The New York Herald Newspaper, January 13, 1873, Page 11

GLIMPSES OF THE GOSPEL Mhe Ministers of the Metropolis Holding the Hirror Up to Human Nature for the Holy and Unholy to Look Upon. Brother Beecher Rebuketh Carrulous Goodness. Garibaldi, Mazzini, Kossuth and Garrison and the “Bridgets” and the Maiden Aunts Glorified. The First Sixty Seconds in Heaven. REWARDS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. Hepworth Reviewing «the Discourage- ments of a Christian Life.” NAPOLEON “A MONSTROUS I.” Dr. Wild on the Mon of Gatilee, King Theodore and the Abyssinians. POCTRINES AND DITCHES. Sermons and Services in the Cath- olic Churches. The weather yesterday was all in beauty that tould be desired by the most pious of sanctified Binners, The sky was clear and sparkling, and the bun shone with an eager brightness that im- parted a cheerfulness to every heart, and a Benerous warmth crept through the marrow of every one’s bones, The churches were consequently crowded, The sermons that were preached were all of an interesting character, and were varied in subject, so that below will be found, without doubt, such glimpses of the Gospel as will Suit almost every class of religious thinkers and professors. THE OLD JOHN STREET CHURCH. Whe “Witch of Endor”’—Sermon by the Rev. L. 8S. Weed. This well-known and ancient place of worship was Pleasantly filled yesterday morning with a congre- gation that manifested the greatest interest in the subject treated upon by the pastor, Rev. L. & Weed. It hau been announced that the theme for consideration would be the “Witch of Endor,” as narrated in the I, Samuel, xxviil., where Baul disguised himself, and; putting on raiment, “came to the woman by night.’ To treat the sub- Ject in the exhaustive manner required Mr. Weed aeclded to occupy both the morning and evening services, the first touching what practical things are taught by the interview, leav- ing the speculative character of the theme for last evening's consideration. The pastor, in intro- ducing his text, referred to the land of Paiestine @nd that section reaching from Mount Carmel on the east to the River Jordan on the west. He ‘was especially interesting in this descriptien, winning the attention of his hearers that con- tinued until the benediction was pronounced. Baid Mr. Weed at this point, two of the MOST NOTABLE EVENTS In history occurred, being one of its most glorious victories and one of its most disastrous deieats, There the sword o/ the Lord had put to flight His numerous enemies, and two hundred years there- alter all Israel, gathered together by Saul, was defeated and the King killed. Saul was in trouble. The Lord answered him not, neither by dream nor the prophets. He had forsaken God and God had abandoned him. He prayed tor help, and by night travelled to the cave oi the Witch of Endor, seven miles distant, and in reaching it was compelled to pass through the camps of the Philistines. We must consider what ‘his anxiety of spirit was when -he took this jour- mey and had eaten nothing. Saul was a mighty man, Think of him setting out at night for tneend he sought. When David subsequently looked upon the lifeless king well might he have exclaimed, “How are the mighty fallen!” The practical mat- ters taught by the theme are, first, that circum- stances can never fully control our hearts, There wre influences which direct us, but they are not Rovereign. After narrating some of the world’s — evil doers, Mr. Weed said that it was me’ impossibie for a sinner to be a nappy man. EXCITEMENT AND BLANDISHMENTS pf society are in themselves much to make the path of @ man pleasant; but retribution is sure to come. if aman does what is wrong punishment will fol- jow. Saul discbeyed the mandates of God and de- fled Him. Then Saul's iriends became less, his Brmy was broken and his own soal depraved. This was the natural consequence of his sins. Like fest since that time, pride, ambition, envy and le alousy have been theirruin, Saul’s unhappiness is attributable to two things, He had no real ex- wuse for his wickedness, and his fuin was the result of his own wilful perversion, There was no cause for his seeking the Witch of Endor, no reason for is endeavoring to obtain consolation in this wise, B oy than there is cause for us to-day secking rr FROM SPIRITUAL MEDIUMS reputation. Instead of this, had Saul applied imself that night in py teny God, it ts almost vertain that He would not have turned from him, esd given him that cour 80 necessary in the ming mecting with the ilistines, Then Mr. Weed deduced the lesson which the pradtical views submitted suggested, and said that he who peeks information irom the wrong channels must Buffer; that our duties and responmibilitivs ure ultiplied, as we have the Bible, the guide of our le, and to it we must look for instruction, OHUROH OF THE DISCIPLES, Whristians, Pious, Lukewarm and Doubt- fal—Arguments, Comforting, Spurring and Convincing—Scrmon by the Rev. George H, Hepworth. Steinway Hall contained at the morning services sterday @ very large, fashionable congregation. ier Hepworth occupying the pulpit, preached on "The Discouragements of a Christian Life,” basing 8 discourse on the verse in the Paalms—‘Why art jon cast down, O my soul, and why art thou dis- \quieted within me? Hope in God, for Ishall yet praise ‘Him who is the health of my countenance and my God.” When he first read that text, he began, it was with satisfaction. Even David had his moments of religious despondency; times when God seemed far off and unapproachable; and he had moments of exceeding great ecstacy, when he stood on the ‘top of the mount of vision. But few men whose mames history records have stood spiritually aa high as this very man. Yet even he had moments of SPIRITUAL REACTION. ‘Then ho was shrouded in darkness, and he called out in & moment of Intense suffering, “Why art ‘thon, O my soul, cast down, for when this mood is wver my soul shall rise again?’ He then stated ‘that he intended to make a special appeal to those ‘who in thetr religious struggles meet with the ex- Periences of David, There are men in this hall who are very far advanced in the Christian life—not a ‘Mfe of impwisé, but a life led according to a princi- Bie. Yeteven to these came seasons of unquict. Out of that despondency you come as from a bad, dream and meet the checry smile of morning. But night succeeds night. Man is the creature of eter wan te things exterior to oe — 0 jen there are other who sre but entering upon the Christian tt a a few few inonths—they hope to have crossed tho $n ming sand end reached the river, They long ‘with all their souls to be religions, Yet at times they think what ts the use of it; let it go, it will coue Out all Fight some time, Not so. ‘ley must TAKE HEAVEN BY STORM to get the benediction. And there were others tly in douvt and who desire in # luke NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, JANUARY 1%, 1873—TRIPLE SHEET. worm Obristians. look east and Wests Tharp and ‘thetr logic are utterly os ittretore not iy be honest and just. Thatisa Piece yhism. nee ie gerd come Ls mover antes to e my country and I propose home. in x ve Christianity ‘not, there are’ cer tain 6 | or laws Phas wes must obey. For those laws are the ‘society and civilization. act with those laws are rolling their burden down hill, but if they act in deflance of those laws the; are Bene their burden up an ever Seenening bull and it will surely crush them. Some are discou! because there are 8o many bad men in the Church, ‘This is an awful fact. But are there no bad men out of the Church? Did our soldiers desert the Bag Decal here were traitors? i use t! Most pees thi that when they are converted somet! will hap- pen to them as it did to St. Paui, But the heavens Very seldom open nowadays. After some further Temarke the speaker concluded by declaring that it is easy to be wicked, hard to be righteous; but the easy way leads to death and hell, and the hard way to life and God, It is hard work at first. Every once and a while we stumble and fall. but what of it? We are ascending the mountain, gaining strength as we advance, and we are sure to rea the top—the New Jerusalem. OHURCH OF THE MESSIAH. Sermon by the Rev. H. Camp, of Brooklyn=—The Virt: of Trial—The Rewards ot Rectitud There was a large attendance yesterday morning at the Church of the Messiah, In the absence of the regular pastor, the Rev. Henry Powers, the sermon was preached by the Rev. 8. H, Camp, of Brooklyn, who selected for his text the following words :==“‘And lest I should be exalted above mea- sure, through the abundance of the revelation, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a mes- senger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be ex- alted above measure’—found in LU, Corinthians xi, 7. Mr. Camp commenced :—“We are generally hkely to miss the true intent of Scripture if we insist upon a literal interpretation, If we take the words in their own ESSENTIAL DEFINITION and separate them from the mental habit of the person who utters them; if we ignore the sur- roundings and take no account of the peculiarity of those who are addressed, oftener than other- wise we shall miss the real meaning of the words, Even in our day we cannot arrive at the exact intention of words unless we know something of the one who speaks, One man wjll fill the com- monest speech with the noblest definitions, be- cause he is himself one of God’s true noblemen, We really cannot interpret human speech by the aid of the LEXICON OR DICTIONARY alone; there must be some knowledge of the speaker. Until we know Paul's temper, his mental habit, we cannot understand his speech. The poet leaves his verses as the guest of our imagina- tion, they hav.ng sprung trom his imagination ; but the ymay be dest. ae Teliable as the sharp, bold figures of the Iitteralist, who is not half 80 likely to see subjects in their complete relations as this same poet. When we apprehend the inten- tions of any one who undertakes to teach people, then we can arrive at @ worthy decision, be he poet or mathematician. After priefy touching on the actual esting of the apostle in the words of the text, and alluding to the ness and domestic life of man, Mr. Camp said, “Then there are women whoseem to be held down so stupborniy by the actual neceasity of liie that they almost for- get how tosing of soar; they have no leisure in which to learn the higher lessons of life, buffeted, not by temptation but by ceaseless care, so that at length iile to them Is the merest SRRADMELD, and they think with longing of the time when they can tread no longer. Friends, there is something awiully wrong when the condition of life kills a8 privation, and the Church of God, which is always and everywhere the Church of humanity, has most solemn and important business so long as this con- dition of things is in any way a fact, In conclusion Mr. Kemp said:—Again I feel persuaded that it is a part of the divine intention that we shall have some of tie necessary lessons of life in this way. We must not forget that God has quite as much at stake as we have, He has in- vested in us too largely to be indifferent to our welfare—we are His children, and our laterests are infinitely precious to Him. We,mourn over our cheap attainment; but He never fails to recognize our noble effort apart from its result. He allures us a blessed aspirat.on, because He knows the splen- did possibility within us, 1donotany longer grieve that I must EARN MY LIVING, Some of the very best es a I have or know are the result of the struggies I have been obliged to make. Would you ior one moment extinguish your recollection 1 the battle you bave made with diMiculties ¢ If it was aciean ight you need not care to remember whether it ended in victory or otherwise, I have met some splendid men and wo- men in this world, whose presence filled me with gladness and the best order of encouragemen and I have this to confess, those who seem fuiles! ot the divine forces, who had largest ability to nerve and quicken, are those who have had large aspirations, who have been forced to sharp, severe conflict with diMculties and obsticles.. We are not to measure our attuinment—we cannot do it, God asks us to push ahead, with eyes wide open to read all the signs whereby he shali guide us, with ears quick to catch every accent of his invitation, He Warns us against slow and half-hearted endeavors. Have you careiully pondered the grandeur of our eet not merely to fire our own souls with divine ambition, but, better stil, to do this work for others! I would have you know the fullest triumph passes the deepest peace. I invite you to share in all the business cf this dear church, accept the burden, do its work and find here life in the consciousness that you are doing something to build up the Kingdom of God. LYRIC HALL, A Faith for This Side of the Grave Not Good for the Life Beyond It—Napoleon “a Monstrous l’—Sermon by the Rev. O. B. Frothingham. ‘The services at Lyric Hall, in Forty-second streets opposite Reservoir square, yesterday morning, were very well attended. The subject of Mr. Froth, ingham’s discourse was “A Faith by which to Live.” Why should it be necessary to live by it at all? he began, Life can go on evenly without it. If we meet persons who have no faith we meet per- sons whose lives are dislocated and disjointed, The ILL-PATED STOKES fas no man of faith in this sense of the word. He ‘was a gentleman, kind to those who were kind to him; aman who never connected yesterday, to- day and to-morrow. He wasaman who lived for pleasure and his own entertainment, thinking