The New York Herald Newspaper, June 2, 1873, Page 4

PENTECOST Splendid Ceremonial Celebration of Whitsunday in the Churches of the City. THE COMING OF THE PARACLETE Catholic Circular for the Annual Collec- tion for the Holy Father. + Beecher Pleading for Universalism in the Salvation of Mankind. TALMAGE’S NEW TABERNACLE. The Struggle Upward from the Bottom of the Ladder of Goodness. A SERMON ON SUICIDE. Frothingham on the Poetry of Religion and Life's Duties from a Poetical Standpoint. ae Laying the Oorner Stone of a German Catholic Temvle in Tremont. Yesterday the mellow sun of Pentecost shone gloriously upon the throngs ef worshippers who went forth from their many homes and moved in great streams animate with bright and cheerful color to the temples, from whose bell towers rang musical invitations to devotion in clear and happy tones, Under tne soitly dazzling sky, mognificent in its depth of mystic beauty, a feeling of thanksgiving must have been inspired in the hearts of the church-goers. Their pwans of praise and humble gupplications wree more intensely de- vout than usual. Every edifice of worship was filled by a multitude. Whether the preachers were inspired to a higher eloquence and fervor than 4s usual for them can be judged from the sketches 01 their sermons, which are published below, Pen- teoost, with its eloquent memories and associa- tions, was the rich topic upon which many of them spoke. The Catholic and Episcopal churches espe- cially celebrated the great festival of Whitsunday with splendid ceremonies. In the former also reference was made to the annual collections for the Holy Father. Next Sunday will be devoted to this mission by the priests of all the churches of this diocese, in accordance with the circular which Archbishop McCloskey has issued to them, and in which he strongly appeals to the charitable for this noble cause :— Rev. Dear Sm—I beg to notify you that the annual collections for the Hoty Father will be made in all churches of the archdiocese on Trinity Sun- day, the 8th of June, pleased to make the proper announcements, and to exhort your people at the same time to contribute with even more, if possible, than their accustomed generosity. ‘there are urgent reasons why they should do so. The temporal necessities of our beloved Pontiff keep pace with the datly increasing trials and sufferings which he is forced to endure. He still sees the work of sacrilege and spoliation carried on around him with bolder effrontery and more bitter impiety; he sees defenceless religious of both sexes driven from their peaceiul homes, robbed of their little alland reduced in many instan to a State of ab- solute destitution, No wonder that his paternal heart is overwhelmed with sorrow, less even for himself than for his aillicted children; no wondera health and strength which have seemed to be little less than supernaturally sustained should begin te succumb beneath so many and such heavy bur- fens, Let none ef us, t falter in our best and most es ford consolation to the Holy Father in his amie. tions. * * * Very truly, your friend and brother in Christ, 2 ubishop of New York. New York, May 20, 1873. TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH. Suicide, Its Guilt and Consequences=The Teachings of Ancient Philosophy Con= cerning It Contrasted with Those of the Bibie—The Wickcdness and Cowardice of Self-Murder—Scrmon by Dr. J. 8S. Holme. Yesterday was the anniversary of the organiza- tion of the Trinity Baptist church, in Fifty-ftth street, near Lexington avenue. In the morning the pastor, the Kev. Dr. J. S. Holme, preached tne sixth annual sermon. In the evening his subject was “Suicide, Its Guilt and Consequences.” He said:—It is a fact noted by some distinguished writers of singular interest that both the great systems of moral philosophy most celebrated in antiquity seem either directly or indirectly to have furnished their disciples with a justification of suicide. The Stoics and Epicureans alike essayed to make the most of human life, to teach the road to its noblest development and to secure its highest happiness The stoles maintained that the sufferings of the body were not evils; that the natura! affections should be suppressed, every passion annihilated; and they inculcated the sternest seli-sucrifice, And yet Zeno, their founder, taught that it was innocent and proper to fy from the suferings of life by suicide, and, at an advaneed age, confirmed his precepts by hanging bimseli, and Oleanthus, his immediate successor, followed the example of his master. The philosophy of the Epicureans led to the same result, starting with directly opposite principles, viz. :—that the gratification of ail appetites consti- tuted the greatest good. This may seem strange, but itis only necessary to follow the faith of the voluptuary a short distnce to show whither it tends. SC itis not surprising that under quent ¢gachings of Hegesius the phic pleasure o¢came the PHILOSOPTILY OF SUICIDE. To 80 great an extent was this the Ptolemy, the Egyptian King, t fashion of suicide, forbid tie discourses. Thus was the plilosophy of antiquity, which is essentially the philosophy of irreligion in our day, obliged to confess that all its teachings tended to death, He then proceeded to show that the teachings of the Bible ate i direct contrast co this. In deing ¢o he first remarked that not a sin- gle representative character among the good men Of sacred history committed suicide, The force oi this argument ‘will be increased if we consider how many of the most distinguished men of pro. fane history have committed murder, Zeno, Themistocies, Demos hene: ato, Brutus, Cassius, Lycurgus and many others ‘ook their own lives; ghd yet among the good men of the Bible not one suicide is found. He reierred to the act of Samp- 801 the act of a war who, in his own death, w the lords of the Piilistiues, the enemies of rael, almost en masse. invery single instance of suicide in the Bible was that of a notoriously bad man, as he illustrated by referring to them, from Saul to Judas, As the second Bibic injunction against suicide eenceee G that its spirit is dia- acetrit Opposed to the eally EXERCISE OF THE GRACKS which it is the great aim Of ‘le bible to inculcate. For example, resignation—not only one of the love- liest forms of Christian virtue, but one of the high end holy principles of the religion of Christ. What can be more opposed to it than man’s laying vio- lent hands on himself? In the third place he con- sidered the express injunctions. ‘The Apostie in his Epistle to the Romans distinctly states that no man liveth to himself ana no man dieth to hinm- self; that his death as well as life must be in the hands of God, and no man has a right to yield his Iie for his own gratification, for therein be most emphatically dies ior himsel!, Man should not only be een. to die when God pleases, but to live as he Wills, This is the express teaching of His Word. Again, taking one’s life is an act of cowardice of ‘which no honorable man shouid be guilty, The ucide is @ base deserter in the