The New York Herald Newspaper, January 5, 1874, Page 8

Bervices and Sermons in the City ama Suburban Churches Yesterday. Bishop Cummins at Stein- way Hall. BEECHER ON RELIGIOUS EMOTION. Bermons by New Ensiand Divines and by the Rev. John Parker, Dr. Tayler, Dr. Budding- ton, Dr. Talmage, Dr. Morgap, Areh- bishop McCloskey, Father Sheshy and Rev. & HEH. Tyng, Jr. BISHOP CUMMINS’ CRUROE. The Inaugeration at Steinway Hall— Views of Bishop Cummins om Religion Generaily—No New Deperture In- tended. Steinway Hall was nearly two-thirds filled yes- terday morning, the occasion being the frst ap- pearamee of Bishop Cummins in tia city since his secession jrom the Episcopal Church. Many were doubtless attracted by motives of curiosity, a3 it ‘Was gonerally understood that the reverend gentieman would define his views on religious matters, but those anticipating ie AN ORATORICAL SENSATION ‘Were destined to be disappointed, as nothing occurred to call for unusual comment. True, the prayer books of 1775 were used in the services, put those, is seemed, were brought into requisition chiedy on account of the patriotic sentiments con- tained therein aod to which Bishop Cummins took occasion to refer. The Rey. Mr. A. V. Feltwell oMiciated as reader and the Rev. Mr.. There was little, if | Leacock as assistant reader. any, changefrom the Episcopal service made at Steinway Hall yesterday. At the conclusion of the second lesson Bishop Cummins preached a sermon, taking his text from St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians, if, IW—For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which fs Jesus Chitat.”” This was the text, he said, upon ‘whien they inaugurated the services. It was the frst Sunday o/ the new year and it was prociaimea to all men the STRENGTH OF THE FOUNDATION that was laid. There was only one name on which they: rested their foundation and by whica they could be saved. It was not on philosophy, not on science, not on benevolence, not on justice ab- stractiy considered, not on hosts of martyrs, bishops or priests, not on the blessed mother of His humanity, not on the mystic body of the Church, but on Jesus Christ Himself, the High Priest and King, the Teacher and Friend, the elder Brother, the Lamb of God, the Rock of Ages. This ‘was tne sure corner’stone lait by Jesus Christ, the cover in the tempest, the sheltering place from the storm. Having asked the attention of the congre- gation to the ARRAY OF PRECIOUS STONES founcation, Bishop Cummins preceeded —~First, we build on the Godhead of Jesus Christ—the Godhead of Jesus—not His dlvin- ity, for, that considered, would make him below the Deity. He was the Son of God and God the Son— the everlasting Son of the Father, coequal and co- eternal with the Father. Again, we putid on the humanity o! Jesus Christ, the perfect man as woll as God—not on the divinity of the human body, the old heresy which has been revived in our day— but the human soul as well as the body—tne ideal aman, the man in God and God in man. We buila on the mediation of Jesus Christ, because if He Were Dot man we could not reach Him. But, com- bining bcth in one, He becomes the Mediator of the human race. We rest upon the lamblike character of Christ, who was slain for our sins—tne Lamb bruised tor our iniquities, taking the place of saf- fering in our stead and satisfying the divine jus- tice. We build next on THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST, io Himself at once the priest and the victim, the sacrifice and the offerer. We proclaim Him the sole and exciusive priest of the Christian Church that Christ established on earth, and ‘et no persun attempt to arrogate to himself the attributes of God and prociaim himseif a priest by depriving God of Hrs divine attribate. the hour that Jesus Christ said, “It is finished,” there has been no other priest. The rending of THe VEIL IN THE TEMPLE rociaimed this. The moment Christ died the veil i the temple wes rent from top to bottom—not from bottom to top, for that would have shown the hand of m: mom ny mercy seat; and that hour--tiree o’cluck in the afternoon of that day—it is impious to talk of the priesthood of the Church of Christ. He characterized the presence of Christ in the sacrament as a terribie ¢rror, culminating tn To Spain, wh saying a rooet red the rae in en & man recetys sac! he was aaked, “Has His Majesty gone ment, Mi down? His Majesty gone down through the mouth of the body organs! Was that Chris‘ianity? We believe in Cnrist coming again. We look for Him, and remember the angel's words to the @.acipies, “Jesus shall come again!” Exch night as we retire we havea right to believe that we will see Him shining through the clouds im the morning. Other foundation can no man lay than tbat which is jaid. We bave no new foundation. We build upon the old. We have NO NEW GOSPEL to preach. If there are any persons believing that our foundation is on science, civilization or lunanitarianism may Goi undeceive them. We have notiing bat the simple Gospel to preach— now and forever, Jesus Christ: from yesterday, to-day and forever, The same Gospel that Pani reached at Rome, Peter tn Jerusaiem, Timothy to wphesians; toat Luther, carga Pao ‘Tyndall, Weisley, Whitfleld, ‘Baxter, Chaimers and Biddel, in our own country. Bishop Cummins went on to say that they had no new foundations, bat the old, precious corner stone. They made NO NEW DRPABTURE. God forvid that they should have apy departure. it was the old departure, begun 1,800 years ago at Galliee and ——— te the New World by the patriots of the erican Revolution. He then @lluded to the fact that the prayer books now used atthe service by the congregation had been left aside and were employed for the frst time in 84 years, Those were the books endorsed by some of the signers of THE DECLARATION CF INDEPENDENCE. There was not, he said, a book in land con- taining such patriotic sentiments, On a sure foundation — took their stand. They built on faith, hope and charity, upon which the Church Would be raised. They bulit im tope for the better day when Protestant Christendom would united. They louked for the future Church that would be neither sectariaa, narrow nor exclusive, but broad us the love of Go’. The reverend preacher dilated at considerable length on the ireedom which tle people of Italy now evjoyed after years of bondage. He said there was AN OLD MAHOMETAN TRADITION to thegeffect that on the first night of tne new year @ grape tree stands in Paradi e and its leaves are 90 numerous that each leaf represents one of the aman race; that on the night of the new year an agel shabcs the tree, Whoever is to die that ar his leat faiis, If he isto die early the leaf m; if late the lewf falis sere an yetiow, Who whose leaf had now fallen? but what need