of nothing beyond, Here in his early manhoou he stands under the SHADOW OF THR GALLOWS, ls there anything in the nature of bis purposes that any one would dignify by the name of living? A great man passed away last week leaving scarce- ly aripple on the surface of society. Napoleon Bonaparte was not a man of great faith. The soul of his faith was belief in his star—belief in the destiny of his iltustrious family. Ail the past and present culminate in him. He wasa MONSTROUS I, He believed that he was destined to a crown anda throne, How did he die? No sin’s builet touched him. He died an outcast vagabond, the companion of adventurers. The career corre- sponds with the faith, It was a grim career—cruel, rapacious, careless of other people. The faith was the quintessence of selfishness, The orthodox used the Unitarian faith was @ live by, but a bad one to die by. Dying an organic process which we cannot = No faith postpone or gladden the hour. Dying peace- fully dves not depend upon whether they be be- levers in the Trinity or Unity. It depends upon whether the disease be painful or not, People do not fear to die when their hour comes. They meant that it was a goud faith to live by on this side of the grave, and abad one for the other side. We are to live so many years on this side and endless son the other. If your faith is good for ti iife it is not good for the other, which ‘ou Wiil have faith in, This life is the only one we ave. The other may never come. It is not posal- ble for a man to live in this world a year or a day without living it ail over, No man can os thing anless he puts his whole self into it, Peop' do not build marble palaces in which to live but a night, We hear a great deal of CRITICISMS UPON OUR BUILDINGS. There are no confi ons.iu the O1d World, because thoy build houses that will last generations. Our cities are caravansaries. It would be weil if our houses were put upon wheels, if we could obtain any strong enough. It is as well to build for eter- nity as for afew years, Faith is absolutely neces- sary to every powerful life. A young man may sow hig wild oats and be a nobler man. Dare we treat this asa truth? It does not seem right that a man who wastes his youth should be wise when an old man. Something will be lost, but you cannot tell what it is, Old age will be so much richer by what is gained in youth. Every piece of knowledge gained, every lovely view contemplated, every beau- tifil book read in youth will make old age worthier. There is @ anity between the human form and spirit. There was atime when people did not be- iteve that all spirits were of the’ same caste. Let me iliustrate this Wg There was # negro in Washington who had barbarously murdered his wife, He was as near the Creator as man can come, The murder was premeditated and coid- blooded, He was tried, condemned, executed, On tne scaffold he delivered himself of a rhapsoay. Hie jelt sure or laying his head upon the bosom of Jesus. He #poke of his heinous crime and of the bystanders in terms of triumph. Me sincerely felt that the good. sober people of Washington were in faoy' to underutand what oue "part of tama ie r than another. ST, PATRIOK’S CATHEDRAL Sermon by the Rev. Father Kearney— ‘The Lesson of Christ’s Discussion With the Doctors. At the principal mass in the Cathedral yesterday there was, as usual at all services in the Catholic churches throughout the city, a large and appa- rently very devout congregation. The ceremonies were of the ordinary character and, in comparison with those with which the Church has eo recently been manifesting joy and gladness at the birth of our Saviour, seemed really tame. The music was not of that grand order which is given at the happy Christmas time, but was given with the taste and finish for which the Cathedrat choir is noted. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Father Kearney, who took his text—the gospel of the Seer e- The from the second chapter of St. Luke, ginning with the forty-second verse. ‘he iogpel contains the sto! of the losing of Christ in Jerusalem and discussion with the doctors in the temple. Christ was but twelve years old, and yet, at that early age, He had already commenced the great work for which He came among men. The reverend preacher—atte) Speier the con- sternation of St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin at tne loss of the Boy and then their joy on finding Him, and also the amazement and del ht of the doctors of Israel at the wisdom evih by “the carpenter's son’’—drew a most instructive lesson for his hearers, admonishing them to commence at once most earnestly to carry out the will of their heavenly Father. Christ himself did not deem it too early to begin the work of His Father at the age of twelve years, and those who had the care and maintenance of children were admonished to see to it that the young minds were directed in the right path and that the work of preparing the soul to see and receive its Saviour was immediate! commenced and properly and earnestly periorme: ALL SOULS’ CHURCH, Sermon by the Rey. Edward EB. Hale— The Parable of the Ten Talents, All Souls’ church was unusually well filled yes- terday morning (and it rarely, indeed, has a slim congregation), the pulpit being occupied for the day by the Rev. Edward Everett Hale, of Boston. The subject for the discourse was taken from the para- ble of the ten talents, and the main lesson en- forced—that it is our duty to do well and faithtully whatever it is appomted to us todo without re- gard to the happier fortunes or higher endowments of our fellowse—though a very old one, was illus- trated with many new examples, told in a singu- larly graceful and vivid rhetoric. The preacher began by alluding to the frequent complaints we heard from people to whom but one talert had been confided of the HARDNESS OF THEIR LOT and the slenderness of their opportunities. Ob, said they, if we had but:ten talents, like that other more fortunate neighbor of ours, or even five, then, indeed, we might do something; but of what ase is this miserable one talent tous? And thereupon, like the man in the parable, instead of making the best use of that talent which they had, they hid it in the earth, The real source of this discontent and folly was envy, and the best cure for it was to make its victims look round and see how much better of pas were, even with the little they had, than many others who had less. The boy to whom was entrusted only the duty of going on errands, and who was foolish enough to grumble at the humbleness of his task, was occupying a far more important position in the community than the boy who ran errands badly or the boy who was not eee worthy to be trusted with an errand at all. THE POOR SEWING CTR who, as she stitch, stitch, stitched through the Weary