The New York Herald Newspaper, May 13, 1872, Page 4

& RELIGIOUS. Christianity Commended to the Congrega- tions of the City and Suburbs by the Clerzy of the Christian Churches. Beecher and Dr. Newman on Huxley, Darwin, Agassiz and Other Scientists. Religious Rites and Ceremonies Discussed by Dr. Wentworth. Dr. Chapin on the Ascension of Christ. ee The Happiness of Trae Religion, Enchanting Music at the Catholic Churches. The Power of the Priesthood to Forgive us, by Father Kearney. -————-e Morley Punshon at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Interesting Ceremonial at the Convent of the Good Shepherd. OHURCH OF THE DIVINE PATERNITY, Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Chapin—Christ’s Ascension=—Its Signification and In- Muence Upon the World—Is Heaven a Linited Place and Shali We Know One Another Hereafter? ‘The Rev, Dr. Chapin discoursed yesterday morn- ing with his wonted eloquence on the Feast of Ascension. « He said:—During the past week a por- tion of the Christian Church has celebrated the Feast of Ascension. Great is the significance of this eventin relation to the personal career of Jesus Himself. The reverend gentleman did not propose to reopen the question of the miracles. There are those who would preserve the historical Christ without the miracles, But if we have a historical Christ at all we must ac- cept the miracles. Apart from this line of discus- sion the ascension of Jesus has a special signification in relation to His personal history. The ascension is of peculiar importance, as completing the history of the resurrection. THE SPECTACLE OF HIS MORTAL DISSOLUTION vught to have excited doubts as to His ascension, But the event of the resurrection showed that death had no power over Him, It was neces- wary that Jesus should leave the world in @ manifest y- His ascension was the crowning even of His career. It has not only a historical completeness, but also a moral fitness. ‘fhe miracles of our Lord are wonders: they are vehicles of help and hi came to this world from the depthof inf and His closing act was in accordance tire carcer. A great deal UHRIST'S SEC His ascension peac ‘olseless. Are we not Justiiied im saying that His ond coming will be In like maw ¥ Thus He n does come and has » He comes tn the utterance of every He comes in the work- ings of hearts, If civilization has shown any advance it has been rooted in the teachings nd the Influence of ist. It has | becn said that the record of the Christian Church has been ¢ of intolerance, sulfe aud bloodshed, s,too true! But there isa distinction he folly of men and the substance of re- Christ tangat ft. Shall we condemn science because there have been bigoted men who professed it &h ndemn political move- jients because politiclans are sometimes acrimo- ious and unscrupulous? Whatever persecution | has been in the Christian Church is in direct con- tradiction to the spirit of Jesus. By our Saviour’s- ascension to heaven we have confirmation that CHUFSTIANITY DESCENDED FROM HEAVEN. Its peeuli ower consists in the fact that it comes from Man always heeds and will ~ ng superioy to his nature, Man f if there is not something All human history las a su- Even its conflicung elements ligion, as Divine control, But wo need a clear, to Sieer Us On the pathway upwards. needs the strength of a Divine aiu to lift him out of the conflict of passions, Mf Christ had re- mained in the grav! THE would have been a 8 There would have been a geographical Limit to Him; bat by His ascension He & es a spiritual and unlv Faviour. the thought of man ascends Wi He is there. He is al! around us. What objection we may have to the forms of miracles when we come to the kernelof the fact it unfolds the truth of abfgner sphere. We "t along without | jorms and pols, The niations of Curist Which gi ists have given us may be all false, and y van ‘behold them without being moved! The re nd gentleman continued :—Pro- testant, as Lam, even linage worship appeals to my imagination. 1 do not that THE REAL P A is potaplace. Thaye must be somewhere a place where spirits dwell; where the shacow of death never comes; where the wicked cease to trouble and the Weary are at rest, God 4s a spirit; but can we comprehend God withont attributing some form to Him, The one grand point settled is the fict of a spiritual region of a supreme reality. The moment we have-faithin Christ’s ascension we may feel that others whom we have known have also asgond Chyist went up in form, in bodily aspoct; #0 thosé Who depart from us go up In form, abide'in form, There is a spiritual body, Jf so the question arises, SO epg Te eee SHALL WE KNOW ONE ANOTHER MEREAFTER? Yam sure we shall know each other, aa we can | know each other now. We are enclosed in practical materialism. Man needs nothing 60 much asthe faith that tis world is not all. @ need the habit of looking up, but we must find our viston “are. ble here. Our {deal is sbove—our work below. Faith in the ascension of Jesus asserts a twofold tendency: it lifts us up while it leads us on. BI, STEPHEN'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURG Sermon by the Rev. Dr. McGlynn—The Paraciete—Charity—The Music at the Mans. TR a The midsummer heat of yesterday did 1 hot deter peop!s from crowding this church at the high mass in the morning. It had, however, the effect of giving to the congregation a very sammer- like appearance, for summer styles of clothing caught the eye everywhere, the result being a very pleasant variety of all sorts of light and fanciful contrasts, Seldom has thore been finer music at a high mass than was heard here yesterday. The service opened with a “Kyrie,” by Nini, the “Christie Kleison"' being rendered by the soprano and tenor. ‘The “Gloria” was also by Nini, and was well begun hy all tho voices, The “Gratias Agimus” was a con- tralto solo, rendered by Mme, Bowler very sweetly | and with great effect. In the quartet “Qui tollls’ the voives were fully sympathetic and not a grace- | less note oecurred. Signor Coletti sang the bass | solo “Quontam’ with great power and artistic force, bis magnificent voice, at times, giving, an Almost dramatic character to his rendering of the | passage. The “Credo' was that recently composed Ly Mr. Danforth, the organist of the church, It Opens in six-elght movement, solid and firm, and | viides easily along in the eociésiastical style to the jentam non factum,” which is @ beautiful tenor | solo, claborate in design, and to which amy ‘was done yosterday by Mr, Bernhardt, Incarnatus” is a chorus with two gid tevuor—and these Miss Binma Housen si nod urity of tone, This ,)? contraito solo, with telling. Sign Ce iso sung the “it in rkable effect, ‘et Unam je, than in his Th wry piece and tl i Arruced bY Mr, Dauforth, not | | help in time of need, | the blood-w: | orate | I would rather adhere to the simple faith ofa trusting NEW YOKK HERALD, MONDAY, MAY 13, 1872—THIPLE SHEET. to whom-ts ane no smatt praise for the rich musical treat gtven yesterday, The high mass was sung by tho Rev. Father Lynch, and after the rst Gospel the Rev, Dr, Mc- Glynn ‘preached from the Gospel of the day. Havin, remarked that the Gospel was peculiarly appropri- ate yesterday, he