The New York Herald Newspaper, March 4, 1872, Page 4

Church Services Yesterday in the City and Suburbs, HENRY WARD BEECHER ON PRAYER. 0. B. Frothingham’s Estimate of the Herald Sermon Reports, THE HEAVENLY CITY UNLIKE NOW YORK. Mr. Hepworth on Atonement. the Father McCready on Thought- less Christians. Whe Press Denounced by Father O'Keefe. RIC HAL. The Religion of Hu The Suceessfal Mi in the Sermon by 0. G. Frothingham, Lyric Hall, between Porty-first ana Por Bireets, Sixilh avenue, Was, as usual, terday morning. The pastor, 0, preached on the subject of “The Reiigion of Tt ity—Its Morar Lid: Whe ancient ideas of exce lence placed the wartior, the strong, the beauutul above all else. Power and beauty were the two Most eminent, Those who had them became der Professions gods. Vhkns Prometheus, wio stole from heaven; liercules, of the “twelve Isbors,” and Apolio, the beautiful, were worshipped. The idea of beauty was goolness und excel- lence. We place against the nero, tie samt; against Hercules, Curist—the pattern of meekness, seli- forgetiuiness and cen who never quenc the smoking flame of con: » WHICH Was Just flickering in the human breast; who knew bo per- sonal distincuon; who lilted up the des: and wretched Woman as one of the chilsrea of divine love. The lichrew believed ti race, Solomon, because of the biood that towed veins. David was not chosen by the Lord because Of his purity and reiigious deve but becatke he ‘was tle inode! man of the Hebrew nation, He out raged every human law continually. the idea of the soiidny or onences of mankind was the Tock on Which Christ stood. No desire for Teputation or — selt-advaviage Him, He always worked Anvectives which he cat Jaune the net Pharisees caine not from lim; He was bat tie MOUTHPIECE OY GOD. Blasphemy agaist wan i be forgiven; plas. phemy ayamst God never. The moment C Lianity got pussexstoa of ome it hurted all ism out, ihe Coliseum, in Witch 4 feasted with the sight of Uions. tors wellering iu their gure, Pantheon was dedi o the all the martyrs, laste ead of Dian of aeliies witht Martyrs with streugch to endur quireu for a pedes ness, i0ve, and tu Mars; | on all | an adimiliance, wil h vain, and the beggar whom he would run over with 13 Cuuriot —Wilee.s gladly weicomed. it had men whom Per ot have owned and only one or two | admitted to ihe honor, Gresory great Hilde: to of Rowman si heir claims to meckiess Roman Caured sat un can 4 Hiudoo or apy saints but wae Catholic. Monopoly of SAINT MANUPA Human nature wid not do it, fo! every creed. e Roman made to order, bioodi Protestantism 38 we fruit Luther came im tie Protes: Was no saint, but 2 hero. strong passions. When a morose man came to Lu his jate, Luther's ac Luther was @ man of w to take the Pope and Cardi the Tuscan Lake; such a bath would ¢ He was, aiier his fastou, & saat. head to we Supreme Wi. j sald the di It be onty nt nintio | Christ in the Hearts of men. Icare not. He was Was rough, but lor bi) flag as te omens, the breeze. God was represenicd to lum, 3 creed, but as trath. The popu t- reliance, impatience and uned=ine-s—tie very Wea srectan hero with ti 4 ‘heus, Perseus 41 this sell-re} ol self; this Impatier this discon snoble he ane | n our e iS Ou It easiness to hav horse or car hext door nzigiibor. Success 1s ione 18 power, ‘the best m The best man in the cle’ one who can bow his nor sale ary, Lave the § 3 his pame | i, no matter | on the list of caud : y many thousands by wrat mea worship tweed, even ¢ Was his shrewd intellect ¢ The reverent yontleman with some iriends of One loukea out for Dimsell is tis ia Let every ¢ se hituse!t ut these, find himsel: mg out for ev the vulg taought Is diner 18 embodied im “Devi \ ligion in Ameri the one WHi0 } ag many leadi 4f a column ts to be t foundation; a tree must have covered by IS roots as ora e must be rooted: | Let every soai su 0 We have 28s broad nave & avont dow irin, dowt take it tor | ands Migh ibis hign. Sles | neart, 1 eimita hea nian itv two ths Worst are power auty, And What ver, te Imp hammer. But the anvil on which it strikes presses upward with tur greaier force. It was the Power of receiving the Charge that saved Gettys- burg. When Via € bad condemned Jesns he wasted nigh morta) | | the dis | pit salvation. If men closely examined their consciences they would discover quickly whether they .made worldly matters, riches, luxuries and pleasures sube servientto the one greatend of loving God. but the answer in many instances would be that we have divided that which by right belonged to God, Some imagined that they couid divide the allegiance which they owed to Almighty God, The reverend geuueman then proceeded to depate upon THE BPFICACY OF PRAYER, and earnestly impressed upon the congregation the necessity of attending closely to tnetr religious auues, regardiess of the senseless ridicule that might be heaped upon them by the s0- celled men of the world, Many were religious Only IN name, and probably looked forward years ahead to make repentance. That, however, wus a very uncertain and dangerous path towards eterual salvation. It should be weil understood that a close attention to afiurs which concerned the FUTURE WELFARE OF TAE SOUL never interfered in any way with the routine business of the world, ‘This was the season during Which the Church called upon her children to ap- proach the sacraments, The reverend gentieman nded a toreibie disconrse by showing the ne- sity ol responding to that call, in order to secure erlasting happmess, The services were then pro- eded with and terminated shordy after twelve CiOCK, ANWAY WALL. by Mx. Hepworth on Kepentance—The Unity Between the Old and New Testaments Gods Justice. A large congregation assembled at Steinway Hall yesterday morning to hear Mr, Hepworth, The in- terest taken in nia departure, judging from the crowds who flock to hear tim, has im no measure abated, and he expects to soon have fuads enough for the crection of a suttanie edifice for worship, Mr. Hepworth preached from words found nf John ehold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.” He satd:—The doctrine of atonement les at the foundation of the Christian religion. 