hours, and longed that she might Jabor with the pen or the pencil or with her voice, would only accompany him into the thousands ef misery- stricken homes, where the great trouble was that their dwellers had not even the talent of being able to stitch, she would cease her repinings. In some respects, indeed, those who had but one talent were more fortunate than those who had ten. Look through the Gospel where we would we found that the one virtue most earnestly pressed upon the notice of the Christian was singleness of purpose in his pursuit of one true life. This prin- ciple, indeed, was carried out and illustrated in the world of business and aifairs. Napoleon had laid it, down as one of the great maxims of military science that ‘if you set out to TAKE VIENNA take Vienna.” What he meant was, that the good general, having fixed upon an objective point for the campaign, would never allow himscif to be tempted away from it by any incidental and minor aims. So, too, the people, Who were as a mass far wiser than we gave them credit for in great crises of need, always preferred a man who had done some one thing very well to men who had used many talents and accomplishments and faculties with indifferent success. Thus it was clear that one talent well used was sometimes as valuable as ten. One great dificuity with mosf of us was that we failed see that the money and stocks and avocations and trusts with which we had todo were but toys, in playing with which our Heavenly Father permitted us to prepare ourselves for the higher and truer lite beyond. If we only kept this ever in view we should cease to complain of the lowliness of our station, but should cheertully set to work to ennoble it with earnest and faithful tul- filment of its duties. CHURCH OF THE PURITANS, Materialism Not a Doctrine, but a Ditch— Sermon by Rev. Dr. Cheever. The Rev. Dr. Cheever preached last evening in the chapel of the University in Washington square. He took his text from the Gospel of St. Matthew, Xv., 4 He said:—Science without religion is like a dead sea, and such is materialism—modern materialism. It may be made brilliant and attractive to the senses for a while, but its end is death. “Letus eat and drink to-day jor to-morrow we must die” is what mate- rialism teaches. The materialism of ignorance without the revelation of God, such as that of the ancient heathens, might be accepted without the rejection of God, of a Creator; but modern ma- terialism, since the revelation, insists upon the re- jection of the divine Creator. We have no more to do with God, this doctrine says, than the mon- key, which we sprang from. It denies the fal] and sin of man, and afirms him to have been evoked from nature and by nature; it denies the need of redemption, makes Jesus one of the greatest of im- postors, denies heaven asa kingdom of God, nies hell as a kingdom of evil- This doctrine takes all motive from the good, all the fear from the bad; taxes away all restraint and ail conscience. Life is a taper of natural enjoy- ment, it says, and jet us burn it at botn ends and get out of it as much as we can, Materialism does Not say let us live for immortality, but let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall dic. One of the most eminent scientists of England affirms that the progress of science is dependenton the ban- ishment of the entire realm of spirit, of THE BELIEF IN GOD AND IMMORTALITY. Now what do these people do? The facts of science are God's words, and these people take God's words to prove that there is no God! All_ the facts of science have God's meaning in them. Nature is full of living symbols of God. Nature always illustrates from lower to higher. Science without religion brings us down to the dead level of senses, the senses without the soul, the body without the soul. There is no translucence in the carbon, but as it is touched by the light it becomes radiant and glit- tering as the soul when touched by the hight of grace. The soul becomes a ning crystal, man who denies the existence of God is a8 dark aa char- coal, but let him come only near enough to the light and even he may be filled yet with the divine rit. re mi be such carbon souls thrown on the ditch of materialism, bat we ought to look at them with ity. Let the scientist tell me how the diamond is med out of the carbon. You will find the dia- mond where there is not one of the original quali- ties, Show me here the link of evolution, I tell = you cannot connect the diamond with rces of nature. There is a vacuum of force, an now you will have to contrive a theery—an infl- nite series of creative steps. How can that be when ‘ou deny the P baer § of the first step? None utan Infinite Creator could have created the grain of wheat with its infinite potientalities. You may trace THE PROSPERITY OF A KINGDOM to one grain. Take @ grain from an tian tomb, find out the “second causes” of sky and earth and create aharvest. Here is a chance to prove your doctrine of evolution. Prove it. A food Manufactory for nations set in one singie seed. Js it not a miracle? We cannot conceive of select- ing and combining natore without conceiving a ower above nature, t us take the eleciric ‘elegraph, with man as the operator. Consider the results of this invention as regards its influences on human life. Two things must have occurred to make this invention possible—hgnt, heat, &c., and the action of the human mind, Could they have come together without an overscer—a higher power? The electric telegraph would be a mere result of natural evolution, if the Creator be excluded, and materiaiism does ex- clude the Creator, Man is supposed to be a result of natural hae of evolution without a creator, and still we see that the first record of this being 1s @ book ascribing every power in creation to an Almighty God. By natural evolution there is not only no distinction between the and the wicked, but they are both made to lie by nature, This is the exact logic of these men, of the German authors, whom We are invited to sit at the feet of, This man speaks the truth because he ia led on mutton; the other lies because he is fed on beef and potatoes. Both unavoidable and Serres res tan “acmuoustration of cr nin Se able vo Phake the faith of te soul. 8T. STEPHEN'S CHURCH, The Lord and His Visit to Nazareth— Christ im the Temple at Twelve Years of Age—A Lesson of Humility. High mass was celebrated at St. Stephen's Ro- man Cathoiio church yesterday morning by the Rey. Father Powers, a young clergyman who was lately ordained at the Ecclesiastical Seminary at Troy, The sermon of the day was preached by the Rev, Charles McCready in his usual eloquent and concise style. Father took for his text the Gospel of St. Luke if., 42, 62, beginning as follows:—“He went down with them to Nazareth, and was subject to