proceeded to explain the mean- ing of the Lord’s promise of sending the Paraclete, what the Paraclete was and the purposes for which the Holy Spirit was sent, ‘The Paraclete was the spirit of truth which Christ promised should be from the Father, and this was given as a comiort to our , fallen natures, in need of sustenance, The preacher then went on to speak of the love we should bear to God under this #pirit of enlightenment, and pointed to the extraordinary work of the Almighty hrenriciing the poor, Who Were uneducated, with races and purity of soul of the most-exalted kind. je then introduced somo remarks about that | charity without which all eise is unavailing, and ‘on this «point gave an exhortation to love one’s neighbor for the love ef God, The sermon was both eloquent and profound, full f iptural truths and theological doctrine, put ve the audience in simple but most expressive language. The deseription of tire Saviour’s love in sending the Paraclete, which was te come from the Father himself, contained 4 passages sublime in the exalted thoughts with which they abounded. Throughout the whole discourse were scattered strikiug thoughts that appealed constantly for the sympathy of the audionce, and sought for a recog- nition of the doctrines inculcated, Asis usual wi this preacher, he clesed his discourse by inviting his congregation to adopt the truths set before thom as their own, and to act accordingly. i the first grand concert of the New York Choral Society was given at this church in ald ofthe New York Foundling Asylum, Archbishop McCloskey and a number of priests were present, ST, PAUL'S METHODIST EPISCOPAL OHUROH. The Promises of God and Their Fulfll- ment—Sermon by Dr, Eddy, of Wash- ington, In St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal church, Twenty- second street and Fourth avenue, the services were conducted yesterday and the sermon preached by Dr. Eddy, pastor of the Metropolitan church, Wash- ington, D. 0. Dr, Eddy ts one of the most distin- guished scholars and brilliant preachers in the “Methodist Church, and the mere announcement of his name was suMcient to fill St, Paul's with a large and fashtonable congregation. He took for his text tho fourth verse of the first chapter of the second epistie of St. Poter—“‘Whereby are given to us exoceding great and precious promises,” He said:—The promises of God andthe hopes held out to us in them aro tho divine assurances of mercies and blessings. he event: They bring pardon to the guilty, help to the helpless, compassion to the sorrowing and comfort to the needy. They are limited by no time and curtailed by no citoum- stances. The conditions have only to be observed and the reward issure, He that pleads a divine power, however, must be certain that he is the per- son and his the condition indicated in the promise, or the Word will be of none effect. Tho guilty cannot claim the promise held out tothe penitent; the har- i dened man cannot put himself in the place of the contrite one. Butlet the conditions be observed, and the fulfilment is certain. If it can be shown that any one of God’s promises ever fatled in aecomplish- ment, we are willing to admit that the record in which they are given is uninspired. We must con- sent wholly and without reservation to repose our trust in God, and rely upon His promises to obtain the exceeding great and precious things they pro- mise, They hold out tous two things—first, to escape the corruptions of the world; and, secondly, to ob- tain the reward of our constanoy. Sin is the dark incubus that broods like a spectre over the other- wise fair and beautifal world. It is it that fills our jatis, peoples our lunatic asylums, desolates 60 many homes and opens so many graves. If we would escape from its slavery and get free from its pollution we have to look to Jesus through the eye of faith to obtain assistance. The conquest with the dread enemy is no easyone. He who would conquer must fight, and, laying hold of falth, claim 8 representation in the glorious franchise of saintship, If we would escape from bondage to the great haven of rest we must lean upon Jesus as a broken reed; our eter- nal reliance must be upon His all-conquering power. So the exceeding great and precious promise, that we will be made partakers of His divine nature, ‘This is the reward of our constancy and our struggles to be one with the Father—Godlike in heart and Godlike in life, Godlike in will and God- like in action. To reach this divine nature we must trample under foot the corruptions of the world, proclaim eternal war with sin, turn our faces | towards purity and our backs towards impurity, and the future is certain, ‘The promises are so lofty and noble fn the divine heights to which they point, so touching in their | teuderness and so rich in their reward, that they commend themselves allke to the grandest faculties and the simplest fntellect. Royal in their lineage, they are royal in their rewards. By the exercise of the regal power of will they are attainable. We are not of those who look upon the exercise of will as an absurdity. That to pray for its suppression is hot wrong no one will deny. A nature without will 1s the baldest mockery. To be great we must be decided, assert the principles of our manhood and boldly decide to not abate one tota of our Heaven-sent principles. The union of the human with the Divine nature does not de- stroy the power of will, Wo retain our faculties and our powers only that they are purified and strengthened by the power of the Divine nature. ‘The sun shines upon the earth, but it does not cease to be the earth thereby—it is only the more so from the fertilizing rays; upon the ocean, and it is only the more the ocean from the countless beauties that sparkle on its surface. So we in our union with the Saviour do not cease to be men, but, on the contrary, put on the perfection of manhood, There is a world of meaning in this thougit of the infinite, | In our childhood we can remember the thoughts | that used to gather around our opening years, our mind travelled over creation and its Wonders, till the question occurs, when we a we have traced them to their source, Where did God begin? Have Fi ever stood at the foot of a high mountain and looked up, with its darkening siucdows around you, or gone to the brink of the d upon the vast expanse of waters ‘© yon, without straining your eyes youcould distinguish the other side and see the clond-capped spires of the Old World, your nind filled with vague longings after something in- Yangtote that you caunot define ? In the stillnoss of a stariess nlgnt yoy wait and watch, until 5@ euance | a star peeps out of the darknes§ like a beacon ora | headlight, and you breathe a sigh of relief that you are relieved from the dread immensity of the still- ness and the darkness, What are all these but longings after the intinit for the soul must have | an Indinite ocean in which to swim or {t would not have rest. There are many things in the plan of creation and redempfion we cannot understand, Nature is full of mysteries. You may question this and dispute that, but how can we Who do not un- derstand creation presume to measure the Cre- ator? Between the Old