they care so long as they were sheltered by oe on their a were ay solid rock? ming then announced to the congrega- ton that he hud been unabic to obtain a single hail in the city of New York where they could have coe | and eveutng services. Negotiations, however, bad been entered into for a chapel in watch both services could be perfortacd; but if it could Bot be secured service would be held at Stew Hiall next Sunday morning. He ex- bresved his determination never to odiciate for a Congregation in churches where |. PEWS WERE RENTED OR SOLD, is was iis purpose that his church would be (ree, S06 tast the expenses of the services should ve Leys by Voluntary contributions. A collection was en taken up, atter singing the hymn, > My Goa, to Thee,” the congregation dis- THE BROADWAY TABERNAOLE. The Rey. Dr. Te;:cr om the Passover ies cee the Atonement. @ Rev. Dr. Taylor preached morn 4n the Broadway Tabernacic, at We cores of pared avenue and Thirty-fourth sirect, to a crowded apd rather fashionable congregation. the text was taken from the twefth chapter and twenty.sixth Verse of the Book of Exodus, having reference more particularly to the latter half o1 the verse, ay apeci- fying:—“What mean you by this service + the reverend geutieman, in a very lucid manner, maag # compurison between the Passover of the Israci- tos and the cating of the bread and wine by the Giseipies of the Lord. The latter sympo' ia not of human device, this dew nce of the raco through the prectous bivon of the Lord Jesas, It was possi- ble to picture to the miud thas scene in dark Geth- semane on the n:gut when HB WAS BETRAYED. The recolicction would ve rendered doubly dear ew ene NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 1874—WITH SUPPLEMENT. than ¢ which fell on and their households. It vance of the whole human ry and rose IN there was not ae TBR PAssOVER celebration of the slaying of the first born, but there was also a remembrance ol the divine appointment by which that del ance was obtained. Only one person could have Made that sacrifice. Hence we must sot aside the Deliefof those who make it their sockrina seat = atonement, ang Rot hold botief in the Real Presence should not go to the other extreme and deny all authority orrev- erence to holy things. and concluded by a fervent Sppeal lor baotheriy love. CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES. ‘The Divine Mysteries of Faith—Religion the Work of Heart, t of Logic— Sermon by the Rev. George Hepworth. ‘The Rev. George Hepworth, at the Churoh of the f Disciples, Forty-fiitn street and Madison avenue, yesterday morning, took his text from Paul's Epis- tle to the Romans, iv. 20:—“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, bat was strong in faith.” When one was about to take a long jour- ney, he said, one had to recognize the fact thata few preparations were necessary. The soul began @t the cradie and scarcely ended at the throne of God. The journey was a very important one, and preparations were necessary to mect the emer- geucies which he might have to encounter during this voyage. God had not. leit them without the assurance of success, without the promise of achieving a character of blessedmess that knew no evening and no end. The Scriptures contained revelations of God, how to enter Heaven through the gates of Christ. They coald not help thinking Of this important subject. Children and youths were careless, perhaps, but they who had borne the burden and heat of the day NATURALLY PORECAST THE FUTURE and sat down wondering how they could build to- aay a berth not to be washed away by the mighti- est wave. Perchance sickness or death came suddenly, or they were laid Gn the bed of illness, staring death in the face, and unable to answer the questions which the Lord would ask them in @ few days, ‘What was the remedy? At the beginning of a new year it was customary among business men to prepare an account of all stock, and so they should also review and rally and gather ell their spir:tual powers and energies. In order to make this new year satisfactory they must take care that there should be no regrets, no beartburnings, next December. How should they build? it was no new story. It was a story that had been sun, in _— monastery and convent oi Kurope, aus was chimed ont by a thousand bells on Christmas, What was it they needed in order to build strong and build to last? Of course, Gist they wanted a larger avd deeper fgith in God, their Father, and a broader sense of their intimate reiatiouship to the King of Heaven. God was not so very far om He was only at arm's length. He stood outside the door of their lives knocking for admission, some- times WITH TEARS IN HIS BYF8, because He felt that He could do 80 much that they would not allow Him to do, wishing that they woudl only let Him come in and sit at their ban- quet hans, Rec naturally believed in God just as they be- lieved in water when they were thirsty and as they believed in food when they were hungry. It was an instinct, not a passive assent Of reason. It shoald be an active belief, and give tone and per- fume to every fibre of their being. There were some people whose faith was shut up in their cranium. This was good; but it was best that faith should live in a biind, trusting heart. There were some persons Who said they believed, but whose hives belied their words. Let them talk but litle but believe the more. Jesus said in so aa words that He Himself was the door of heaven. If Jesus meant what He said then it was their business cither openly to disavow Him or openly to believe Him. He had read about all that had been written in theology, and thought he was an average man in regard to acumen. But it was impossible to sound all the mysterious depths of iaith and explain the whole nature and being of Christ. He knew nothing about it; they knew nothing about it, and he did not believe that ANYBODY KNEW ANYTHING ABOVT IT. ‘No man had ever done what Jesus did—to live in the heart and soul of humanity for 1,800 years. No, brethren, it was certainly not true that Corist was onlya man. Then he might change his position; perhaps He was only an Ambassador of God. ‘But what does Christ say? “I am the way, I the truth, 1am the light.” Well, if there was a being who was his way and bis truth and his light this being waa his God. He was the only one he could 7, ‘to, and in dving so he prayed jor the trath and to the truth; he prayed for the light and to the light. He also said that He was beiore creation. He koow what He was saying? If this were an efror let the whole building of faith crumble to dust. Then He spoke of coming at last as their eternal . Well, he conte: that he could not soive the divine problem. What was he then to do if his logical mind could not be couvinced? Was he