them.” The reverend gentle- man said that in those few words is contained the history of the Lerd’s life during a period of eigkteen years. We lose sight of the bright, in- telligent and interesting boy of twelve years in the Temple, only to tnd Him in his thirtieth year a matured man, seeking the baptiam of penance at the ands of the Precursor. Could we but draw aside the veil which history has not dared to penetrate—the veil which the Father, in fis wise designs, has drawn around that blessed family in Nazareth, whay a beautiful and instructive picture would meet our view. We would fud them a model family, such as God in- tended in the beginning. We could discover in every line and trace of the picture the one distinct- ive mark—humble yet sweet subjection. The child Jesus subject to His earthly parents; the Virgin Mother — to her holy spouse, and he again, With the others, subject to their heavenly Father, We are here taugnt a lesson which it required the Man God to come from Heaven to incul- cate. ‘'hroughout the wonderiul mysteries of this blessed season we find one grand virtue underly- ing ail, supporting all, and sustaining and crown- ing everything—the one beautiful virtue of humil- ity. On these days of self-assertion and independ- ent action, when all that is most opposed to the spiritual is pressed into the service of the world and of man’s advancement therein; when not merely faise high-toned notions of honor and a spirit that will not brook real or imagined insult are still popular, but when even infantile precocity recommends itself to parental javor by its early ‘development and independence of spirit, the bare mention even of humility is calculated to create a smile, Unhappily we have fallen on times when it would seem almost out of place for a minister of the Gospel to say aught in commendation of this virtue without insinuating for @ moment that civil liberty and the humility of the Gospel can coexist in the same individual, stil it is not too much to say that we are perhaps unconsciously too apt to carry that spirit of liberty and equality which we have acquired as citizens into our relations with Gud, so turn that blessing which a kind Providence confers on us into a weapon against Himself, But we must make here a broad distinction—“We must render unto Cesar the things that are Crsar’s; to God the things that are God's.” Christ is the Christian’s model, In preparing this model for our imitation. He does not say to us, “Fast dor forty days, as 1 have done,” *‘Kalse the dead” to life, or he says simply, “Learn of me, ior | am meek and humble of heart.” His conduct during His entire life was a realization of this teaching, We thay attempt it, but we can never fathom the infinite depth of our Lord’s humility, And we shall have the happiness of being admitted into His Tbe kingdom, and of beholding Him face to face in all His glory and majesty. We will then be able to form, yet still inadequately, some idea of that humility which transferred him irom heaven to enter into the Incarnation, which caused the ond Person in the Trinity to take the personality ofher weak babe of bethlehem; or which trans- formed the Lord of All the Hosts of Heaven into the friendiess criminal in Pilate’s hall or the re- puted malefactor on the ignominious tree, As- suredly He could teach with authority who has py in his own life and conduct such practical lessons as these, THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE, Evening Services at Madison Square Presbyterian Church—Addresses by Count Bernestoff, of Prussia, and Others. A large congregation assembled at the evening services yesterday in Madison square Presbyterian church, it being understood that several eminent speakers were to speak in the interest of the Evan- gelical Alliance now in progress throughout the Christian world. The meeting was presided over by Mr. William E. Dodge. . ‘The Services were opened by the singing of the 133d Psalm. The President after its conclusion spoke on the evangelical alliance, which he said was an organization extending thronghout the world designed to secure the co-operation of all Christian denominations. in the advancement of Christian union. Next Autumn, irom October 2 until the 12th, the convocation of the Evangelical Alliance will take place, at which eminent and learned men from all parts of Europe will be present to the number of about three hundred. Aiter speaking further on the uature of the alliance the President introduced Count Bernestof, of Berlin, who repre- sents the Prassian government at Washington, ‘The Count spoke a eo address very clearly and intelligibly, in which he adverted to tlie progress of civil and religiou® liberty throughout the world, and expressed his desire to see the de- signs of che Evangelical Alliance carried out ef- fectually. He knew very many profound scholars in his own country who will very gladly accept the invitation to be present. 4 The Key. Dr. Schaff then gave a ve detail of all he had done to ensure the success of the coming convocation of all Protestant denominations, He had visited all parts of Eurepe to solicit the interest and patronage of doctors of theology and eminent rofessors, and could say he had well succeeded in Ris mission, About three hundred delegates from Europe he expected would be present in October, Dr. Hurst, Theological Professor of the Drew Seminary, then made the closing address, in which he exhorted the congregation to support the visl- tors who should come to do them a wonderful and memorable service, pee services closed with the singing of the Dox- ology. BROOKLYN CHURCHES. ceeeeenengeenenanemnine TALMAGE AT THE ACADEMY. God’s Goodness to the World—The Reli- gion of Christ Not Made Out of Denth’s Head and Cross Bones=—The First Sixty Seconds in Heaven. The Academy was well filled yesterday morning and as cold as a barn. Mr. Talmage’s sermon was founded on the story of the sons of Jacob discover, ing Joseph a8 prime minister of Pharaoh, and Joseph’s kindness to the famine-struck people, and of the journey of Jacob, his father, to the palace at the capital of Egypt, in the king’s wagons, Jn con- sidering the lessons to be drawn from the subject, the pastor said that we were in a world by sin, famine-struck, but our King was in constamt com- munication with us, and had wagons coming and going perpetually. The King’s wagons, like those that came from the Egyptian palace, brought us corn, meat and many changes of raiment. They are coming Over the frozen ground to-day. Don’t you hear them rumble? They will stop at noon at your table. If fora little while they should cease to come hanger would come into the nations as in Utica, when Hamitcar besieged it, and the na- tions would be hollow eyed and fall upon each other in UNIVERSAL CANNIBALISM, and skeleton