battie of ue, Ibis a conlessien of weakness, 0! insufficiency, of a LACK OF MORAL STAMINA, beneath the dignity ofa man. He argued that it is man’s duty to stand up under adverse circum- stances and prove himself a match forthem, He showed how the act of the suicide is generally most cruel and heartless to the members pf his family, making their troubles the more serious and diagracing them more by the got than the crimes that led to Lf, beca (pan feels himaall wns to live, he pay of case NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, JUNE 2, 1873 he plunges intoeternity ina manner which doubles every crime that readers him unfit to die as well as to live, ‘th is a question which no one has a right to decide, God has not put it into our hands. Aiter snowing our duty to the Crea- tor and the race, he said:—Poor Colton, known better as the author of ‘Lacor,” wrote many a well pointed aphorism; the falsest he ever wrote was the last. “When life is unbearable death is desirable and suicide is justifiable.” Having thus written he blew out his brains, Every sentiment of his apuorism is false in its implica tions or assertions. That surely is not unbearable than which something worse must be borne, He who Is too wicked to live is T00 WICKED TO DIE. That which made life unbdearabie—namely, his sin—tis so intensified by superadded self-murder as to make death doubly so. It is not-circumstances but character that can make a man utterly miser- able in this life, and character is carried by the self-murderer into eternity. It becomes worse by superadded guilt in the future than in the present world, What turned this world into a@ hell will burn with hotter fire in the world to come. 8T, STEPHEN'S ROMAN OATHOLIC CHURCH. Solemn High Mass—Sermon by the Rev. Dr. McGlynn=—The Descent of the Paraclete—What Constitutes the Cath- olic Church, The faithiul assembled yesterday morning in large numbers in St. Stephen’s church to celebrate the feast of Pentecost, the special festival by whieh the Catholic Church celebrates, as it were, its own nativity. The solemn high mass was sung by the Rey. Father Fiynn, assisted by the Rev. Father Power as deacon and Father McCready as sub- deacon. Tae grand and impressive ceremonics peculiar to the Catholic Church were gome through with an accuracy and smoothness creditable to the master of ceremonies. The music was rendered by the choir with their usual artistic skill and finish; while the ‘Veni Creator Spiritus” was very fine. Mr, Danforth, the organist, played seme brilliant passages during the service. When the deacon had finished the singing of the Gospel the Rev. Dr. McGlynn ascended the pulpit. Betore reading the Gospel and Epistle he reminded his hearers that on next Sunday THE ANNUAL COLLECTION for the Moly Father would be made, and impressed on them their duty to help the Vicar of Christ in his financial dificulties, caused by the cruel laws that have made so many religious men and women the wards of his charity. He also announced that during the month of June special services would be held in St. Stephen’s, in honor of the sacred heart of Jesus, He took as his text the Gospel and Episue of the festival, and preached an eloquent and ellective discourse on the HOLY GHOST AND THE CHURCH. He said:—The whole lite of Christ on earth was devoted to the formation o! His Chureh, to the in- struction of His disciples and aposties and to the perfection of the divine plan for the redemption of man. But for the completion of the work of cre- ating the Church it became necessary that Christ should go to His Heavenly Father to take His right- ful place as Son of God on the right hand of His Father, and send the Paraciete, who, as He told them, “would teach them ali things.’ The fatuers of the Churca find a beautiful analogy between the creation of man and tne establisiment of the Chureh, After the divine council at which the Trinity said, “Let us wake man to our image and likeness,” God the Father took the dust of the earth and out of it iashioned the wonderiul microcosm of the human body. but it was sense- less, @ mere mass of inanimate matter until GOD BREATHED INTO IT A SOUL, In like manner the Church, the congregation of the 1ollowers, which Christ established during His life by His preaching and His mirac! Was soulless until “the days of Pentecost were accomplished,” when the Holy Ghost descended on the disciples in he form of “cloven tongues, as it were of fire.” Then was a soul infused into the mystical body of Christ and it became endowed with a vigorous principle of lie and action, ‘Then it received the vivilying principle by which from a smali grain of mustard seed was to sprout the mighty tree which Was to afford shelter to the birds of the air and grateful repose to the wearied. We should be thankful that we belong to the ‘stical body of Christ. We should rejoice that we have been made partakers of the treas- ures Of grace and mercy which the Churen possesses and dispenses, The Church is not @ mere aggregate of the Iaithful who have lived or are living or will live, It is all toat vast body united to Christ by the most intimate union, the Church being throughout the Scripture represented as one great moral personage who is at the same time the body and spouse of Christ. The Church is founded by ‘and on Christ, 18 subject to Christ, is ever governéd by Christ and directed and assisted by the Holy Ghost. Itis the mother of the saints always bringing forth children to God and traming them up by the word of God, continually preacned in it; by the example of good men and the practice of all virtues, by the holy sacraments, sacrifices and public and private prayer. But the operation of the Holy Ghost is not confined to the verification of the Church, He is the spirit of truth whois leading the wandering and erring sheep into THE TRUE FOLD, according to the words ot Christ, ‘And other sheep Ihave that are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall near My voice, and there shall be ene fold and one Shepherd,.’