1% ot once proclaims forgiveness for all Who repent of thetr sins, aud 18 the prophecy of a blessed Lunmortality, Without 1% the Christian rell- gion Would be very like a temple without a corner- stone, Through it we are brought nearcr to God ; hov that He was ever very far away trom any one of us, bur that we have been reduced by sin, and 8 a long distance from iim. “ies @ unity between the Old and Let us foliow the thread from of the sturdy Waptist, as his eyes it the ages until Perhaps we may the id ihe divine signif. e, Inthe olden time the Isract- people en tn their go HW Serippu mato: | estaie and had become tt he 8 of water to a ms dely roused to de! | pression if would obey Hid } Jomed to wt on their journey ab any momen ust be willing to meen } parchin } many ye | farst thea the Jordan, and after | tnat possession of tie Holy Land, ho one or two peo iley Wi capable of better ut were competed to ao the bidding OL & tyrant, Second, this state | ute whim} of servitude W an ankerilea evi, You might say of th ‘aelite That liad himsel! commiited po erro puntsned by the cham, i did noi alter tae thai he was born a slave, and that unless than fis | sometiine Was done by a power stronger : aslave and wie one. That | oppre wus t . INTERPOST. | He sent one ichion alter auother upon the tyrant, | but with po rest, Ab last mai reached a Clie | max. lie determimed to send His destroying angel, Whe faavalut to choose a spotless lamb and to Spriakie 1s bicod upon tu That blood was the sign of satety, It was mucn more (ita Unit; 1b wis dhe proclamation of eman- Cipallou—ihe decree of liberty. It was the tokea of Uniels oi thei houses, Ireedom from tie curse of slavery and irom ali 1s ndantevis, Which had forse imany years hung the chosen race, y were to oe ‘fhereatter (4 [ J | Jreemen, to v enovan, LO st cloud bangin en Lop of Sinai be gutded by fiery pillar at nigut aad une guid- ing mise by Gay. ‘The slood sprinkled on the dvor- posts ui aul taat co a fortoru, downtrodten race. Mt you ask me why Jehovaa cid’ nob iree His people 1 withou, these atrenuanl ceremonie, r is, 1 don’t know. dhe councils of ui a I simply i te people ary with wil ihe pop ab t pt in per at luéy year to ee Erance; ie country round once a all over again, and to make the | ed Ting With Lhe sungs of au eman- | wl people n the Hapts y Corist, he said, 4 taketh away Ue ce is in the vondaye have Ourselves com- ancestors have com- uences of which we are all involve: nature Is diste ; do right, with } lugtorin our nearts, Lf Left 10 ourselve acted upba by tie influences of the Churcn, of prayer, oc Cluvisiian parents—in a word, if ieit to act out our own Natares We inevitably go to te bid, ‘The dise is Our Wills, and the disease is Weil dis 13 LO More A MATTER OF REVELATION than itis a mailer ol Common sense. Any physician Will Let us thas we m La vodily disease from t past, witch 3 some remedy 1s ap- plied, Wil Surety chad ia our death, Men actually die of consumpiton Who Lave not been improvi t, wi uyoived physically im the misiakes and al t their ancestors, Suppose some great I clan should come and tell you he couid | Maverpose between you sud your inevitavie fat would you not go down oa your kueces tohim? In the same way we are’ compeilea to answer for the moral’ evil of days goae by. Goud as seen the preaicament, He has dus, uc has determined to relieve us, toemaucipare tis. Bul where is the lamp, you ask? Where is the blood which, sprinkied on our ives, | Wall be seen by the augel of death, aud bid him pass You will find that lamo in the person of one, come all; catch hold of His {menis, MAKE Use Of the 1 He has revealed, and tm no ordinary vill ima that the life of Corist, sacriiced hal, has been your salvation, and that rd 1s the open door through ple of a blessed Immorial- mm your uié ceath of which you ent ity. How cau the world hesitate? 1 gold and sil- ver Were of \, How We snould rush with neadiong ito avail ourselves of the gift! If physical agth W ed, We should tarow away our @ of nel Laid y erutches strate at the feet of the Saviour. » bevter than physical sirencth, «i tie value of money, small we Mer speed And wita more gratetul guy CHURCH OF THE MES. TAM. Sermon by tho ev. W. K. Schermerhorn on the Lord’s Supper—Tiuo Unitarian View of ‘ois Christian Lostitution. The second of the series of sermons at the Church of the Messiah in explanation of the cardial doc- trines of Unitarianism was delivered yesterday morning by the,Rey. W. K, Schermerhorn, of Boston, ayoung but eloquent, thoughtful and promising stor of that denomination, The church was fairly but tne controversial attractions offered have, , lamentably fatled im making up for the ab- tu Dis bands and said, “1 clean my har od | sence of Mr. Hepworth. ST Lut lor ev r de not Sant Neve Mr. Schermerhorn took for Dis text the passage walked to the stake witnout onc pinging | from Corinthians, “The cup of blessing which we and benedict ST. ‘DRAL. of God—EMeacy mon by the Rev. Bather Me of Pi There was a very large atten the Cathedral yesterday, and the interior of the edifice presented the usual appearance characters astic Of the holy season of The last mass com. menced at halfpast ten o’clock, the Kev. Kearney officiating as ceebrant. At tbe conc of the first Gospel the Rev, Fatuor Me? preacued the sermon, taking bis text froin Luke xi, 14. The reverend gentleman gave a luc explanation of the words of the text, which get forth the miracle periormed by the Baviour in healing a dumb man possessed of a devil and the circumstances under which He reproved those who ascrived Bis power ‘to Beelzebub. Some of the spectators sought from Him a sign from teaven, but kaowing fheir thoughts the saviour said that every kingdom divided against itself was brought to desolation. The Lord tad made use of this text Lo show tne ABSURDITY OF THE ACCUSATION ‘Dbroughtagainst Him by the Scribes and Pharisees, But the ext should be made applicable to all men, Iasmuch as their duty to God was clearly and un Mistakabvly defned, He not only invited out comimanded mauxind to love H He piaced belore men an object than Which ur a More beauttiul, nothing more glorious, More excelient—namely, Him Humerous javors and biessin, iu ‘upon us, Jor ail His sufferings, and for all promised, He required only love, who divided. But that love mast be solely centralized on Ltn; for however meritorious ovr actions might be, if their motives do nos Include a HEARTFELT LOVE OF 4 prey will prove of but litue HE ORPATON . wil towarus eternal biess, is It not the communion of the blood of Christ? ‘The vread which we break, 1s 1f not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, being many, are one bread anid one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread.’’ In this passage, said the preacher, Paul uttered a sentiment, or as we should say in modern phraseology, & toast. The language was not mystl- cal, but figurative, and common sense was alone necessary to rightly determine its meaning. Sup- pose, for example, at a feast in honor of the mem. ory of Lincoln, or some other martyr hero of our ; tue same words snouid be uttered, They hot ve looked Upon as extravagant; it would wat once that the idea was couched in the y pert and certainly no one would take them as an authoritative y some mystical and mysterious istibstanuation of matter had been who 0} ed common ‘onal Intelligence appeared to wil- fools when they open vhe hids of id Lterally accepted the words of a metaphor (and what other book was so full of figures and images of speech as the le) for the statementol a tact. According to the liberal Chris ian view Of the Lord's supper it was simply a com- memorative in honor of the noblest and divinest of human beings. The Romanist belreved in @ Inystical Wausubstanuation; the ritualist 1 some miraculous and supernavural tuduence per- vading te iastitation and SUbUtINg It a sacra. ment, and the ous evangelical denominations believed that by this means they individuaily appropriated the mertis of a vicarious atonement, Teagon, as well as the obvious meaning of the Bible, refuted these views, ‘Lie great argument against them, howe’ was that they implied aa abuormai and supernatural ayency in man’s spiv- tual devel t, and 16 Was against ts theory that the liberal Christian contended most sirongly. | Everything: beautiful and nobie in natu slowly and was marked by what might be gradnatity of development. And so in the spiritual lite. There were no sudden changes, ho mirac } lous and supernatural inierier A man gre’ | better and more divine by do, steps, be se | language of ty be So foolish ‘as on that Having pursued this line of argament at length, Mr, Schermerhora proceeded to dispose of the freauent auswer made bo tnese views by believ- ers in the Lord's Supper as a sacrament, “shen what is use of observ! y Supper at ally by showing “that a “oom mon feast, by universal con: bad been Ds and that the communion of the followers Obrist Was @ necessary proof of their common ‘ith and fraternal love. And, further, it was #® real com- miunion with Christ Himself. While not a believer in vulgar Spiritualism he did believe tn the power of communion between souls, though remotely divided by time and space, A wife reading in the Solitude of her chamber the letter of her absent husband, a son gazing at @ lock of his dead mother’s hair, become moved into sympathy with the dear Dut abseat objects, In the same ae Christians were united to Christ by the meuium of the Lord’s Supper. Mr. Schermerhorn closed by calling upon all who felt gratitude and Jove to Jesus to partake in the communion, which would be administered after the service, TWENTY-THIRD STREET PRESBYTERIAN CRURCH, ermon by Mr. Northrop on the xtravagance of City Life. Rev. H. D. Northrop, pastor of the Twenty-third street Presbyterian church, has for some time past been delivering to his congregation a series of dis- courses on the “Vices of New York.” Last evening he was atteatively listened to by a large audience, nis theme being “‘Qxtravagances.” In opening his remarks he ailuded to the second building of Solo- mon’s Yemple—how the people grumbled and complained, declaring the time for such @ stupendous undertaking had not arrived, as the people were too poor. The poor classes, too, said they could not contribute towards its erectlon—the rich should do it, while this latter class could not see why they should do ital, They were all unwilling to rebuild God’s house, but at the same time were building superb palaces for their habitation and spending money in various ex- travagant ways. So it is in New York to-day. The times have not changed tn this respect atall, He did not object to persons spending money for neces- sarics Ol life, or, Where they were Cena ane A abie to afford it, tor many tuxuries:; but ne did object to wastefuiness and to poor persons spending the last cent for dress and otner equaliv | foolish dungs. He acknowledged that tt costs a vast deni now: 0 live + bus said 16 . Fora very s in New ¥ r humsell a magnificent | furnish wad decorate ib wiih evervthig | the extravagance in any sense oi the word; waal can we say of | those persous of ‘moderate means who will | be in eping the wealthy’ Here, he i 1, was here the great fault hes, | Peopie ’ wii “sist in mukig a show ot { Lhemmeives a6 tie expense of their pockets; aye, and j uh yuchs, (00. Jirsl a inun wants much, jiore, Nod then all, no matter whether he can iit O¢ not He spends what litle nis fasner ‘tnt, and tor wuien, peruaps, tue dear old tolied ‘Jong aud hard; then the $600 is ancie abou Lim, and ten Lie iast Cent he nas im the but, Worst of ail, the greater part y s008 to the rumshoys., Le has ace habit of spending money every day 10 of ten, twenty, dorty, yor eighiy imu unless he can have this amount to j Sduander he ts of course unhappy, never for a woment thinking that such habits these Will Jead him ty the pooruouse, DO matter what his ine \c¢ ihe love of dress is one of the most | be our city Nas to cohtend with, We ail have moro or less vanity, there 18 no use Genying tt, Ladies 1b particuiar are autcted im this a little nt than their e hether that neighbor be Worth @ thousand times more, pecuniary, than they are, cr nol. in conciusion, Mr. Northrop reviewed the results of extravagance, gud pointed conclusively to waat they will mevitabiy lead. ' ST. STEPHENS ROMAN CATHOLIC CNURCA, the Rey. Father McCready— Want of Keffection the Great Want of the OChristian-—2ae Humag Will and the Word of Ged~The Immorality of the A AUSL Stephen’s church yesterday morning, after the gospel of the high mass, the Rey. rather McCready preached from the gospel cr the day, Luke xt, 283—"Yea, rather blessed are they who hear the word of God and Keep 1t."’ He suid:— It would seem at first sight as it our Lord re- proved the woman in the crowd for what may have been, after all, but the thoughtless expression of ler woman’s heart. Without questioning whether, or how far, she may possibly have been insplred on Sermon by ment should be neglected, We cannot afford to be | Gisiaterested im the matter of our salvation; selfish. ness in this respect is not merely com! but enjoined—** Ye first the kingdom.” THE PRAYER OF ST, AUGUSTINE onght to be ever in our hearts and en our lips:— “Lord, teach me to know Thee; Lord, teach me to know myself.” But how can we attain to this sav- ing knowledge Of God and of ourselves except oe meditation aud prayer? Even among pagan phi- losopliers, Whose unaided human reason was seek- ing in darkness for a knowledge of buman perfecti- bility, this necessity of self-knowledge was incul- cated. An important axiom among them wa “Map, know thyself,” and this mignt equally well to-day be adopted Lr Ags if, indeed, man only studied to know bimseif—his sinful his weakness, his utter helplessness—and sought for his weakness that help which is promised him from above, how different would not his life be. *Blessed,” says the Psalmist, “ls the man whose will 1s in the law of the Lord, and who shalt meditate on 1t day and night; and he shall be iike a tree wnich 1s planted near the running waters, which shall bring its truit in due Season; and his leaf shall not fall off; and all what- soever he shail do shall prosper.” Blessed, indeed, shall we be if we thus merit this benediction uf the Psalmist, In the evening, at half-past seven o'clock, the Rev. Dr. McGlynn delivered the usual Lenten lec- ture belore a congregation that filled the church in every part. THE DOMINICAN FRIAR—ST. JAMES’ ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. Faith, Hope aud Charity—No Money Taken nt the Door—‘ 1 Never Will Owa a Penny or a Penny’s Worth?