The New York Herald Newspaper, September 9, 1872, Page 4

F; . H Me : RELIGIOUS. Return of the Wanderers from the Places of Pleasure to the Shrines of the City. The Congregations Crowding the Churches. Ceremonies and Services Commemorative of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. The Bishop of Tennessee Fears Catholicism. TaLMAGE AT HIS TABERNACLE. “God Rules the Money Market and Has a Hook in the Nose of the Stock Gambler.” Bie oe HOW TO “RUN” A CHURCH. The Rev. Charles B. Smyth on Theatrical Auditoriums. SAL eer ee ra THE PERILS OF THE SEA. Rev. H. H. Garnett on the Burning of the Bienville. Sermons and Services in the City and Elsewhere. WAVERLEY PLAGE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, What the Rev. Charies B. Smyth Thinks About Theatres and Charches— The Latter Should be Made Like the Former. The Rev. Charles B. Smyth d ered the second of the new series of Sunday evening popular free lectures, entitled “Lessons for the Clergy,” last evening to an increased, an intelligent and atten- tive audience, at the American Presbyterian church, 36 Waverley place, the particular theme on this occasion being “Theatres vs. Churches and Churches vs. Thextres.” Having announced his text from Exodus xiv., 15—“‘Speak unto the chil- dren of Israel, that they go forward"— he said there are, I believe, ten theatres and five places for opera or music and 829 churches and synagogues in this city. It isan un- controverted fact that the former are much more largely attended than the latter. Crowds fill those at every performance, whilst comparatively few persons attend these. The crowus are interested, swayed, and made to laugh and or, almost as the performer wills; these sit listlessly, think of distant subjects, or make up for the fatigue of business or for hours of lost sleep by a comfortable doze while pome one in the pulpit is reading an uninterest- ing essay, misnamed a sermon, There are some exceptions; but is not this the state ot the case generally, my brethren? For it there must be reasons which can be found somewhere. What are they? Two, chiefly. First, the former are made known to the public by appropriate means, but the latter are mot, Ofthe number of theatres mentioned eight, and of the places for opera or music four, or there- abouts, are advertised as in operation, are critl- cised and praised or blamed as they may severally deserve, but of the GREAT NUMBER OF CHURCHES and synagogues only very few comparatively (amere fraction) have a place among the advertisements. Secondly, everything in theatres and music halls 48 made so attractive that wien a person goes once he desires to go again. Our sires know that, and prohibit us; our pastors and church rulers know it, and proscribe us. Yet the young people do steal a march some times, and even occasion- es few of the brigade of the white cravat lay aside their gowns for a moment and slip Intoa back seat. Why is this? The performance which has been advertised is found to be interesting; and right or wrong. curiosity will go and see. Do not smile at this. The same is true of every well- known church which is ministered to by an earnest and Rel ular preacher. What first filled the me ‘tist Hernacle in London, Plymouth church in Brooklyn, or any other church in the world? Is it not these two things—publicity thereof, and inter- esting services therein? Let these go hand in hand, and any church under heaven will be full. Let either of them be wanting and you will soon have the same old dull tale to tell. Who is likely ever to return to a church where the danger, doom and deep damnation of departed souls, or the (s GLADDENING GLORIES OF CELESTIAL SPIRITS are read about before them with as much coolness ag a college lecturer would manifest when rehears- ing from his manuscript what he had written or copied, concerning the facts or of geology? “What,” heses Pngnished dignitary of the Church of England, to the celebrated Garrick, is the reason why theatri- cal performers of fiction make such sions upon their audiences as they do, when we, who teach the most solemn and sacred truths, sccomplish so little ?’ “Because,” said the player, “we speak fiction as ifit were truth, but ye speak truth as if it were fiction.” Besides deep earnest- peccoke Maa there must be the wise selection of such subjects, and the treating of them in such ‘way as will attract and fix the attention of the hearers. It is found to be a universal fact that ‘those preachers of any denomination are the Most successful whose great central theme ground which all their teachings clustre and circu- Jate is Christ Jesus crucified for sinners. Oh, this Diessed theme, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace; good will to men.” Itis the an- Nouncement of angels, the song of the redeemed will constitute throughout eternity the grand “To Him that reat impres- horas o! loved us, and was) J lood, to Him be glory and sai ion forever.” je the cross of Christ is inade thé great caral- Nal opject of pulpit instruction every fact and every passing event that interests th mind or that absorbs public attention shoul ‘be seized and made subservient to the illustrating of it, or the enforcing of Christian morality. Whilst looking over the reports of sermons to-morrow it ‘will be interesting to observe how many of the ser- Mons contain allusions to such occurrences as are attracting the attention of tne public mind. The preacher then proceeded to show that if the Church Would outstrip the theatre it must be made more attractive. A more wholvsate condemnation of all amusement, or places of amusement, would not ac- complish that. There should be discrimination exercised. TRUE CHRISTIANITY 18 JOYFUL, and tends to make men cultivate whatever Is caleu- lated to make them innocentiy happy. Heexhorted that the clergy should lead the people forward by «making Christ crucitied the prominent doctrine of the ‘eaching, and urging, as next in import- ance, such doctrines as naturaily cluster around it a8 @ great centre; that they should endeavor to promote a high degree of Christian morality, espe- cially that charity which covers a multitude of sins, ‘Thus teaching their people to go iorward, they need have no fear of them in regard to the theatre or anything else. The Christian character which will thus be formed within them will lead them to dis- bot tae 80 as to choose the good and reject the evi ie isd trinmphant. 