style of the Tabernacle in Brooklyn, THIRTY-THIRD STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Sunday Night Lectures, by Rev. Northrop—Perniclous Amusements, ai Effects Upon the Young. Rey. H. D. Northrop, pastor, last evening deliv- ered an interesting discourse—the first of a series— on “The Vices of New York.” The subject last evening was “Pernicious Amusements.” He took for his vext IL Timothy, w., 4—Lovers of Pleasure more than lovers of God.” it is espe- clay important t1.t 1 should deal with the sub- Ject in all candor and fairness; of one thing be assured, this question touches the very MARROW OF A CHRISTIAN LIFE and e¢xample—reason enough for its being con- sidered in the pulpit; not for effect, but for counsel, admonition and profit, First, we are all of us con- Stantly in need of something in the way of amuse- ment and recreation; it is no sin to be hap- py; itis a sin to ue perpetually miserable; ifa man ever gets over his childhoc* so much the worse for the man; those men can work best who play best; and if it ww all work and no amusement life grows mono- tonous and weary. Harmless entertainment 1s the very oll which lubricated the machinery, makes 1t run easier and last a great deal longer. 4 MAN IN THE HOT PURSUIT OF MONEY dies in middle 11fe, and people say, “Wha an ex- ample of industry and energy!’ Better say, “What an example of a fool!’ His need of recrea- tlon and innocent enjoyment is a law of human nature, You could not find ‘a civilized nation on the globe which has not its legai holidays, or if you could find one it would be sale to say that its civilization wonld bear improvement, Bad amuse- ments there have always been; but this is only the erversion of @ Want a8 deep a3 human nature itself, ‘ou might as well banish sunlight as to banish all harmless pleasure. Robert Suuthey understood this law when be used to have three kinds of work in his study aud went from one to the other to divert Imus mind, Those three ministers whom I knew in Glasgow understood it, when, after the brain work of the morning, they walked ther for hours every day, commencing at one o'clock, People satd they were wasting time; but there were no churches more prosperous than theiss and no men stronger than they, or who had 80 POOR A PROSPECT OF CONSUMPTION, Your disposition needs sweetening, needs brighten- ingup. This is one method of doing it, the ext place 1 becomes an important question what Kind of amusements we shall have. How shall we deal with the young? How shalt we meet this want which all men feei? Now, there are some amuse- ments concerning the vileness of which there can be but one opinion. Novody pretends to defend them upon tne ground of morality. 1n fact, THBIR VERY BADNESS IS THEIR CAPITAL, ajronized, the secret of their success, the very thing which’ makes them pay, and if they should turn respectable they would die. Some men say they are not injured by tre- quenting such places. 1 believe it; it 18 because they are so steeped tn corruption that they cannot take any more ln. Now reverse the picture. There are some amusements or entertainments ‘concern- ing the purity arid innocence of which there can be butone opinion, They damage no one; no evil thought 1s suggested, NO LASCIVIOUS SiGHT SHOCKS REFINED TASTE. For instance, no house 13 reckoned complete with- out music; you get together ona winter's even- ing. & happy family circle; you are going to have a little music; the young folks will never make professionals, but they can sing; the youngest don’t pretend to keep the time, but he makes up and carries his part; the old folks not being so SprY as they once were come out a good ways benind. You would not pay fifty cents to hear such @ concert the second time, but it makes that home brighter and happier. ‘hey miss some one from the little circle, one voice is wanting, and yet for all the sorrowful memories, how much more Pleasant is that home by reason of those sweet voices and musical sounds, On, I wish there were more happy homes, We should not HAVE TO GO SO OFTEN TO THE: FAR COUNTRY to bring our prodigais back. Thus, soms pleasures may be set down as good and others as bad; now, the trouble lies in the ‘intermediate ground. Some amusements are of doubtful character; things may be said both for and against them. Some persons will plead for puritanical strictness and others for Parisian license, Remember one or two things, and one 1s that to be a mere pleasure seeker is about the poorest lule that any man can lead, If God made you simply to be amused, THEN THE BIBLE IS A LIE, your soul is a nonentity and eternity is a joke, You Imght chisel upon the gravestone of Many a man, “Here lies one who chased @ bubble and died a tool.’ Remember another ai There are many amusements which are not siniul in themselves, but which become sin{ul when carried to excess, Be+ Death them there lurks a danger, The FLOWERS IN THE BASKBT OF CLEOPATRA, that voluptuous Egyptian queen, were beautiful. Roses descended irom the; plants of Eden, lilies, white and pure as the robes of the glori- fragrance sweet enough for tne tields eaven, For all that there was a viper the flowers that stung the iair queen to death. Remember still furtner, that you are re- quired sometimes to give up that which is jawtul in leselt if 16 ves to cause another to offend. We may be able to guide ourselves in forming an Opioion respecting such amusements as THE {HRATRE AND THE DANCR. ‘To be @ lover of any pleasure more than a lover of God, whether that pleasure consists in games or so- ciety, or dancing, or theatre-going, 18 plainly inad- mussible, Now, does the theatre inflict any injury upon those who patronize it? 1 believe that a theatre could beso constructed as to damage no one any more than it would to listentoa dialogue recited by Sunday school children. But tnat the theatre, a8 a whole, is 80 constructed I deny out and out, There are theatres in this city in which @ Man cannot set and keep THE PURITY OF BIS MIND, nor be removed from bad society, nor be free from evil influences, His morals will decay, and he will be one step nearer perdition every time he enters the place, Late hours, money which mignt be bet- ter spent, entertainment and drink, mental disso lution, unftung one for the high duties and enjoy- ments of iife. | This has been aad is the meaning Of he theatre, Is there any excepuon? Idon’t sup- pose it could unchristianize you to witness a Shakspearian play. 1 don’t believe it would do me any harm; in some things it might benefit me, But if I were to go habitually to such a place, and if you Were to do the same, We might lead others there Who could not stop until they had gone down INTO THE LOWEST PIT 1 ¢ THE OITY. While I hold that it would not be a sin for you to Witness certain plays, you must remember that you can make ita sin by hegiecting important duties, becoming fascinated with it, leading others into the current of pleasure who would not know when to stop and apparently countenance ihe whole system of theatrical sauws, the geueral induence of wuica of in "NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19. 1872.—TRIPLE 1s bad and bad only. Is not this a fair statement of the case? You, who have been there yourselves, bave I not spoken the truth? = A8 FOR DANCING, itis harmful, not so much in itself as in what ac- compantes it; the excitement it leads to, the fasci- nation it breeds, which takes you trom otber and better things, and its intimate connection with a life of gayety, which, sooner or later, will be found to have a damring effect. away—if those who are ruined by them would leave them to die @ natural death—so- clety woud be benefited, and religion would stand @ thousand times better chance, ST. STEPHEN'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. Sermon by the Rev. Dr. McGlynn—Penance and the Penitential Season—Rev. Father McCready’s Lecture. It was evident yesterday from the very large con- gregation at St, Stephen’s church that the season of Lent had recalled many absentees to their religious duties, Although, however, the Lenten season is supposed to be a time for the wearing of sackcloth and ashes, yet the ladies turned out in all the splen- Gor of tall fashions, the day being bright and genial ana excusably suggestive of some outward show. The music of the mass was Mozart's No. 12, and this dificult composition was well executed by the choir. Rarely, indeed, has an organist 80 much to feel proud of as has Mr. Danforth for bis part in the rendition of the mass yesterday. Notwithstanding the absence of Coletti and the iliness of Miss Ben- ziger, both of whom were sadly missed, the mass Was a complete success, not, however, without tax- ing the energies of Danfortn and Miss Emma How- son, the soprano, almost beyond endurance, Miss Howson, fortunately, was in excellent voice and Sang superbly, and, as she always