? We should not only thank God that we belong to the fold, but we should pray that He may be pleased to send down His Holy Spirit on taose who do net as yet see the light of the true faith, And asa beautitul and most appropriate prayer I would suggest the ‘Veni Sancte Spiritus” whieh is admirably suited to estab- lish the perfect reign of the spirit oi Divine love in our hearts.” The preacher concluded by reading @ translation of that prayer. CHURCH OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST. Whitsunday Commemorated—Sermon by the Rev. Dr. W. Kirkus—The Signiti- eance of the Anniversary of the Birth of the Christian Church, Yesterday being Whitsunday—the day on which the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles and im- bued them with that spirit of truth and religion by which they were enabled to kindle the unquench- able fire of Christian faith in the souls of men—was very appropriately and devoutly celebrated in the Protestant Episcopal Church of St. John the Bap- tist, Lexington avenue and Thirty-fith street, About two hundred children pre: ted a pretty appearance in the interior of the church, and, with auumber of the older members of the congrega- tion, partook of the Lord’s Supper during the service THE SE preached by tne MON Ww. was LL.B, @ minister et the Church of England, who fills the place of the rector during a brief absence. He chose his text from St. John, xvi, 12, 4—“I have got many things to say unto you, but you cannot hear them new. When the spirit of truth 1s come He will guide you unto tne truth.” The reverend gentleman said that the text was part of the promise wnich Christ made to His Apos- ties previous to Mis ascension, when He told them He would send them the Paraclete who should te them all tings and abide with them for ever. These words were indicative of what was to follow alter the ascension, and foretold in an impressive manner the basis on which Jesus Was to establish iis Chureh, It was @ pro! ise Which contained a new promise; for on Wnit- me down upun the Disciples tne as if by a rushing of a mighty wind, “y began to spe ngues of fire, It di that Was Taking His ¢ they might perform His work FIERY TONGURS; their words were words of wisdom and of Instrue- tion, that ali nations aight hear the Gospel in their own language, The day commemorated the birth of the Christian Church, When fresh light was imparted to the world through that mysterious light given to the Aposties, ‘ihe Church was founded, disciplined nd governed. It ued to’ grow, eX- tend and fou trials and perse- cutions, The Was Olten rammed its members had introduced for ance With its early simpheity, such cal pelity, rituals, liturgy, ceremonies, and hierarenies, and t authority is there for them in the Holy Scriptures? ‘The answer is that in substance all these are from the beginning, and Christ is THE CHIBF CORNER STONE of them all, They were in usage among the hese customs were changed by the Chris- hi , Moreover, accounts for them. “He shail show you the things that are to come, and He shall lead you unto the truth and the truth’snall ree,” The reve acher here showed the great Kirkus, cir tongues were eteterhoods e question Was asked what dimenities Christianity fd to contend with at its origin—the impiety of false teachers, the theor of sophists, pagans and philosophers; the cruel persecutions of the Koman Emperors, the suallow belief of many Christians and the counter. acting influences of Judaism, Mahometanism and barbariauism, but by its wise polity and the action of its prelates in council assembled it trampled over all, raised the personal dignity of man by giving bim a fine idea of hia destiny, iiverated the slave, crushed the prevailing crimes of the age, ennobled woman and established the ene bond of marriage by Which the social tie of humanity was to be for ever reserved aud held sacred, ae » there Was inculcated that new command- vnees " nerd ONR ANOTHER,” nspicuously in the earliest age of the Church did the disciples of Christ cing vonthis commandment, and by it# prepagation dispelled ali hatred aud created @ new phase in society. How much better the condition of society today than then, ‘hose who were baptized( to them were preached those words, ‘Your bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost,” and it was by those words of eternal Intareak sa nll that QArents Came 4@ Jove typi Ghil- Crag end the master to have arespect for his ser- The preacher concluded say! it to-day, the anniversary of that day when the Church was launched forth into the midst of poet, praise and thanksgiving should be the watchwords. That little, glorious band of disciples were gathered to- gether that they and their influential teachings might be scattered abroad. Let all eri 0 p by feeding the hu ed and leading such virtuous and edifying Leseae = be Spunvied fos (3: unchristian pers e and serve Kingdom of Heaven, ee 81, PATRIOK’S CATHEDRAL. The Descent of t Holy Ghost and His Continued Presence with the Church— Sermon by the Rev. John J. K: At the above named edifice, yesterday, solemn high mass was celebrated by His Grace the Most Rev, Archbishop McCloskey, assisted by Fathers McNamee, Brophy and Kearney, who officiated as deacon, sub-deacon and master of ceremonies re- spectively, The performance of the choir was Schmitz’s Mass No, 4, the composer himself pre- siding at the organ. At the appropriate hour the Rev. Father Kean ascended the pulpit and wook for his theme the gospel of the day, John xxil., 23, 31. This Gospel contains A PROMISE MADE to the Apostles, the fullfiment of which the Church commemorates with joy on the Feast of Pentecost. He told them that the Paraclete should come and teach them all truth. The Apostles were wander- ing, as it were, in the twilight of that dawn which Christ had raised around them, and they were waiting for the advent of the noon-day light to Mlumine them, And on the anniversary of the day on which God thundered from Mount Sinai, on the birth ony of the old law, the Holy Spirit came as the harbinger of the new dispensation, and that day was the birthday of the Church. He came like the sound of a mighty wind to teach them that they should go forth and triumph over every ob- stacie in carrying His name to the uttermost bounds of the earth. We can plainly behold the zeal with weinon the apostles were fired when we cuntrast the fear o! + THE POOR FISHERMAN on the night preceding his Master's crucifixion with his courage on the day of Pentecost, when he went forth boldly among the enemies of Christ and converted three thousand of them in a single day. And {tom that day to the present the Chureh has continued to make similar triumphs, despite the machinations of enemies, and the result of her end- less struggles and victories is to be found in the promise of her Divine Founder that He would be with her until the end of time, and that the gates ot hell should never prevail against her, Great reason, then, we have to rejoice im this festival, in the consciousness of the eternal presence of the Holy Ghost in tue Chureh, But it would tll become us to so rejoice were we to remain deat to the VOICE OF THIS HOLY SPIRIT. Often has he spoken to us—not, perbans, like the sound of the wind that alarmed the Apostles, but through the silent dictates of conscience. Let us harken to this voice, and beseech Him to purify us and cleanse our hearts from the stain of sin; let us beg of Him to come and dwell within us and sanc- 8, the better to enable us to overcome every obstacle in the way of our salvation, Let us sup- plicate Him for all those graces which can prepare us to behold Hiw face to face and rejoice with Him and the Father and Son sorever in the world to come. CHUROH OF THE MESSIAH, The Sin of Coatempt--Sermon by the Rev. H. 8S, Taft, The sermon at the Church of the Messiah was preached by the Rev. H. 8. Taft yesterday morn- ing. He took his text irom Matthew xil., 22, The great teacher, he said, in his teachings always dealt with the spirit of things, The Sabbath was made jor man, not man for the Sabbath. He said judge not from appearances. In