The New York Herald Newspaper, May 11, 1874, Page 4

4 THE GOSPEL. Pulpit Utterances in the Churebes of the City and Neighborhood. BEECHER ON ECCLESIASTICAL LIBERTY. Hepworth’s Declaration on the Doctrine . of the Atonement. The New Organization ot Bishop Cummins. Dedication of a New Presby- terian Church. Broapwar TsBERNACLE—The pulpit of the Broadway Tabernacle was filed by tne Rev. Mr. MeDougal, @ missionary, who selected the text, “Come, ali things are ready,” and gave some ac- count o/ bis work im foreign lands, CENTRAL Baprist CHURCH.—A large congrega- tion, chiefly ladies, assembled at divine service here yesterday. The Rev. F. Evans preached from earefally its mystio meaning. Sr. Jony’s Metnopist CuurcH.—Tae Rev. Mr. King took for his text yesterday Matt., xit., 20— “A bruised reed sball he break and smoking flax shall he not quench till he shail send forth judg- ment into victory.” The church was well at- tended. 1 / | | the filth chapter of Revelations and expounded | | | CuRist CHURCH, Firtad AVENUE.—The Rey. | Hugh Miller preached yesterday morning at Corist | church, on Filth avenue and Thirty-Qfth street, ‘The text was St.John xXvi., 23.—‘Whawsoever ye shall ask the father in my name shall be granted ‘wuto you.” CatvaRY Cuvurca.—liev. Dr. EB. A. Washburne finished yesterday morning one of his series of discourses on the Ten Commandments, These | sermons, whicn have run through ten consecutive | Sundays, are pronounce: by those who listened to | them as among the ablest of modern discourses on | the decalozue. Mapison AVENUE Baptist CuHcRen.—The pulpit of the Madison avenue Baptist church at the cor- | ner of Thirty-first, was filled yesterday morning by the Rev. W. ©. Van Meter, who has just returned irom a prolonged visif to Rome, The preacher dwelt upon his Bible and evangelical school work in the Everlasting City. Grack CHURCH.—This church was, as usual, crowded in every portion yesterday, and the Rev. Dr. Potter preached the sermon, He said that we should so conduct ourselves as to follow the Word | and not the letver, Too many worked in @ con- | trary way and found their work acting ima wrong direction. Srs. PETER AND PavL's CHURCH.—Yesterday morning Father Malone, tne esteemed pastor of | this Roman Catholic church, in Second street, Brooklyn, preached the sermon. Haydo’s second mass was sung, with orchestral accompaniment, | ander the direction of Mr. Keena, the organist, | and was rendered with fine effect. | good to be where we could be impressed with the | corner of Clermont and Willoughby avenues, a iar witn great attention and with apparent interest. CHURCH OF THE HOLY LyNocENTS.—At the Charchy of the Holy Innocents, corner ‘Thircy-seveuth | street and Broadway, bigh mass was celebrated at half-past two. The altars of Mary and Joseph were brilliantly illuminated and decorated with choice flowers, lilies being strewn about in great | profusion. Rev, Father Garrigan sung mass, Rev, | Father Haines preached on the necessity and em- cacy of prayer, taking for his text, ‘Ask and yo | shail receive, that your joy @ay be full.” FORTY-SECOND STREET PRESBYTERIAN ORUROH.— | The Rev. Cyms Dickinson, D, D., preached yester- day trom Paul to the Romans, fifteenth chapter, verses one to four, beginning with the words:— | “We, then, that are strong, ought to bear the in- | Srmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves, | Let every one please his neighbor for his good to | edification, For even Christ pleased not himseif; | Dut, as it is written, the reproaches of them that * | reproached thee fell on me’? | 8m. PAavL’s Brrscorau Cuuzcn, BRooKLYN.—The | | usual fasnionable congregation filled this church | yesterday morning, and aiter participating in the impressive prayers and hymns of the service, listened to a very eloquent and instructive sermon from Dr. Drowne, founded on the birth of Moses. His text was taken from Exodus, second chapter, | Sixth verse—And when she opened it she saw the | child, and behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on bim, and said, ‘This isone of the Hebrews’ children.’ ” SovrH S8conD Sraegr Mursopist ‘OHvROB, BROOKLYN.—-The newly appointed pastor of this church, Rev. John Pegg. Jr., preached trom the words—“Lord, it 1s good for us to be here.” The | sermon was an answer to the question, “Why | it was good to be at the transfiguration ?” it | Was good to be where we could see God gleamirg ; through humanity; where we could catch aglimpse of the unity in God’s action, and, most of all, it was excellency of the death of Jesus and the benefits resulting from it, Ross STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BROOK- LyN.—Yesterday morning the Rev. William A. McGinley, of Gioversviile, N. Y., who will proba- bly accept the call of this congregation to ve its Pastor, preached an able discourse from the words, “It 18 more blessed to give than to re- ceive.” The principle enunciated in the text was not only considered in the light of pecuniary gifts, but as applicable to the social and religious life of mankind. Mr. McGinley 18 & scholarly and elo- quent speaker, and he will be a desirable accession to the pulpit of the “City of Churches.” Snerson Mergopist EPIscoraL CHUROH, BROOK- LYN.—At this well known house of worship, situated sized congregation was in attendance at the fore- noon eervices, the delightful weather doubtiess tending to attract a few otherwise tardy Christians outordoors, The pastor, Rev. W. R. Davis, preached an interesting sermon upon the sndject of the “‘Doc- trine of a Special Providence.” In the evening he preached concerning the “Two Standpoints of Lite—Youth and Old Age.” A large number of | young men, by invitation, listened to the latter discourse. MADISON AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.—Rev. Dr, Hitencock, of Union Theological Seminary, oo- cupied the pulpit of this church yesterday morn- { ing. His text was St. Joun i. 1:—‘In the begin- ning was the word and the word was with God and | the word was God.” He deduced from this text | the divinity, humanity and office of Jesus Christ. In the course of the sermon he pald an eloguen, | NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, MAY IL 1874.