and the hag! World, | the mother country and the laughter, ther’ Btretches a tiny piece of cable. You look | at it, but you canndét understand its nea or explain its Peneeoney. It telis you noth ng of the secrets of the mighty deep, the strange monsters that inhabit if and the countless treas- | ures it engulphs; nothing of the buried steamer | with which tradition peoples it; it utters no word; | the stories of its yomances god its povett are un- written books. But there Is 4 Xana reality about it all the time; for when it touches the othe¥ side then it speaks, and President communicates 4 | Monarch and Monarch fe resident, Premier to Secretary and Secretary to Premier. So is it with mauy tilings in the realms of providence and grace, In the chain of promise that stretches from earth to heaven the puzzles that oogupy the brains of ghoolmen may not be explaitied, but we speak on | cath in heaven, and we want no SSAC cop ‘. | more, apparels i | The still, stiall voice of mercy speaks in aii these promises of God. He stands behind them’ gud | guarantees thelr certainty. This ls an age of forde, | and we want to have more faith. There is @ cease- jess conflict of contending powers waging, and in itis the war of science against orthodoxy, or the | upheaving of an fade si a which destroys or | desolates our Pacific coast with its resisticss power, | But the work of God is a noiseless one. We can | hear the groan of the earthquake, but we cannot discern auy sound from the sunbeam; and so | thought is silent, but it controls force agi is con- frunuaily conquering it. To the sinner and the saint the promises are alike pens To the one they | hold out the promise of forgiveness; to the other Trusting In Christ we are in Him—as safe here on carth as if we had en- the golden gates and taken our places with ashed throng before the great white throne. Mr. Eddy, in conclusion, said :—Oh, may our Chureh never cast off her allegiance to and faith in these promises, As decade after decade and quad- rennial after quadrennial passes by whatever other changes it may witness, may it never lose the simple faith of its carly days in the God who has sustained it, I walked through Greenwood ge ee and as I looked at the evergreens and emblems on the graves, pees heavenwards, I thought of the saying of | Nmerson, in one of his latest books, “that eternity isbuta sentiment.” Oh, Emerson! man of profound cultu and rare culture, poet, philosopher and | come forth from your academic shades and | look out unte the fulfiment of the glorious promises , held forth to the believer! Great man though you be, nd God answers ip sa. child than to ail the researches of your ploeap ny. ‘There is an immortality, and when the end of lie is reached and we come to the bank of the great river, and, looking beyond, we shall see cherubim Ohrist in God, Thank God for the good old doctrine of tamertality. ST, PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL, The Birthright of the Churcch—The Power to Forgive Sins—Sermon by Father Kearney. The high maas atthe Cathedral yesterday was celebrated with the usual pomp and gorgeousness. ‘The altar was tastefully decorated, and a hundred glittering Ughts shone brightly from either side of the altar. Mr. Gustavus Schmita, the organist of the Cathedral, had the musical part of the service carefully arranged and artistically rendered. There were about thirty-five or forty acolytes on the altar during the service, and a part of them held lighted wax tapers during a part of the ceremony. Father McNamee acted as celebrant, and Father Kearney preached the sermon, the evident end of which seemed tobe to prove the power of tho priesthood to forgive or retain sins, even as that power had been bequeathed tothe apostles by Christ himself. Before reading the Gospel Father Kearney stated that next Saturday would be the feast of the Vigil of Pentecost and also a fast day of obligation. “On next Sunday—the Feast of Pente- cost—the last mass at the Cathedral will be a Pon- tiflcal high mass. Father Burke will deliver a lec- ture at the Academy on Thursday next, by special request, and those who intend to attend should get tickets before the night of the lecture.’” After tue list of orders for the coming week the Gospel was read, which was taken from St. Mark, sixteenth chapter, beginning with the fourteenth vorse and ending with the chapter. As be- fore stated, the alm of the sermon seemed to be to prove the power of the priest in forgiving sins, fnasmuch as he the successor of the apostles, gist the sermon will be The ol fea id in the following:—The earthly work of our ond being done, He departed to open for us the gates of heaven. At leaving the apostles He uttered acommandment—that 1s, He ordained the priest- hood, when He said, ‘Go forth and preach the Word to all the world.’ done His part He deputed the chosen Tweive to continue the same, and a6 they were not destined to live forever in the flesh their successoré Were commanded at the same time todo the same. God has said that i Shureh would last until the end of time—that Is, ‘he Ohurch bullt upon Simon Peter—and He also meant that that Church should remain unaltered even unto the end of time, and ag a consequence of this the power of the apostles @f His Church must remain fhviotably the same as they were when He founded the Church, or if not the Church would be altered, and consequently not the Church He founded, Ifthe Church of God was to remain un- altered forever her ministers must also remain wn- ger and it aye the wer that be 6 ne he to tis Pad nF power oF ie giving sins was only to extend to the apostles, with them the Church he founded would cease to exist. But this power was not only given to the apostles, but to their successors, and in this way the Church of Christ has been and will be perpetuated until the end of timo. Peter, the rock on which our Catholic Church is founded, was the most favored of all the apostles during the first year he was withour Lord, He called him “Peter,” which means @ rock. The oc- casion when He gave Simon this name was when He asked him who he thought He was, and Simon answered, “The Son of the living God.” When Simon said this Christ answered and said, “Simon, thou. art Peter, and on this rock I wit! build m: Church.” It was Peter, James and John who wit | and the doomed sailor of the subterranean caverns | and seraphim, with he our elder brother in the Wuidst, Wo BLAU Dads OVER. and be for ever bid with nessed the transfguration on the mount. It was Peter, James and John who went with Christ when He went to resurrect the daughter of the ale Priest, and it was Peter who reop ures to fll the vacancy made by the fall of Judas. We notige that in the Scriptures Peter 1s always mentioned first, he being, as I satd before, the most favored of the Twelve, and the rock on which rested the immovable Church of Christ. Now, how are we to know which Church is Ohrist’s Church, in these days when no one man’s brain can contain the names of the various sects? We shall always know it by these signs: “It is one, it is 3 tolic,” Mt is one inasmuch as all the fold believe in one faith, and that faith has a visible head on earth, the successor of