order to worship God in the right spirit it was necessary to bear this truth in mind, Jesus specified several sins— Whosoever 1s angry at his brother, whosoever will speak tn ridicule of his brother, and whosoever says, “Thou art a fool.” All these are in danger of the judgment. Let them regard this sin in its relation to those against whom it was committed. This fecl- ing was an unmitigated crime. He who enter- tained a thorough contempt for his fellow man was prepared to commit against him any coneeivabie crime. To hold man in contempt was to hold God in contempt. If they treated the supreme effort of an artist wiih contempt they treated the artist himself with contempt. Man was THE NOBLEST WORK OF GOD, marred by many sins though he was. Should a man of judgment purchase a piece of land in a region of great mineral wealth it would be apparent that he paid @ great a price for so small a strip of tand because he knew of the vast wealth hidden under the ground. God loved the earth so much that he gave it His only begotten son and let Him die for the redemption of human- ity. ‘This spirit ofcontempt saw nothing to reverence, It believed in no exalted virtue and had no saints and no heroes; tt was a spirit of gloom, and had no gardens of sweet fruit. [t was incapable of love, of xoodness, of beauty, It stood ever as the deadly antagonist of all that was good and noble in life. ‘This contempt of one’s fellow man made the latter an outcast. The truly wise are tolerant; they know what allowances to make tor others, for they know their own failings. Such were humble, and kind, and charitable, No one had this grand quality so much as He, the great teacher, When compliment { ed on his attainments, He said He resembled a child gathering pebbies on the shore while beyond Him lay the great vast ocean o1 knowiled The Saviour’s teachings were incomprehensible to the Pharisees. They were offended because He smiled at the outcast, The man who said to his fellow man “Thou arta fool” showed this spirit of contempt. The contempt for criminals SOMETMING OUTRAGEOUS IN FORMER TIMES, Contempt for man was the crying sin of rulers; it was the heart and soul of war. The man who plunged a nation into war used men only as the instruments of his vanity anc his siniul ambition, Would a man who recognized the divine qualities of the human soul be ever corrupt or sensual? Death to public satety, death to all the interests of e were tlie results of thi ing sin, Contempt was the deadliest spirit of anti-Christ. It poured its direst wrath upon €hrist, ould any good thing come out of Nazareth?” they asked. When they put Him to death it was not enough to crown Him with thorns, to smite Him, to let Him die on the cross—no, He must be crucified between two thiev ‘This story of the eross could never lose its tnte’ Did not say th y Contempt eailed down up guilty of it the most terrible punishment. punishment wa ‘This & natural result of the flagrant Violation of t jaws governing their moral and spiritual nature. Corrupt from head to foot, that was the stigma of the perpetrator. The fires of hell were LIT UP IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE who held man in contempt. They hardly compre- hended the pathway in which contempt would lead them, All the useiuiness, all the peace and joy of man were destroyed by the spirit of contempt. Seek to see in man_ the heir of God, the blossom of which Christ was the pertected fruit, With this thought, how gentle and kind would parents be towards their children, brothers towards their sis- ters, husbands towards their wives, neighbors tow- ards their friends? The world needed almsgiving not so much as it needed the recognition ot this glorious spirit, It was the spirit of contempt that carried with it the rejection of all the tender thoughts and charities of the human soul, David, in his highest spiritual thoughts, longed for this state of perfection. Should they not re- Jjoice that Christ had gone before them to show as @ beacon upon their way and lead them to this GLORIOUS WORK OF LOVE AND CHARITY ? That life is a tailure thatis not in harmony with the remembrance ef the life of the saviour, Where they found one who had cherisheu all the sweet, tender missions of man they found one who came nearest to the heart of the Divine Redeemer. In one sense the Cross of Calvary opened the gates of Paradise, but if the gates would open at all they would open by the cross they bore on their own shoulders. The Divine merey was equai to ail the is upon it. Let therm seek the spirit of renunciation, of charity and humility. LYRIC HALL The Poetry of Religion—Life’s Duties from a Peotical Standpoint—Sermon by the Rev. O. B. Frothingham. The services at Lyric Hall, opposite Reservoir Square and below Thirty- ond street, were very Weill attended yesterday morning. Mr, Frothing- ham’s subject was “The Poetry of Religion.” It is religion, he began, that makes the human life poetical. The writer of the letter to the Colos- sans warns the people against giving undue care to feasts, rite days and Sabbaths, which are Shadows of what isto come, The Old Testament is full of figures of speech suggestive of a deeper meaning. The allegorical method was a poetical interpretation. It made religious things poems. Dr. Wilkinson says that children should be ever- lastingly grateful to the old seer ior turning the Bible into 80 many fairy stories for them to read, The letter 18 to be read as symbolical. RDEN, with its gardens, flowers and fruits, where the first man and woman lived inno- cently my communed with was o story of the angel Abra- Hiagy nfs tout ‘doe of hie ‘edcepting aueaiag's | in the higher develepment. tality, was & addressed to fancy feeling, not to sclentige. eatoreiey a ie ding. The of Moses, the pi of Had. ea, are to be read as poetic ioreakiadowings of the eternal laws of Providence, and not as historical facts. The food in the desert, the manna that fell from heaven, the stream that flowed from the smitten rock are all symbois addressed to the records addressed to the understanding. _— by the ravens is but a bit of ting. ming to the New Testament we find the same Faith, Hope, Veneration and Love as the artista. The tovely stories of the birth of Christ, the manger cradle, the shepherds looking in at the door, the angels and the star pausing in ita career over the little baby, are all so many exquisite poems. The heart of man, from its love of childhood and its re- spect for manly grandeur, sets up that picture for ie world to behold. Jesus is baptized in the Jor- dan, audible voices are calling Him the Son of man, and alone in the desert he is ted by manna from Heaven. Again, the same Jesus is on the Mount of Transfiguration, that no geographer has ever found or will find, for it is A PORTIOAL MOUNTAIN, A cloud overshadows Him and a voice from out the silver lining says, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” He is dead, and we hear the npheaving of the earth and see shadowy figures walking about in the dusk, and Jesus ap- pears to His old friends. See