8T, STEPHEN'S CHURCH. Sermon by the Rev. Dr. McGlynn—The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin. At St. Stephen’s church, Twenty-eighth street, | high mass was yesterday celebrated by the Re Father Keeler. The attendance was greater than ft has been on Sundays recently. mosic was of the highest order, The sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr, McGlynn, who, in making the customary announce- ments, invited the ladies of the congregation to meet after the service to make arrangements for a table for the fair that is to be heid in aid of the St. Joseph's Home for the Aged, that institution being now heavily in debt, owing to the erection of a new building in Fifteenth street. Dr. McGlynn alluded to the claims the institution had for the support of She Cathouc community, and said he expected that the hy- said a ae. | ie from our sins in His own | @) As usual the 7 St. Stephen’s cherch would take s leading place in helping the fair, upon which too much generosity could not be practised. ‘The preacher took his text from the Gospel of the day, and delivered an eloquent and tengthy dis- course on the nativity of the Blessed Virgin. An angel is sent to a virgin, espoused to an hum- ble man, whose name is Joseph, both of whom re- side in the obscure village of Nazareth. An an- nouncement is to be made to the woman, and 80 important is the revelation conveyed that the Almighty sends one of His own special messengers to bear it. The angel finds the object of his mission, and addresses her with the salutation, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women." Here ia & most startling intro- duction. An angel is sent from heaven, not to any of the great of this world, but to an obscure maiden, and announced that He who had been long expected, whom all the ages and all the nations had been waiting for, was now about to come, It was @ startling revelation that the Saviour of the human race was about to take flesh; that while still remainin God's own uncreated Word He shoul become the gentle son of the lowly virgin, Scarcely had God intinrated to the Oret man and woman the penalty that was to be inflicted for their sins than Ie held out the glorious promise of another woman of whom another man should be born, who would satisfy God for their transgression. It was a primi- tive revelation, not contined to the Jew or Gentile, to God's faitnfil people or to the pagan world, that @ woman should be born who would be the dawn ushering in the light of the glorious day of redemp- tion. Ln this lowly woman of Nazareth this woman 4s found, and God’s own messenger declares it in this woudrous salutation, ‘Hail, fullof grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women.” It ts not, then, but in keeping with God’s own plan and in fulfilment of prophecy that we should venerate this divinely favored woman; that we should endeavor to fulfil in our own persons, the children of prophecy, in arising to call her the “blessed among women.” It is unnecessary for us to find our faith in the fragmentary records of Scrip- ture. Our faith has been implanted in us by God as @ natural impulse, and our respect for the mother of God has existed in all ages by the divine power and will that created the harmony of our religion. It ia difficult to understand how those professing to be Christians can so persistently refuse to honor the mother of the Saviour. They admit that the Son of God became man and was born of a woman, but they will not admit that the mother who bore him was the mother of God. The first four councils of the Church are admitted by Protestants, and in these—especially at that of Ephesus—it was clearly Seclared that the mother of Christ was the mother of God, The respect and veneration with which we should look upon the mother of the Saviour sug- fest. themscives at every consideration of the Saviour's love for us. It is reasonable to think that He who, in all the ages, has attracted by His love so many millions of Saints and who confers so abundantly the greatest favors on those who love Him, should not be wanting in love for His own mother. It is unreasonable to think that Christ should not wish to honor His mother, or that He should not wish that from the love man would bear to Him His mother should be venerated. He who desires the love of man so ardently and that supplication to Him should be incessant, could not refuse to receive tho presere of His mother in behalf of those who had sinned against Him. She is our best tntercessor, and In her eMcacy with her son sinners find a consolation that leads to sorrow for sin and reconciliation with God. LYRIO HALL The Great Works of the Summer— Livingstone Found by Stanley—The Horrors of a Lunatic Asylum Mado Public, and the Fall of a Corrupt Judge—Sermon by 0. B. Frothing- ham, The sudden and unlooked for change from cool woather to a repetition of one of our warmest days: could not keep the many admirers of O. B. Froth- ingham within any four walls but those at 723 Sixth avenue. At this church they have hada generous vacation of two months, and yesterday was the first Sunday after it. After some intro- ductory remarks he began:—This last Summer has been a fearfully warm one. When it began severe apprehensions were manifested, especially by the farmer, as he looked up into the brazen heavens and down again at the dusty earth. A drought was feared, rain was prayed for and it came in good, plentiful showers. We live on crops; all our energies depend on the grass. No business until the fields have ripened. When the Summer comes the workingman lays aside his tools, the merchant goes to the mountains, the physician takes his recreation, the lawyer has no client, and is therefore travelling abroad; the clergyman’s congregation is scattered about at the diferent watering places, and nothing remains for him but to go there too. This appearance of idleness in the Summer time is not a reality. Nature, in every hour, teems with animal life. The stars pour down their rays upon the planet. All nature bursts forth into exuberant luxuriousness. You can almost HEAR THE GRASS GROWING. Before your very eyes the verdure developes ttsetf. In the midst of nature man responds to nature. In the political fleld men are considering the law under which they live. In these Summer hours of idleness they Pregat the venom, the purely party feeling about politics. Men are looking wit watchful eyes into their national political affairs. This gveat work of reform has en fons, on while the most ofus were at the seaside. Con- sciousness has been awakened, and determines that | the state of life should be managed better in New | York. The corruptness of @ judiciary has been brongnht to light, and one CORRUPT JUDGE has fallen. While this work has been gotng on, | one of our great journalists has sought for and found au old traveller in Africa, Who was supposed to be dead; another has sought to open the lunatic asylum and bring before the public all the horrors | of the institution; and yet another has given one full, fair holiday to the poor girls and boys of this