to shut up tue Bible and abandon his faith? No; the d shaken the destinies of all nations and rolied over history like the wave of a mighty ocean. If their minds could not grasp the divine mystery their hearts could. They were becoming better in their opportunities, grander and nobier in their ambitions. Let them turn this page of the Bible. ‘There was the martyr fearing death, but FEARING GOD'S WRATH MORE. Where was the power to make martyrs? Was it in their parr, in their mathematics, in their science? No; there was no martyrdom in phi- losophy, in mathematics or in ecience, but only there (pointing ‘at the Scriptures). If they turned another hey saw missionaries and -aposties seattered ali over the world. Was it a small thing to pluck one’s self away from home and to go to places where one re to die within five years; and all this to save some poor lost souls? Whence came this power? Oniy irom the Testament. Let them still adhere to their sublime faith therefore. No human logic could ever touch God; no mind could ever grasp this divine mystery, the knowl edge ot which must surely come through the heart. Let them accept and betieve. If tuey would only say, “Lord, I believe,” the very gates of heaven would open before them and they would see the angels ascending and descend- ing. If they would only take this biessed Gospel into their lives and hearts how it would charm and bleas them every day and every hour, Oniy by en- te into personal relationship with Jesus Christ could they gvin this suvlime and divine faith. ‘They might come then to the cross, for it was the emblem Of victory and of peace to the whole world. LYRIO HALL Hew Character Is formed=The Good Fraits of a Good Life—Discourse by Mr. Gannett, of Boston. Notwithstanding the absence of Mr. Frothing ham the “independent” brotherhood and sister- hood turned out in the usual numbeis yesterday morning. The pulpit was occupied by a gentieman without the usual prefix “Rev.” to his name—Mr. Wiliam C. Gannett, of Boston. Of course a repre- sentative from the “Hub of the Universe” could not do otherwise than preach an intellectual dis- course, Like most ultra intellectual pulpit efforts, it was, however, o littie heavy, though In some measure relieved of its intrinsic duiness by the occasional briliiant fiashes of borrowed gems from the pocts. His text was, “Why callest thou me good’ His first idea was that in seeming religions we do not throw away ail our old babits and belies, bat simply act out the precepts learned at OUR MOrHER’S XNEE. Re dilated on this idea at some extent, and then showed that Chris. considered Himself as our brother sinner. That clause in the Lord's Prayer, “forgive us our sins,” was, he insiste’, s clear proof of this hypotuesta. Christ wad a man like us, Let us bea man tke Him. Christ was very radi- cal, He threatened Pilate. There was 2 certain Magnetism about Christ. He was more winsome than His parables. Having exhansted this portion Of his theme he showed the influence upon charac- ter by asnociation; that is to say, how one, by association with the good, the pure and the intellectual, becomes himsclf alike good, pure and inteliectual, and vice versa, This forma- tion of character, he urged, was unconscious, Any young man, tracing baek his life for 10 years, could trace the individual effect of the teach- ing and example of his mother, father and asso- ciates, AD sutodiograpber describes his old home- stead, the character of his parents, and most intimate friends, and ali the surroun of his uth, to show the influences mouiding Nis youn: {ites In fact these inflnences were the factors o: the suture man. He next proc to picture NATURE & GREAT PHOTOORAPH GALLERY, | Not only does nature photograph our smiles, and frowns, and tears, and every expression, and emotion, and teelii bat we photograph ourselves in each other, No two Persons meet without some interch: of Spirituai character, After & rather my! alta- sion to Platarch’s might, he described the lar pecu effect prodaced by the smiies of an eminent clergy- Man UDOR a servant gir. From the smiling cleray- man he branched off suddenly into a lit Je personal should ut the way amply, bu nou the wi in| way t al go Temsefren Aavioe wan ustic, wishout's good to back it up. In this connection he digresse & moment to extpaizeto woe. the influence 0! sis- ters u their brothers in the selection of a wife, and also how the sister's ideal husbands are formed from the character of their brothers, He mext made the aprupt announcement that the monument of science is becoming a new ‘Think of the periect man. Our dd and qual- ities are transmitted to our cnildren, and thertore it behcoves parents to lead pure and ,ooa ay ha they would have their children pure and . ferring to Spenser and Jobn Stuart Mill, and in the meantime reading a lengihy poem, he stated, in conclusion, that there were iree thinkers before Theodore Parker. It was this eminent divine who congealed the scattered thoughts into a doctrine, ‘The great aim of Theodore Parker was to make the world better for his having lived in it, Who would not wish to live so here that when he 1s Called away his presence may still linger as 8 benedic- 8T, PATRIOK’S OATHEDRAL, Sermon on the New Year and Its Les sons by Archbishop McCloskey. arohbishop McCloskey preached at high mass in the Cathedral yesterday, taxing his text from St. Paul's Epistie to Titus, i, 11-iS—“The grace of God our Saviour hath appeared to all men, &c.” The reverend pre‘ate exhorted the congregation on the lessons which the commoncement of a new year naturally suggests, From the experience of the past we should gain strength and resolution to regulate our conduct during the present yeat im accordance with the dictates of our holy re~ ligion, We should remember all the biessings con- ferred upon us in the past by our merciful Lord and the many exhortations addressed to us by ovr “icly mother, the Church But a month ago she summoned ail her chil- dren im this archdiocese and besought them to take reiuge im the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and ner exertions for their spiritual wel- fare are unceasing. Our personal remembrances during the past year, the promises and resciations made and broken, and the frequent violations of the divine law, should be an incentive to us to be- in the new year with earnest faith and resoia- fon, with strong and confident hope in the grace of God, and with a larger and broader spirit of charity. We need the assistance of the Divine Founder of our holy religion more than ever at the resent Gay, When the powers of darkness are eagued against it. We must not be ashamed to profess and practise it openly and feariessiy, bear- ing in mind the words of our Saviour:—“He that is pot for me is against me; he that