—Father Tom Burke as a Charity Preacher. St, James’ church, in James street, was crowded yesterday morning with a congregation that has not had its equal for many years in the parish, Where numbers are made @ comparison, ‘The approaches to the church were crowded with eager and anxious people trying to make their way into the smal edifice to listen to the eloquent Do- minican. Iuside the sanctuary wére seated Rev. Father Farrelly and Rev. Father Martin, of St. James’ church; Kev. Fatner M, J, O’rarrell, of St. Peicr’s, and Rev. Father McKenna, of the Charch of St, Rose of Lima, The clergyman who celebrated mass was Rey. Father McKenna, One of the assistant pastors of St. James’ church, ‘the MenaLv reporter was tendered the unusual honor of aseat in the actuary, Which is never i‘) to any one but a# representative of the HrraLp. Father Burke, robed in mis piciuresque Dominican habit, delivered the clarity sermon, which had for iis text “faith, Hope and Charity,” but charity is tae greatest of all’? rather burke delivered lis sermon tor the benefit ol the Society ol St. Vincent de Paul, who ha ie charge of the poor of the pi He had asked of the pas- tor of the chureh, the Rey. Mr, Farreity, that no money should be asked for ad- Taission at the door, and his request was complied with, The great Dominican irtar thei fave such an illustration of tae act of charity ag Was hever heard betore iu the sacred edutive, full of | the most splendid mmagery, sound — logic and feiicity of expression. The result was patent when the colection, the largest ever known a James’ church, Was made. Father Burke delivered a lecture im the evening at the Church of St. Paul, in Brookiya, entiled “rhe Church the Woster Motuer of Liberty,” vo a very large audience. BROADWAY TABERNACLE, “The Degeners ot the Present Times”— Sermon by the Rev. Ur. Hitchcock, The Tabernacle, on the corner of ‘Lhirty-fourth street and Broadway, was filled yesterday morning by 2 crowd of earnest devotees, who had assembled to tender their hebdomadal tribute of praise to the Almighty, and to listen to an instructive and elo- quent discourse from the lips of Professor Hitch- cock, of the Union Theological Seminary. The learned divine took for his text the seventeenth verse of the second chapter of Malachi—Ye have wearled the Lord with your words; yet ye say, ‘Wherein have we wearied Him? ” and commenced his sermon by end¢ée*orig to prove to his listeners that Malachi had tried to convince the people of an era very far remote; that they were seli-conceited, had too full an appreciation of themselves, and thought so lightly of tae powers and omnipotence ol Almighty God that He became utterly “WEARY OF THEM)? The preacher proceeded to show that we are all inclined to maxe a false estimate of sm; in fact, to cloak our eryors even to ourselves and endeavor to tlus occasion to use the language attributed vo her, we Know well that the womb that bore and the breasts 7 hed the infant God were in- % nour decd thri biessed, and that sae who held the reiauion of ~ MOPHER TO THE ETERNAL WORD mace flesh enjoy: el & surpassing dignity, the full measure of wich we can never adequately realize, No one did, because no other could, more fully ap- preciate the blesseduess of that materuity than did the Son of that Virgim Mother. Had not the anger addressed her as never woman was addressed vefore? And cid not the inspired mother of the Bapust salute her im words almost identical when she said—‘“Siessed art thou among women, and blessed 1s the fraitef thy womp?’ Why, tuen, does He seem to correct the woman's exclamation by saylng—“Yea, rather blessed are they who hear uhe word of God and keep it?” If we examine these words, however, we shall fina that Christ does not reprove che woman. On the contrary, rather, He afirms and approves what she said, taking occasion toadd at the same time an mstraction. “Yea,’’ she says, “Yea; I admit the benediction pronounced by you; it 1s well mertted; not only 1s she blessed, but 1 afirm in addition that those are also blessed “who hear the Word of God and keep 17 The maternuy of our Lady was in part the reward o| her merits. She was, therefore, blessed, not so much becau he was the Motner of God, as because she kept tne Word of Goa. “This Mother kept all these things in her hear” It was HER IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, her perfectly siniess live and her strict observance of the Word and law of God im her heart that merited for her the honor of becoming the Motner of the Saviour. Those words of our Divine Lord ye simular in meaning to those other words of the poste tne hearers but the doers of the law are justified Itis not enough to hear, but we must also keep tae Word, as Christ Himself explains in the parabie—“By the good ground are meant those who, With a good and perfect heart, hearing wwe Word of God, keep it, aud bring forth jruit in patience ‘They, Wien, only are ranked among the just who hear aua keep the Word and do the works which the law prescribes. Lt we desire Lo be among this number we must treasure it tn our hearts, meditate upou i, search into its hidden meaning, and iake it our rule of tife and conduct. Itis oiten said thet a large number of Christians trangress the laws of God because faith Is extinct m them; that everywhere self-interest reigns supreme and arabdition lords i over all; that Dameless Vices, passing the bounds of ali decency, range at will over every meadow, trampling wader foot every flower in ir pach; and all this because THERE 18 NO FAITH, ‘This 1s scarcely the cause of the evil. For, sub- stantially, Jaten underiies the seeming unbeliel, and, uf We sound to its deptis the heart of any Catnoiic, we shall find iat, no matter how loose nis ie may be, there is not one single article of our holy faith, however abstruse it may be, m_ which he does not implic tly believe. ‘The whole ruin of souls within the Catholic Church may be traced, not to a want of faith, but to a want of reflection on the tratns which Jalth teaches. No one article of faith is disbelieved by worldlings; but, on the other hand, no one articie of faith meets with considera- ton. And hence it is that seemingly there 18 