St. Peter. It is holy, it being an emanation from God himself, It is apostolic because its priests have received their power from Christ, OHURCH OF THE MESSIAH. Glances at Jesus’ Lifo and Mission—Mis- takes by Looking at Only One of His Qualities—This World Part of the Next— Sermon by Rev. G. W. Briggs, of Cam- bridge. There was, a8 usual, a large congregation at the Church of the Messiah, corner of Park avenue and Thirty-fourth street. Rev. G. W. Briggs, D. D., of Cambridge, occupied the pulpit. His text was chosen from John—“There was a mgsriage in Cana, and the mother of Jesus was there, and both Jesus was called and his disciples to the marriage.” I think, he began, that we seldom grasp tho true meaning of this incident in the history ofJesus. Contrast it with the scene alm immediately preceding it; see how beautt- ful itis! Observe its place in the record of His life; consider what a revelation it Is, both of His Gospel and His heart! He had gone to the wilderness for solitude in which to meditate. He seemed like ANOTHER JOHN THB BAPTIST. But the loneliness of the wilderness gives place to jubilee. It is a marriage festival, On the third there was a marriage. Three days was Jesus in the desert; on the third He was at the nuptials. He is no longer austere; His brow ts no longer wrinkled with suffering. All the sweetness of His nature gushes forth, He is the loving man, the one we can take to our hearts and keep there, What did Jesus do when He came down from temptation? His first action is the key, He mixed in revelry; temptation was an incident of His ministry. He does not by set designs strive to accomplish this or that; no one was more spon- taneous than He, He did what the occasion, what the hour, demanded. After eed Stef on this part of his subject the speaker proceeded to state that religion has suffered greatly sufered, but suifered most of all from the MISCONCEPTION OF ITS DISCIPLES. Let them not quarrel with those of another belief; Christlanity 13 not to be proved by the sword, Let them show the omnipotence of God, the symmetry and grace of His religion. Men looked upon Christ's solitude and became ascetic: They forgot His attendance at the marriage fei is participation in its Joy, Listen to the WORDS FROM THE PULPIT, This world is a prison, a place of probation, We hear that Jesus sudfered; the love of some men has been concentrated upon that giauty. ‘th brow wrinkled with thought apd pain, His body avrithin: in agony. Tho speaker sald ho believed that Chris! felt ad Untense, as thrilling, pleasures as His suffer- ings. He hy, said that he wished that some- thing infght be Substituted for the cross, the emblem of pain and Ea he bp ee should symbolize the joy of Christianity. & fatier wit | give good gifts to his children, how much more will your Father which isin heaven give to those that ask! This earthis nota curse. God made it and called it good. In Him we live and move and have qu veing. Every hour His hand is renewing life. curse [4 j#! Learn to look at it with Jesus, seek- ing ESS U PERS Sy Cecpastonty GOD AND GOOD TN EVERYTHIN How beautiful to view the world as led by Jesus What fascination in everything! This contempla- tion may bring devotional sentiments, but devo- tional sentiments are vain when viewed with one good action. Jesus tells us how surpassingly lovely one good action 18; how much of Heaven tere is in it. le sees in it allthe beauty and majesty of an angel. How the words, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it 1s Tn heaven," annihilate the space between heaven and earth. Jesus did not come to prepare usfor heaven, He came to sage pea ON Ragin, , The sdoctrine of Jesus {3 one. The passages of ripture phat, see) vadict th recedin, ra are Gaslly Rgeht stat the to Opes ntiments the beauties of the earth; to a ke the humbiest ‘orld & room in the duty grand; to make the w Father's mansion, What harmonies are there bo- tween the exposition of Jesus and science as it gradually expands! The law of nature is always the same. The spiritual Jaw is always. the same, There are many mansions in the Father's house, but the same presence, the same benefl. cence, pervades them ail. When will the joy that reigned at the marriage feast reign on earth ? DOUBLE OEREMONY AT THE CONVENT OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD, At three o*clock yesterday afternoon the secluded chapel in the Coxvent of the Good Shepherd, at Yorkville, was the scéue ofa double ceremony—that ofthe reception of threé young ladies and the pro- fession of three more, the latter having passed the two years’ novitiate satisfactorily, and the former three Just entering upon the same term of proba- tion. The several altars were simply decorated with flowers culled from the garden of the convent, among which the pure and lowly “lily of the valley”’ shone with @ modest grace well becoming the occasion. Candelabra of chaste design supported the wax candles, whose soft light suffused a gen- tle radiance over the choir of white-robed religious as they slowly wended their way into the chapel. When all had taken their places, the postulants and | novices kneeling before the grating separating the altar from the cholr, the celebrant, Rey. Father Durthaler, gave to each a blessed candle, and all seating themsel he addressed them upon the two ceremonies about to be consummaed, con- trasting vividly the different states of life as repre- sented fn the world and the cloister—the one presenting honor, station and wealth; the other humility, seclusion and poverty; and the latter voiue oreferred by these youthiul candidates that holy, itis apos- | they might the more perfectly imitate Him who has said, “Learn of me, for I am meek and humble of heart." When the discourse was ended the ceremony of reception firat took plase. The postulants kneel- ing before the altar were interrogated as to théir demands, and responding that they desired the “holy habit of religion,” they were led from the chapel to lay aside the soft flowing lace and BRIDAL WREATHS, and exchange the habiliments of the world for the snowy abit of the cloister. Presently retu: they knelt again before the altar; the celebrant gaye 9 ont he white scapular, saying. ‘Receive he yoke of Jesus Christ ;’’ white veil to conceal her from the gaze of men; then the lvory chaplet of beads as a mark of their tender devotion to the virgin mother of Jesus Christ; and last, the white cloak to cover them as with a mantle of charity, when they returned to their places in the choir, The candidates for profession now advanced to the altar and asked be finally received as members of the community by the recital of the “vow that is perpetual.” Being thoroughly examined as to their determination to continue in this choice of life to the end of their days, they each declared it to be their intention to “remain in tho house of the Lord forever; and the Prioress havii led that they had passed the necessary probation, the celebrant bade them accomplish what they had begun, when each ina distinct volce pronounced her vows, and, having appended her signature thereto, knelt aside until the veils were blessed, the choir meantime itoring versiclee of SDDrODEISS saims. When the