does, with fidelity and energy, some of her solos belng really of the highest order of merit, Bernhardt, the tenor, was suffering from & cold ana the new contralto did fairly, At the offertory Mr. Danforth played a symphony deserving the highest praise, as well for its conception as for its pertormance. in the aiter- noon Mercadante’s vespers were sung before an Gudience which filled the church in every part. High mass was celebrated vy the Rev. Father Stumpe, whose excelient tenor voice well filled the church, and beautilully intoned the sweet Gregorian Chants of the mass. After the first gospel the Rev. Dr. McGlynn preached an eloquent discourse on tne dispositions required for penance, ‘Tbe preacher rested is discourse on the tempta- tions presented by tne devil to Our Lord during His life and argued from them how people ought, while trustful in God’s goodness and mercy, 80 to conduct themselves .that they should nos presume too mueh upon God, but rather, in contrition for past _ottences, avoid gin in the future. It should not be said that our Lord was tempted because ke fasted, but rather that the devil, seizing the time of His weakness of body, tempted him witn what was then most likely vo succeed, The preacher then gave an eloquent exposition of what was meant by the reply of our Lord—“Not by bread alone doth man live, bat b; every word which cometh from tae mouth of Goa; and in doing su showed that it was unreasonable to expect that God should perform miracles dauy for sake of men. The ‘every word” of God shoud be weighed by Christians and their acts in lite moulded according to their wise direction. Then he went on to speak of the second temptation, in which the Saviour was asked by the devil to worship him, tn rewuro for which he would bestow upon the Saviour the king- doms of the world. The reply of our Lord was dwelt upon by the preacher with customary ability, and the great, subime truth which it announ was set forth as worthy even of the utterance of the Son of God. How it was that toe devil was per- mitted to tempt the Saviour is @ mystery which we could not fathom, But though we Know that the Saviour might be tempted, yet we know that He could NOt sia, 1t being impossible tor His divine person- ality Lo receive the stain of evil, The preacher then explained how in this holy seasen we shouldwe- come reconciled to God. The vain ti of this World were not what should be relied upon, nor the pase: things these which should be preterred. ‘ne Saviour in this fast of forty days showed us how He would have us mortify the flesh and refrain trom indulgence in worldly Pleasures. In love of God dwelt the great essential peace of men, Tne performance of good works, charity for our ne¥gnbor, the sacra- ments, & simple, abiding faith in God’s great jus- lice and mercy were the means by which we snould live our days in this world, so that in the next, when ‘we should be relieved from the restricting responsi- bilities now devolving upon us, and with our wills in complete harmony with tue Divine will, eternal Joys should be ours, In the evening, at half-past seven o’clock, another service was at which the Rev. Father Stumpe sang Novello's “0 Salutaris,” and an eloquent and pd lecture was delivered by the Kev. Charles icCready. GRACE CHURCH, A Lenten Sermon on Denth—Appenrance of the Charch. ‘This fashionable church betrayed the influence of the Lenten season, both in the full attendance and the comparatively sober raiment of the congrega- tion, Every seat was filled, and about the doors there was the usual fringe of belated worshippers and curious spectators, most of the latter, however, taking care to make their exit as soon as the nymn ‘at the close of morning prayers had been begun, and thus escaping the somewhat unpleasing effort of straining the ear to catch the words of the preacher. Strangely enough, Grace church, exquisitely beau. tiful as It 18 a8 @& work of ecclesiastic art—a religious poem in stone—is singularly de fective in good acoustic properties. The congrega- tion seemed unusually devout, and looking forward to the chancel one could only see a patch of bright coloring at remote intervals. Brown and black and gray seemed so common, indeed, that but for the artistic patterns of the bonnets the church might for the moment be imagined to be filled with grave Quakers and demure Quakeresses. Grace church, therefore, to those who remember it in its ordinary raiment of