so great # Wantof faith, But whetuer Wwe believe in Catholic truths or give them no serious thought, our will 18 equally disinclined to good and prone to evil; for in either case the will 18 not deterred from philosophy teaches, 18 a biind power, which cannot what 1s bad or moved to What is good. Our will, as have its affections exerted untess the intellect go be- fore, shadowing the light of its perceptions. What, then, does it avail us that the wutus of oar faith have in themselves a sovereign efilcacy to remove trom us every vice, to keep us tar fromsim? If the Chrisuan does not ponder on the trutis of our holy faith, assuredly these truths can avaii sim nothing. “WITH DESOLATION 18 THE WHOLE LAND MADE DESOLATS,” says the prophet Jeremiah, “becavse there is no one that thinketh in nia heart”? en, Cirisuians would occastonally direct ther thoughts even to some single oue of ail those many trutis of tne Catho- lie religion woieh they nold with unwavering faith We should no longer witness 80 much licentiousness im their mode of Iife or so much depravity in their moral character, ‘his our blessed Lord incuicated by the example of His own tile, And this 13 the secret of His frequent retirements ail alone to the mountain or the desert, giving himself up to prayer and contempliuon, He needed not to pray for Himeell, tor He was tne God all mighty and all powerful. He needed not reurement to shut out ail worldly distracuons, for He cond at will tarn to the contemplation of the beatific visions but, Uke ail the other acts of His mortal ife ins rettre- meuts were intended tor our example, Amid our daily distractions we are only wo apt, in the DUFHUiL Of Lemporai Things, to lowe sighp oF the eter. Dial, and hence frequent reflection upon the truths of Our holy fait becomes aimost essential to our sale Vation. lt may seem that this frequent reflection for ¢ © the World Would impose upon him & some tisk, Which shodidl be reserved only for Hols, lor hen and women living apart from he World, devoted only to tne service of God; but Wwe must remember that Christ died for all of us, and that He Wishes all should be saved. Hence He Wishes that All should adopt the means of salvation, Aud surely it Would be dificult to make progress toward Uiat end If all that is esveulal to is abil convince our own hearts that our negligences are not only vental, but absolutely worthy of applause. But sin, in the abstract, never consented to be ex- posed and punished; knowing our errors and offences, we endeavor to shadow them with inge- nuity atid call them good. the reverend geutieman then asserted that we, and all Christians im com- mun, are indebted to Germany for the best elucida- Mons of our scriptural lore; that the best Hevrew and Latin translations of | evangeucal ar- chives we possess we owe to Teutonic scholars; that the sunny ‘Vaterland’ 1s the | well spring of our learaing; ior from it come our projoundest thinkers, our greatest essay- ists, Our Most erudite men. Yet with all tne erudition that men use in the cause of religion, despite ail their teachings, the worlu at large 1s geting to be scept- cal. When we say, ‘od 13 the universe,” we are Hable soon to say, “Lhe universe is'God.”” Oxford gave birth tu ritualism, and thas ecclesiastical city has much to answer lor, there being many wno are caught within the silken meshes ot THE NET OF ROMANISM and drawn into the vortex of Papacy. Pantheism is also gaining sway. We sneer at the hus‘orical description of the fall of man as an Ortental table, and the sin in coynection with it we consider a mere Jaur pas, while such an idea as atonement beimg hecessary never enters our heads. OF course, it is hard ior a man to blame himself; the conscious, ness of haviug done a Wrong to God or man stings a person, and he ts rejuctant to acknowledge 1t even. to himself; pesides, the commission of sin points forward to its punishment, and that makes us Suil more loth to admit our transgressions— knowing that “the wages of sin is death,” we naturaily shrink from. CONFESSING OUR ERRORS. We have far outrun the mere instiuct which in- duces us to deny our sins, and we try to convince ourseives, in.our atheism, that our sin is right. We plunge our rebellious hand into tie very bosom of God and seek to pluck from Him the secret He will never reveal—the periect knowlege of good and evil. Jn conclusion, the erudite preacher proceeded to show that the fact of our deaying our sins must be very offensive to our great Creator; thal we should never forget we are dealing with a bemg wno de- tests anything Jalse, and that the burden of His just indignation will surely — fali upon us, and that indignation will burst forth in a& torrent to which the erup- tion of Vesuvius will be but as a dream, te Simoon of the desert but a pas eK. Tt will come in its violence, its tury an lightnings and lava, and sweep away from earth ail those Who havo wittingly erre. We torget che late of Sodom and Gomorrall, looking upon it as a worn-out taie, yet history proves that those clites were destroyed—that tuey were annihilated in con- | sequence of the sins of the innabitants of vrem— ana, as we read, we should think “if these things be done In a green tree what will be done in one Wat is dry’ We are much vetter in- structed in theological matters than our ancestors were, and, therefore, we are much more worthy of puntsiment if we deviate irom the right path. It human nature 1s not impotent to re- generate itself it must awake from its lethargy and make rapid strides in @ different direction to that which it bas iately been taking or else utter bar- barism, the fearfui state of BLIND IDOLATRY, will supervene. Our only hope is that, finding our- selves cirifting toward that dreadfully destructive lee-shore on hearing which we loose all faitn ana “curse God and die,” we turn to prayer, and, piac- ing tinplicit faith m the great originator of our being, endeavor to #0 Walk through the patos of life ay to merit an inheritance in the Kingdom of heaven, THIRTICTH STREET METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Solicitude for the Salvation of Souls=Sermon by Rev. H. H. Birkins. The beauttiul weather was as influential as the successful revival which 1s now progressing at the ‘Thurtieth street Methotist Episcopal church in causing @ very large attendance upon the services in that church yesterday morning. fhe pastor, the Rey. H. H. Birkins, occupied the pulpit ana preached, basing his remarks upon te text, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel ig that they might be saved.’’