veils had been blessed the cele- rant gave to cach of THR CANDIDATES a silver heart, as an outward sign of her having given her heart entirely to God; and then giving to each the black veil, said, “Put this veil over your eyes, that you may no Hep eE, see a world you have renounced forever; the joress having placed a crown of white flowers on the head of each of the newly-professed sisters, the other nuns advanced, and, taking the black pall, held itin an unbroken rank over the prostrate forms of the three youthful “brides of Christ,’ while the organ pealed forth the requiem of the dead, and the religious in melt- ing strains intoned the “Miserer When this was finished the celebrant ung, ‘Rise, my sisters,” and the pal bali ith drawn they arose, and in knee! - fore the altar each arisen sister received across, the celebrant, saying, ‘‘Receivo this cross, and, in imi- tation of Jesus Ohrist, remain fastened to it until death. Go in peace! has accepted you.” Ris- ing, and returning to their places in the choir, “Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament” concluded the services, The friends of the religious retired to the parlors and were soon joined by the youn brides, whose joy was serene as the smiles o: heaven. The names of the weeny ladies who re- ceived the habit were Miss Busan Russell (inre- ligion Sister M. Marcella), Miss Minnie Flynn (in religion Sister M. Catherine, of Sienna), Mjss Ma: O'Keefe (in religion Sister M, Angelinc), Th auPend yr MA acne ni ws were Miss Mary Grace (in religion Sister M., of the Immaculate Con- eo Mary McKeon (Sister M. Berch- mans), Miss Bridget Blackwell (Sister M. Dosi- thous). wa SS, OHUROH OF THE DISOIPLES. The Hope of Salvation—Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Hepworth. Mr. Hepworth’s evening text was taken from Acts xxvil., 22—“Be of good cheer.” After com- menting at some length on the text, he said:—I think cheerfuiness is not only a privilege, but a duty. Thore are very few experiences so trying that the heart cannot smile. ‘The lips may refuse to laugh because the eyes are full of tears, but the trustful heart may feel that though life sometimes gets one down, it can never conquer, and this gives @ color of gladness to every sorrow. If you are on board a ship in a dangerous storm, when the waves pound the vessel until she shivers and shakes in every timber, and come rushing over the deck in ® perfect flood like so many demons, seem- ing to say, I've got you now, you walk the deck all night long if you have little or no faith in the captain. Ifhe looks as though he did not com- prehend the situation, or hesitates and vacillates in giving orders, you get not a wink of sleep, you are harrassed by doubts and fears. But if, on the other hand, you are sure that the craft under your feet is sound from Keelson to masthead, and that the captain, who has been through a hundred storms worse than this, knows just what to do and how to do it, you turnin without dread or fear and sleep as though you were a child in the arms of your mother. So is itin life. Ifyou have no faith, you may well be anxious and solicitous, for who can tell what a day may bring forth? If your belief in God js only that which, years ago, you learned by rote out of the catechism, you have good reason to be careworn and troubled. But if, on the other hand, God is ‘A PERSONAL FRIEND, whose face you have seen, and whose hand has touched you, then the deepest sorrow will show a bright side, and the most tormenting disappotnt- ments will fail to rob you of a certain feeling, worth all the world to you, that it will come out right after all. All possible evils may fly out of Pan- dora’s box into your face if hope, divine hope, is left, you can be patient and quiet, and wear not a frown, but a smile. ‘True religion always produces happiness; that Is its business. When you hear a man sigh about this vale of tears, and sing with a luga- brious tone “I would not live always,’ you may always know that he 1s consciously or un- onnctousty: & great humbug. ‘Tis a beautiful world to live in, for our Father made it. Lon; faces, except where there is great affliction, an whining tones under any possible circumstances have no place assigned in the divine economy. The old prophet said, ‘There’s a time for everything.” Yey, that’s true; there’s a time to laugh and a time to cry, a time to be born and a time to die, but no time to growl and yap at fortune like a whipped dog. When a man gets up in prayer meeting and tells you he would rather die than live—that he’s waiting for the Lord to come and take him—you may be sure that he 1s talking nonsense, If the Lord shonidpeally come for him he would go down on his kne nd beg for a little longer lease of life. He is the Fast man to be taken at his werd. Now, continued the preacher, I do not say that all men’s interpretation of religion is cheerful; far from it. Tonly say that no man has got the true religion of Jesus Christ unless it makes him supremely happy. I deplore more than I can tell the fact that there is q great deal of stuff in the qyaryau Re ee Fallon which is no more lik%, what you ot out of the New Testament thoy 4 drizzle is like May sunshine. A great mavy men have gone into utter scepticism becsuse the religion which they have been taught to believe robs life of all beauty. Some Of you have ts come to me and sald that you’ find it hard to believe i any os aa because the pafticulur kind in which you were brought up does not satisfy Yot. How short sighted, not to say foolish. Because the doctor whom you call in bleeds and blisters you nearly to death, do ‘ou say there Is no such ting as medical science ? ecause the medicine you have taken does not sult your case, do you therefore refuse to take any med- icine? Voltaire got SIOK OF RELIGION, .« ag it was administered in France, And at once sald all priests are hypocrites. He went to England and saw a different system, and found that it ag Only | wmeé kind that ho had geen that wae hg ag gay to von, foac grow indifferent because you have been fed on the “Westminster Catechism," and find you can’t digest It. Do what you do at ine table every day; if one article of food disagrees with you, change your diet, and you have solved the riddle, Another dreadful mistake is made by @ great many parents, They say:— "I Will not bias my boy’s mind; I will let him grow up with his own opinions, and he shall be Methodist or Baptist or what not, just as he sees fit.” Not bias your boy! Don’t you think rong of your RELIGIOUS OPINION to give them to him? You must have fed on husks if yon are not willing to let your child feed on what you have lived on, t him’ prow up and form his own opinions? How absurd! He will then have no opinions at all, The ciances are that he will be utterly indifferent to all creeds, and perhaps to all religious belief, Pray make that mistake no more, If you believe anything, and it has helped you through life, then give it to your childrem and it will help them. BROOKLYN CHURCHES, PLYMOUTH OHUROH. Self-Government and Ita Social Effects Sermon~by the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher. Plymouth church was crowded yesterday morn- ing, and Mr. Beecher preached one of his most powerful and interesting sermons. Previous to the sermon Mr. Beecher baptized a number of infants, and made various announcements to his congrega- tion. He preached from the first cleven verses of the first chapter o1 the Second Epistle of Peter, in which the apostle confirmed the people in hope of the increase of God's graces, and exhorted them by faith and good works to make sure their calling. Mr. Beecher said that men were fond of looking at the divine government from that side where it could Jeast be seen and least known, and where they were most subject to the errors of their own imagi- nations and the obstructions of a philosophy falsely so-called. It was far better to look at the great truths of divine government—the mystery of God's dealing with men in this world from the human side. We were called by God, and tt was a call that was to be answered, It was revealed that the destiny of the human son! was to come tn partici- pation of the divine nature, On account of this, said the apostle, “Give all diligence.” “Add faith.’ What waa falth ? Supersonsuonsnoss ? What was suvarganauouancss? TA waa thatd | with one lick, except when he was in summer day morning at the Washington avenue Methodist moral intuition, that moral insight by which we discerned the great invisible world. Now, said the apostle, “Add to your faith virtue,” which was not what we meant, Our understanding of virtue was the opposite of vice, and in the apostolic mind the idea was practicainess, substantial righteous- ness. So the apostle said, Add to this practical and righteous and wise conduct.” It did not say “add to” in the original, but provide or develop in. And in virtue, knowledge, said the apostle; but by this was not meant scientific knowledge. There was & higher knowl thoge subtiec intuitions of truth ich men had who lead high and noble lives. A MAN OF GREAT CONSCIENCE had a great sense of truth. Aman who cultivated his tastes had a finer knowledge of beauties. The knowledge meant in the text was morai intuition. “And in knowledge temperance.” By temperance was meant self-government, not the local use of the term. ‘And in temperance develop patience’’—en- durance, the spirit of bold, courageous, quiet wait- ing. No man could beat down time and events by force. Let it not be stoical, stubborn, sulky waiting, but that kind which believed that God ret |. “And to patience liness, and to godliness brotherly kindness;” so that you had a warm sympathy for your family, for your neighbors, for your Church, for all other churches, fornon- church folks and for all the world, “And to brotherly kindness charity.”” Mr. Beecher re- marked that the idea of the destiny of man was one that should lead him into the likenoss and into the perdopatice of the divine nature. John told us hat we were sons of God; but what that meant he did not know, and nobody has found out since. We are sons, but it don’t app what wo IL be, We had hints and analogies of the way through life, and it was evident that we were seeking some- thing higher, We were tending away from the point at which we began. We began at the point of selfishness and ended at the point of disinterested benevolence. We began at the animal head of life, and were to go through by that path that leads us into the way,of divine excellences, [t was of little consequence to Mr. Beecher where he came from but it was of a great deal of co uence where he went to, There wero many men who were investi. gating where man came from; but the preacher did not think it would do any good to investigate the ORIGIN OF THE HUMAN RACE, He regarded Mr. Darwi labors with a profound interest, and believed that the world would owe him a great debt of gratitude, but he was not able to accept all his speculations. Mr. Beecher did not nie in the horror felt by those who thought hey had sprang from some lower forms of exist- “I would just as ef,” said the Plymouth church pastor, “spring from a monkey as some men I know of.’ anghtor.) He did not care, however, so much about that thing, never having “been there.” He wanted to know where he was going to, and he did not care where he came from, Now let men bore in the rear, it is for me to look to see whore Iam going to, No man ever built a house ence. dreams. When men shut their eyes and are archi- tects ofscenery they can bulld earths. Many sup- pose that when a man was converted by the power of God that the spirit of God went like a fash of lightning. Did ou ores iy Ugh cola when it siynck @ mountaly te coin the meta he monn; oe OFA eat ch ORL TED! fall ahd pu, “The Governmene samp on the pieces The conversion of man just started him and told him to work out his salvation himself! Who ever threw an acorn at the ground and caught an oak by the rebound? To suppose, then, that the grace of God did the whole work for the man was contrary to the uniform testimony of the Scriptures and universal experi- ence, ile, the pastor said, he had great respect for people who were SKEKING A HICH CHRISTIAN LIFE, be would thank thom not to use language that mis- led. When he heard men say that they had reached a perfection in Christian life he laughed, for the same reason he did when he saw a child making a baby house and supposing it was a real house, It was said that Solomon's Temple was built with- out the sound of a hammer; 80 was God’s temple of the soul. It would be atemple built in darkness, but revealed in light. Some said that if they could get back to nature how easier society would be. here is nature—in the cradle or in perfect, ripe manhood? Tell me that a state of nature is a state of blessedness! It is a state of savageism. Mr. Beecher contended that men were not to be vaited by their value in society. He who was poor outwardly might carry all the signs of sonship inwardly. In life who could tell what men were? 4s illustrating this Mr. Beecher referred to a circumstance whieh occurred at his father’s house when he was a boy. His fatber had in his employ as stableman a man who proved to bea Latin aud aGreek scholar, and who read and studied at the close of day in the kitchen. “And that man,” sald Mr. Beecher, “knew more in his little finger thanI didin my body, and he was scrubbing my father’s horses!” Where were your ueen’s found? Not in palaces, but {n hovels. Mr. leecher, in concluding, contended that it was just as hard to be wicked as it was to be virtuous. THE ACADEMY SERVICES. Rarely, if ever, has the Academy of Music been filled at a religious service as It was filled yesterday afternoon when Rev. W. Morley Punshon preached one of the ablest sermons ever delivered within its walls. From pit to dome every available sitting or standing place was filled. The stage was crowded, and hundreds who could not gain an entrance left murmuring at thoir illluck. Guards were placed at the doors to Keep the crowds out whea the build- ing had been filled. At threc o’clock the Academy ‘was more than ordinary well filled; but while others were gathering for the succeeding half hour the Rev. ©. ©. McCabe and Philip Phillips entertained the andience with songs of the sanctuary. The in- troductory services were conducted by Drs. Upham, Brunson and Newman, after which