Peete and fine linen, was well worth visiting only ior the pur- jose of remarking the contrast now that it has donned, figuratively speaking, the sackcloth and ashes that beiit the solemn associations of the Lenten season. But it is always worth visiting, if it be only to take another glimpse at Brown and to view nis ever swelling proportions enrobed in a coat that seems in a chronic state of revolt at tne acres Ol fat and flesh that 1 1s expected to decently cover, It Is scarcely necessary to say that the music was very Leg The sermon, also, was eminently ap- propriate, and was delivered in a strain of dignified eloquence that was, no doubt, very impressive to those {favorites Sabbath fortune who occu- pied the front pews, if the occasional snatches of it that now and then struggled painfully to the ears of the after-section of the Church might be taken as a specimen sample of the main body of the discourse, It described the cer- tainty, the mystery, the bitterness ot death. How vain Were ali schemes and plans of life in which the Inevitable end was hidden irom view! There were people so foolish that they would not allow this Strange mystery Of mortality to be mentioned in their presence, and who carefully preserved their children from any knowledge of its exist- ence. But this was as absurd as though & man, conscious of danger from bis enemies, should voiuatarily blind his eves to their designs at toe very moment that the stroke Was avout to fail upon his head. The preacher then, in fitting terms, depicted the sorrow of the bereaved, and the apparent utter want of sympatny from nature to their suffering. The heavens were a8 beautiful, the sunshine as bright, the busy throng hurried through the city street with the same in- tentness on their selfish errands as before this terri- bie blow came and darkened Ife with woe and mouraing, 1n such seasons it was well toremember sympathy of the Saviour while he was on liction, to recall how he raised up the daughter of Jairas and brought back to iife the widow's son and restored Lazarus to bis sorrow: ing sisters, Most wonderful of all his mir- acles were these victories over death, and his re- surrection was the crowning point of triumph to hus life on earth, The speaker then referred to two deaths of beloved members of the congregation that bad marced the last week. SEVENTH AVENUE CENTRAL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Sermon in Ald of Foreign Missions. Last evening the Rev. Andrew Longacre preached & sermon in behalf of foreign missions to a large congregation, The learned divine took his text from Genesis, iv., 9—“Am I my brother's keeper?’ After speaking of the cause which induced Cain to hari this defiant question at his Maker, and re. marking upon the enormity of the man’s offence, increased py his apparent desire to isolate himself entirely from the little circie of human beings then im existence, the preacher bade his hearcrs ask themselves whether they were quite sure that the seifish spirit or Cain had quite died out, whether some of them had not become so absorbed in their own interests, pressing forward so eagerly to gain their ends as to forget their fellows, The gold tuat men win vy Speculation and clear-headedness is taken from others, and those others must in consequence suffer misery and desolation; yet the winner would natu- rally ask, “Am I the keeper of my brethren?’ We assist tne bodily needs of the poor, but do not care’ vo look alter THRIR SPIRITUAL WELFARE, They can take care of their own soul; we think that 1g uO ailail of ours, and #o lope as We heey them Saviour:—‘‘Fear not little flock,’ ite go" ynty—and the fate of its soul Lies in its own hand. God will not force the human will alter that Paice] yet, free as the man tent teachings ad solloltude, gar oarnexs endeavors ngs our earnest endeay: for the weilare of his soul, A man’s character be- the associations by which he nas been sur- Founded as surely a8 @ bronzed Fosure 00, she G00 au Wind it @ man ts hristian 1] 18 easy to perceive that some good, pions person. bas. beep near umn, nd in- Quen him. The example which we set course we pursue in liie makes us our r. Men are not born into the world > of Heaven, but to save the e@ go along receiving influence Until we begin to exert the power which God ae us to influence the souls of our fellow men. Wahen God wished to save man He became man, and it is in His human life that He comes nearest