—Romans, x., 1. He said :—The great controlling purpose of Paul’s life as an evangelist was to awaken, Instruct and save the impenitent. How clearly and constantly was he actuated by this ennobling motive! With him this was no tame, spirttiess aim, but a vigorous, ever-living purpose, giving tone to his characier and complexion to his life, Amid the fluctuations of popular favor, the frequent vactilation of friends and the flercer assaults of foes, he stood like a surt- beaten rock, ever saying, “None of these things move me.” He retained the grand inspiration of his purpose un il the gory tide of martyrdom rolled its DilioWs against him, and then, released from earth, his spirit passed triumphanuy home to God, ‘The topic suggesied by the text, Waich oreathes forth the Mmlant love, tenderness and anxiety of ‘aul, 1s e SOLICITUDE FOR THE SALVATION OF SOULS, and ia thts connection we first remark that trae soliciiude for souls 18 the materia product of Christianity. Paul furnishes a striking exaiple of this truth, At one period he 1s geen as a bold bias- phemer, at the nead of a band of pores itent Moon MMe eXicrminauion of the foyowers of Jesus, SENTIMBNT OF SOLICITUDE, When invested with the spirit of Corist man 18 bound to the vast of souls by the link of love, but devel 0p8 realth deep BI , Dut veloped to its most effective forms DY. the same power. Religion not for salvauon, but Keeps it flaming tn the soul. Napoleon recognized the self-} wer of region when he said, “The Pelion of itera sub- sists by 118 own force.’ His et with all pire, its grandeur, had inherent tendencies to decay, and, despite his vast and Vaillant armies, it tottered and fell; but Christ’s kingdom exists b; its inherent force, Let this wonderful, sel{-expand- ing power of piety be infused into the soul, and it will naturally aevelop all noble and needful sentt- ments, Let those who know they lacg these sentl- ments come to the cross and catch the spirit of Christ; then they will have religion enough to feel for others and be saved themselves, Solteitude for the salvation of othera has different degrees of intensity, Allare not equally or similarly affected by the same truths, While the sympathies and teel- ings of one mind are instantly and powerfully ex- cited by some beautiful scene in nature, some grand work of art, or some giorious truth, the emotions of another may remain dormant. Solicitude for souls is intensiflea by a clear perception ot the peril to which the impenitent are exposed, and also b, force of personal attachment, Therefore thts lecl- ing will avail only in this life. It bas its limit asto ume. It is an impulse whose tide of sympatny wells up for the living, but never rolls upon the paliid ranks of the dead, 1t cannot exist beyond the present, inasmuch ag it would vartially or entirely destroy the joys of heaven, ‘These in- tense anxieties and eéarnest efforts are mani. festly inconsistent with. the being and biesseaness of = the. = soml ns the. Ss Je ture, Christ represents the rich man in Haves Manifesting intense desire for the sajvation of hs brethren; but, alas ! his wishes were of no avall. Th concluding Mr. Birkins enjoined his hearers to cherish deep concern for the tuture wellare of all souls. He also urged the tmpenitent to yield to the solicitations of Joving Christians, and, aS an argu- Ment to move such people, be acdded;—There will be.no Calvary, crownert with the cross and sprinkled Wit attoning blood, in eternity, PA 1§ ROWAN CATHOLIC wRee (HARLEM), Sermon by the Rev. Father McGuire on the Sins of Celumay and Detraction--Denounc- ing the Press aud Earper’s “Nast,” the Caricaturiat. At St. Paal’s Roman Catnolic church, 117th street, near Fourth avenue, yesterday, high mass was cele- brated by the Rev. Father O'Keefe, the curate. At the conclusion of the first gospel the Rev. Father McGuire, the pastor, ascended the altar and preached an eloquent and sowlstirring sermon. He took his text from the first verses of the eleventit chapter of St. Luke, in which our Saviour teaches Hits disciples to pray, casts out a dumb devil, confutes the Pharisees and pronounces woes agalust them for their hypocrisy, The reverend gentleman began by saying the Gospel which he had just read was unusually full of Christian teach. ing. There was no circumlocution abouf it, but its application was direct and full of meaning for all. The great principle: of Chrisuanity are taught by it. We profess to believe in God, and we assure ourselves that for Him we would lay down our lives; and yet we are as bad as the Pharisees, because we do not follow Him and do as we should. What is slander and detracion? It is to speak and publish our fellow man’s faults for the purpose of injuring him, It is taking away his character, without which he cannot live—derogating his character or injuring him in any way. ‘there 1s another sin even worse, and that is calumny. Detraction may ve true, but yet not tne less greater the sin. You calumniate owners when you say of them what 1s not true. We know that those who detract Cannot eater into the king- dom oi heaved. You will ask, then, may we not say Whatis true? You may not if what you say be tor the purpose of injuring your neighbor’s charac- ter, and if you do it you commit mortal sin, And if itbe not true you commit calumny. You should love your neighbor as yourself, the Scriptures tell us, and yet you would not wisn your neighvors to speak of you as you do ofthem. You therefore give tue lte to God, for it is committing asin against truth and justice, ve- cause every man has aright wo his property. If you deprive him of that you sin agaist justice. There 18 No man who does hot regard his character 28 his most valuable possession. injuring a man iu this Way is not only simning agaist cbarlty, but Justice, ‘This is so common that Jt 13 haraiy no- tuced, Itis ike an object in the Central Park—in- teresting to strangers, but to us who sce it frequently 16 has no attraction, People glory 12 this sm, and use iw with the same satisiacton that the fudian does the scalping kniie and tomahawk in taking the life of his enemy. The reverend Father then drew ajaugh- able picture of three or four old or young ladies on a@ visit to BOMe acquaintance, and humorously de- scribed the vackbiuug that tuen 18 carried on about some wifortunate person, of their Own sex gene- rally, Who has been guilty of some irregularities. ‘There 18 no trial more painful to confessors than to be continually calied upon for absolution by persons guiity of those two mortal sins. Cou- unuing, he said:—But you may say you have veen in the company of persons who mduiged in conversation in which those sias were committed, and that you cyuld not help taking partin them. ‘That is no excuse. In such cases, If you know anytitng good of the person or persons ‘Who are being detracied you should at once speak it; butaf you do not know anything good of him or them you should hold your tongue, and by a severe countenance show those present that you do nob encourage aspersions oa others’ ‘characters. And mn alluding to this sin, to which so many of you, my friends, are addicted, without deeming it ot the least consequence to your own future weliare, am I to pass over the detractions and calummies that are indulged in from day to day by the public press of this city? Shall J say nothing of the catumnies that are heaped upon the Cathoilc community ot this city, especially by the most corrupt anu the most debased press tn vie world?’ And yet it boasts of being the eaucator ot the public mind. There is one periodical pur- licuiaily, Walch, because of its catumnies on the Catnolies ol tis country, and the Irish people espe- cially, deserves public condemnauon. In its bumbers are to be seen from time to time beastly caricatures and reading matter which no one possessing & correct sense of intelligence or refinement wouid allow to come under the eyes ot bis iamuy. The author of those caricatures is & fellow kpowa by the name of “Nast,” a caricature himself upon humanity, worse, even, than any of Which he nas been tie author. Anotu plemented to his name wouid make ‘ and, indeed, that would be the title he should have adopted, instead of the one ho has, for it would be ihe most appropriate. In this strain Father Me- Guire continued for some time to denounce the edu- cation which the kind of literature now in cireula- uon in thls country was catculated to give to the rising generation. Father McGuire, In conclusion, begged his con- gregation to be charitable toward each otner, anid to avoid In the future, above all, the sins of cavumny and detraction. These two sins had become so com- mon that he had come upon the altar with the ih tention of treating the subject as thoroughly as ne Kaew how, for the purpose of warning them against them in tuture, but he had already detained them too jong, ana he would postpone what he had fur- ther to say until another day. SWEDENBORGIAN CHURCH. Lecture by Rev. Chauncey Giles—Genesis, Geneology and Man, Rey. Chauncey Giles last evening delivered the seventh of a series of lectures on the above subject at the Swedenborgian church, in East Thirty-flith street, taking for his text the words:—“And God said, ‘Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life,’ &c. The pastor stated that many of the difficulues which men have tu understanding the divine works grow out of tie imperfection of language. That which takes place simultaneously 1s described as though it was suc- cessive, One day God made light, another land, another trees, and another fishes and birds, and so on. So far as we know anything of THE DIVINE METHOD OF CREATING, the first step is @ rude outline of the thing or ant- mal to be formed on its lowest plane, then the un- folding.of new forms. Each step is carried along iu harmony with ali the others, but still is kept distinct, and grows more distinct the further we gO, and, completed, the work embraces every step from the first to the last. There must be dry land before plants, and plauts before animals, and both before man, Geology shows that the creation of plants ana antmals was nearly simultaneous. The four great classes of the animal kindom are formed much earlier than the order of the second would seem to show, but stul the general law 1s adhered to—tie imperfect comes first, The animal and vegetable Kingdoms both commenced in low and Tudimental forms, and gradually rose from the lower to the higher, until they BOTH CULMINATED IN MAN. The lecturer glanced at ine creation as exhibited by geology, and said:—“supposing the account in Genesis 10 be an account of the creation, it plainly appears that there 18 no narrative of the wiole lue oF anything. ‘There is no account, for instance, of the creation of water or air or earth, Jt says, ‘Let t be, let the dry land appear.’ The earth must jhave been created many ages before it appeared, Bo it ia With everytbing: Mig existence tm some Karma THE ANIMAL KINGDOM REPRESENTS THR and the various individuals in it the affections: are diminutive forms of the will, Man now to act consciously trom love to the Lord Ay i neighbor; and the creation of the flith aay sents the actual bringing into life and conscious reality of this degree of life, * * * ‘The material {is forme and quatitics are gathered togethet fo a ts forms and ql are gathel and lie in distinct and clear,outline, be MAN Therefore he has all vhat there 1s in the material universe, and, above that, a firmament—a liv spiritual soul, whose analogies exist in all his 101 jorms and degrees; and, therefore, the outward worid is the exponent of nis Spiritual life, and NATURE 13 THE ALPHABET of all intellectual and spiritual truth, The lecturer declared that FISHES REPRESENT LIVING SCIENTIFICS that relate co the affections or will, and wherever mentioned in the Bible they have this significance, if fishes represent these living scteutifics they also Tepresent those who teach them, aud it was for this reason thatthe Lord chose fishermen for apostles. ‘rhe rational faculty of tne mind that rises aloft and looks down upon the facts that he beneath 16 passes Wilh swiit Wings from one to another and rejoices in the beauty ana harmony it discerns. ‘This state 1s represented by the iow! that flies in THE OPEN FIRMAMENY OF HEAVEN, After eloquently portraying the pena | that exists in the creation the lecturer concluded In this wise:—‘*! hus itis thai God blesses aud multiplies everything that 1s in harmony with Him, It can- not be otherwise; for the course of man’s itfe In this state begins to Mow on iathe same direction with THE COURSE OF THE DIVINE LIFE, and man Js lifted up and borne onward like @ vessel in the Gulf Stream, ‘fnere 1s no contention, no struggie, but al Lue facutties swing in and play in their orbits ike plauets, This 1s strength, this 1s freedom, Us 13 the true pati to the lughest happi- ness. Everytting whtcn hus life trom tne Lord trac tiles and multiplies digel{mnumeradly, not, tadeed, so long a3 mar lives in the boy, but to an amazing Gegree in anobuer Hie. While imprisoned in the aterial body our greatest surengih 1s only the Gon us of the germ in the seed to come iorth, Gar na Silurpest Vision is only THE ND PEELING AFTER TRUTH, and our highe: happiness only the dull and tmper- ject sensation of the creepmg tings, compared with wat ail these capabiliues will be waea we come 1n.0 the Spirivual World, if the great work of creation is begun here, Let this life, then, be the eveuing when all te creative days will be beguo, and then the morniug will be the never-ending de- velopment in everuily, ‘ BROOKLYN CHURCHES, Mr. Beecher on Prayer—Lts Effect on Those Who Pray For. Mr. Beecher selected