how poetical the whole story is? The last beok professes to be a poem. It is full of signs and shapes of which the critic can make nothing. Is not religion itself etry? Is not the spirit of religion art? Faith, Ropes Love, Reverence, Aspiration and Meekness are the ainters. No artist can do arable justice Lo spiritual traths and thoughts. There is no human power that can tell who, what, or where God is. So we have ourartist cal Imagination to make an image of the Divine Thing. We think Hima Being endowed with qualitics similar to our own, that dwells outside of che earth, ft is a child’s image at best. The child pictures God in the tree top the philosopher diffused the divine mind and makes it thrill in every atom of the universe. The image of a per- son Who is a friend to every man we cannot oblit- erate. Beautiful works of art are sull works of art. Our whoie beliet in prayer is poetical, and that which tells us 01 an infinite rejation between the Almighty and the human mind 1s also poetical, What a picture of hell Christendom das painted! Its demons, lurid gulfs and its smoke, never dis- pelled by THE BREATH OF MEAVEN, are awful to contemplate. After all it is but a pic. ture, Itis as if Dante’s “Inferno” were received in the world on faith, Is it otherwise in our dream of heaven? The social feeling paints it as a home, Conceive of the future as We Will, it is as artists, Our freshest imagination is but a faint outline sketch, So we might goon calling every doctrine a poem addressea to the imagination. To say that RELIGION 18 POETICAL is to say it is a dream. If it were prose the chemist could put it under his blow-pipe and re- solve it into nothing, As it is poetical it can change its shape to suit every one. ‘The world isa world of beauty, It is the wonderful outline of the hills, the bright flashing of the stars and vhe dell- cate bloom and indescribable fragrance of the flowers that make the world what itis in a Sum- mer’s day. If we could close the poet's eyes or stop his ears we would not wish to live. It is be- cause the Almighty is an artist that the world 1s so beautiful. We do not expect to see the child give up his fairy books and begin studying history cr cology. It is the real world in which the cnild lives 0 with us larger chidren, We must have our land of symbols and imagination. Religion does its best as poetry when It makes us dream, iends wings to our fancy and opens the boundless depthsof the empyrean. All work 18 venerable, and it is this poetic aspect that makes life tolerable, The preacher produces his sermon, appears before his audience, large or small, goes home and prepares another, week after week, The wretched come to him and he relieves them, If he thinks of that his jile Seems monotonous and tiresome. When he lifts up his heart he finds himseli one of the ministers of the Father, who is ministering to ali his creatures. See the lawyer bending over all his papers, This cross-examining of STUPID WITNESSES is tiresome, and as soon as one case is dismissed another comes on, It is only when he lifts his eye to the great Justice that his heart becomes reas- sured, Look at the physician listening to stories of misery and want and hearing the complaints of people Who do not know what their ailment is, He could not live it he did not think of the grest Phy- sician who appointed him as agent to administer His remedies. His profession becomes one of the grandest in the world, See the merchant bending over his iedgers. Through his endeavors the food in one quarter of the world feeds the hungry in another quarter, He it is that furthers its distri- bution. Life in its prosaic aspect is dull, Change any occupation into prose and it becomes tiresome. Religion makes lie poetic. Rubinstein went to hear a great Brooklyn preacher, and being asked it he liked it he replied that he didn’t. He said that the minister brought relivion down to the people, when he should take the people up to religion. BROOKLYN CHURCHES, PLYMOUTH OHUROH. Sermon by Mr. Beecher on the Salvation of —TRIPLE SHEET Mankind—Universalism Encouraged— | All Hands to Be Saved if the Germ for the Development of Goodness is Within Them—God Will Not Cast Any Away—Better to Begin at the Bottom in Heaven than Not to be There at All, Mr. Beecher preached yesterday morning to the usual crowded congregation, a sermon that the orthodox will regard asa plea for Universalism. He selected his text from the last clause of the fourth verse of the twenty-first chapter of the Revelations of St. John:—*“For the former things are passed away.’? Those words were the sum- mation of that which had gone before, The revelation of St. John was in itself filled with figures and symbols borrowed from the Old Testament. The New Testament was fairly aglow with these borrowed symbols, John had been talking about heaven, and when Jesus spoke every- thing he said seemed to be tinged with something etherial. Let the thoughts of the congregation to-day, said Mr. Beecher, be turned towards heaven, To-day isa good day to talk about heaven. The very light of it seems spread over the earth; it seems to us like unto the rest that rematineth for the people’s good. There isno storm on tte sea, no sterm of wind on the earth, and a new life has come to the whole kingdom of trees. The air is fragrant with the white alembic of the morning flowers. But there is a sunshine that 1s far purer anda fragrance in the air that is infinitely more enlivening in the heavenly ether, Let us, then, consider the transitoriness of our life here and some of the conclusions that force themselves upon our mind, Do believing souls pass immedi- ately into a state of blessedness! Do they stand waiting for a disclosure of atuture era! It cannot be said that the New Testament is absolutely ex- plicit on this theme. The implication of the New Testament certainly is that believing souls pass into a new presence, to a purer consciousness of a spiritual life, This was Paul's belief evidently. In proof of this part ef the fifteenth of the First of Corinthians was read, and also the fourth and fitth ot the Second of Corinthians, It was evident from this that there was no waiting of the soul—not even the waiting of THE SEED PLANTING and the seed sprouting. Then there was Paul's triumphant exclamation to Timothy, ‘I have fin- ished my course.’ The day spoken’ot there was the day of his release. This does not preclude the idea 01 a foreclosure of the pewer of development in different stages of our existence hereafter. ‘That was a question that was settled by Christ in the story of the woman with the seven husbands, The relations of family and obligations of earth are declared to have no abiding place there. The pas- sions which continue, the race, the thirst, the hune t are dormant here are not known There is no use for them, manifestly, Then comes the ques- tion of the range of the soul. A lower range of soul Will not suddenly attain to the higher develop- ments of heaven, They will only possess the begin- nings of an undeveloped spiritual life. Kach one will carry with him into the ether a kind of super- ficial gravity that will gravitate him to his place. Whatever those rere may be we may be cer- tain that they will be as happy as their naiure will allow them tobe. The growtl mensely rapid. It must be remembered too that we shall be under the direct influence of God. “We shall see Him as He is."’