to us. It was His holiness, His purity, His love that influ- enced those upon earth during his sojourn in Pales- tine, and that infueace remains with us still, If men are to be saved, men must save them; but when men work in God’s service God works with them, all our influences would fall short if God did not work with us. We are too prone to think that the purpose of our lives is merely 0 gain a com- petency and save our own souls Without thinking of the spiritual weifare o1 ornate; ee when we ap- pe fore the judgmeat seat God may ask of us, “Whereis thy brouer Abel? All mankind are brevaren, and we ought to care for the salvation of their souls; yet there are millions of human beings in the Far East who are working for us, and, in- directly, providing us with many of the necessaries ot ille, who are BRSOTTED IN IDOLATRY, steeped in ignorance of the Divine truth, and whom 1% behooves us as Christians and fellow-men to rescue trom perdition. it 1s for this purpose that a few laborers in the Lord’s viney: have left the land of their birth and gone to sojourn in far-off lands. Ther give their health, their lives, per- chance, and we ought to render them pecuniary as- sistance to further the laudable end they have in vancone salvation of the souls of unenlightened ens, THE CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH. Robert Collyer, of Chicago, on “The Little Flock” of Unitarlanism—A Large and Sym- Pathetic Congregation. Mr. Robert Collyer, the popular Chicago preacher, preached yesterday morning in Mr. Hepworth’s late church, ‘the Cnurch of the Messiah.’? There was one of the old-timed congregations present, every pew being filled and the aisles crowded with occupants of camp-chairs,. Mr. Collyer Tesembles Mr, Beecher in personal appearance, he seems to have a similar nervous organization and that kind of freedom of pulpit manner that 1s 80 captivating im the Brooklyn orator. Mr. Collyer 1s an Englisnman; he was bora in Yorkshire, and those who were present yesterday morning who were familiar with the people of the North of Eng- land there was perceptible to them now and then in Mr. Collyer’s earnest passages of his discourse the tones of voice that are peculiar to his native coun- try. His manner and voice bespoke a warmth and BREADTH OF HEART for which, with their common sense, ‘Yorkshire. men” are remarkable all over the world, He selected for his text the words of tha He sala that when he was invited to preach by the Board of Trustees of “the Church of the Messiah," he ex- pressed the great pleasure that it would give him to comply with the request. But he was also told that it was the desire of the Board that the invited preachers should preach dectrinal sermons, He could not comply with that request, for several reasons; matnly, however, because he was like some other people, he knew very little of theology; and the next was that all the sermons he had writ- ten on doctrinal subjects had been burned and he had not had time to write any more, ‘i'herefore, for thoge reasons he waa unabie to-preach & doctrinal sermon. He, however, desired to say & few pels oh his Ht rs) F ee he had hee to he people at Unity own, congregation). ‘Those words were suitable to them ; il what he said should not be found suitable to those whom he addressed, why they need not take it, ‘Tne trustees nad thought they would be, and so he intended to talk to them about the “11 Nook.” THR “LITTLE , turned out to be the Unitarian Church. Mr. Collyer then commenced reading irom his which, after Mr, Beecher’s fash- ton, was frequently leit, in order that a little extemporaneous speaking might be induiged in, ‘The preacher graphically traced the history of the Church, showing, as he went along, how all the sections of the Cristian Church had passed through an era of persecution, and how, with the exception of Unit ism, they had come out of it pros- and greatly honored. With the Unitarian fhurch persecution and social disability remained, although in a modified form in these later days, Mr. Collyer went on to show the work that this Church was doing; it was the pioneer to the other sects; that the orthodox were under great obliga- tions to 1ts MEN OF THOUGHT, notably among whom were Channing and Priestiy; that this Church organization was the only home o1 comfort and sustenance to those who were longing for @ spiritual freedom that took from them the bonds of orthodoxy. He thought that ‘the flock” was kept small by a want of adapiability on the of Unitarians to the work of Church organ. ization. Its members were not apt in the det of Church work. Few of them coui “START A TUNE IN MEBTING.’