would drop upon skeleton, and there would be none to bury the dead, and the earth would be @ field of bleacued skeletons, and the birds of prey would fall dead, flock after fock, without any carcasses to devour, and the earth in silence would move around, one great black hearse—all life sronged because the King’s wagons are stopped. God for bread, The King’s ‘wagons also bring us ews. Why, Jacob had not heard of his buy for years, and wien the wag- oks came and told him ti Joseph was yet alive he fainted dead away. Good news for Jacob—good news for us. The King’s wagons come down and tell us that our Joseph—Jesus—is yet alive and that He has forgiven us because we threw Him into the pitand has risen again and stands in the Ob, glorious religion—a religion made not DEATH'S HEAD AND ‘9 BONES and undertakers’ acrewdriver—but on ounding with life and sympathy and gladness! The King’s wagons Will, aiter # while, unload and go back to the palace, and I really think that you and f will o with them, The King won't leave usin this famine-struck world. We will be taken up to see our lost friends. Jacob’s chief anticipation was not to see tie Nile or the throne room. There was one focus to ail his journeyings, and that was | Joseph. Well, I don’t think heaven would be worth much if our brother Jesus wasn’t there. There would be very few people there. bn | would all be oif looking for the lost Curt ni alter Pal had found Him with loving violence they would take Him and bear Him through the gates, and it would be the greatest day known in heaven within the memory Of the oldest inhabitant. Jesus never went off from heaven but once, and he was £0 badly treated on that excursion they wili never let Him go again. Ob, the Jor of meeting our brother Joseph—Jeans! We will want some new term by which to address Him when in the first moment we throw our arms around Him. Tcan think of what we shall do through the long ages of eternity; but what we shail do the first minute I cannot guese, Iu the Jagh of His countenance, in the’ frst rush of our imagine. Oh, the overw! THE FIRST SIXTY Methinks We will just stand ‘ne ki anda sof rent ane take us up tosee our lost children, our say there is not one of them dead. Have you never thought how glad they will be to see you? Evel time the door of heaven opens they look to see if it is you coming in, All the kindnesses of the im- mortals will make them forget you, They are all bi pow be the — ue in conclusion Mr. Talmage referred, in words of eulogiam, to the late Jou R. Lansing, an elder of the church, whose death took place on Thursday last. The King’s wagon came, Ne was liited into it, and now is gone. “Let me die the death of the Boerne id the pastor, ‘and let my last end e like his," PLYMOUTH CHURCH Mr. Beecher Preaches on the Nature and Power ot Humility—Garrulous Picty Rebuked—Garibaldi, Mazzini, Kossuth and Garrison True Workers—A Few Words of Commendation for Bridget, and Maiden Aunts Glorified=The Sig- nificance of Cross.Wearing. Mr. Beecher preached yesterday morning toa congregation not quite so large as usual, on “the nature and power of humility.” The text selected was from Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians, fi., 5-11. Alter a few opening sentences cautionary of an affectation of humility, and giving the mode of de- tecting a spurious humility, Mr. Beecher said that humility was not a special experience so much a3 0 about doing good to atl,” but - & special conception of means and powers, and the So using of them for the poor, the lowly and the helpless, im such a way as that we can make the best of those powers, Humility, therefore, was not a sentiment alone—it was a method of life, In this view of hu- mility, therefore, he was not humble who felt very unworthy, When a man was bilious he always felt very unworthy. When men had largely devoted themselves to business, how very unworthy they felt themselves to be; but such feeling was always mor- bid. Some folks join the Church and they try to be humble, just as a man on board a ship tries not to be sick. An illustration of true Christian humility was given by Mr. Beecher in a sketch of the leading points of the life of Agnes Jones, the Liverpool nurse, who possessed @ moderate fortune and a home of com- forts, but who left all and put herself under the training of a nurse at a German hospital, where she had to begin with the severest drudgery, that she might be fitted to be of service to the sick. Life and faculty were not put to their highest uses when made subservicnt to ourselves, and were only good when used for others. Looking out upon life in the light of these truths we were not to judge hastily as to the manifestations of humility and pride ‘of men, There were a great many princes and a great many CROWNED HEADS who had devoted their time, their high position, their influence, their wealth and their giits to the service of their fellow men, They will be found, doubtless, having their reward and their joy in heaven. On the other hand, there will be found a great many ostentatious men here who will be very low there. Religion has become protessional and organized among us, and there are a great many bishops, @ great many ministers and pastors and persons of guarrulous piety who per- form the oflces of devotion who will not stand the test at last, because they will not use their power for the welfare of the weak and neeay around them, When I look at home, said Mr. Beecher—when I look at the Church and see who it says are divine men, and know how it has treated Garibaldi, Mazzini, Kos- suth, Garrison and others of whom the world has far too few, L cannot but lament the lack of true humility. Ido not say that these men are models; but this T say, that when men with the intensit of their desires devote their (eee to the growt ot a great principle, live for it, suffer for it and die for it, these men answer the description given of our Lord Jesus Christ, “who though rich for our sakes yet became poor, so that we by his poverty might become rich.” Religion was not inconsistent with philosophy, with literature or even with pro- found and honest scepticism, Whoever was work- ing for the benefit of his fellow men was a conse- crated man; they might work by erroneous methods, but the thing was they were devoting themselves to the welfare of others, He (Mr. Beecher) would not check the moral sense of a Brahmin or the moral sense of a devotee. ape scientific men speak with contempt of the Church and the doctrines of the Church—doctrines which are very dear to millions of men; but it is to be attributed to the pride of their hearts. In tis dark period in which we live we are all making mistakes, Certain doctrines and certain em- blems of the Church are sacred to us, THE NAME OF JESUS is to us unspeakably precious, and