_ Then men say HOW IS THIS AS TO CHARACTER and the fitness of character for an entrance to heaven? When you come to apply this rule how great is the diificulty. The command is—“Thou shalt leve the Lord g¢hy God with all thy mind, with all thy heart, with all thy soul.’ What man is there could have the angel of heaven put over him that measure as a test of his fitness to enter? Not the noblest martyr, not the noblest mother has at- ined unto this, All must confess that they are ed by grace, by the grace of God, by what is called. the gift of God. God does this because Me wills to do it. “I have mercy upon whom I will have mercy.’ God says, in effect, “I will do this because it pleaseth me to do it.” Then the very best women and men must go to heaven by grace. If one sinner is ad- mitted why not the second, whois lower in attain- ment, and if the second why not the third, and so on unto the last? Why not the bottom one of all? 1 don't believe that there is a soul living on the earth to-day upon whom the face of the Gospel has shone, and in whom there 1s some indication that God's grace has not entirely died out, who will not by the grace of God, find an entrance, and tha! that soul will find itself transplanted there. THE OUTER BOUNDARY OF HEAVEN is far better tham the highest place on earth, There souls wiil be brought under educative and ger, ti there. ring Influences—low grades it may be, but it is potter to start at the bottom of heaven than not to start at all. Men mourn because their children have died suddenly and have given no indica- converston—had not joined the tht ® good deal of shilaren had € gd ijved a sa there too will be im- | reproach, ‘ey had given no signs of con- version, tt 4 routs we them as lost toeternal lufe, I don’t know how iA is A bing you, Le to an eternity of perdition if} believed this, go wail that I haa died for thee.’" and let us take do not let us despise these truths, but _ our salvation with fear and to remember that it is God and that worketh in us to will and todo of His own good pleasure. i TALMAGE AT THE ACADEMY. The New Tabernacle—The Struggle for Heaven and the Obstacles in the Way. Mr. Talmage announced yesterday morning that the corner stone of the new Tabernacie would be laid on Saturday afternoon week, at four o'clock, and that a number of the leading clergymen of the city would be present and deliver addresses, The new church edifice will be built on the site of the former Tabernacle, which was destroyed by fire last December, and will accommodate fully a thousand more people. It will be coustructed of brick, in @ Gothic style. Mr. Talmage preached from the text, “Awake to Righteousness,” and his sermon was an earnest and eloquent appeal to all to prepare for the great hereafter. The Academy was crowded. The pastor said “he proposed to give three or four ayousing considerations for carrying out the text; dnd the first was the number of obstacies in the way of our salvation, If A MAN STARTS FOR HEAVEN he starts as one against ten thousand. Aye! so vast are the multitudes and 80 mighty are tho en- trenchments that if it depended upon his own arm he would perish, I do not reier to the scoffers and the infidels who may block up your way and try to laugh you out of your Chris- tianity or your serious impressions; but I speak in the first piace of that spirit of worldliness which every man has felt. How dominant it is in this day! The vexations and hardships and uncertain- ties of business lue make you iorget that you are an immortal man, and that soon jor you that store door will shut forever, and those shuiting feet on the street be stopped, and the hundreds of thot sands of hearts in our great cities halt for the en- campment of the grave! In addition to these ob- Sstacles, tuere are iniernal, Satanic influences DISPUTING YOUR PATH HEAVENWARD, that try to break the lines of your strength and outflank your serious endeavors, You expect to get to heaven. Ifthe suspicion came across your soul this morning that these influences would swamp you finally and that you would not get to heaven, TH SHRIEK THAT GOES UP from colliding rail trains or from the deck ot a foundered steamer would be faint, indeed, com- pared with the outcry that you would this moment utter. Who in all this audience does not expect to get to heaven? But, my iriends, if all these obstacles are in the way is it not most time that you assault them? You will have to call upon Almighty God tohelp you. * * * Another arousing considera- tion for us—is the value of the soul involved? The treasures of this world will soon be gone. That 1s, on one side, the prevailng nature of the world; on the other side there is something valuable, Itis a soul. How shall1 tell you of its value? It is a ltv- ing soul; death cannot killit; the grave cannot hide it; éternity cannot exhaust it. Bring me a balance and | will weigh it, Put on one side of the scale an immortal soul; nothing else. On the other side put the world and all its treasures and honors and emoluments. Very heavy, you say; but how quickly this side of the balance goes up, While this containing immortai treasure comes down, as with a thousand ton weight! Then “what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul?’ Another arousing consider- ation, my friends, is the brevity of the time in which we have to attend to these things. How long will it take to build THE BRIDGE ACROSS THE EAST RIVER? Fonr, five, ten years? You have to spend a long while to build anything that is very great. The architect of the buildings at Vienna did not expect to put up those large structures in a few months. Now, you teil me in that immortal nature by the grace of God a vast temple is to be erared. How long are you going to give me? A thousand years? Oh, no; the will not give me forty, or seveaty, or one lundred years—the average of human hie being far less than forty years. vast a work to do and yet so little time in which to accomplisi it! If twenty years from now some man who is familiar with religious assem- blages here in Brooklyn should come back after an absence of that time he would bea stranger in almost any of the churches. Kyery day from two to four o’clock you may watcit THE LONG PROCESSION of vehicles on the way to Greenwood or Laurel Hill or Mount Auburn. When will that procession stop? Not antil all these merchants have gone out of their stores and all these mechanics have gone out of their shops and all of these worshippers have gone out of the churches to join tt, Another consideration was the glory to be won, If these considerations did not wake them up what would? Every heartbeat said, “Be quick!" Every tap of the bell at the cemetery gate said, “Be So quick !’" ey cough, every twitch of pain said, “Be quic Every alarm of God's word said, “Be quick!’ Swifter than express train ever shot from New York to Albany, our life whirled on. The lightnings were slow compared with the move- ment of our days, and we had only a few more Sabbaths, a few more calls of mercy, a few more opportunities of repentance, and then the journey Was ended and the gate closed! CHRIST CHURCH, Whitsunday—Sermon on the Work of the Holy Spirit by Dr. Partridge. Yesterday morning the Rev. Dr. Partridge, the rector of Christ Protestant Episcopal church, on Bediord avenue, preached an appropriate sermon upon Whitsunday, taking for his text the twenty- sixth verse of the fourteenth cnaper of John—“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remem. brance, whatsover I have said unto you.’” In his opening remarks the reverend gentleman said that day was the day of days to the Church of the living God,in which they commemorated the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day Of Pentecost, which showed the almighty power of Jesus, who triumphed over death, hell and the grave. It was then that new light, life, lib- erty, ees | and love were imparted to the sons of God, and new order of things was set up among men, which would exist to the end of time. Ali this was set forth in the beautiful services of the sanctuary that day. The text involved the doctrine of three persons in the glorious Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The Father sending, the Son intreating, the Holy Ghost coming, which was an inscrutable im, + He admitted that none, by any nount of search- ing, could out God to perfection; but the believer walked by jaith and not by sight. Any other disposition would be fraught with peril. Saiety alone was found in re- gard to all the mysteries oi theig holy religion by accepting them as verities in a spirit of reverence and humility. Mysteries though they were, as re- gards their inner being, yet they had countenances and Jorms perceptible to the eye of faith, THR MYSTERIES OF THE GODHEAD were as jewels in a beautiful casket, which could not be broken or opened by human power, and sealed they must remain till God, who had the key, should open it. Like the sweet song of an un- known tongue, the meaning was unintelligible, but the melody was Ug to loving hearts and sanctified spirits; and the reason why mankind did not appreciate these mysteries was found in the fact that they were too sensual, grovelling and devilish, Some men, impatient of Inystery, had persuaded themselves into disbelief and pltinged into a labyrintn of error, trom which there couid be no escape but by a return to the word of God. To them the Son was but an extra- ordinary man and the Holy Ghost less than a man. The theology of such men, sooner or later, became reduced to a system of negations, and their re. ligion was confined to morality, The divinity of the Holy Scriptures was interwoven with a belief in the person of the Holy Ghost; so that the Bible is looked upon by the sceptic as an unintelligble revelation, @ great puzzle, an ingenious enigma that only @ few could unravel. ‘The reverened gentieman continued to argue that the Holy Ghost was not 4 mere attribute or essence, but a divine person; not ouly quickening chaos into life, but raising the whole Church to ‘A HIGH AND CONSECRATED POSITION. The speaker proceeded to consider the work of the Holy Ghost in its comforting ministrations, which prepared the soul for the reception of seeds of comfort and instruction, and then presented Jesus in ail the fulness of his attributes and media- tion, whereby he proclaimed a full and free salva- tion to ow Because of the light reflected vy the divin rit, Christ Jesus beionged as much to our time 0 the ancient days when he was here upon the earth, and we might as clearly perceive and as well understand Him as though He walkea among us. Jesus of Nazareth to-day exerts a far Frit, influence throughout the universe than He id in tne land of Judea nearly nineteen hundred years ago, His vojce is more potent than the voice of any living man or class of men, The voice of Demosthenes comes to us as a whisper, that of Cicero as a faint eoho, and the voices of all the ancient poets, philosophers and sages were beret 4 heard in the wonderful march of improvement that had taken place in th rth, Not so with Jesus Christ, who ts the same yesterday, to-day and for- ever. He has been heard and will be heard until the end of time, speaking as neverfman spake— “Come unto Me and Iwill give you rest.” This result was aca THR MINISTRY OF THE ; @ meg Coy el fer , wha se Words contain as y were brought home te the heart by the Holy Ghost—Thy sins are iepiren thee!” it was not sire fo receive its-bleasings’ for mankind, were receive its “ble: A like men with food betore them and having an earnest desire to partake of it, and yet were unable to sppropriate it. They might offer the a geoge God! feed me with the bread of life’— ut the Spirit’s influence must first quicken the soul into new life. When the Spirit pare with wistful eloquence to the heart, isciple of Christ rested upon the promises of God and had Joy and peace in believing, tn conclusion the Doctor said that these ministra- tions of divine grace could not be purchased by silver and gold, hor could refinement and position claim them. We must love the truth and practice it, and by so doing we would secure the Some influence of the Spirit, which was the gift ot unto eternal lile, through Jesus Christ, At the close of the sermon the Holy Communion ‘was administered by the rector, LEFFERT'S PARK SERVICES, Justification by Faith and Its Blessed Results—Sermon by the Rev. George As Hubbell. Two weeks ago the Brooklyn Young Men's Pray- ing Band inaugurated their Summer season of out- door services in Leffert’s Park, The opening ser- mon was preached by Rey. Matthew Hale Smith; the second by Rev. Dr. Ingersoll, who has during the past week sailed for Europe; and yesterday Rev. George A. Hubbell, pastor of the Greene ave- nue Methodist Episcopal church, preached to the people. The congregations at these afternoon services are larger generally than can be found in many churches, hd they are alsoas orderly. The presence of a policeman has not been required since the meetings were inaugurated. Mr. William O'Donnell takes charge of the meet- ings and provides the preachers, The singing is excellent, and is led by the Praying Band. Ham dreds gather from time to time in the park who would not go toa church service, and they listem attentively to the preaching of the Gospel and to the exhortations and experiences that follow. THE REV. GEORGE A. HUBBELI’S SERMON. Mr. Hubbell’s text yesterday was Romans y., 1—~ “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This word “therefore,”’ he said, 18 the conclusion of @ very labored argument of the apostle in the pre- vious chapter. He starts out with the statement, that the world is in sin, and that mankind needs @ Saviour. But here the question may be asked, how can the heathen, who have not the written law of God, be