gathereth not, scattereth.” Tho arch enemy is untiring in bis attempts against our salvation, and we must be constantly on our guard inst him. The choir, consisting of ® quartet of voices, sang Farmer’s Mass, a very poor, ill constructed and unecciesiastical composition, which should be struck from the list of Catnolic music. Tnere were many inexcusable hegney especially in singing out of tune, made by the Jadies of the choir yester- day. The Catholic Cathedral of New York, possess- ing such @ distinguished organist a8 Protessor Gus- tavus Schmitz, should have better voices in the choir, The only feature of musical interest was the “Bone Pastor,’ by Schmitz, a melodious, inter- esting duet for tenor and bass, which was effec- tively sung by the two gentlemen to whom it was intrusted. A cathedral like St. Patrick’s should have a choir second to none in the city. ALL SOULS' CHURCH Sermon by the Rev. Edward Everctt Hale—Do the Best We Cana. At All Souls’ church yesterday the Rev. Edward Everest Haie preached, taking his text from the eighteenth and following verses of the fourteenth chapter of St. Luke, narrating the story of the pharisee and publican. The discourse was able, practical and very sim- ple. The preacher endeavored to inculcate loity ideas of the true morality 0: life by argumehts cor- responding to the publican’s virtue as it appeared im the text. The leading idea, he urged, was that each man in striving to do his beat was sure event- ually to come toGod. Upon this point he spoke very forcibly of the influence which tho aspiration to do good in the simplest and most ordinary affairs of life 1s always sure to bring with it. A man striving to do his best must necessarily be- come possessed of feelings which, exercised benefl- cently toward his fellow man, lead him to the idea of the sublimity of God. God has made no two men alike; He has given each of us different feelings, and sometimes in the pursuance of a virtuous lite we may make a mistake in imitating too closely tne deeds and the exertions of others. Each of us has his own set of leelings, and these, when pro erly directed and developed, with God for the! object, exert upon our minds a strain that leads always towards perfection, Let us do the best we at is the idea. Hope, love and faith are the reliance of the soul; let us have these and all will go well with us; but let us use them with ali the wer we have, Let us be earnest and faithfuland jopetul to the very utmost we can be, and we may then be sure that uncousciously we shall be drawn 80 near God that we shall feel the union that exists between the soul and Him. This anion 16 very close and very intimate, so much so that Paul said, “-Belng justified by (faith we have peace with God.” And this expression of the tle means this, that we ought not vo be a: of od; that we ought to have great confidence in His union with our souls. ith and hope and love are so in- timately blended with God's relation to us that by the practice of the actions under their influence we are sure to come imperceptibly to both the feeling and the acknowledgment of His beneficence and thus to truer understanding o! the force of the story in the Gospel. The preacher announced that yesterday was the day for the taking up of tae collection in aid of the local missionary work, and he was desired by Dr. Bellows to state that $2,500 was required. This collection had in previous years occurred in November and usually reached $5,000, but thia year it was determined to ask only 4 reduced sum, SEVENTH STREET METHODIST CHUROE Christian Responsibility—The Lessons of the Past Year=— a Steward Unto Ged—The MNesponsibitities of That Stewardship—Sermon by the Rev. John Parker. A large and serious’ minded congregation gath- ered at the Seventh street Methodist Episcopal church yesterday morning to listen to the pastor, the Rev. John Parker, upon “Christian Reapon- sibllity,” a subject considered especially appro- priate at the beginning of the year. In comment- ing upon the Bible lesson taken from the opening chapter of Exodus he exhorted his hearers to have a realization of their duty toward God mixed with all their plans of life, without whieh there ‘was nosafety. “Two years ago," said he, “you sat here, appalled as you observed the vold, bad, licentious men riding broadcast over this city, and now mark the change. God was not in their lives.” THE SERMON, ‘The religious exercises over, the preacher an- nounced as the base of his remarks the Lord's parable of the unjust steward as found in the six- teenth chapter of Luke, laying stress upom tne passage in the second verse:—“Give an account of thy stewardship.” In this parable, which is ad- dressed solely to the disciples, the Saviour designed to show how men ol the world déal with each otner. The drift of the whole parable is that ‘we should show the same carnestness, vigor and address as Christians which men ao in their Woridinees, and that we should be as augacious, wise and devoted to our heaventy Lord as they are in their relations to the pleasures and profits of iife. We ali hold a stewardship to God, for which We shall eveatuaily be called to an account, The pigry of our existence is that we are responsible ings, inspired to good by the influences of the Holy Spirit, prompted to evil temptations of the devil. We yet have the re- sponsibility which attaches to free will These tnfuences are to the moral aature what the attrac- gon we ates to Bond ae universe, m man is in abeyance. This responsi- bility enters into our ij RELATIONS WITH BCTH WORLDA, Wishout cohesion in society anarchy mast fol- low” There isin the moral world a centripetal and centrifugal force. The one divides, subtracts; the other draws us toward cach other, repr sented by the active yee of benevolence. Our responsibility to God is bused upon the fact that he 18 our Creator and Redeemer, He ed that a man is entitied to the benefits to be derived from his inventions, tod, in a r and broader sense, ts entitied to the scr- vice of His creatures. This has the authorit, of Holy Writ, too; for both in the Ot ana N Testaments our absolute and entire service ts enforced. ir buity, moreover, to Him has reference to our redemption, and our gracitade should bear proportion to the immeasur- ble saccifice made for our reacac. We cannot escape this responsibility. As we, citizens of the United States, are amenable to the laws of our country, and Cannot avoid the penaity consequent on ® tra lon of them, so the laws of our physical and mors! natures are imperative gnd must be ooeved. We may take potson, ignorant of its properties, and yet the effect is the same; and 80 sin fas the same bjighting, deadiy effect apon our moral natures; nor can we avoid it by pleati- ing ignorance, We are responsibie not only for what we know, but what we might have known, Caviinng wil not benefit us. There much Of this in these latior days, owing to the conclusion Not imperative and standa the law, the bel require ia at hand, and it must be speaker then showed how futlie was any attempt At resistance to the law, and tarned to the ques- tion which the subject naturally 8! am I recountable for?” “What In answer pointed to , a8 filled with y pline ip the afflictions and reavements to which we have been subjected, and in conclusion he advised his hearers to review their past life in order to properly measure their bility, to ask jon of God for the:r short- comings and fis assistance in the future conduct of their stowardsbips. 