city. He brought them from their dingy garrets and unwholesome ceilars to give them one good sight of the world in which they live, one good leap into the refreshing brine and a couch on the green grass, which they never before saw. These DRIFTS OF HUMANITY had at least one day of unalioyed happiness long to be remembered, Anything more beneficent | was never done, It was only a pa only @ few | hours, but an eternity can be lived in a few hours if it be blissful. It was a day which told them there was an Over-arching sky, green flelds and a bound- less deep, When nature thrives most luxuriantly, man crouches and dies. The power which brought the grass irom the barren ground brought man down. This unusual Summer numbered among the dead a lady who belonged to our church. She was of noble and gracious presence and always for she was always as modest and simple as a oung gir. About eighteen months Oo she identified herself with this soclety and she was | always with us. As I said, the extreme heat of the Summer overpowered her and among her friends she fen away, ly 4 her soul with us. She had been brought up tn the old religion, but liking ours better adopted it. It was my painful duty to attend the funcral of a young man who was one of the most devoted members of our church, and who met with a sudden and untimely death at the seaside. He haa been brought up a gentleman of ait SEI Rm ogy, A « ELEGANT LEISURE, and life seemed a pleasure to Usagi A re- verse of fortune and he gave up his studtes, aban- | doned his tastes, and commenced to earn money for those who were dependent upon him. He did not ask for dilettante work which he ht do with kid gloves on. Night after night found him bend- ing over his table earning a few dollars for his widowed mother. He mi money and had just taken his young wife and family toa new home which he nad purchased at the seaside, when this | sad calamity cut him oif in his manly ‘beadty, A | widow lady had purchased a home near his, and | yas residing there with her only child, a little boy. | He wished to go In bathing very much, but his | mother did not consider it quite safe. My young | friend offered to take the child out, he being an | excellent swimmer, and the mother consented. He | took the child into the breakers; little by little the TREACHEROUS WAVES | carried them farther and farther, until the boy be- | came alarmed. The young man was fast using up | his strength trying to push the boy before him to- | ward shore, but he slipped from his hands | and was lost. The man lookel towards the shore. There was his wife, his little children, Suddenly a tremendous wave washed over him and | soon after he lay upon the beach—a corpse. We took him up and laid him in the soft friendly Fahy oy knowing that his spirit was in better ands than ours. He was ona | MISSION OF KINDNESS at the very hour of his death. A sweet woman will be left without shelter and dear ttle children | without a protector. Society is bereft of @ shining member. THE METIS | pat off from New York filled with passengers who | had no thought but that of the present pleasure, Everything seemed in good order, the vessel was in good condition, the watch was ‘there; suddenly a mist, @ fog. She strikes, In vain they attempt | to discover the vreak and stil goon. ‘The boat | soon begins to fill, and goes down while hundreds of people are hanging upon a very With ain. grasp ‘with nat one vain gras] nature they are swallowed up by the pitiless old hoonm No explanation, no apology, no answer to a human question. Somebody plundered; nobody knows who, Another boat puts off all right. A heroic man is in command; suddenly, without the possi- bility of conjecture, id and shrieks, one of the most aural tragedled fn nature occurred, The winds m Bo benediction or requicm PL Tt, Eee, EPEC ah en ne Ore een: Wale one id Tore. The word fate i—8 decree. Who speaks? does speak until it is neces- re the doom is said. That This is The fool very differently ts wisdom that Cees mes doom. Nature THE 8EA’S PERILS The Rev. Henry Highland Garnet, of the Shiloh Chureh, on the Burning of the Bionville—T Heroism of Amos Davis, a Colored Seamen, Who Was Lost. The Rev. Henry Highland Garret discoursed to his congregation of the Shiloh Presbyterian church last evening on “The Perils ot the Deep,” apropos of the terrible disaster which recently happened to the til-fated steamer Bienville. The auditory was quite well filled, considering the intense heat which pervaded the atmosphere, by a very respectable-looking assemblage of colored people, among whom might be seen and admired a few ladies, who were quite charming types of Ujiji or Central African beauty. The choir sang with rich, rolling intonation, accompanied by the swelling diapasons of the organ, that old hymn of Dr. Watts on the dangers of the sea; and then the pastor de- livered a very appropriate and eloquent prayer. He referred to TRE LO38 BY THE BURNED STEAMER of one of their beloved brethren, Amos Davis, and prayed Heaven to make his watery grave a peace- ful and & blissful one, In opening his discourse Mr. Garnet announced as his text the twenty-third to the thirty-first verse of Psalm cvil :—‘“They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters, these see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. For He commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof, They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths. Their soul is meited because of trouble. They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit'send. Then they ory unto the Lord in their trouble, and He bringeth them unto their desired haven. 0, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wondertul works to the children of men!’ Mr. Garnet’s sermon opened with dilating upon the dangers, trials and toils of a “life on the ocean wave,” and with showing how little that portion of humanity who go down to the sea in ships all their lives are taken into account by the other portion who dwell upon the land. Those sorrows which are felt after any such great, dreadful disaster, like that which happened the Bienville, were too often but SELFISH SORROWS, and the victims were little thought of unless they were bound to us by some relationship or ties of fondness and love. Then our prayers go up. Ifonly they were ours; if only some kindred danger at the same time threatened us or our dear ones, we would bow on our knees to pray God to pity His helpless creatures, to forgive and receive O Himself the lost one that is some one’s son, some one's sister, father, brother or mother, and to soothe other hearts that bleed with grief. The march of progress had made men bold. Now, since the mariner’s compass had been discovered, vast improvements had been made in