-TRIPLE SHEET. | the whole power of the Church should be developed. ‘The service at Plymouth ohurch yesterday morn- ing begau with the choire rendering with fine expression the sclection from | “As pants the hart for cooling streams,” wi ‘the unusual | heat of the day made pleasingly suggestive. It betug the day when, according to Mr. Beecner’s announcement, children might be presented for baptiam, soon the space before the pulpit was | occupied by Afteen proud couples, who had each | brought @ little one to the, altar, and | the choir greeted them by chanting the words of Christ, commenoing, “Suffer the little children to come unto me,’ the little ones themselves being among the most attentive listeners. Asis usually | the case, the baoies just then'were the centre of tterest, and all eyes watched them, as one alter another received tne sprinkling, some uttering an indignant remonstrance, some pushing away the | pastoral band, and others, with awed as- tonishment into the pastor's face. But they were, however, @ remarkavly ‘Well behaved set of juveniies, t Mr. Beecher chose for his text L Corinthians, | xiL, 51—“But covet earnestly the beat gilts; and yet show | unto you a more exceliens way!’—and said:—What were the gifts that they were to cover? What was that which was better than even those gifta ? We are left in no doubt whatso- ever. By back to the fore part of this chapter it will bé found that what may be culled the whole ecclesiastical framework of the Christian Church, its ordinances, its creeds, its officers, its | Polity, its methods were undouptedly included in this general term o! “gifts,” and they are all spoken of not only with respect, but there is an implication of a relative and graded excellence in them. Men are commanded to deste the best of them; but there is something better than all of them. What is that? It is that whioh ts the con- tents of the thirteenth verse of L, Corinthians, which I read so olten and comment on 80 much that J am afraid you, will think 1 read no other portion of the Bible—‘Though I speak With the tongues of men and of angeis and have ‘not love, I am become as sounding brass or the tunkung cymbal.” I won't read it; Isimply an- noance what it is. It is the living force of Christianity, and Paul says, “Seek earnestly the best gifts; but there is sometning better than them, anc that is the living power of God in the | human soul. ‘That, I take it, would be Paul’s in- | terpretation of this passage if he wece present and should interpret it in the light of the present State of facts and faith in the, Christian Church, as, looking back tothe fourth verse you will see, “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit.’ There are differencesof administration of governments and so on, but the same Lord. There are diversities of operations—the Phenomena atiending the whole work of God im the. human soul are infinitely Various—but it is the same God which worketh all im all of these things in men, but the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man ‘to profit withal”” There is no in- herent sanctity in these things—no worth in them- Selves; they are to be judged of by the profit that inheres in them and that they, work out in men. If they do no good, they are not good; if they doa great deal of good, then they are good. To one is given by the same Spirit the word of wisdom. That is a real oid logician, preaching truth accord- ing to high philosophical forms’ (for wisdom is substantially philosophy); you have no right to Fidicule this doctrinal man that preaches solid doctrine, Tnere is @ place for such men; there is a@use for them. You may say that they look like days that in bringing together two consicting ele- ied seg There is now at preacher's usual happy style, and was listened to | had not brought him out, It was necessary tnat | (that will only be im a future state of being), It the ordinances that it any that it don’t want to, will be @ sect that wants to, and don’t us: Ideu't beeve that infant in the New. nt; he it {8 a far-fetched intereuce, baptism. Wayt Because | think it i» a beautiul ordinance, “Hem! that’s the only foundation you have for it, eu!’ Yes; that is foundation enough. When one single ordinance shows that it py that ia all the warrant I want for tt, sect to organize and make known and bring as many as thev can to’ conscience ; It demand tt,” I say “Who art thou that jaivest other man'sservant? Amt your servant? | an us Wg servant and to my own Master nd or fall,” In that ma‘ter you may with a man tu Kindness and in love, var sor i no right to argue even until you tire him ont; he must not suffer that the time of Rareecurten ie ue ‘avn't i chown bh te a Canarian is he Dot at lued by: tooanigerae, Sheree nM it that he does not come up to the high orde: ones Mora! penalties are more painfal ti vil opi We have’ it to assoctate together for the sake of Ay Fh of worshi) infmen feel that @ great deal of accumulated litut ages bas power to raise their im: reverence, their 4 eur | hem that th bial iG use a III 2 Who 4 them thai 0 f revile thei uber Tt is the iberty uot alone of individ 1t f nold it to be the live: ty also of ihe seek If wiarge aud. respectable, body af men say we prefer to verned bv priests, to t.ave verned Biano and then in orepbien Pat the whole of brother or ve your father, I bishops and Ps your Pope; but you sball not taru around apd say, ‘This is Chris. ttanity ; unless you take this you shall be dawned.’ 1 WON'T BE DAMNED, and I won't take it either. If they think ] would be better off should I eat vine; sy Nave @ per- fect right to say 80; but if they pour in my late when { don’t want It, and say I must eat it, ‘at if Bother thing. STAY IN YOUR SECTS, & Tt is i Pg (ui be it in nowapenet vad T ave % great respect for ve’ ers; when they undertake to teach ‘christianity | ig always feel dis- posed to listen) :—“If a man ie} spirit in his Churci what is the use o! stay- ing there? Ifhe wants something more congre- gational why don’s he go into the Congregational Church?” Now thts has good sound, but it ts miserable chaff, Do you suppose that a man that ig 1n & church tg there just as he is in a hotel? Suppose, though, @ man should go into the old homestead where born and some one should say, are differences im the iamily, boys. Why don’t you all clear out and leave the old house?” “Leave the graves of my, lathers, the play: ground of my borhood? Am I todo violence to all thas is most sacred in memory?” Altuough L believe that young mencan cuange their taitn, old people cannot doit without hazard. J never tried to convert a Roman Catholic; all I shouid do would be simply to to make him a better Chris- tian where he was, ‘hen it is asked, Why dou’ta man go out of the Episcopal Church? my answer is, the man cannot transplant mmself go easily as tnat, and it is ashame, a burning shame and dis- grace, for any Church or bishop or bishopric, when @ truly godly-and holy mon issceking the welfare of his people @nd bis Church, to endeavor to drive him out. He haga right to his heritage, to the honored names that have belonged to the Church and still belong to it; to its hallowed associa‘tons, a8 sweet to bim as to. any mitred bishop. Stand up for your rights, ye that are persecuted; for your