87. THOMAS’ OHUROE Lessons from the Past Year—A Sermon by Or. Morga: ‘The dehgntiully serene face of nature yesterday brought forth an unusaally large attendance to the fashionable church of the Rev. Dr. Morgan, on Fifth avenue and Fifty-third str-ot. The reverend gentleman preached from tie text—‘' Thus saith the Lord, Consider your ways.” Alter a bonevolent exchange of greetings custom- ary with the beginning of the year, the preacher invited the attention of his hearers to a contem, plation of the plain, practioal things proper to begin the new year with. He pathetically cast a Tetrospeotive glance over che events of the 12 months just closed, in which so many of the con- gregation, in their own persons, had passed through different phases of joy snd woe, The influence of the year had its effects on all; youth, mavhood, old ago, showed the tracks of Meeting time. As we grow old we grow earnest. We are bat traveliers to the grave, and what there ts to be done mast be executed quickly, for we know not whither to-morrow may lead us, Desth accompanies our voyage of life, and in the brieiness of this there is but smali space to pre- pare for the terrors of tho tomb. At no distant time all our enterprises, hopes, fears, pleasures, pains will alike disappear, and our very presence be forgotten in the buay scenes of life. What thon will the world matter to us? Noue of the emo- tions that govern men's actions can influence for an hour the deviation of We, But while in the animated scenes of this mundane sphere man has gtave duties to fulfil, He has the domestic, social and religious ties that bind him as s member in the Christian community, Above all world! things there are the bonds of family unity a affection, And with these there a her unity to be sought after; that of religious sentiment gives families the same hopes, the same prospects, same holy bond of union, Without ‘Unese bonds families are bound but as by withes of 3 them there isa guil between mem- ers of the same houseliold which cannot be And thus i¢ happens that between hus-_ od wile religion is ® prosciibed theme or the subdject of a witticism or ® jeer—a not provided ior in the marriage contract. Religion desires sympathy, freedom, expansion; but earthly affections are often stronger than religious sentiment, The woman is irequently like Kuth, imitating the holy example ef confiding her words plese riey thou sere ere wiilgo algo, j people shall be my peo; God my God.' If the faith of the Gospel is to exist in the married state, 1t should do so strongly. A principle that is easil acquirel or remembered is easily des; This condition is of vital importance, for Who can measure the secre! promp' conscience 0! tings Of religion even in the the unbeliever? A drop of water will, in the end, Wear ite way through the stone, and the chasten- ing example of a pious wile will some time find ite way into the heart of a callous, uobelieving bus- band. A family disunited upon religious subjects is a common spectacle. It presents a scene in the midst of which a Christian must well consider bis ways, The importance of uniting familes in the hopes of the gospel, of preparing them to meet death together, us was the case recently in @ gceat marine disaster, where Christians met their tate with exemplary fortitude, is of the groatest moment. Will they ali go the same way in the dread herealter? That is the awiul question that may be asked. For at the bar of justice, on the great day of the resurrection, children, par- ents, husbands, wives—all may be sepa- rated trom each otner by the ~ inevitable flac of offended Omnipotence. Consider, then, the wantonness of worldly pursuits; consider your ways; look to the example of the t year. Let us examine our- selves at this particular moment and put good resoiutions in practice for the time to come. Let sin pass away with the year that is fied, and re- pentence jotned to good works come in with the new. The great beliof time has struck again another revolution of our globe in the endiess sphere of cternity and we are urged to remember the shortness of life and the endiessness of the grave. Let us be wakeiul, watchful, dutiful. Now is the hour of repen‘auce and prayer; pow the time to approach the Lord, to supplicate the Re- deemer with all our souls ‘ana all our minds and all oar strength. Let not the close of the year on which we have just entered find us loitering on the way to salvation, but rather have us prepare to gird up our loins and approach the struggle of faith in the gospel with a firm resolution of triumphing against the evil one, BROOKLYN CHURCHES. PLYMOUTH CHUROH. Beecher on the English Bishoprics and Pow Selling—A Sermon om Emotional Religion—What a Big-C; ited Method- ist Can Do—The Idolators of New Eng- land—A Discordant Hawk. In the announcements that preceded the sermon yesterday morning at Plymouth church Mr. Beecher stated that the sonual lettilig of the pews would take place on Tuesday evening next, at seven o’clock, and in the course of bis remarks thereon said that there would no doubt follow the usual roar of surprise across the water. He did not won- der at this surprise, because they are so particular to have nothing to do with money in their churches, (Laughter.) “If we,” said Mr. Beecher, “‘had only the revenues of their bishoprics we might do the same things as they do and not shock the sympathies of our brethren; but being democratic, ani having found this method answer, we are compelied to foliow ap our custom and regret that we shouid offend the tender sym- pathies of those who differ with us across the water.’”’ The subject of the sermon was “Emotion iu Religion,” and the text selected was the third and fourth vorses of sixth ohapter of Hosea— “Then shall we know, if we follow on to kuow the Lord; His going forth ts prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. OU Ephraim, what shail {do unto thee? O Judah, what shail 1 do unto thee ? For your goodness ts as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.” ‘This was a voice that came from antiquity, and it was the voice of expostulation. It is a voice, however, that is familiar in these days. We hear the same expostulation; we have the same rec- ord to-day of the facility with which men are excited; the eagerness with which they recognize the better way, aud the same regrets repeated as to the way in which they forget it. These are (he themes of the Old Testament, as well as the New, and the samme observation may be made, too, of pro‘ane literature. The theme of the discourse, Mr, Beecher said, would be the inconstancy and re- mission of RELIGIOUS EMOTION, It is surprising that men once awakened by the influence of divine truth should ever know quie- tude again, when such truths are fally considered fg the oxistence of God, tne destiny of man and the relations of God fo man. These were so well adapted to excite every ieeling of the human soul, Yet, a8 & Matter of Iact, men do not conunne long and continuously under the excitement that has been awakened in them by the thoughts and the emotions whieh havo been raised wit a vi religio 6) only tor the pour. Jeeling 18 8 matter 01 remark to-day, just as it was < years ago, just a8 much in the church as it was in the synagogue, The ground tox the reason of thts 14 ound im the nature of the haman soul— ite = downward tendency, occamioned by the animalism that surrounds it. Men have @ vory brief religious experience, bocause the power of the world is 80 strong upon them. There are, however, other . and they Jatgeiy turn aopon a want of know! e. There are hundreds and thousands of persons who do not desire to contorm to the world. There is a fundamental error in the aoctrive ag to the uze of rel mn, Of its a eget ye of th e calling up emotion as ion of ail who propepe i if religion each person came terti sna enn equa Fits HET in vou wor net tie case, Mor are tronel tt if rellg mc ig 1e CANE. a Into religion witi all the ‘ities Of their mind and station u ron them, maa bas in himaeil the problem 5 Men think that religiou is to give Ritem an over: = Semnees wae We avOn a i coud ob. raous ry usand ethical duties in order that ‘ney ma: have experiences, This is the old notion; it was tound very active in convents and nana Thom it was that men paid tant the omly way toget LA try tor 16, that it must come. Now they certain, don’t iy ieee way by any other side of their poe end ‘pect the results to that way. Try cau- tM instance. Men don’t seek to this wi th, or other emotions, They divine on 8 ai sanity. flows and then breaks, gov back to fow and resence. itch of breaks in, There is an impression that faith is the di Product of the ‘divine Spirit, Admitted. Just as the sun is the proaucer of growth; but the tree or suo warms diforently on the sweet 8 upon the leaves to what it does on the sour apple tree. One of are sul of emotions, an- some men who have no idea of emotion except they foilow ideas. They accept inierentiated truths. Take John Calvin; he was # kind of OBRISTIAN PLATO, without Piato’s heart. ‘Por with John Calvin the great trouble was that he had no heart. Now the wathetic side of some men's nature is the side that ts mest Ishall oe syed religious infuence. sense of my own religious condl- when I stood iu the house, in which ‘Doekeape in are penteipey an on Aytoge 7 — born on the von, With its gen wing streain, the charch in which he wae buried. Wel but re way this is it is natural, You say that orthodox. I say that it is drvine. a You can settle it between you what you call it, (Langhter.) I have as much a right to have the moral chamber of my soul unfocked by the hey of nature as other people have to have tt unlocked by the key of the catechism. Ii I were asked what are the great moral agencies employed by God for creating this feeling, { should answer fact and fiction. Men have tried many other things. InNew Engiand they have tried ingle They are idolaters Of logic, and we could say to them, “These be thy gods, Yankees!” There is every variety ot Method adaptable. For example, let a great, roll- ing, big-chested Methodist go into a Methodist meoting, who bas got the root of the matter In him, and let him pour out his feeling there, and how speedily the people are wrongat upon; see What results there are. Why, Lge gad migent died and they woud read Jonn Calvin until tho; we never be converted, Another hindrance to the de- velopment of a continnons FLOW OF FERLING ts found in tke law of discord, or the power of feeling to Acres disc A man will be at meet -he will be lifted up into an ecstasy of feeling, he is alljoy and brightness, his nature 18 running over with a susceptibility to a benign in- fluence, and he looks around and he sees & mi who owes him someting. It is all gone. The feeling has evaporated, and the selfishness and greed of the man’s nature LF re- tarn and he ee a turn On that man take the ou ever we 1 grist out of him.” (Lat r.) Have beaartiful ere day in the fielda, the trecs and the branches and the ground all popu- ‘and there is the aweetest concert of t man ever heard? Away, = out of the shade, is hovel the hawk; there comes the sereech of the hawk (mr, Beecher Imi- tated the screech with some success), aad there is at once no other note, and where thore were 500 birds there is only one-to be seen. Mr. Beecher concluded by some practical remt val OD) 'y remarks, urging that the season of the new year was the time to correct that in us which was fatal to the growth of divine influences in our nature, TALMAGE AT THE AQADEMY. Reflections on the Fiight of YVears—The Natural Inclination of People to Lie About Their Ages—The Right and the Wrong Way to Meas- ure Life. Mr. Talmage gavo notice yesterday morning that the boly communion wouid be administered in the Academy on Sunday after next. His sermon was upon wrong and right ways of measuring life on earth. He said:— At midnight of last Wednesday the gate of eternity opencd to let in amid the great throng of departed centuries the soul of the dying ycar. Under the twelfth stroke of the brazen hammer of the city clock the patriarch went out, and the stars of the night were the luneral torches, It is most fortunate that on this road of life there are 80 many milestones on which we can read just how fast we are going towards the journey’s end. I feel that tt is not an inapt or inappropriate ques- tion that I ask to-day when I look into your taces and say, a8 Pharaoh did to Jacob, the patriarch :— “How old art thou?” People who are trathful on every other subject LIE ABOUT THEIR AGES, sothatI do not solicit from you any response, literal response, to tae question I have asked. 