naval archi- tecture, and in the knowledge of the geography of the sea the duties and hardships of the sailor have been ameliorated, He 1s willing to £0 everywhere where commerce promises to reward his industry and zeal, There he is tobe found. But when the ocean rages at its fercest, and shipwreck is im- pending, the strongest mind wiil often succumb, the bravest man will tremble. But what are the terrors that spring up like armed furtes when, be- sides the peril of A WATERY.GRAVE, the ship is found to be burning, and the passengers: and crew are awakened from slumber by the fearful shriek of ‘Fire!’ sounding in their cars, the knell of a more horrible and hopeless fate, such as befell our beloved brother Amos Davis on board the Bienville? Fear seizes all and dreadful scenes arise—the capstzing of boats, the drowning of men and women, the crackling of the noble ship's timbers as she yields to the flergs fury of the mad element. Such was the case with this ill-fated vessel which was lost on the morning of the 15th day of last month, on her way from New York to Aspinwall. We are told that the captain used all his skill and ability as a true and worthy seaman to quiet the passen- gers aud to find means for their salvation. He went to work as @ brave man would go about such important business. We learn that they behaved themselves weil, and that there were only a few instances in which they disobeyed his orders and when death resulted. When too many were crowded into a boat that boat capsized against the side of the burning vessel and five lives were lost. The captain had borne testimony that one of their own people, Mr. Garrison, had behaved with great bravery and had saved many lives. He was one of those who were capsized and passed eight or ten hours inthe water clinging the wrecked rowboat. His clothing was all torn off from him in his efforts to save women and little children who were in danger of drowning like him- self, Their dear friend, 3 AMOS DAVIS, one of the most generous of men with whom I was ever acquainted, although he had always followed a seafaring life—had always remembered his obli- ations and had given to sustain the worship of iod, The reverend gentleman had seen him but a few hours before he embarked for tne last time, and never saw him looking better—his face was covered with smiles, He had told his brothers and sisters to take a few more souls into the oid church and not let it become empty. He was o man of weak constitution. He was afflicted with heart disease. But his ruling passion was strong in death. When about to get into the boat to leave the burning ship he Ups his money and valuabies, in a box which he had rescued from the flames, to his comrades. He got into the boat, was capsized and perished. He made no struggle; he seemed paralyzed with fear, Others cried to him, “Cheer up; but he answered back, “It's no use; it’s all over with me," and went down to his deatn in a watery gr: There he will slumber till the archangel’s trump shall sound. We have no men like him to spare. We shall remember him with affection; miss him from our little company; but we trust to meet him in the presence of God, WHERE STORMS AND FIRE SHALL NOT PREVAIL. It is an old proverb, “If you would learn to pray 69 to sea,”’ and it is truly a sort of life to make men hink of God. He had seen men pray on slitpboard who had never prayed before. But his advice was to learn to pray before entering the feartul perils of the sea. Know upon what you are going to Iean in the day of trouble, for prayer makes added the benediction, She was middle aged but | you strong; and he believed in its power and | fresh, the companion of the clegant. She had | emicacy. God would help those who learned to lean | travelled abroad, but the world left her untainted, | upon ‘His arm, and then that same Jesus who came walking-on the sea of Galilee would comein some way to rescue them. Give Him your assurance that allis well. Learn to call upon the name of God—to trust in Him. Grace is never put to ex- tremity—faith never falters—never fails. All mankind were out on the ocean sailing across THE STORMY SEA OF LIFE} exposed to temptations, sorrows and disappoint. ments—all like so many waves raging around us. If God were taken for captain and the Saviour were asked to take the helm, the troublous sea gauid at least be passed and a haven reached where all was peace and calm. CHURCH oF THE HEAVENLY REST, 1 te a ee ~ Sermon by the Right Rev. C, F. Quin- tard, D. D., Bishop of Tennessee, on a Text from the Prophet Jercmiah. The bright and fanciful Church of the Heavenly Rest, in Fifth avenue, near forty-fifth atreet, was yesterday well fled by a fashionable and ap- parently veiy devout congregation to listen to a sermon by Bishop Quintard, of Tennessee. There were many choristers in their white robes, and the singing was very fine indecd. The ser- vices began at eleven o'clock, and did not conclude till gfter one P, M. The text was Jeremiah Il, 5. Dr. Quintard said:—In this passage of Holy Scripture God seeks to rebuke the impatience of His prophets. If they could scarcely endure the delay of the time before them how could they endure the waiting to come? My dear brethren, if we are to be found in our faith, laudable and glortous in the day of judgment com- ing, we must have endured trials and troubles. Such flery trials as he endured who called out:— “0 LORD! NOW LONG MUST I ENDURE?” We live @ life like that of the footmen, and the time of peace tries us as much as the time of war. It is trial to to be of wealth, as it is @ trial to be poor. and a trial to be old; a trial to live in the sunshine It is @ trial tobe young or to withstand the blight and ruin of the storm Do we keep alive our best aspirations given us by the bountiful hand of God? we remember always the path of virtue and holiness we would wish to pursue? No; we often bg these in our day tri “Cast iv burden on the Lord,” cries the Psnimist. And it depends with us whether we cast our burdens al! upon God or whether we sink under them, At first unbelief greeted Jesus, and the question was asked of men, “Whence came this man, and how does he go these things?” In the end, even our Saviour threw ins burden at the feet of his Heaveniy Father, aud cried out. (m the That the bitter cup i be removed from ir When we fall God would teach us how to rise—a very simple | when once we wish to learn. Be brave, be truthful and simple-hearted in the trials and les which surround you to- day. The never-fail ag ove of God for man will accomplish the rest. He will with His infinite goodness bear up the sinkil swimmer when the angry waves seek to devour him, are working for great glory. “Prosperity” teaches J A us nob as soaring toaohen, When God breaks a