is indelibly identified with all we ever knew of rapturous de- votion. We know that that name, which is above every other mame, has more blessed associations than any other name; and when Jesus is de- scribed to me as a young Jew or a pretentious reformer it gives me a pang. He had made those remarks on tiat side of the question because he wanted to say, om the other, that where scientific men with a sincere desire to know the will of God in nature are carrying on their investiga- tions in this spirit, that their life ts after the pat- tern of the Gospel, because it is a true rendering of service tetheir fellow men. The mechanical pur- suits, too, may be the cause of the development of true humility of character and for the advancement ofhumanity. In this respect how great had been the service of Goodyear in the adaptation of India rubber, of Howe in the discovery of the sewing machine needie! how great the services of Ark- wright, Watt, Fulton and Morse! There were many men working in mines and in tunnels who were working just as directly for the latter-day glory as the men who are preaching. So we may come to find out that there are more saints in the world than we think, You look for them in the calendar. There are some in the kitchen, though you probally don’t believe it. There are some in the nursery too. There are servant girls who are very near the saints, much as we revile THE “BRIDGETS."? These girls, slaving and tolling that they may send across a stream of gold that resembles the Guif Stream, so that the old folk at home may be more comiortable, or to bring the “young fry” ont, forces us to ask, Are we doing as well with our wealth and is our life 80 glorious in its sacrifice? There are servant girls who open the door for the lady of the house now waose position will probably be reversed hereafter, Then there 1s the maiden sister; the woman who is not very interesting—plain, per- haps; who superintends her married sister's house, [believe takes care of children, nurses the sick and is the gentie and useful hand everywhere and the ag lk heart always. She don’t dance much, den’t play a great deal and is not very at- tractive as the werld counts attractivencss; but she has nearly ali tne virtues, and she is very blessed. Don’t you think Heaven has something to say about such folks? I do, How fasuionable and common js now the bade ay 3 of crosses; Crosses in gold, in diamonds, in pearis. Is it not time that we be- gan to wear that by which this is signified—namely, the following of the Crucified? Is it not time we asked ourselves, not ‘How shail I be served?” but “How shall [serve ?’ So that the man of Christ shail bend his back 80 bah that tne poor shail ite thereon, and then by his strength so raise himseif that Le shall carry the poor with him, 80 let it be. YORK STREET M. EB. CHURCH. The Rev. Dr. Wild on the Ascension and the Men of Galilee—King Theo- dore and t War in Abyssinia. The Rev. Dr. Wild, of the Seveath avenue Metho- dist Episcopal church, preached yesterday morning at the York street Methodist Episcopal church. Hig text .was, Acts 1, 10, 11—‘And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up {rem you into heaven, shall 80 come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” The world in which we live i# evidently subject to the providence of God, This we may readily and reasonably infer from the laws and workings of nature, without the imfuences and operations of mind, The tenor, or pervading design of this providence, seems to be universal good and in- dividual perfection, as the latter shall be found to be consistent with the first; for the atonement aims to perfect the unit and harmonize the uni- versal. Without doing violence to the spirit or de- sign of the Gospel we may accept the redemption scheme of our Lord as being applicable to other worlds than this. The death of THE SAVIOUR IMPLIES more than the redemption of the soul, thougn that itself is precious and worthy. God’s gift of His Son declares the righteous character of the giver and also proclaims that God is love, “ Thus sin is de- barred of encouragement and the sinner invited to be reconciled. @ debarring feature of the atonemeut may be specially applicable to other be- ings and worlds, and the remedial es grandly and solely suited to this, The war Abyssinia was undertaken by the English government against King Theodore to redeem some dozen per- sons whom this king had imprisoned; not tor that alone, but that it might debar him or any other prince irom committing a similar outrage, A REDEMPTION HAS REFERENOR ton principle magependent of the thing redeemed, and the principle as secret as the redemption, We aave a good example of this in our own national experieace of the United States and Austria. Some years ago there landed in New York an Austrian Mau-of-war, One of the satlora deserted, and de- Clared his intention of becoming a citizen, Two God cannot pass by by the police of Brooklyn is not known poadiin yet it Is the best and greatest service they render. ‘Those they arrest can be counted; but who shall tell us what would occur if we had no police? ‘They represent the majesty and benevolenee of. the government by punishing the evil doer and brotecting the innocent. So Christ’s life and death declare to the universe the majesty and penevo- lence of Heaven, SUNDAY OUT OF DOORS. praenrtsed, ites How Metropolitans Availed Themselves of Yes- terday's Fine Weuther--The Skating and Driving—Ice in the Rivers— Fulton Street Cleared. A sky of wondrous calm broke upon the metrop- olis yesterday, and brought with it a clear, still atmosphere that was extremely appropriate for the “day of rest,” and most auspicious for those of our citizens who desired open air exercise, either as pedestrians, equestrians, drivers or skaters. Soon after breakfast time—which, by the way, is Not very definite at best, and least of all on Sunday mornings—people began to stir outward and wend upward towards the Purk, most of them being of the adolescent ages, with a proportion of about one-twentieth of the gentler sex. THE CRISP, CLEAR FROST of the preceding night had made the roada as har as steel and burnished the ice-armored breasts of the lakes with a coat of new formed and hardene® plate. Everything, from the clink of a horse’s fron-clad hoof on the road to the rippte of a voice on the thin quiescent air, was ringing and jolly. By three o'clock in the afternoon the lake was well crowded with skaters, and the meandering roads through the Park began to twinkle with the glitter of the processions of equipages that flashed in the sunshine as they rolled over hill and bridge toward the fashionable resorts. The ice on THE PARK PONDS ; was never in finer condition than on yesterday, and it is probable that during the day not less than twenty