liberties; stand for your God ana for the spirit of Christianity, which is at stake in your conduct, THE OHICAGO PRESBYTERIAN TRIAL. The same may be sala a8 vo the high tribunal convened just now for the tria! of Proiessor David ig said that he don’t be- | Swing, on onicegn. It heve in the doctrines of that Church. I honor him if he don’t. I can conceive—I know tt is 80, for I have seen it—that @ man may come into the Pres- byterian Courch and not believe ali the doctrines | set down in their contession of faith, Not one man inten in the Presbyterian Church does be- lieve it; 1 know all about it; I was under it once myseli, These articles are susceptible of what might be called a rigorous and @ liberal interpre. tation; and it was understood from the eariies! ments there should be a certain elasticity of inter- fessor Swing the question whether the spirit of liberty or the spirit of despotism shail prevailin , tism klean 0 rata fn ats Yet, I ice T aswert the” lon’t run with the | he was | “Here there | issue in this trial of | means by which they could be extricated from the dimcu!tios tf they would only accept and execute the commission Whici He imposed upon them in he Ne: ¥} ent. It was un error to suppose at (ln ent Was simply a commercial price ich Was by God, Oh, let them NOT FORGET THe FATABR ised the if. Jesus came and took phen mse! Why? Had they bever @ story by Charivs Reage, “Neyer Too (| Late toMenit Tnere was a character of @ cler- | gymn in that book who sulfered all modes of | criminal punisment in order to understand from i C3 ta the torments of those who were ao punished. It wasso with Jesus, aud in Hts cas? the sacrifice of ilie and joy was nos Psa) there must also be aeath. How sensi. | shrank at frst irom the terrible ordeal, tH ‘tie OT Bald, “Not will, Thy will be donel?’ On the top of that arid niil there was a 4 ‘cross, and there He was nailed to the tree, and there He hanged. At last His ead droopea abd He died. Christ was dead, and fr whom? For a The dreadful journey was made tor them. Christ stood before them first as their np6nd, a then they saw Him tn the heavens, | Tobed th eternal glory. He was their meutator, i and interceded with God for them, and all tha’ Was asxed of them in return was falth in the cross Bud the life of the Master. Let them livein the love of aet and the love of their fellow men aud heaven’ it Would swing wide ou its glorious hinges and welcome them to immortality. FIEST BEPORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Progress of the New Organization as Portrayed by Bishop Cummins. ‘The small, ‘néat church at the corner of Forty. seventh street and Madison avenue, recently occu- pied» byWr.*Tyng’s congregation, has now anew set of worshtppers, under the designation ot the Firat Reformed Episcopal church, The sermon yesterday. morning was preached by the Rigut Rev. Bishop Cumming, His text was Romans vili., Bl—~What shall we then say to these things! If God _be jor us, who can be against us?’ Ho began by saying how wonaerfully God had been with them since he last preached tothem, Might he not say, Indeed, that God had been with them ina most strikiug manner ? God being with us was the Qrat key note of Christianity. | body against the wovle worid, He proposed to mention a iew tokens which would show that the Rejormed Episvopal Church was the work of God, In the firat place it was the result of single hearts, There had been among them no factions nor dis- ; Sensions, They had never askea man or woman to join them. Gox has led each one of them singly by bis own consciousness. | reproached and stigmatized, It was @ work that | had been commenced and carried on by prayer— prayer that God would point out the way and ep i straight, and that if it were not Gou’s work it migat perish, God had been with ; them, One Uy one tueir little band had increased { until it had” extended irom the Atiauuc to | the Sierra Nevada, irom Canadato Virginia, Their | conddence iu ib rested upon the lact that it was | @ Work resting Gpon Joyaity to Crrisi, ‘the crowo | had been taken irom His head and placed upon | the Church, ‘they disowned a doctrine of sulva- | fon turouga | ‘A MECHANICAL RELIGION. They preached salvation only through Christ. | There were no sacraments coming between His } face and their, ihe reverend speaker tien oriedy spoke Of a religious reform Wuich had deen inaue ; | gurated in Germany in i844. ‘Tus at fret was a | grewt success; out the Jeader gradually lapsed into | @iree tuiuker, uud DOW the society Nas ieft vo trace. This was simply Decause it Was disluyal to | Corist. -1t was not o1 God, but of men. If they had apy coniideace to-day it was because they : were joyal, Uurist Was au atoning power. Was beariug their sins. | Their iaith Was the work uf God, because He had ; Come 10 their assistance tn their Gurkest hour, ; God, in His iwinite mercy, bad lad His hand upou them, He had raised up @ worthy leader tu New York and another | 1m Phiiadelphia, He had never invited them; tney hau been ied by their conscience, God was jor them who Cau be against them? His heart went not to those Wuo stood by them in the ime Of tral, Without a doubt or anxiery they Walled jor the morrow, It was not man’s work, it was God's. If he, the Bishop, iailea it would not cease. ‘he text wouid be them key note of the future. He vonciuded With piessiug tueir new church and deciaring that He They were a lite | And yet we have been | He was the lamb ot God, | ‘Toey cried, if | How bright it seemed! | he wouid gladly lay down unis lite for the further- | This aa Fatt ys God picked out @ certain num- saved and A CERTAIN NUMBER TO BB DAMNED, giving no justification. Then this system goes on Say that this would be carried out eternally, blessing to be bestowed on those who Delieved and everlasting damnation for those who did not ‘his system is uow, than! ost forgotten, fon au roy once ay yt aN wi ndous system, sudder 1868 ani ks the tend in the lace? What does it think of it? It has but one feelin One of utter abhorrence. The human heart utter Gepraved ¥ This phenomenon of Feels who have i «trodden under foot lifting up their eyes to ie eee fulness, does git in_thank- look hike depravi human heart " depraved? ‘The rt gy better than that. No man or woman was ever found utterly depraved; and then this picture of perfectly innocent being treated precisely as if he were guilty is against the beart doctrine, This notion that goodness can be passed over from one to another like @ piece of money is detestable to the heart. The doctrine of ejection must be repu- diated, The doctrine that acreature can be 0 matter how vile he muy be, is. inoredibte, po mai ow vi ie may bite gf he had sinned every moment of a long hfe, cuuld le