heart, it is that tenderness may flow from it. If God crushes the hearts of His children, it ia that from them may fiow blessings as the wine flows from the grapes in the wine press. Not only this, but all events in this world are working for the glory of God and the good of men. BICKNESS AND SORROW, the failure of a life time of effort, all the mistakes and miseries of life, bear incense to God. The shadows of an Almighty love hovers over the race. God's smile renders miserable and tearful facea luminous. Suppose it ploased God to come very Near to one of us in some great sorrow, saying, a8 He did to His servant of old, “I choose thee fa the furnace of afMiction.” Suppose He were to come suddenly to try us in the fre as wie is tried. The tendrils of our heart's love might be twining about the object submitted to the fire of the furnace and it might try us sorely, but the divine Master sits by the crucible reaay, to extinguish the fame when the scum has floated away, and He can sce His radiant face mirrored in the refined soul of a human being. The greatest men of our race have followed in the footsteps of the Man of Sorrow, who endured the anguish and the bloody sweat of Gethsemane and Calvary. No poet who touches the chords of men’s souls but suffered, and in his suffering found the key toall his poetry, All the ware and good have thus caught the glimpse of eaven they revealed to us, After the sermon the Bishop asked the congrega- tlon to give liberally in the contribution to be taken for the benefit of his diocese, He stated that in thirty counties in East Tennessee he had but three men working, and in case aid was not received by which the Episcopals would be ble to secure the people of this district, the Church of Rome would gather them as a hen gathers her chickens. 8T, PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL Sermon by the Rev. Father Kearney— Tho Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Commemorated—The Devotion and Honor Due to Her as the Mother of God—The Angel Gabriel's Salutation— CHRISTIAN MOTHERS than on the clergy. ae can be higher, nobler or better than teaching the way Dr. Ormiston related the incidents of a visit made by him to g Chinese Sunday school in San Francisco the past Summer. of the classes ex- hibited @ reversal of the order of ¢ oats eat een ghar yy ene! B ina lena oa proved themselves earn- RP. Perry, the superti lots ined been secured on ted very elegint designs for , and the architectural features will be unique and attracti The work of constructing chapel will be prosecuted as rapidly as the funds generously donated can be collected and in has been # be required, and it is hoped that the generous Christian citizens of New York will not permit any delay in the com- pletion of this praiseworthy mission enterprise. BROOKLYN CHURCHES. ——$_+___. TALMAGE'S TABERNAOLE. | The Pastor’s Return and His Reception Yesterday—Man Proposes and God Dis- Pposes—A Thoughtful Discourse—God in All the Affairs of Life. There was a great crush at the Tabernacle yes- terday morning. The announcement that the pas- tor. Rev. T. De Witt Talmage, would preach his first sermon after his retufn from his Summer va- cation crowded the building to its utmost capacity. Hundreds unable to gain more than admission to the place retired disappointed. Mr. Talmage has been absent for some time. He first started to the Adirondack region, but as the heaith of his estimable lady required that she should have sea air, he determined on a voyage across the Atlantic. They took passage in the The Duty of the Faithful Children of Mary—Objections Refuted. ‘The Cathedral was well tilled yesterday, notwith- standing the intensity of the heat, which drew per- spiration from the modest brows of many a punc- tual devotee. In the church, however, there isa thorough ventilation. The large stained windows, when properly set apart, admit cooling breezes, which generally render fans unnecessary accom- paniments, The large number of men who form the greater portion of the Cathedral congregation is one of the most satisfactory features in connec- tion with it. The ladies attend, of course, in goodly numbers also, and appear, without exception, very devoutly inclined, Yesterday, the 8th of September, and the six- teenth Sunday after Pentecost, was also the day on which the Catholic Church commemorates the na- tivity of the Blessed Virgin, Her altar, to the left of the sanctuary, was sumptuously decorated with flowers and illumined by two or three dozen lights, The Rev. Father Farrely acted as celebrant of the mass, a “Missa Cantata,” with twelve at- tending acolytes. The mass as rendered by the organist was by Jeneralt in minor. The ‘Kyrie’ and ‘“Glorta” contained quartet and solo choruses, In the “Credo” the ‘“Incarnatus est’? was given by a quar tet and bass solo. At the of- fertory ‘Ave Maria gratia plena,” by Bassini, was sung by Mme. Chome, soprano, in an appreciable manner, accompanied by Mrs. Unger, alto, who rendered Ree pace with an equal degree of power. After the reading of the epistie and gospel by the celebrant, THE REY. FATHER KEARNRY ascended the pulpit, made the requisite announce- ments of the Sunday, and read the gospel of the Sunday from St, Luke, xtv., 1—11, whicn contained the narrative of Christ healing the despised man, the parable of the Supper and the necessity of re- nouncing all to follow Christ, He then selected as his text pertinent to the festival celebrated, St. Luke i., 16—“And Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ,” introducing also the text from St. Luke L, 20—And the angel being come in, said to her, “Hail full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women.’ The Church has set apart this day to commemo- rate the nativity of the Blessed Virgin and to honor her as the chosen one of all nations, THE IMMACULATE MOTHER OF GOD, The feast of the nativity of the Blessed Virgin ts one fraught with the most special interest to all good practical Catholics. It is an event which was expected nearly four thousand years previous to its occurrence. When our first parents had dis- obeyed the mandates of the Creator in the Garden of Eden, and aiter their banishment and the pro- nouncement of their guilt and condemnation, and the evils which were to have been entailed upon their oogpene, it was promised to them that a vir- gin would be born who “should crash the head of the serpent, and who should be the mother of the Messiah, who would eventually be the Saviour of the worid."” THE GENEALOGY OF MARY'S BIRTH is traced in full in the first chapter of St. Matthew, and exactly corresponds with the prophecies of Jeremiah, Nehemiah and Daniel, as given in the Old Testament. The birth of Mary in a lowly cottage at Nazareth, the residence