1 would put no one under temptation; but I simply want, this morning, to see by what rod it is we are measuring our earthly existence. ‘rnere isa right way and a wrong way of measuring a door or a wall, or an arch or a tower; and 80, there is a right way and a wrong way of measuring our earthly existence. It is with reference to this higher meaning that I confront you this morning . With the atapendous question of the text, and ask you, “How old art thou’ There are many who measure their life by mere worldly gratification, That man who measures his life onearth by mere worldly gratification, is a most unwise man. Lile is not to be sgame of chess, It is not a dance in a lighted hall to quick music, It is. no$ the froth of anale pitcher. Itis not a banquet with intoxi- cation and roystering, It is the first step on 8 ladder that mounts into the skies, or the first stop on a road that plunges into a horrible abyss. 50 that in this worid we are ooly keylog up the harp of eternal rapture, or forging ‘the chains o/ an | eternal bondage. A great many measure their life on earth by their sorrows and misiortuues. It ought not to be so, Torough the lives of many of you the ploughshare pas one very deep, turning up a terrible turrow, ‘ou have been BETRAYED AND MISREPRESENTED and spat upon, and slapped of a te ead and pounded of misfortune. { don’t know an excep- tion. No escape from trouble of some kind. The brightest lite must have its shadows; the smooth- est path its thorns. While Sheridan's comedy was being enacted at Drury Lane Theatre Oumberiana, his enemy, sat growling at it in the stage bux. While Bishop Cooper was surrounded by the favor of learned men dis wi'e took his lexicon manuscript— the result of aiong lite of anxiety and toi! i threw it into the fire. Musiortune, trial, vexation lor almost every one. Pope, applauded of ali the world, hag ® stoop in the shoulder that annoys him = 80 «ouch that he has a tunnel dug so that he may go unobserved from garden to grotto and grotto to garden, Canno, the famous Spanisn artist, is disgusted with the crucifix rhat the priest holds before him, because it ts such & poor a of sculpture, And go in 10,000 ways trouble comes to harrass and annoy, Yet it is unfair to mensure a man’s lite by his misfortunes, because where there is one st of nightshade there are 50 mari- golds and harebelis. Tnat is an unwise, un- gratefal, unfair, unphilosophic and moat un- Christian Man woo measures his lite on earth by groans and tears, and neuralgic thrust and dys- peptic fit, and abuse and scorn and terror. Better measure your life by its worldly joys than by its sorrows, though either of them would be un- christian, There até many people also who measure their life by the amount of money they have accumu- lated, You know there are those who talk against money as though it had no value. It is refinement ings he oop) and Nas 10,000 blessed surround. is TIRADE IN PULPIT AND LECTURE HALL against money, a8 though it had no value, is simple hypocrisy, But while ali this 19 so, he who uses money or thinks of money ag anything but a means to an end will And out lis mistake when the glit- tering treasure slips out o/ his nerveless grasp, and he goes out of tus world without a dollar and without § certificate of s'ovk. Bonds and mort- gages and jeases have thelr use, but they make a poor yard stick with which to measure lite, iu, there are many who measure their life by their moral and spirituai development, I wisn there were more, It i8 not bintul egorism for a Christian man to say, “f ama great deal better man than f used to be.” There are Christian men here who have become swarthy by hammering at the forge of calamity, and they stand on an entire: Gitferent pisne of morai character from that whic! they once occupied. They are measuring their Jife on earth by golden gated Sabbaths and pentecostal prayer mectings and communion tabies, and they are oniy 7 for the gate to open and the giory ages A bya oligad them. . Talmadge then spoke of those who measured life by the good pnagd Could do, and he wished there were more, There havo been men who have given their whole livea to Christ, They measurea thoir lives by THE CHAINS THEY BROKR OFF, by tho | mtd aod they put upon nakedness, by the miiés they travelled to alleviate suffering, Do you Want toknow how old Luther was and Richard Hax- ter was and a Dodridge was? Why, you can- Not caloulate the length of their lives by any human hmetic, Add to their lives 10,000 times 10,000 Jears, and you have not exprensed what thoy Daye ived or willitve. Oh, what a standard that is to measure a man's life by! ‘there are those im tis house who thnk they have lived 80 1 They will have lived 1,000; they bave lived 1,000, There are thone 60 years of age who have not even entered upon their infancy; they must frst be- come babes in Christ to begin at all. In conclusion the preacher exhorted ail to conse- crate themselves to Uurist. If you have worldly means, consecrate them to Onrist. It you have eloquence, use it on the side that Paul and Wilber. force did. Ii you have learning, put it into the POOR-BOK OF THE WORLD'S GUFFRRING. If you have none of these, you, at any rate, havo a ww tne a with Sa nee a ere Te Jonna eae eae we 87, MARPS, STAR OF THE SEA ‘The Pewer and Love of the Sacred Name of Jesus—The Sin of Blasphemy and Swearing—Sermon by Rev. Father Sheehy, The handsome Chorch of St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Court street, near Luqueer, South Brooklyn, was crowded at all the masses yesterday, the peo- well, by seeking “first the kingdom of en.” At the principal service the pastor, Rev. Eugene Cassidy, oMciated, offering the sacrifice of mass, and the sermon was preached by Rev. Sheehy. The reverend gentleman took for text, St. Luke, i, 21—“And alter were sccomplished thas the chiid circumoized, His name Was called Ji was called by the angel before He was cetved in the womb.” While the sents many salutary traths and mysteries in lessons for our guidance, there is not one is ao fully calculated to. fill our hearts with love and fear as the text which presents to our minds the sacred name of Jesus. The reverénd speaker then proceeded to dwell upon the great- ie att i ment and most amply verified in the New. Ass name of power and fove its influence had been over manifest. “I am, who am. 1am Jehovani" 48 tn the old law go tn the new law was its magni- tude felt, and therefore did He receive the name of Jesus, which was called by the ange! before He was conceived in the womb of His virgin mother. is the samo as mame given to men by which they ‘must’ be saved bi but bonor and revere its lehom. It was that name, too, strength and oonaolation of His’ a: mission to teacb the way of salvation, in ance with the will of their divine Lord and Master. 