possibly deserve everlasting punishment? itis incredible, and if the heart couid believe thas it would simply break and die; and so it came to this, that the heart repudiated this system utterly, regarding (¢ as @ horrid dream and nightmare. Universaliom is voice of protest against the doctrine of damnation. Unitarianiem war @ test vhe head against the Trier, ut Universalism was a protest ot the heart against cruelty, and it is ‘the most Repulse creed, All through the orthodex churches doctrines are say 5 Modified and softened, There is not a single doctrine that has not been so changed thas it seems like aucther thing. We speak not of the judgment of God, but of His loving kindness, and the Son of Man on the cross is not regarded now as a victim, but as the expression of Divine love, bearing all things be- cause of love, and willing to die that the world tion ts preachou to-day lu orthodox" pulpit, 1a tae reacher jay 1m ort x Episcopal Church, as if it were annie A CARDINAL BELIEF, The heart has @ creed which it holds with an irresistible power. In the first piace, the heart | believes in @ personal God. It is natural for the | heart to personiiy. The heart claims the right te say, God is Father, aud so it goes on in its own ; Way, never to be beaten in any argument; and if you think of God ag & person, you may as easily think of Him as a _ioving one. le next article in the creed of the heart 1s @ personal providence, and the heart justifies its belief in providence by tacts in creation. God loves us a8 men and women, not as popinjays and eacocks, and consequently love demands thought- juiness and hoids to its faith undaunted. Ah, the philusopher, the purpose you ascribe to Providence is not reached, Where ar | pene the better for the atonement? Then the cart falls back on its trust. Well, I can’t pretend to fathom ali mysteries. One fing 1 know. as the Supreme Being, must be perfectly good, that is enough. Lastly, a faith ina personal and conscious immortality. This is @ belief vital to the heart, The heart looks in and sees things unequal. Shall there not be a time when these accounts shall be squared? Things are equal, though you kuow it not. Day by day God squares the accounta of creation, and if the musi3 of the world should stop this moment there would be no discord. CONSECRATION OF A NEW CHURCH. | | The New Editice of the New York Pres- { | byterian Church. The dedication services of the new church build- ing of the New York Presbyterian church, in West | Eleventh street, between Sixth and Seventh ave- ues, were begun yesterday morning and will con- | tinue during the week. The charch at first wor- shipped in Franklin street and subsequently cor- ner of Thompson and Houston streets. In Febru- ary of last year this buiiding tell, The new edifice, which cost $80,000, is of the rustic Italian style of architecture, Mr. W. W. Wheeler being the archt- tect. The mounted bronzed Bible was designed and presented by Captain Albert De Groot. The present pastor of the church is Rev. W. W. Page. The opening sermon was delivered yesterday | morning by Rev. William Adams, D. D., President of Union Tneological Seminary. His text was the eighth verse of the twenty-sixth Psaim:—‘Lord, I the government of the great Presbyterian Church, and, thereiore, I call you to joiu me not alone in sympathy, but in prayer, that God will overrule |- these evorts that are veing made to secure despot- ism instead of liberty in that Church, The oni: Sr, Luce’s Mernopist Eriscoral CHURCH.—At | tripute to the early disciples, showing their geand tne morning service tu this church the Rev. F. | neroism in avowing faith in their Lord and Mas- | McClelland preached an eaiiymg sermon from sec- | ter, He also showed the relation between science great knots in hard, supiess, twisted, leafiess | trees 1n the jorest, in reierence to the doctrines | they preach; very weil, but there use | jor the twisted roots and Knotty branches; some have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where tnine honor dwelleth.” The reverend gentleman said the erection of snce of their belie LYBIO HALL ond Timothy, second chapter, twenty- ixth verse— “And that they might recover themselves out of | the snare of the devil who are taken captive by | him at his will.” The attendance was compara- | tively good and the sermon was impressive. | | Scorca PRESBYTERIAN CaUKCH.—Rev. Mr. | Hamilton, from Belfast, preached vere yesterday, nd took as his text the passaze from I. Corin- | ‘thians; 1x., 24—“Know ye not that they which run | in sfate run ali, but one receiveth the prize. So | tun that ye may obtain.” ‘This was an apt illus- | tration of the diMicuity of enteriny heaven, and it | gave some idea of the cons'ant effort necessary on our part to lead a godly life. Frast PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.—The text of the Rev. Dr. Paxton was taken yesterday morning from Galatians, v., 6—*‘For in Jesus Curist neither circumeision availeth anything nor uncircum- cision; but faith which worketh by love.” The | reverend Doctor insisted that by the exercise of | love iaith was produced, and that the kingdom of | heaven was the haven where this love obtained its reward. CHURGH OF THE ANNUNCIATION.—The Rev. W. J. | Seabury preached yesterday on the text from the Gospel of John, Xvi., 23-24:—“Wuatsoever ye shall | ask of the Father in my pame he will give it you. | Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name; ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be jul.” | Rev. ©. S, Robinson, occupied the pulpit at this | by The preacher said tnat Christ’s great love for us | ‘was expresséd in these words, and trusting in Him was the surest way to Heaven. CENTRAL METHODIST EPiscoraL CHURcH.—The | Rev. F. Bottome preached here yesterday from the | tion of israel, and the Holy Gost was upon him,” | the wisdoin of external churca institutions in the text, Hebrews Xiil., ‘Be not lorgetful to enter- tain strangers, jor thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” tleman’s discourse was the beauty of hospitality, and he dweit on it particularly in view of the May moving, when old iriendships are ofteu broken by distances and new ones heve to be formed. THE EASTERN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BROOK- LYN.—The temporary eJifice of the Eastern Presby- | terian church on Green avenue, near Patchen, was formally opened for service yesterday, Rev. James 8. Evans, D. D., preached in the forenoon before afashionavle audience, taking for the sub- fect of his discourse “The Church of God.” In the afternoon a meeting was held by the deacons and a Sunday school was organized. Itis now be- Meved that the congregation Is fairly unaer way. Prmurive MeTsopist CavrcH, BROOKLYN.