? They were too much like Lawson in Mrs. Stowe’s “Old Town Folk”’—they helped everbody’s house- hold but their own. Their sociabilliy was ex- | tended to everybody but the peopte of their own church. {n illustration of these charges Mr. Coil- yer related several amusing anecdotes, which lighted up with smiles the faces of his vast congre- gation, The sermon closed with an earnest appeal to faithfuiness to duty, and the obtaining of the invaluable reward of the greeting of the Father by and by, the “Well done, good and faithful ser- vant”? At the close of the service Mr. Collyer was sur- rounded by friends, whom he greeted With a re- freshing heartiness, the more favored receiving ee eae of his affection of a demonstrative de THE EASY RELIGION. Mr. Thomas Galen Foster on Spiritualism— He Wants to Go to a Happy Wigwam on the Eternal Shore. A numerous assemblage gathered in Apollo Hall last evening for the purpose of hearing Mr, Thomas Gales Foster, of Boston, lecture on his pet, and, in fact, only theme—that. of Spiritualism. Mr. Foster - quietly arose from his seat behind the littie stand which served as & pulpit, meekly dropped his eyelids so as to wholly obscure his “fascinating pupils’ from the proiane, if not vulgar gaze, and, with the air of one who knew full well how the ancient article 1s manipulated, began his discourse by attempting to “sHOW UP” THE ABSURDITY of the manifold arguments brought to bear against his “theme.” That which we claim and know is the action of spirit, said the spoaxer; some ‘writers, and able ones, too, assert is but uncon- scious serregration. For instance, to-day you are trying to compose something—to recall @ name, or # verse, or line of poetry, and after struggling long hard give it up for the time being and come to the conclusion that you will “gleep on it.’ You do so, and perhaps in the morning that which you so much desired and longed for the might or day previous is at your tongue’s end. This these writers claim to be un. conscious serregration. You go to bed at night ‘with @ fixed determination to wake at @ particu. lar hour, and you do wake ta ag not quite, at the very moment you desired. 3, too, is pro- Dounced unconscious serregration, SONNAMBULISM ig classed in the same ry. We have heard of students getting up at night and, while still asleep, solving a dirticult and intricate probiem which wey had been Farias over sor days. A maid servant in & hotel in Paris Was wont to recite iu her sleep pas- sages of Hebrew, and yet when awake she knew nothing Whatever of that language. These writers to whom I have alluded say that she was at one time o servant in the family of a learned Hebrew, ‘who used to read aioud in his vernacular, and that, therefore, serregration nad been going on in her mind ail this time, which accounted for what would otherwise seem a@ strange img on the part of the girt when reposing confidingly aa the atte J arms of meus. You remember the story of the captain of @ British man-ol-war; how he, when asieep in his cabin, got up, rang the bell for his orderly, ana when that jotlonary A peared bade him call the second officer. eed officer appearing, the captain directed change the course of the ship i SEVERAL POINTS TO THR WHSTWARD, | His order was obeyed, and waen in the cabin the next morning the officer remarked to tne cap'ain that 1 was extremely fortunate for all on board that he had given the order he did for the vessel's course to be changed, as they were then on see ceive ar caer, denied having given an ler. these thin 8 and thousands more o4 @ similar na- {ure L could mention tase “learned’* writers assert Clared that the room was dies with posted gents and antisverestfemtnereupod, sua ol Brusped ‘their Dine cotton umbrellas’ ang "coisvesk and colossal liking sticks and looked as ugh detend themselves, fighting it out 6 on that tne, it a orn! The speaker concluded with a which closed with, “And Maay the geod took till m«¢ benedictio1 Father finally conduct you toa the eternal shore!” LYRIC BALL, Providence, Divine and Human—Sermes by Rev. O. B. Frothingham, Lyric Hall, between Forty-first and Forty-second streets, Sixth avenue, Was crowded yesterday mera ing to its utmost capacity. The regular pastor, 0. B, Frothingham, occupied