accounted sinners? They are a law unto themseives. The heathen world have a prov- erb, when they do wrong, that this is contrary to the divine law. They are, therefore, under the d when ae same condemnation as ourselves. We are all liable to punishment, for the com- mandment — carries with it a pensiiy: and we have all sinned and come short glory of God. We hear a great deal said in these days about annihilation, but there 1s no such teach- ing in this Bible. The Scriptures declare that all that are in their graves shall come forth ; they that have done good unto the resurrection of lile, and they that have done evil anto the resurrection of damnation, The important question for us to set- tle is, How shall we escape this sentence cf damna- tion and the wrath to come? These are questions that are pressing for an answer by us all. ‘hey are not confined to Christian lauds only, The heathen also are asking how they may escape. ifen every- where are trying to escape the sense of guilt which oppresses the world, But they can’t escape by the methods proposed or invented by themselves. There are legal difficulties in the way. Mr, Hubbell then drew a parallel ‘rom nature and gave lilus- trations from experience to show that repentance and sorrow cannot atone for the sins of the past. How then, he asked, can we get rid of the record 01 guilt that 1s against us in heaven? There is but one way, and that is contained in the text—“being justified by faith.” The doctrine of substitution ‘was here introduced and illustrated by Mr. Hub- bell. Jesus, he said, came down te earth and suf- fered himself to be nailed to the cross to demon- strate to the world that God was merciful, as well as jnat. Now, how shall we make this atonement of Christ available to ourselves? WE MUST COME TO GOD and make confession of our sins and receive for- giveness at his hands, We are justitled by faith, not y uniting with a church and attending regularly to the services of the same. We are saved by comi to Jesus Christ. Mere assent tothe dogmas an doctrines of the Gospel is not faith. ‘Coming to Jesus only ts faith, This was illustrated by Peter Waiking on the water to meet Jesus. The results of this justification by faith are seen in the peace that a man has in his own heart—peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ie current and bent of a man’s life is changed so that the things which he once loved he now hates. He delightsnow in the law of God after the inward man. Mr. Hub- bell gave illustrations from his own and others’ ex- perience of the change which comes over a man who is justified by faith and is at peace with God through our Lerd Jesus Christ, and urged the un- converted in the congregation to settle the great controversy between themselves and God at once. “LITTLE PETER, THE FRENCHMAN,” as he ts familiarly known, followed with @ stirring exhortation and a narration of his own con- version. He was @ Catholic lad and came a stranger to the United States and hired himself so religious stand the influence ef the good man and so left him. Peter was a stranger and knew not where to go; but the Lord directed him and he next fell in with a good Baptist deacen, who prayed earnestly and daily for and with the little Frenchman unt he was brought to the knowleage of the truth as it is in Jesus, And now for more than forty years he has been telling how great things the Lord hath done for his soul. Little Peter has ail the nervous- ness and excitability peculiar to his people and is a thoroughgoing, shouting Methodist. Aiter Peter's address several persons related their religious ex- eriences, and the meeting about five o’ciock ad- journed. LAYING THE CORNER STONE IN TREMONT. The Corner Stone of the New Germa Catholic Church Laid in Tremont, Westchester County, Yesterday —A Splendid Celebration by the Germans of the Locality—Sermon by the Rev. Dr. McGlynn, of St. Stephen’s=He Con- gratulates the German Race on Theit Love of Faith and Religion. ‘The village of Tremont was actually alive yester- day with a throng ot German Catholic citizens from the surrounding districts. They came to the | neat little, picturesque, suburban village to be wit- nesses of the laying of the corner stone of a new church, in which they are soon to be devoted worshippers. They marched in bands and societies to the northwest side of the town, where the church is now being con. structed, The different societies bore their respective banners, and the members of them wore the regalia of the different benevolent associations to which they belonged. They were preceded on the route by their pastor, the Rev. Joseph Stumpe, of Melrose and Mount Vernon, accompanied by the Rey. Dr. McGlynn, of St. Stephen’s; Rev. Dr. Burt- hureh of the Epiphany; Rev, Father Farrell, ‘oseph's; and also by the Rey. Fathers Zincks- heim and ks, of Melrose, and Rey. Fathers Lovejoy, Price and Curran, of New York city. The walls of THE NEW STRUCTURE, which is on a very imposing site renee the North River in the distance, and situated on Wash- ington avenue, near Fourteenth street, are raised about eighteen feet above the ground, They were neatly decked, and surrounded by evergreens and flowers of every description, formed into bouquets Ma woven artistically into variously shaped tes ons. On the front wall of the edifice a platform was erected, on which the ceremonies were performed in a very impgessive manner, the clergymen robed in their ri embroidered vestments, and the neatly attired acholytes looking fresh and vigorous beneath the noondaygsun. A spiendid brass band of twenty pieces, and the well-known choir of the church of the Holy Redeemer, Third street, New York, furnished the vocal and instrumental music in a manner that made the mapie-wooded glens of the district re-echo their charmiag tones, THE CEREMONIES, which, on such occasions, are carried out at full length according to the Roman liturgy, occupied over one hour of the time, The cornerstone was then laid by the Rev. Dr. McGlynn, several suitable testimonials of the prepene Pers being previously placed in the piace sculped fur them. The ecclesias- tical procession was then formed and the priests walked around by the walls of the future church, and, Ryley the place to God by the appro- pri prayers, blessed it, and then, with the socie- i, returned to the platform, The Rev. Dr. Me ie then addressed the crowd, who gathered closely underneath and oe the platform to hear him. He congratu- late THE GRRMAN CATHOLICS of Tremont and vicmity for the goad work they had begun. It was only a perpetuation of that glorious legacy of faith which Germany, once Catholic, had bequeathed to them, le §=6told) «them not to tire in doing well—not to forget that they were not oniy raising @ material temple of worship, but also a living testimonial of their faith, spirit and generosity, He advised them to harmonize a8 much as possibic with the Catholics of other nationalities who were in the district and te contribute with generous hearts to tion of the work they had so aw Alter coaelading, the Rev. 0. 5 duit uu ra as