—At this edifice, of which Rev. Frederick Bell is shep- herd, of the Bridge street flock, a sermon was preached on “‘Irue Happiness,” by the pastor, in the morning, there being a fair sized audience. “The Nearest Way to Salvation” was the topic of the evening discourse. The warm weather was | apparent in the change of toilets, irom spring to summer, and the unceasing agitation of the fan by the ladies. St. PavL’s METHODIST EPiscopaL CHuRCH.—The discourse in this charch yesterday morning was | preacied by Rev. Dr, Hurst. of the Drew Theological Seminary. His text was Matthew, xvill., 20—“But ‘when two or three are gathered together in my mame, then am I in the mics: of them.” He said that we, Americans, were worshippers of majori- | ties and were subject to them, bot we dare not measure Spiritual tratns by such astandard, The great lesson of the Bibie he enforced was to teach the power, the destiny and the mission of the individual in spiritual ie. CHUROH OF THE Asc 10N.—Yesterday morning the newly oOraaine assistant pastor of tnischarch Mr. BE. W. Donald, preacied his nrst sermon. The manner of the preacher was picasing, the deltvery easy and the matter good. His text was taken irom Philippians l., "Let this wind be aiso in you which was also in Jesus Christ.” The main idea of the sermon was that in gur lives we should | a8 much as possible imitate the life and work of toe Saviour. The new choir bere is not as good as the old one. It is intended to have a triple quartet choir, two voluntary. Sr. Carysostom’s CHAPEL.—This pleasant little chapel, Tuirty-ninth street, corner of Seventh avenue, gave seats to a large and fashionable con- rregation. The sermon was preacied by the Rey, T, H, Sill from tie epistie of St. Joln, Xvi, 33— “these things I have spoken unto you, that ip me ye Might have peace, in the world ye §! bave tribulation; but be of good cheer. I have ‘wvercome the worid.”’ The discourse was in the | the rector, Rev. A. B. Carter. from the text, St. | | Dumber was in attendance. and theology, and how both should work together 12 promoting the cause of Christianity, CuuRcH oF THE HOLY Savioun.—There was @ large congregation at this church yesterday morn- ing. A most excellent discourse was preached by Luke v., 27-23—‘And after these things he went | Jorth and sawa publican named Levi sitting at | the receipt of custom, and he said unto him ‘Follow | me;’ and he lett all, rose up and followed him.” He siowed how people of the present day are absorbed in the varied pursuits of wealth, pleasure and fame, and with what reluctance men gave up their business to follow Christ, Stmxra AVENUE UNION REFORM CHURCH.—The congregation at this church was very crowded, | of the most beautiful woodwork I have seen has been made of a veneering irom these knotty twisted branches. ‘There is @ use for every gift. To one is given iaith, to another knowledge, by | tue same spirit; tu another experience, that 1s | practical iie;to another the giits of bealng by | the same Spirit; to another working. of miracles, to another prophecy, (not simply ioretelling, but teaching) ; to anotwer discerning of spirits; to an- other divers ‘gilts, divination; to another inter- pretation of tongues; but all these worketh the question shall be, How shall we of Christ Jesus that seifisaness s! pride humbled ana men lifted up into the equality, and purity of the sons of God? Bk ae eee #0 preaches that men are ennobied and exal ger to the liberty of mankind! prone the trutl il be silenced, essed be that Woe be to that man that preaches dan- OHUROH OF THE DISCIPLES, one and self-sume Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will. For as the is one and bath many members, and all the members of that one body being many, are one body, so, also, is Christ, ‘The unity or’ the church #8 tn Jesus Christ; there are many sects im the outward and visi- ble church, buat the upity of Christianity is in the Spirit. ‘hese are merely members—some eyes, some ears, some hands, some jeet, some of them are nails, apparentiy, to scratch well. They have different iunctions, ‘This i¢ @ radical and revolutionary p; when and the sermon was preached by the Pastor, Rev, William B. Merritt. The text was taken from | Daniel, iii, 21, —‘‘Then these men were bound | in their coats, their hosen and their hats, and | their other garments, and were cast into the | burning, fiery furnace,” &c. The preacher pointed | Out the wonderi{ul power of God, of which a strik- | ing instance was here presented in preserving His three servants from all harm irom the fire, and an eloquent exhortation given appropriate to the text. PRESBYTERIAN MEMORIAL CHURCH.—The pastor, church in the moroing yesteraay. A considerable | The text chosen was | Luke Ii, 25—And behold there was @ manin Je- | Tusaiem whose name was Simeon: and the same | man was just and devout, waiting for the Consola- | | Touching on the revelation and promise to Simeon, | | the preacher dwelt on the frequent evidence in } a The subject of the good gen- | the Scriptures of the reverence paid to the aged. , Lew cuurch as disitnct irom the Jewisa. Christ Him- | For as strength is the glory of the young man, 80 | are white hairs tue beauty of the old. | Cnurcn oF St. JouN THR EVANGELIST.—This modest yet capacious building, soon to be eclipsed | | by the noble Cathedral now in course of erection | in its immediate neighborhood, was fled by @ | | large congregation, yesterday, at high mass, The | | holy service was cclebrated by Rey. ©. fT. Don- ovan, Rey. M. Gallagher preached a sermon on | prayer, founded on the words of the gospel of the | day. “At that ume Jesus satd to his disciples, | | Amen. Amen. I say unto you whatever you snail ask the Father in my name, he will give it | unto you.” The mass sung was Generali’s in G, With the “Sanctus” and “Agnes Dei,” the composi- | thons of the organist, Mr. A. J. Davis. CHURCH OF THE STRANGER, MERCER STREET.—In tnis church the Rev. Charles F. Deems preached on the “‘Decalogue.’”’ Describing the awful solemnity | which accompanied the giving of the Ten Com- | mandments to Moses on Mount Sinal, the preacher dwelt on the necessity of strictly obeying them and always avoiding sin. There was only one way Of serving God faithfully, and that was by keeping His commandments. To him who kept them the Lord had promised eternal beppiness in heaven, and that was something worth the effort to obtain. The Decalogue is the foundation of all moral law, and no human code can compare with that which God Himself has revealed. Cuunca oF THE DIVINE PaTERNITY.