his text yesterday morning from I, Timothy tl, 1, 2—I exhort, therefore, that first of ali supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and for all that are im authority, that we may lead quiet and peacable life in all godliness and honesty.” You will see the compass of the Apostie’s thought and prayer in his multiplication of terms— @ compass which indicates on lis part a desire that every form of prayer may be uttered by Uhristians for all mon, Paul prayed for men and their oficers, ‘This 1s called intercessory prayer. Christ and the disciples invariably prayed for others rather nap for themselves. Paul’s lite seemed one great breath of suppiication for all with whom he had iubored, We are apt to leave out of our thought in prayer the personality of God. If men came to us always asking for something to eat or to wear We would soon look upon them as beggars; but as they asked for higher things we snouid begin to feel feilowslip with them; and this 1s the same way with God. Do you not suppose that divine sympathy 1s in proportion vo the héight of the plane on which the suppliant stands? Intercessory prayer isthe prayer of generosity—ot unselfishness—and ‘we are nearer God when we pray for others. The habit of praying for others keeps our minds higher than when we are continually praying for ourselves, ‘Tne things that are true in our low moral apprecta- tions are more trae in @ Nigher sphere. ‘There ts much of the jorest and wilderness nature left in society, and the law of strife and cunuing—the wil- derness law—is SU the law of men, Men are mere animated facts to us, and yet every soul has a great drama playing within 1. We don’t see the manhood in masses Of nen. t's bad for people to call theme selves Christians when they only see the physical exierlor, the beings by whom they are surrounded. Praying for them brings thelr spiritual needs and possessions to our sight It is dangerous éo lyok upon the weak side of men, 1s is dangerous for us to see how black and shallow humanity 18, unless we see 10 as the physician does. We need to have sympathy for the vulgarity of mankind, and this sympathy may only be ob» tained by prayer. We look upon men who make us satisfied with ourselves as good fellows; but those men Who take away from our comfort a ease we note with condemnation, Js it not beiter we should measure our opponents a3 God measures: them? As there are none good without faults, 80 there are none that are bad without excellences We see the mistakes and corruptions of men, as it there were any wio had not sinned, Itis possivle for us to Look upon an outcast with @ horror which God will say is a higher misdemeanor than the bad- ness we despise, It may not be safe for our house- holds to be thrown wide open to humanity; but there is no man Who cannot take up his lellow man in prayer to God. It is a beautiful thing to clothe the body, but it 1s much more beautiful to clotne the spirit in prayer. We live very much in life as men do 1 prisons—with stone walls between manu and man, The inward strugules they have we never think of, The havit of praying for oteera tends to Lnerease our patuence toward them. Ju the court room of our own secret souls we condemn men unheard. If there be any pleading, our vanity, pride or terest picad against them. If you be and Those Who are Prayed Christian men you willsee that ths inside jaag- ment 1s regulated by the most scrupulous laws of charity aud justice; and We can do tins In no better way than by traying for those whom we would question. We pray uaturaly tor our children first. ow much moré beauttlul are our children to u we are accustomed day by day to yerto God! Ivis@ very noble tuning to ask God to cohvert them; but, alter all, it is bringing prayer down to @ narrow hmit if we only pray for that. We ougat not to pray for our Inlends in a general way atone. Weshouid pray for them specially. Wedo not really know our associates, No mad ts Known until you can see not only what he 1g, but can propuesy as to What he will be. Them yon are wbic to think Of others somewhat as they tink of themselves in their Dest Moments. In pro- orlion as We are prospered do We need to rememe Ser the pit from wien we have cone. The worst thing in life is to be consciously Independent of your fellow men. God forgives tnuse who are 10 revolt, and so we are spectally commanded to pray for our enemies. We are told to iove them, We must feet toward them just as spring days feel toward frozen ground. Out of your warm life bregthe that which you think they are deficient in It very hard for & man to curse loug into the heart of a ovlessing. The Cnristiamty we find harder to practice tan all the mystery of the creeds is to pray for them that despitetully use us We are aise to pray for those that are in representative positions, 1am airaid that la our land democracy Nas rua 1ooss to sucn an eXtent that veneration 1s almost tos We inveigh against political and blue representauives, but we uon’t pray for them, and i believe i we prayed more we would find less tocondemn, We have had most lamentable in- stances Of the fall of magistrates, and one of the greatest causes, it seems to me, 1s that we don’t take them in Christian prayer straight to the Throne Grace. When the Metnodist prays he prays for all vod Methodists, and so With other denominations. Now, We ought nov to forget that Goa has otaer sheep than those in our flock. 1 was taught vw belhleve Roman Catholics as almost the scales of the great dragon; batt find m them qualities as good and sincere as any of my own denominations, Caristian Churches will never come together in the spirit of maitference or of Church creeds; but if they over do unite a3 one great Church tt will be because incn have iearned that God looks the same on ail, and Wat because He sinties on one belief 16 does ot follow that He irowus down every other. (WORSHIP AT THE ACADEMY. Addresses of General 0. O. Howard and Rey. A. M. Gallater. i Religious services were resumed last evening at the Academy of Music, Rev. lienry Powers, late pastor of the Elm place Congregational church, presiding. ‘The building was densely crowded— packed, indeed, is the word to ve used only. When Rev. Mr. Powers preached at the Polytechmc ‘Institute on Sunday evening, a Week ago, the chapel which was occu. pled on that occasion Was only comfortaply fillea, so that the fact 1s clearly Aemonsirated that 1 1s not for the purpose of bearing sermons that thou. sands of people Hock to tue Academy, but iu a very great measure to Witness the novelty of cuurch sere vice bemg tield In a grand playhouse, ‘The crowd last eveuing was so great that after the Stage and private boxes had deen filled to repletion, the orcueswa. in woich whe reporters were seated,