1 was the mysterious pame which healed the sick and raise’ the dead grand moment, as tt La glory to all me nce Se Seonea Christians to viel ears tory ey a) their mouti ody, in their and juillity in thelr ts. Then fail not to invoke sacred name of Jeans upon all occa- sions of temptation or danger. Let not the go by without bending your yoy vowing your head and hembling your heart to Him who gave such eternal evidence of His love for stoners that you may be worthy of the imberitance which He has P red at the cost o/ birth, sufferings, passion and ignominious death, Does it not happen, alas! how often, that you hear that adorable name men- tioned in btasphemy and swearing? Yes, itis 80. What ponishment will the biasphemer and those who take His name in vain receive when they shall writhe in an of fear before the awful majesty ot an offended at Cho last day when cailed upon to give an account of every panseat word and — of ret eels . We H ve tt & country where privileges gna. fyoedom beneficent charactor ehjoyea hd people; but, walle freedo! Wo caunot but feél the grievous ain of blasphemy and Swearing, The Jews did not profane and ionor God moré than many of those whom we hear and gee about us. And why is this ain ao general? Have we not reasons gaMiciently abundant for loving and honoring His name? It will be the tel gl to heaven, Then treasure it in your arts, Teach your children its divine moanio; a purport. By your example to your fellow ma show your earnest desire to fulfll the laws of your Lord and Master, that they may be enlightened ta the truths of His Church, and in your stor hour the name of Jesus will be on your lips and Hane up ‘our face with the awakening joys of a happ: eternity in the presence of Him who died for al men. THE CLINTON AVENUE CONGREGATIONAY CHUROH. honor The Two Events Prominent in Our Lives—Death and Judgment—The Fear of Death—Sermon by Dr. Buddington. Dr. Baddington'’s church was well attended yes- terday morning. Dr. Buddington commenced his discourse by saying:—We have been engaged during the past week in one of the most significant customs which have been handed down from generation to generation—wishing each other a happy ew year; but not until we come into the house of prayer do we understand that this is what we want. It is an act of unbelief to live and not be more cheerful the longer we live. I select for my text the Hebrews, 1x., 27-28—‘And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment, so Christ wes once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for Him shall He appeat the second time without sin unto salvation.” What I wish to call your attention to ts the parallelism betwoen our lives and the life of Christ. And to-day, as we look forward into the future, what do we see? Just two things above all otners, lifting themselves up in the bright light sbove us— these two events, our death and our judgment, I ts appointed unto men once to die, but alter th the juugment, Well, as we oall to mind the histor: of Jesus Christ, what are the two cvents above ail others which we see? First, the death and His second coming; and, second, coming for saiva- tion. Now put these two facts together, DEATH AND JUDGMENT, more to us than any others inthe world. We have the anticipation of death as an appotatment of God irreversible, inevitable, but [ask what do we meag by death os taaght by the Scriptures. It givesusa very definite idea, In the acriptaral sense it is the result of sin, THR WAGES OF SIN IS DRATH, and in the beginning of human history it was de. nounced asthe penaity of sin, alienation from Goa, the breaking up of those relations betwea pt ler elren ac ite 8 Lena a Sons By one ms in ontered in! world, and death by sin. Say’ Paul, “the sting of doath is sin." if Now, thon, let me discriminate. If what I have said is true, and it certain! then by death we do not mean simply a transiormation of ile, Enoot did not die when God took him. Ehjan did not die when heaven stooped and swopt him from earth. Death is not the transiormation of iife, but tho death spoken of in tae Holy Scriptures is God's dis, Piva ts it dread in d Is on dread in death? Is it the pa dying? That la overestimated—sensibili pate Hd ishes, death is unconscious. Do 1 ar then, on the ground of pain? It the sting of de: were taken away is there a man, womaa or ch among us who would dread to die? If you felt were guing home would not death be swalio in ener. ? What is more certain than thi this death we dread is the Goneequence of ain? Lay alongside of yours the death oj Christ, and see how it empties deatn of its dread. He by dying con- demas sin in the Nesh, and enavies you to feel that death has no more power over your belie spirit, Therefore, when a man believes im rd Jesus Christ as bearing his sins, th vious to that time te has been 19 bond e, there ts no longer any fear {or him; Christ has changed tue fact of death; Christ has redeemed ua irom the CURSE OF THK LAW, consequently not only ia the ap i but tne Rame is changed. Christ says, oever liveth and beiieveth ta Mo shall never die.” “We nal Rot all sicep,”” says the Apostle Paul, “but ye shalt ail be changed.” In the Now Testument death is emptied of its terror and its name, Offered Himself to death to bear (be sins of many, py | ath believeth in Him is relieved from eat What is it to bearstos? (vidently to bear the Consequences of the sins of others, 60 ag to relieve tiem. God told the children of Israel! that their chidren should wander over the desert, strewa with thelr bones tor 40 years, su(tering tor their sin, w, 16 it too much to say that when wo come to die that U the Son of God bears our sias in His own body that death is no more than sleep? Yes, blessed be , the gospel of the grace of God abolishes death, Now, lay the fact of your having once +o dle aiongsiae the fact that Christ died’ and, behevs me, a3 you look lorward to that onc iact of Christ's dying for you it empties dcath of its terror. But, secondly, there 1s another event in store for us, and that is judgment; and at ts nat as certain th, It is appointed unto men once to dlc, but alter death the Judgment. The Old Testament is full of demonstrations that God ts a just God, The wicked shai not go unpun- ished, but the seod of tho righteous. shail be deliv. ered; but it shall not be well with the wicked, The poet has well sald the world’s history has ahr st el eas "eee ores rk for year re are tli who were oi . DISHONORING THE GOVERNWENT Of & free people by robping ity Treasury? here are the judges who wero soiling their ermine? In Jelons’ ceils or fying the country; and you tell me on Manet ied hed courre of justice ig diverted. I u that you have only to go 4u tne sanctuary of ‘doa and you wil underetaid thet has Placed the teet of those men slippery places; fad there Is a judgment Aiter ‘death, and Wnt ls impertect hore (a rectided then, a of the World must do right, L have told you that you have those two cveuts OONTINUED ON NINTH PAGE.