—Rev. E. H. Chapin, D. D., pastor, chose as hig text for the morning sermon yesterday the forty-third verse | of the twellth chapter of Mark—“And he called his disciples unto him and saith unto them, Verily I Say unto you that this poor widow hath cast more in than ail they which have cast into the treas” ury.” The discourse was an eloquent and forcible expositioa of charity in its various aspects and a powertul exhortation towards charitable deeds. ‘The true estimate of the deed 1s the proportion which the part given bears to our means of giving. WASHINGTON SQUARE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.—The Presiding Eider, Rev. 8, D. Brown, preached a forcibie and effective sermon to a very numerous and respectable congregation. He Gwelt on the necessity of developing all the gifts of the Church and bringing all together whose Work would be productive of good. We must not | Wait till those gilts present themselves; we must | find them out, and bring them forward, so that | they may do the most good to the Church. This church, he said is doing ita work very well, but we | should endeavor to iurther increase its eficiency | by fading out those whose work would benefit it | nd bringing them out, Thomas never would have | been of any consequence in the Church if Christ | lor aasaze you consider that it was spoken in the ears of the bigoted and angry Jews. It was considered ag much a8 @ man’s life was worth to say that a Gentile had any consideraole rights. And Paul says—“We have ali one spirit; we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free: and have been made to drink essential UNITY IN VARIETY. ‘That the essentiai unity of ali men really inheres | and develops in the lie of Christ ts here declared; aud vaving declared this—namely, the value and reality of all these eternal giits, we are instructed to scek the best of them. Yet there is sometiung better, that ranks higher. And what 1s that? Toe eternally free spirit of the living soul; tae lve of God in man made manilest love in them. That is supeiior to all these other things. I think these coapters are not studied half enough in our day when there are so many things which can- not be readily incerpreted or judgea except by the free and lofty principles that are laid down by the Apostie Paul, aud the doctrine taught 1s tntis:— First, there is the ample recoguition of the end aad New testament. It is true that our Master did not command ie discipies to form a church. not find one single word or line which prescribe: seli lived and died in the Jewish Uhurch, a commu- nicant aod member of that Church, and 1 don’t think one oi Hits disciples understood that they Were to step out of the Jewish faich. For wwenty- five years Curist lived in the Jewish Church; iorty years aiter the ascension His disciples still sacri- ficed in the Temple and were countea among the brotherhood o: the originaiJewist Church. 1t would | seem the height o1 historic fantasy to declare that the Christian Church was outlined and prescribed vy the good Jesus Christ. Nevertheless the:e was @ church, there were religious institutior tuey Were implied, and the moment the Aposties began to preach, and especially outside of Judea, where there was no temple, no synagogue, they were organized, oMfcers were elected, and there came be laws and metnods and usages, and the Aposties | commanded without even preaching them. There- {cre, lf any mao say there is no warrant in the Word of Gud for any church organization, I declare | that there was # specific or church organization | im the Ubristian Church, and that is sufficient war- Tunt. Second, it is recognized that there is per- fect treedom in taking np or laying down the ordinances, usages, laws and customs of the in- structing metnods of the New testament. You may make your election among them; you can be- eve them, not according to any prescribed dog- matic sect, out uccording to the exigencies and necessities oi the Work, you thus being the judge; the liberty of men, by virtue of reia- tion to the rd Jesus Christ, is the es- sence o1 the teaching of the New testament. We | wre individually iree vy virtue of our being joined vo ist. We have, therefore, liberty of judg- Ment, Of interpretation and ot ‘action within the | sphere of Curistlikeoess, of Christ’s spirit. No man right to judge another in regard to usages or | Organization; anc his own master he standeth or | | falletn. ‘The personal freedom of man is never to | be sacrificed to ordinances, to laws, nor to | charches. ‘nut is one extreme. To reiuse ail law | and oraimance and ail polity unaer the name of personal liberty is another extreme, and the his- tory of religion has been the history o! vibration between these two extremes. There ts to be # jreedom and both eiements to be conunually represented in Charch Iie—the power of the | Church as a whole, the power of the individuals as separate elements. RIGHTS OF SECTS, Hence the right of men to associate for purposes of teaching certain doctrines and systems is not to be gainsaid, because there has bee an ecclesiastl- cal or rather doctrinal despotism. Men ridicule creeds and dogmas to-day. If | nave seemed to have any snare in this it hasbeen from an over- action or intensity rather than from any deliberate purpose. Noman that thinks to a purpose bat thinks dogmatically; the men with high and nobie | aims are tue Most dogmatic. Nevertheless, wnen | dogma becomes imperious, when men lose their life or liverty or influence or personal conven- lence because they do or du bot assen: to dogmas | or statements, then that is manifestiy oppressive ; but it 8 their Wrong use, not the dogmas them- selves. Now, | vindicate the right of men to associate together and make known any line of thought. it is one of the great rights springio out of the individoal liverty of man that he may call to himself as many as are in agreement with him, and by manly co-operation they may make known and eniorce, as far as they can, any particular line of doctrine. | I declare the freest uberty to every man. Hie is re- | sponsible only to God, not to his .ellow men; ce! tuimly not to Magistrates or ecclesiastics. High chareh, low church, middie church, broad church, no church, the doctrine of assoctation is universal and noc to be disputed, but rather guaranteed as one of the Inevitable results of higher doctrine— liberty of the individual, So when I form 4 gect the world.” between the two, alphabet, and the New contained an exposition of | the spirit which must control their lives ii they would obtain the approval of God, their eyes first rested on the Israelites they found them in @ state of terrible bondage o1 body as well as mind. No man who was physically a slave could be inteilectuaily free. but no help came. hand crushed them again. The Atonement of Christ-The Old and the New Testament—Sermon by Rev. George H. Hepworth, ‘The Rev. George