Mr. Punshon stepped forward, and sald that he needed no greater excitement than that inspired by the au- dience before him, and he therefore requested the people to keep perfectly still while he attempted to explain the first two verses of the second chapter of Panl’s Epistle to the Colossians— “For I would that ye knew what grcat conflict I have for you and for them in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; praying earnestly that sour hearts might be comforted, being knit, together in love unto all riches of the “full “assurangs of understanding to the agence rmont of the mystery of Cod. Gnd the Father and Cheist.” | Mi, Punshe, thon analyzed this prayer of Paul, and aéfitence by sentence, and almost word by word, bjught out the full beauty and meaning of each. ‘Ye showed how necessary comfort and rest 4s No every soul, and that these can spring only from within, And especially do they arise from hearts knit together in loye, And this leads to riches of understanding—to the assurance and full assurance of understanding, and ‘Yor what purpose 7—the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and the Father and Christ. On this last thought Mr. Pun- shon became sublimely eloquent as out some of mysterious. The greatest triumph of faith, he said, is the acknowledgment of a mystery. ‘rhe sov: ereignty of God is suggested in the first idea of the mystery of God, but His Fatherhood apperrs in the second; so that we can look to Him, not as a kingly tyrant, but as a loving father. And the siher of ne pointed the characteristics of God, the Christ—what is that? Without it the other two mysteries would be aia eran to us; but they are now brought within the comprehension of our finite understanding. There are students up in heaven who have been trying to solve this mys- tery. And without controversy creat is the ingstery | Of goatiness, we shatt JotA Weim BY Aud hy, H seknoveladge Qhrist our all Inall, Mr. Pun- shon urged the audieidé te acangit themselves with this mystery. a SERVICES AT THE WASHINGTON AVENUE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHUROH. Religious Rites and What Ceremonies of the Church Portend. The Rev. Dr. Erastus Wentworth, of the Troy Con- ference, preached toa large congregation yester- Episcopal church, at the corner of Greene and Washington avenues, After the reading of the | Scriptures and prayer the Rey. Dr. Wentworth took for his text the following :—‘For we are the cireum- cision, which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.’ (Philippians iii., 8). The reverend gentleman proceeded to speak of | the different interpretations of certain words used | in the Scripture upon Which individual Chuvehes had been founded. Circumcision was not particu. darly a Jewish rite; for it pervaded the whole East: It wad, doubtless, sanitary in its origin, was under- stood in history as a sanitary measure and con- ferred in the religiousgite. But it was ‘A BRUTE CUSTOM, originating in abrute age, and yet it was prac- | tised by divine command, and was a Jewish cus- tom to the present hour. The attitude taken by these people tn this respect was One to invite open hostility. The word was used also with a different meaning, a8 the circumcision of the heart, the cir- cumcision of the ips, &c. Christianity had not pre- vailed in Jerusalem more than twenty years when a council was called to settle the question as to | whether circumcision was necessary to the salva- tion of the soul. It was A PROTESTANT COUNCIL, and the first council ever held, and this body de- nominated it a yoke which we were not compelled to bear; so the Custom was only adhered to by the Jews. He then spoke of the different analogies of the word temple, as uged in tho Scriptures. The word meant church, the Templo of the Lord, and there were many other names to the same word, and it was notat all surprising that the word “church” meant building and a place of worship. The definition of this Word was the contested groand. Who were meant by the faithful? Upen this DIFFERENCE OF OPINION acd were the individual churches built up. One Charch ig built upon the interpretation of one word and another upon another, and it was im possible to sa what Charen was the visible Church Christ had set up a Church for us euch we was the truthinl expressio wanes Ont Tite rinuDost OF GOD. +4 ‘was tho syn: and tho other the ecct e Jews adopted the word nagogue ond took the word ecclesia, In ‘Dou eronomy it wae referred to by Christ as the assembly—“He founded an assembly.” Paul's favorite appellation was the ‘Church of God,” and it was Protestantism againat clreumeision, e forms, rites and ceremonies of particulary those of ts Catholic. thoy had a 101 10 ai consideraanes infalllility—of aH 2 INPALLIBILITY OF THE POPR. If the Pope was infallible then every single priest of the Papal Church was infallible, Ié was not right for the Catholics to claim their Church as the only true Church, The.Chureh of God was essen! catholic, no matter whether the denomination Bap! hodis' was Roman Cathol! “a © reverend gentleman was of terian or Episcopal. the opinion that it made but little difference how So long as we were cen we interpreted the word, sistent we would doubtless FIND OUR WAY TO REAVEN, The thief upon the cross no doubt found his toheaver. They did not claim to be the Chi but they believed they were members of the Ghut Catholle, One of the delegates of the Methodiss General Conference had suggested that the wor “Catholic” be struck out of the rit but this sh not be done, as no denomination the right to CLAIM THE WORD “CATHOLIO” exclusively. The family name was the Ohu and if there was a Roman Catholic Church there & Protestant Catholic Church, a Baptist ering? Church, an Episcopal Catholtc Church. We all the right to use the name “catholic,” and there- fore it should remain in the rituals of our Churoh, He then alluded to the differences which had pre- valled from time to time in the Qathollc Ohure! and argued that thousands of those connect with the Roman Catholic Church would leave it and join other Churches were it not that they believed Py 80 doing they would have to renounco the word “catholic.” This was the strength of the Church. It made no difference to what Church or what a om arms for the cor Church of God, - oe The benediction was pronounced by the Rev. Dr. Boehm, the oldest Methodist minister, being nearty ninety-eight years of age. 8T. JOHN'S METHODIST CHUROH. The Harmony Between Science and Re= liglon—Sermon by Rev. Dr. Newman. The Rey. J. J. Newman, D. D., of Washington, oe cupied the pulpit of the St. John’s churoh, Bedfora avenue, yesterday, and tgok for his text Romans X., 12—“Be not wise in your own conceits.” The theme was, the harmony between nature an@ revelation, and in its discussion he thoroughly ven- tilated the theories of Huxley, Darwin, Agassiz an@ other modern scientists. He commenced by saying that the speculations of modern scholars were bol@ nd without a parallel in the history of the Church. Those speculations had an on happy effect upon three classes of persons. They confirmed the infidel in his infidelity, increased the dounts gf those whg had literary tastes without re- ligious