of her parents, St. Joachim and St. Anne was unostentatious and humble. She was, however, the offspring of a kingly race, the daughter of the house of David, of the tribe of Jesse and the chosen one of Israel who was to be the mother of Jesus. But it is the first ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE ANGEL GABRIEL to the Blessed Virgin that most emphatically characterizes her as the spouse of the Holy Ghost and the mother of Him who condescended to assume human nature for the salvation of men. Her birth, then, is the event to which we have to look 48 the first step to regenerate tne descend- ants Adam—the first token that fallen man was to be redeemed; the bonds of sin burst asunder and fallen humanity once moreglestined to replace the rebellious angels on whom God had inflicted such terrible punishments. The Blessed Virgin then was TIE CHOSEN INSTRUMENT OF THE ETERNAL FATHER and of the Trinity itself, to whom we owe honor and respect for being redeemed from the power of hell and made the true heirs of heaven. She is truly the mother of God. The second person of the Blessed Trinity assumed human nature in her womb by the power and operation of the Holy Ghost, and she, after consenting to the announce- ment of the angel, cheerfully surrendered herself to the wonderful destiny piaced over her by God himself. As we, therefore, honor the memory and peg the name and fame of distinguished men during all ages past, so also and ina much greater degree do we Py, honor, devotion and reverence to the blessed Virgin, There may be those who object to our right of doing so, but she whom Jesus honored and loved as His mother we also honor, love and reverence. It requires no deep intelll- gence to see and understand that Mary, as THE PUREST CREATURE OF GOD'S CREATURES, ig entitled to respect and honor. We aie bound by God's law to honor our parents and our superiors ; why not also honor God’s holy mother, to whom we owe so much? Yes, we honor her in unison with the blessed Trinity, who chose her to be the mother of the Son of God. The spirit of God, which over- shadowed the soul of Mary, gave her those qualities which render her so pure and holy. The angel saluted her a ae aiid pal and as We tata Ber ty pages of the Bible do we not see the names of Jestis, Mary pnd Joseph in nection with all the incidents or thé early life of hrist, and of his sufferings, unto his death upoh the cross? When Jesus went forth upon his mission Mary remained secluded; but when the days of His suffering came she climbed with Him the rugged heights of Calvary, and bathed His feet with her tears at tne foot of the Cross. What He suffered physloalty she also suifered in her heart, and when fe sald to St. John, me “gO, BRUOLD THY’ MOTHER; MOTHER, BEROLD THY BON, He really entrusted all of us in the same special manner to the protection of Mary. She is all-pow- erful with Him now in heaven, as she had been powerful with Him while on earth. At the mar- riage feast recorded in the ag feos He performed @ miracle bedause she stated s imply “there was no wine for the gtiesta.’’ There is nothing she asks of her beloved Sof but He is willing to grant. St. Bernard assures us that no oné who ever invoked her intercession and protection wa8 ever forsaken. She is far above all the saints in hef merits and graces. All holy, all pure, ‘‘pulchra ut lund, electa ut sol."” Let us then, as children of Mary, who feel and know her spectal tee with her divine Son, ey her protection and intercession, Let us pray to her to obtain from Jesus the graces to resist the temptations of the world, the devil and the flesh, and finally we may expect to receive through her goodness the crown of eternal life, MORNING STAR SUNDAY SCHOOL. Notwithstanding the excessive heat of yesterday the Morning Star Sunday School drew together a large audience, the hall being filled. The exercises were characterized by the customary interest and enthusiasm. This school has passed through many vicissitudes during its comparatively brief career, ‘and yesterday was marked by its removal from Twenty-third street to the hall at 283 Seventh ave- fue, which has been leased for the purposes of the sohool until the proposed chapel shall be completed. The meeting was addressed by Rev. Dr. Burns, of London, England, and Rev. Dr. Ormiston, of this city. + Dr. Bares somarks were replete with eloquence. China and arrived in due time on the other side. There they remained for a week or so and then started for home, On the return the vessel ENCOUNTERED A CYCLONE and narrowly escaped being wrecked; but finally it passed safely through the storm and arrived in Port last week. Both Mr. and Mrs, Talmage were greatly improved in health by the voyage. The pastor appeared quite rugged yesterday after his Summer sojournings, and, as usual, was in excel- lent spirits. Some of his many thoughtful friends had placed @ number of stands of rare and beautiful fowers upon the platform, while just above his chair was the word “Welcome,” in tuberoses. The atmos- phere in the vicinity was redolent with perfume. When Mr. Talmage walked on the platform, be- fore the services commenced, Mr. Morgan, the or- ‘anist, played ‘Home Again” and “Home, Sweet ome,” with perceptible effect. : THE SERMON, Mr. Talmage selected his text from Proverbs, xvi., 9—‘A maa’s heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps.” Said Mr. Talmage :—He starts for the Adirondacks and lands in Liverpool ! Pompey said that he thought there was a mist over the eyes of God, because he showed so many favors to Cwsar; but the lite of that great man, as well as the life orev er peigaincent man, is an illustration— @ perfect illustration—of the truth of that pas- sage, ‘‘A man’s heart deviseth,” &c, I call your attention also to St. Luke, xii.,7. You see the Bt- ble will not be limited in the choice of symbols, There is hardly a beast or bird or insect, which ag not been called to illustrate some divine truth; the ox’s patience, the ant’s industry, the spider's skill, the "8 sure-footedness, the eagie’s speed, the dove's gentleness and even the sparrow’s mean- ness and worthiessness. Now, if God takes care of such, won’t He care for you, an immortal? We as- sociate God with revolutions. We can see a divine pespoee in the discovery of America, in the inven- ‘ion of the art of printing, in the exposure of the Gunpowder Pilot, in THE CONTRIVANCE OF THE NEEDLE GUN, in the ruin of an Austrian or Napoleonic des- potism; but how hard it is to see God in the minute Dersonal affairs of our lives. We are apt to place God upon some great platform, or try to do it, ex- pecting Him then to put out His stupendous Ley Glee but we forget that the life of a@ Cromwell, an Alexander or Washington is no more under divine