H. Hepworth preached yester- day morning, as usual, to an enormous congrega- tion. He took his text from John, i., 29—‘*Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of The atonement of Christ, oe said, | was the foundation of Christian theology and the Christian Church, Theology had been throwing round it a halo of mysticism. instinctively. could not see it, and they lived in the midat of the Holy Spirit ana failed to notice its influence. would try to explain the dogma o! atonement, and hoped that his sermon would unite them ali in grateful remembrance to Him who died on the cross. without bowing its head to Carist, it was meet to find the origin o1 this idea of atonement in the Testament. The development of history fulfilled all the predictions of Christ.. The New Testament ‘was the complement ana supplement of the Old Testament. Its power was felt The blind man felt the sun, but While yet the world passed on indiff-rently, THERE WAS NO BREAK The Old Testament was the When, then, They longed ior help, Their emancipation was not accomplished by God alone. God was the first party in this great contract of national iree- | dom, and He promised to give them a great prophet, whom they were to obey explicitly. ‘The second party to the contract were the Israelites themselves; they were to take the oatn of allegiance to the one true God and hurl down from tueir places the gous of stone, Their hearts, brains and afuctions were all to 0¢ laid on the altar of unconditionai obedience to the Most High. The sign of their emancipation was the slaughtering of a lamb. God demanded that they shouid begin by keeping their part o1 the con- tract, God knew what they wanted beiore they da ead but perchance He waited till they itited their voices to ask for succor. Aiter the work of emancipation was acccmplished, the terrors of the Red Sea yet lay belore them, and tuey were to ve parencd within an toch of absolute annihilation. In order to get the slavery out of their suuls they must GO THROUGH TRIALS AND TROUBLES. ‘They almost yielded their faith in God, when the Waves parted and they were saved. Even this affliction was not enough. Afterwards toe arid deserts of sand had wo be traversed for weeks, with no {ood or water bu’ what was God. And, aiter ali, they built their glorious teni- ple, shining fortn to all the world. Ged and the People, in this work, were in divine sort of co- | pactnersnip, There was the historic part of the development of @ wonder(ul race. The Hebrews were a marvel- lous people. To-day they were a rave iarge headed, persistent and clinging tenactously to old tradi- tions, Now the congregation was to see the other side of the picture. The New Testament was simply an extension of salvation ail over the world. The Old festament spoke of the redemp- tion of the Hebrews; the New of that of the wnole world. The reproduction of the old plan was.to be found in almost all its de‘ails tn tne sife of Christ. First, the bondage, Let them look into weir hearts and see the many chains there. ‘Ihey dare not tollow their impulses, and all cheir naturai ten- dencies were jor tie first impulses, of tue moment, Were it not for that caim forethought that taught them to listen to the voice of reason they would be plunged into ruin, but destruction if they did not controi themse.ves, ‘There were tendencies in every nature on which THEY MUST PUT THEIR FOOT, It was very hard to do that. It was very hard even to keep the ten commandments. Take a child; from the first moment when it knew its Wil it showed its perverse disposition. Human nature was in some manner awry. A physician would tell them that he could not make # diag- nosis Of aby case without knowing the physical condition of the patient's grandparents, They came from the band of they came through tne channel of their ancestry, The minister also had the same experience. He found some people who were de- spondent even on a bright day like this. Tne rose had no fragrance for them, the sun no heat. He Jooked back and iound that the awful seed had been thrown years and years ago, Passion, their king, compelied them to do its bidding. Some- times they rebelled, but tuey were lashed back. Days came and went, years came and went, and the cloud stil hovered over them, Was there no reliet forever? Ah, let them think and think, tor he would teil them a story which would bring the tears of sympathy and grautude into their eyes, What wae Story? God kpew it and devised They rebelled, but the old iron , given to them by , There was nothing ahead ; Goa; | Rev. O. B. Frothinghsam on the Religion of the Heart. Lyric Hall was thronged with a large and atten- tive congregation yesterday moraoing. Mr. Froth- ingham delivered a very criginal and eloquent sermon, taking for nis text Romans, x., 10—‘For with the heart man believeth unto righteonsness, and with the moath c nfession is made unto salva- pression with the’teart man believeth means that all sincere faith is interior. Belief 1s not of the lips. The office of the lips is to express belief, but in the usage of our language the heart has many specific meanings, We say the head thinks, the conscience judges, the soul adores, the heart feels; not that the intelligence and conscience and soul and heart are diferent facuities of the mind, but simply that they are diterent movements of a | rauional being. It isthe function of the heart to feel. The religion of the heart has no fear, its } Justice no terror. | tive, but appreciative, Such # man is cuaracter- | ized by @ feeling of good will towards ail people, a | tenderness for the wretcued, a desire to help the | | crushed. ‘This element of feeling is exceedingly | large and strong in human nature, | ing there ts no religion, no enthusiasm. Without | teeling there is no patriotism, no heroism, | no consecration, no appreciation of great characters. Take intelligence out of the word and you take a light that | | can never be replaced. Take away conscience and there is no reiorm, human society, no noble conflict with sin and sorrow and pain; but take feeling, and what be- comes of the worid? | tion, no sympathy, no children, no amenities or scarcely anystilog, Now the element of iceling being so large, being now in greater proportion taun the maniiestation of any otier fact, aud in tne future to be equally large, bas its voice in | Bayang | WHAT RELIGION SHALL BE. It has not always had its voice. We can trace its | power to wituiu luv years. A litte more thana century ago the voice oO: Lhe ueart Was not listened tu. The theory oi religion was that by its very bature it was supernatural; that the adminis- trators 01 retigion were divinely ordained aud set Apart; that divine institutions were mot like all Other imsticutions, but were providential institu. tions, piaated and sustained by the instant grace ‘ o1 the Huiy Spirit, 80 that without this super- Datural support aud feeling thero would be no | religion, What was the consequence? That the ' heart was never consulted as to wht religion Suould be or us Lo What the Character of the tust- tutions should be. The beart was pronounces de- ceitiui ana desperately wicked; it was ignored, thrust aside aud crushed. Now within the last 100 years this heart, wito its disposition for aym- pathy wnod love, comes and vindicaies itself und says, ‘1 have something to say in chis.’