inclinat ona diskurbea the peace of oer- tain Christians, Tho idea wag prevalent foag sors, was a natural antagonism between aclence am religion, whereas between the two the utmost har- mony prevailed. It would be his object to show that the God of nature is the God of revelation, that He whose glory the Heavens declare is the same whose perfections are recorded in the im- spired volume. It is the same voice which, in the beginning, said, ‘Let there be light, and there was light,” afterwards said, “This is my beloved Son, im whom I am well pleased.” The idea that there was an antagonism between nature and revelation re- ceived prevaience from the conduct alike of schol- ars and theologians; scholars who had claimed to be the high priests of the universe; who, smittem ‘with the pride of intellect, claimed to be the sole interpreters of nature, and who presumed to carry their scientific deductions into theological con- clusions. On the other hand, theologians whe claimed an infallible interpretation of the Bible, and who treated with measured contempt the teachings of nature, to both of those classes the Apostle sald:—“Be not wise in their own couceits.” The speaker proceeded to enumerate the apparent antagonisms be- tween religion and science, —_ observing that that branch of science which described the or- (ore of the human physique had been brought te ear against the immateriality of mind and tho im- mortality of the soul, a Frenci 1 uttering the infidel sentiment that, as the liver secretes bile, 80 the brain secretes thought. The chemist had ane into his laboratory and attempted to prove that St. Peter was a fool because he had predicted the de- struction of the earth by fre, and the geologist ha@ passed through all the serial of strata to demon- strate the chronology given by Moses as an error, and that man’s residence on the carth 1s of greater pana, than is received by the Church. The Scriptures informed us of a series of creations, whereas a@ distinguished scholar has traced all life back to a protoplasm—a combination of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. The Scriptures taught that man is made in the image of God, but agreat scholar informed tie world that he was made in the ia of an ape. How long would scholars and theologians remain in the arena of controversy? Was there not some ground of har- mony on which both could stand in the dignity of an intelligent manhood. While the ultimate object and mission of the scholar and the theologian Is identi- cal—to ascertain trath—yet their departments of work were separate and distinct. Society recognized the doctrine of specialties, both in art, sclence and all the professions, and it was but reasonable tht the theologian should claim for himself what was ac. corded to the artist, the geologist and the scientist, A scientific scholar from the course of his tavesti- gations was not competent to decide whether hig bduotions in science are or are ‘aot in harmony with the teachings of the Bihiy, ‘Isaac Newton, & inathematician and ay, astronomer, rose head an shoulders above (nose of his own Say but be | Newton Attoinpted to write on thé prophesies upon the teachings of Christ, he was as weak aw oiler men, Agassl4, wi a Break Batra ist, but when he “aasetfed that the | Me ngs Sustain the theory that all have descended from a common ancestry, he passed the limits of his domain and was not quale fied to sitin judgment upon a biblical question. The preacher went on to say that the Scriptures nor did the Church claim infailible biblical interpre- tation, God had revealed himseif tq man, but Phat revelation came to him with all the poverty and imperfection of human language. Dr, Newman showed that recent scientific discoveries demon- strated the truth of many passages of Scripture that were thought to be trreconcilable with science, and said that Christianity had nothing to fear from the bold assertions of the English scientists. There was nothing to fear even trom Darwin himself. Hia book was a great one, but its name was a misne mer. It should have been called the ‘Ascent Ol Man,” rather than “The Descent of Man,’ for if man caiae from the ape he is _ the grandest ascen- sion in the history of the world since the days old Elijah went up to heaven. And if man has risen te his present dignity from a beginning so humble, may we not anticipate a development beyond aa rand in the future as the present is grand evs, e past? 'Thé speaker then described in glo. it terms what science had accomplished for the civillap yon and Ciustianization of the revit. dclonés furbishod the Church with answers to fufldel objections and illustrations of the grand- est bisa of the Bible. He said that xaos tid n urify or save, and in couclusion main- tained that potiing but faith in the Lord Jesug « ‘hr esd glve peace on earth and happiness ta the tail, “oj % i Sicha antninns S04 33S bd The doctor's discourse was so crudite ti those mercurial Metlodists who expected to ho litted te the third heavens hy highfalutin oratory must have been disappointed. LEE AVENUE BAPTIST OHUROH, Last evening Rev. J. H. Smith preached in the Lee Avenue Tabernacle a discourse upon Gospel Uberty and liberality, taking for his text the aif teenth verse of the third chapter of Ephestans— “Ofwhom the whole family in heaven and earth ia fot named.” He said, fraternized with all who loved Jesus, of whatever creed or color, country or con- dition. He thought the Church stood in need of more Christ and less creed. Ho was a Baptist, knowing no baptism pid immersion aud no right to the ordinance byt faith in Christ. In speaking of the Lord’s Supper the reverend gentleman said he gave no invitation to the table; Christ gave none, As servant of the Divine Master he si imply announced “the Lord's Supper.” The responsibility of the act of communion was with the communicant and his God. The Church had no more right toexpel 4 man from the holy supper than it had to drive aman from the broad sunlight {nto darkness or forbid @ thirsty man from drinking from a 8] ring gushing from the hillside. If the participant was in doc trinal error let him eat and drink. Talk doctrine to him if you choose after the banquet, FIRST OONGERT OF THE OATHOLIO CHORAL S00IE A very large audience filled St, Stephen’s charck: jast evening, on occasion of the first concert of the new Catholic Choral Soctety, given for the benefit of the New York Foundiing Asylum. ‘The pro- vame consisted of Kallitwoda’s grand mass, sung achorus of 100 voices, an orchestra of forty ilharmonte artists, a solo quartet, Miss Emma Howson, soprano; Miss Gomien, altos Mr. Charles Fritsch, tenor, and Mr. Sohst, basso; Mr. Gustavos Schmitz, organist, and Mr. Pechor, conductor. The second part comprised a fantasia for the viola, founded on themes from “Masanieilo,” rbly by Seflior Sarasate; an “Ave Mari 'y nte, sung by Mr. Fritsch, whose beautify! tenor appeared to unusual advantage; a solo on ch horn by Mr. Henry Sebmita, ahd the inag “salve Regina’? of uy eof tho mass wus ception of poritons of Was aecelerated tm avus Schmitz, dy is firm command of the organ, held chorus and Where wero two words rovresenting the church; Orchostra towotuor as with a master hand st