the pulpit... His subjecs was “Providence, Divine and Human,” as based upon Matthew x., 20:—“Benold. were not two spar- Tows sold for @ larthing, and one of them shall nes failto the groupd without your Father.” What a tender and touching expression of Providence; fer care and Providence are one. The thought provi- dence ts inseparable irom the thought God, althougm it must go before; for who can recognize an imma- terial, invisible God but through His works, Aa nature shows care and shows a God; all poets sing 1t ; all philosophers teach 11; all historians prove i; the soul feels 11; all the higher pewers ol the ming feel it, With some tt is a SPECIAL PROVIDENCE or more, Thus the Christians think themselves God's special care; that He does not care for the scattered tribes. But what has the Jew to say ef this—the Calvinist, tne Mahammedan? Are they net a8 much God’s children and as much entitled te’ His exclusive care? Can God use them as a stepping- stone? Are you the cream of the world? Lutner Said it Was & special providence his being saved trom a stroke of lightning when the person wit® Whom he was walking was struck. Did the irtends Of that biasted man think soy Did the Churches = Whose faces he was flying think so? The steamer Cuba was running at full speed upon an iceberg, when the quick eye of the Captain saw the aanger, had the engines reversed, and the vessel was saved. Not tong alter the Arctic ran right inte the arms of the monster, and all on pdoard perished. Why was the Uuba saved and the Araie destroyed? Were the passengers on the one Carts tans, on the other infideis? 1s the voy drowned im @ pieasure boat a rascal and the one saved a godig youth? No; sinless and sinful philosopher and fool; the man whose lue is more precious aod the man whose existence 1s a burden ww himself and Otners go tothe bottom alike. As we cannot ex- Plain this we tall pack on the idea that Providence 18 unsearchabie, A Providence that 1s utterly dare 18 no Providence, Lvery wind is favorable to the man who understands God; to every ene Who be- Hieves in Curist tue world goes well. Can we, the make @ Providence? Cun reason believe tas After eloquently enlarging on this at lengtn he pre- ceeded to show that taitn and reason joined hands in the idea of the perfect organization 0! all Ged works—tne nicety of all His laws—the unswerwag course of iis systems not turning a hair’s breadta to centuries, The numan side of Providence 1s bus & supplementary parc of the divine, as we are ol a scaie of existence. We are not here tO be merely acted upon, but in turn to transmit action. 8o we give love, gentieness, veneration, gained through experience, to our successors, ‘The poet sings about the beneficent sunshine, the loving rain, butdoes the sun care. or the rain? It is owe interpretation, however. Not a single thing gees to one person without human ageacy. There are Mulions of fleeces on the sheep’s back, but unless cut by some person they are not of the slightest ad- Vantage to us. ‘here are millions of acres of ground, but without cultivauen thsy are almoss utterly worthless. Providence 18, then, in the work- lugman, inthe laboratory, in the machine shep, sopplying all our cointorts and forming new ones. Without wealth, nowever, these improvements could not be carried out. Wealth is, therefore, tae LEVER OF PROVIDENCE, Without wealth, civilization would instantly ceme toan end, Altmough the medern miser will net Spend an unnecessary cent his ricaes benefit man- Kind; altnouga ne subscrives to no charitable in- sutution, he iets out ms money to the moat needy to get the highest per cent, and thus, althouga he. never murmurs biessiags, his wealth is a boundless one. also, the spendtnrift 1s beneficial to tae r. Thus the man who allows his money to trickle m him finds it bubbling in the poor man’s gar- den. All the asylums for tne insane and idiotic are endowed and cared tor by men, although there are men who imagine that they are the airect work of God, But are their clothes aropped aown by tae clouds, and does their food come in the same, oF are both made by human hands? As these are Chrisuian charities, so we are giving consolation im lef, and all material and spiritual distributions, though these good deeds are in themselves human, the inspiration that prompts toem mw divine—a very fine compliment to human n: 88 Mf no man couid be benevolent unless pat uj it by God. While the Englishman is thanking for heiping the insane and idiotic, his neignbors are putting their hands in their pockets and supplying them with necessities. BROOKLYN. CHURCHES. PLYMOUTH CHURCH. The Lewer to Serve the Higher—Practical Religion. Mr. Beecher preached yesterday morning frem Matthew viit., 19-22—*‘And @ certain scribe came and said unto him, ‘Master, 1 will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest.’ And Jesus said uate him, ‘The foxes have holes and the birds of the ale have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where te lay His head.’ And another of His disciples sald unto Him, ‘Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my ‘father.’ But Jesus said unto him, ‘Fol- low Me, and let the dead bury their dead.’ Christ’s conversation was versatile, sparkling, ia- genious. Christ was no formal canal of propricsy, straight, monotonous, he was a river full of changes, with all variety of beauty along the banks. We shall not then be surprised at the conversation re corded inthe text. Who were the scribes? They ‘were the chiefest men inthe nation, The scribes were the doctors, the professors; they were looked up to as the nighest in power, It was an unusual thing, then, when one of these chief men listened te Jesus and volunteered to become his disciple, Our Saviour rejected him, saying, “The foxes have holes, the birds of the air have nests, but tne Son of man hath not where to luy His head.” In other words, “You have misconcelved entirely the kingdom thas Thave come to inaugurate.” In the next conversa. tion Jesus tells the disciple to “let the dead bury their dead.” This language seems severe and harsh, But we are toremember.that the whole conversa- tion ts not given, witn all the circumstances, the exe pressions, the gestures. Our Saviour’s parables are strung together, each as separated from its belong- “ngs as the pearls from the place where it grew. Are our duties to our family, then, in conflict with our duties to God? Our lower duties may be made a channel for SS Ai to God, or they may be “ey @ substitute. is an important distinction. this case Christ saw that the disciple made excuse. If he had beem this @ temporary fully confirmed in discipieship he might have buried his father, and returned to hie higher di Without danger. Men may ve attracted by the truth of religion who Will abandon it as soon as they see what labor the truto involves; the moment they are put to the test of seif-denial, of poverty, of f ing Christ through ail things, they are not willing to PAY THE PRICK. Acitizen goes into th aaa ‘and, admiring the fruits and flowers, says he will go into ying 4 and be a gardener. goes; but when be prac. Ucally begins to raise fruits and flowers for nimsel< he soon makes up his mind that they cost more tham they come Ww. He comes back to the city im disgusj, and prefers that other ople should do the dirty work. Men are wo to the beauty of @ higher lire, but they find that the efforts to live this life mvolve so much confi baste “aarres a Durd that they turn ae Kept. trom thus fhugher ilte by things which are ngat in themselves, because it 1s necessary Lhat there should be proportion, subordination, harmony, and men let one duty inverfere with another. If a mother ts so carecul of the lower wants of the chile aren that she negiects their higher wants does she do the wisest thing? She ought not to negiect tae lower duties, but if either the lower should be lets, He that touches the highest touches all below. He that touches the lower does not of necessity touch the high. Men are perpetually putting ‘way of their spiritual development. it is alw: suffer me first to do this or that; suffer me first take care of myself. This constant putung the higher im subordination to the lower is demoraly ing. Nothing in the world has a right to take place of your SPIRITUAL MANHOOD, It {s not enough that we approve, admire and de- sire the truth; we must desire the right more tham all else. The Jany man desires the fruits of im dustry, but he desires otuer things more. The truant schoolboy desires learning, but he de sires more ,to see what im that birda nest, auc he aetermines to go and see All throngn life we see men pu third courses, fourth courses, instead of fi courses, A man may bea very geod man in ha imagination, put a very poor man in reality, Whas picvures inere would ve if 1 coutd only paint what f seo vn mv Grea, AL aryst Is a wan WhOee =