thousand persons availed themselves of the opportunity for diversion on skates, Standing on the terrace bridge the scene looking northward was one of rare vivacity and was not wanting in beauty, though to most people it would prove @ negative form of beauty. It was frigid, silent beauty, which nine people out of ten do not appre- elate. They may enjoy and appreciate the exhila- rating iufluence of the weather, but they can see LITTLE OF THE PICTURESQUB in hills crowned with skeleton trees and shrubs robed in brown dead turf and fleecy suow. ‘The lake at the spectators’ feet was full of whirl, swing, glitter and kaleidoscopic variety in group- ing and coloring of costume, and there were choruses of real healthy langhter that floated away cheerily on the scarcely rippled air. The skaters came up in single lines, In squadrons and in col- umns, and in another instant they were dittused m skirmishing order all ever the pond. Now a arty of half a dozen roystering, happy girls come in hand, careering around OME LITTLE PRNINSULA, and in another moment they are lost in the sombre shadow of the Echo Bridge. At one time there were not less than six or seven thousand persons disporting themselves on the large lake, and about a thousand on the smaller ponds, and this crowd, though constantly on the move, seemed for several haurs neither to increase nor diminish, though arrivals and departures were incessané among their numbers. Theirs was by long odds the pleasantest fun of out-door enjoyment yester- day, as they were all enabled to keep themselves warm by exercise, and it was evident that many of the driving parties that stopped for a few mo- ments on the bridges and roads to look at the skaters were wishing that they, too, had as pleasant facilities for developing some of the caloric that they so sadly needed in their trozen toes and noses, THE LOWEST POINT reached by the thermometer was at about six o’clock yesterday morning, and was eight degrees above zero or twenty-four degrees below freezing point. ‘Two hours later it had risen to ten above zero, and from twelve to three o’clock the mercury stood at about twenty degrees, with every promise of a rising teraperature and probable rain or snow within the succeeding twenty-four hours, As the afternoon progressed the temperature moderated pleasantly, the atmosphere became more active, and the day ended in an extremely pleasant manner, ‘There was an annsnally HBAVY FLOW OF ICE in the rivers yesterday, and 1t looked at one time asthough the East River would close up if the temperature fell much lower than it prevailed during Saturday night and yesterday morning. One of the most gratifying of STREET SCENES DOWN TOWN was presented yesterday in Fulton street, from Broadway to the ferry. About seven @’cleck the Street Cleaning Department put several gangs of men to work, under foremen ‘Timothy Connolly and Jackson, to clear the accumulated snow and ice from that betravelled thoroughfare, About two hundred and fifty Corporation carts were brought into requisition, and as fast as the laborers picked the Ice to pieces it was shovelled into the tumbrils and carried away. The result was gratifying in the extreme, and thousands of dwellers in Brook- lyn will this morning utter an involuntary bene- diction upon the New York street cleaning author- ities. Most of the workmen were Italians, who looked as though tce shovelling in New York was not half so pleasant as tending vineyards on the slopes of the Etrurian hills or lolling in the sun- shine among the ruins of the Forunt THE MODOC WAR. The Troops Still Inactive=-The Indians Stealing Large Quantities of Horses and Cattle. {From the San Francisco Sunday Chronicle, Jan. 6.] Yuega, Jan, 4, 1873, Dr, Skeen and others have just arrived from the Modoc country. The military are stili lying idie, waiting for the cannon from Vancouver, although they expect to attack the Indjans between the 6th and 10th of this month, The"Modocs still continue to steal cattle in large numbers from the citizens of this State. Doten Brothers, J. A. Fairchild, Dor- ris Brothers and Char'es Hirzog are the largest losers so far. The Ball Brothers, also residents of this country, think their large bands of horses have been captured by the Modocs, as no horses are to be seen now where their bands have always been. PAIR. Her Complaint Against George Thistice ton. {From the san Francisco Call, Jan. 5.) Lama D. Fair is once more before the public, this time as complainant against George Thistieton, whom she charges with the crime of linel. Mrs, Fair appeared betore the Police Judge yesterday afternoon, and applied for a warrant for the arrest of Thistleton, and in her complaint she cnarges that Thistleton “unlawfully and maliciously, con- triving and intending to villify and defame Laura D. Fair and bring her into public scandal and dis- ace, and to annoy and aggrieve her and expose er to public contempt an licule, did unlawfully and maliciously com; and publish, and cause to be composed and published,'a certain faise, malt- cious, scandalous, defamatory libel of and concern- ing her, the said Laura D. Fair.” The warrant was issued, but up toa late hour last night the accused had not been arrested. That upon which the alleged libel is predicated 1s called, “@ parlor game,” entitled “A Wolf in the Fold,” and consists Of @ number of caricatures printed on & rae piece of card board. In the centre is a figure of a semt- nude female standing by a table on which ig a “it- tie pistol.” Over this figare are the words “Laura D. Pair has been acquitted by the intelligent tts and is now hunting for another vietim—® flea,’ Underneath are the words ‘This tuteltigent jury around me I see, but vengeance I'll take on this flea.” On either side are six caricatures, intend- ing to represent the jury, and under each isa couplet. Some of the couplets ate not of a verv moral character. Above are caricatures of Judgos Quint and Curtis, and on the board are also scenes of acourt room, a shooting affray on @ steamer, and @ femaie gazing through prison bars. The game Is piayed with one die—the players who.are so unforiunate as to throw their die into the square occupied by the lawyers lose, while those bg throw into the “court room square” win. id game hes the drawback of being silly, and ay (he Same tune indecent. SUDDEN DEATHS. vy On Saturday night an unknown man Mat six years of extn i received as a lodger in the Tentl precinct station house and yesterday morning was found lying dead in the lodging room. The body of who appeared to bea German, was Samored to the Morgue and Coroner Kessler now fled. Augnat Lattmann three years of ag native of France, seventy- y died sence, woe Remsen 4 tus residence, 14 East street, ont Creme attendance. Coroner Kessies was uotited to huld ad inauest OB the body.