inspiration than your life or mine. We see God’s path is in the great waters. True enough, but no more certainly than He is in the water in the glass on this table. We see God ides the stars in their course. Magnificent ruth, but no more certain truth than He devises which ferryboat Bae shall to-morrow morning take to New York. Understand that God does not sit up on his throne indifferent and unsympathising, but that He sits down beside you to-day and stands beside you to-day, and no ailair of our life is so in- significant but that it is a matter to Him. I re- mark, in the first ee that God chooses for us our occupation. am amazed to see how many people there are DISSATISFIED WITH THE WORK they had to do. I think three-fourths wish they were in some other occupation, and spend a great deal of time in regretting that they got in the wrong trade or profession. Many of you are not in the business that you expected to be in. You started for the ministry and learned merchandise ; you started for the law and you are a physician; you preferred agriculture and you became a me- Chanic; you thought one way and God thought another; but I hope it is not your business to sit down and mourn over the past. You are to remem- ber that God arranged all these things. Hugh Mil- ler said:—“I will be a stone mason; God says, “You will be a geologist.” David gocs out to tend his father’s sheep; God calls him to govern a nation. How inuch better would we be if we were content with the place God had Ped us. Iremark further that God has arranged he place of our et He What city or town or street or house you shall live in seems to be a mere matter of accident. You vey out and happen to pass up a certain street and happen to see a certain fsign, and you select that house. God guided you in every step. He knew your circumstances and He selected just that one house as better for you out of a hundred thousand habitations in the city. Iremark further that God arranges all our irlend- ships. You were DRIVEN TO THE WALL. You found a man just at that crisis who sympathized with you and helped you. You say, “How lucky I was.) There was no luck about it. God sent that friend just as certain as He sent the ravens to feed Eiijah. Your domestic friends, your business friends, pA Christian friends—God sent them, and if any of them prove false they serve to bring out the value of those who remain. I remark again that God puts down the limit of our temporal pros- perity. ‘ou cannot tell where # man will land. e affluent falls, the r rise; the ingenious fail, the ignorant succeed. An enterprise opening grandly ends in bankruptcy. It is so hard to realize at GOD RULES THE MONEY MARKET and has a hook in the nose of the stock gambler. Don't you kick against divine allotments. God knows just how much money it is best for you to have, and you never lost or gained @ cent unless it was best for you. * b ere are two things, Says a1 old tit rh, you gu ht not to iret about; those Can help and those things you cannot help. If you can help, why don’t you apply the remedy? If you cannot help it you might as well surrender at once. Don’t FA have any idea that you can overstep the limit God has laid down for your prosperity. The trouble ts, I think, that there is so large @ difference between divine and human estimate as woman” + WR eberape tgs fT I have seatd of ‘peoule pectiine Wa h, bat T ave heard of people striving for enough, bu: never heard of any ope who had enough. What God calls enough for man the man calls too little, and what man calls enough God says is too much, God knows best, * * * * T remark again that qjl those yaieae that seem to be accidents in ‘our life are under divine supervision. There are no accidents in the divine mind, though they ma; seem to be. In conclusion the preacher urge his hearers to be content with such things as they had in this life. ere a vee NEW JERSEY CHURCHES. 8T. PETER'S OHUROH, JERSEY CITY. Sermon by Rev. Father McQuaid—A ‘Warning to Scandal-Givers. At the above-named edifice yesterday, after the Gospel of the high mass, Father McQuaid ascended the pulpit and preached on the Gospel of the day, which is taken from Luke xiv. 1,11. When Jesus undertook to cure the man sick of the dropsy on the Sabbath day he saw, with that eye which pene- trates the secrets of all hearts, that the Pharisees would accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath. He condescended to convince them that it ‘was no violation of the Lord’s day to performa miracle in behalf of one of God's people. This He did in a striking manner; for certainly if 1t was no crime to draw out an ass or an Ox from a pit on the Sabbath, how could it be wrong to heal a man suffering from @ grievous malady’ It is well worthy of remark how Christ deigned to convince them that He had done’no wrong, for He did so in order to show us how careful we stiould be not to give scandal to our neighbors. SCANDAL 18 ANY WORD or action or the omission of any duty which may redee: ‘blood of Jesu, med by the Jesus, Christ of one of His elect. Hence fe to scandal cometh. It were better for him that a. tone should be tied around his neck, and that he should be cast into the depths of sea than scandalize one of my little ones."’ How then, we should be not to give bad example, we open the way tor @ soul toperdition. But, alaat it is too often that scandals come. How mang there are who, in the presence of children, aneanat things which sully the purity of childhe i whe neglect their religious duties; who never attend rey and never attend the holy table; who addict e CHILDREN TO WICKED HABI and thus destroy the souls of many youths to come. How can persons expect their children to be if they teach them to tread tho ways of wickedness? Great, then, 13 the obligation imposed on us by the Church of setting good example to those around us. Let our conduct be such as to edify all who may come in contact with us. How often are Catholies reproached with divers crimes by those outside the Church of God. If you compare the lives of many bad members of the Church with the holiness of her doctrines, what a contrast will thereby be presented. These bad men bring disgrace upon the Church, and prevent many from coming within her folds. Let every one present TAKE THE RESOLUTION to be ready to suffer death rather than scandalize one of Christ's little ones; to attend mass regu- larly; to abandon his evil ways and repent of his past sins. If we do this God wilt surely bestow on us the grace of conversion. Thus we may come to set good example instead of bad, and repair our past crimes by bringing souls te God. ‘e should also pray often for the attainmeat of this end and for the salvation of souls; and i we do so we cannot fail to become participators, one day, in the joys that await the repenting ain- ner, AT FAR ROCKAWAY. The Sports and Diversions of the Great Celtic Watering Place—The Beauties of the Ball- rooms and the Charities of the Visit- ors—Sunday on the Sandy Beach—A Grand Finish to a@ Glorious Season. The season is fast coming to a close at Rockaway beach. The sudden return of the hot weather on Saturday sent thousands of perspiring people te the Rockaway sands, and the trains yesterday morning from Hunter's Point carried agreat crowd of our citizens, who frantically desired to paddle in the surf at tneir favorite watering place. Rockaway ts chiefly frequented by our Celtic fel- low citizens, for surf bathing; and those who visit this charming place on a Sunday and chance to take @ stroll on the smooth, hard sand, will be certain to hear the different and diverse dialects of the thirty- two counties of Ireland. In varticular the well- known counties of Cork, Kerry, Longford, Cavan, Monaghan and Tipperary are weil represented in the masses of men and women who frequent the beach, At the United States Hotel the Cork and Kerry people swarm by the hundred, and the mellifiuous brogue of Cavan and Longford is best heard at Casey’s Pavilion and the Coleman House. One would think from the sort of drinking that is done at the hotels at Rock- away that the majority of the visitors belonged to the “Straight-out Bourbon” party, which lately as- sembled by delegates at Louisville. The humor of Rockaway is grotesque and has @ fine Doric flavor. A man a little under the in- fluence of the jolly god Bacchus is said to be “atab- bed.” A stranger at Rockaway while listening to this seaside argot would imagine that murders were of common occurrence, but the fact is that there is no spot more harmless than this strip of sea beach which is known as the “Irish Newport.’” And Rockaway is excessively virtuous. Unlike Coney Island, where the three-card monte mam flourishes in all his glory, Rockaway scorns the presence of a gambler or any other pernicious per- sons given to games of chance. Were one of these 7, to get up his “little game” on the beach, e would be knocked down by sledge-hammer fists and incontinently kicked into the breakers, im whose bubbling froth he might founder and amuse himself by looking for his monte cards until he lost his breath. And Rockaway is a charitable watering place, ‘ir tieaa the most charitable watering yes in the nion. Hundreds of clergymen this breezy beach io reinvigorate their minds and bodies: after their weary labors and toil shone their flocks in the city. If a church is to be built 4,000 miles away, or a parochial school established, there is no fashionable resort where ‘the visitors are 60 open-handed, and where so readv a response ie made when a collection is called for. The hops at Rockaway, which generally take place on Saturday evenings, are of the most re cherché description. If you wish to see dancing that is dancing goto Rockaway. Here the votaries of Terpsichore indulge in some of the most exvra- ordinary physical gymnastics. It 1s an old proverb that at Rockaway no fair belle or gallant cavalier ever deigns to walk through a quadrile or slide through ao polka. There is no Ce rae or lounging in the saltaton programmes at Rockaway, on Long Island’s se! girt shore. It is real downright hard work when the band in the lofty gallery, hung with arras and green tapestry, oursts forth in the wild s.rains of the Hibernian jig. One would imagine the jig to be a reproduction of the Phynic dance, with bounding Greek warriors, at the Olympic games, were an observer to scrutinize the hops at Far Rockaway. And then the beautiful fresh-cheeked girls, who sway to and fro in mazy groups, are not to be excelled for the graces of their personal appearance from Nahant to the stormy Chesapeake. At Rockaway this season the county Clare girls have carried off the palm for beauty and irrepressible grace of the spirttuelle kind, The bathing here 1s of the rollicking, good- natured sort. It isacommon occurrence to see & stalwart Celt, with his entire family, his wife and twelve rosy, Healthy children, all plunging into the water at the same time. The blue blood of Ireland may be found largely represented at Far Rocka- way, and the “Watch on the Rhine” is an undiscov- ered Ce a as yet. Occasionally a Hebrew or Teutonic face may ‘be discovered, its owner Ben ena as Livingstone wanders by the shore of Tanganyika, secking for a sympathetic heart to console him. The fun grows fast and furious towards evening, and Rockaway, when the lamps begin to twinkle, bears a strong resemblance to Bray, the famous Irish watering place, or that other well-known resort, Kilkee, of which the bard has sung 80 sweetly :— © Kilkee, you are great by the ocean, In the land of the West—county Clare, With the best of fine atin and dhrinkin, Which you'll know if you chance to get there. The strarid is the finest, for certain, That ever mine eyes did behold, With boxes for ladfed while bathing, in y ig iy be co.d. Bat, a8 we sal i fore, the season 1s drawing to @ close at Far Rockaway, and ere the rasset leaves of October begin to fall this beautiful beach ‘will be left to the lonely roar of the breakers and the wild shrieks of the sea fowl. But Spring will come again, and the heated period of 1873 will find the bathing boxes as full as ever and the hotels flowing with the beverages that cheer but do not mebriate. ae NEWARK COMMON COUNGI. —..") The Newark Board of Common Setaelt met on Friday night, and in the course of a long session transacted considerable business of general im- portance. Alderman Westervelt followed up his Sunday horse-car move of a couple of years ago by moving {or a reduction of the fare on all city lines within thé city limits of from six to five cents. A resolution to that effect will be prepared by tne proper committee next meeting. As the New York companies have come down & cent and still make stockholders rich, it is probable the Newark companies will not kick. Street Com- missioner Rogers, whose eMiciency in this oMee ah of Tiared oa rere a services while police captain, sent in his resi ion. in appreciation of his “services the Council voted twice on an ordinance to increase his salary to $3,000, the increase to date from the 1st of January, DISCOVERY OF HUMAN SKELETONS. While some workmen were engaged grading Samuel street, in the village of West Farms, West chester county, on Friday afternoon, they exhumed five human skeletons, none of which were deeper than about one foot below the suriace. The bones who cted the relics asserted that their owners must have been dead 100 years. In view of a pose inv tion of the matter by the author= ities the skele! were reinterred temporarily where they were discovered,