? The heart takes up the old Bibie and reads with eyes ol iw own, itis SMITTEN WITH HORROR at the wholesale extermination of the Canaanites | by the Isrueittes. it reads the quaint story o1 the Patriarca Abrauam taking bis son up the Mountain to offer us a Sacrifice to God, in obedience tu what? A dream, a vision, a lancy,@ passing whim. As | the heart takes the New Testament and finds lovely things, it reads the delicious parables of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal son and beautiful things in the Iie of Jesus, Bat then it reads suca things us this—tne descending of a toop Of demons into innocent swine; tiat the son | of Man cursed a fig tree because it had not figs be- | fore its time; a wioie chapter of flerce denuucla- tion of the Pharisees, whom mistory declares to | have been o0 worse than some of taeir contempo- rariea, ‘I've heart reads these things with horror, and says Jesus coud never have done these things, or ti He did it must have been in @ moment when He Was under tue influence of some UNGOVERNABLE IMPULSE and was not Himseti; and when tue heart reads the Gescription Of the last judgment, when the Son of Mau gathers the good and the bad before Him and Scuds the iormer to everlasting bliss and the latter to everiasting damnation, the Reart protests and says, “This is not so,” and the more the heart ts trained and cuiitvated the more argent it 1s. There are whole systems of religion which affront the heart. Take the old system; one whick, thank ueaven, ls almost dead; @ system of religion which prevailed in this country till two or three generations ago, and which lingers uow in Spots, JUSt as iD Some Spots the winter snow {i Waiting ‘or the eun to come to melt it into dew. this system we are at liberty now to judge by the heart with periect ireedom. Here was @ system that started with this assumption, that the worid, through and through, was totaily depraved, hope- lessiy bad and wicked, without the power of ever doing @ saving thing. All the past es crowded | back on the present man and crushed him down. ; Second, tuat a periectly good and pure Being sent | His only Son, periectly spotless, to the world aud put Him through a PROCESS OP AGONY, | put the poison cup to tis lips, Hung him on a cross and visited upon His devoted head all the agony | and sorrow of all men that had ever been | tu the world; visited an infinite sorrow for an infinite sin upon the head of a perfectly spot- less creature, ‘Ihe next point, that vy virtue of this ali \nose wretcnes are absolved, evil become 00d through the suilering of suet lamv-like soul, tion.” The word heart in the Old Testament, a | word of irequent use, has many meanings in gen- | P eral,’ It expresses the interiur of man, and the ex- | Thought 1s not critical or nega- | Without feel- | no reconstruction of , There is no love, no attrac- | Christian churches by the spontaneous action of events marked an epoch in the history of the Christian religion. The early believers were ac customed to assemble in their own private resi- dences at the time the Apostles wrote and loug alter. Though Uhristianity would still hve inde- | pendently o/ the edifices which sue has reared all over the earto, neverthelass the importance of edifices reared for her special occupancy could hardly be overrated. As the structures of classic antiquity decayea no others were erected in their laces, and Uhristianity is tne only religion | which gives signs of vitality and growt.. | Many eit the power of Christian trat! who aid not pre: the impor- | tance of Christian structures. While they | gave largely to charities and took part philanthropic enterprises. they scarcely gave thought to the effect. wrought in the familiar edifices of religion, the shadow of which they were boro. There was ap influence produced by ; Christian churches, built for no mere temporar; accommodation aside from all words ever utter within their walls, About them are gathered tae associations of many generations, They stand EVER POINTING TO THE SKIES, and their voice is “verily there is a God, and man should worship him.” With good reason, | therefore, might they exchange congratulations on thas occasion. He congratulated tuose who had | succeeded, by their energy and liberality, in | projecting and completing it. For the first | time they entered it with the services of religious wo'ship. ‘they were awed by the thougat that they were at the very beginuing of a history which Wasa to run very far anu continue very long, and awed most o/ ali by the thougut that within those | walls great lufuences were to be exerted upon | human character and destiny. It was none other | thau the house of God and the gate of heaven. ‘The reverend speaker referred to the buliding of the Tabernacle, which had God for its architect, the building of tae Temple by Solomon and its destruction and reconstruction, of which {t was prophesied that ‘the glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former,’’ which preaic- tion had its iuifiiment wien our Saviour walked | and taught within it, fhe ancient methoas ; of communication have now ceased. The Shekinah is visible no more, but the light and | Knowledge of the giory of God shines in the face of | Jesus Christ, Once lor ali did Crist appear, to be seen no more of men until revealed at the end of the world in the glory of His omnipotence. But was God no more to dwell witn men? This would be contrary to the very words oi Christ Himsetl. He declared the Comforter would come and dwell with men. The power of divine manifestation was not confined exclusively to the house built tor worship, yet really and specially God manifested Himsell'in such @ place, because erected for the very purpose of announcing the trath of God, by waich aud through which He reveals the working of His spirit. But they attacued NO SUPEKSTITIOUS NOTIONS to the building they designated as the house of God. The religion of Crist is spiritual i its chare acter, and knows no one locality. 1 is universal tn time and place. God proves His presence and His power by manifoid eifects wrougnt upon the human soul. The salvation of the soul, its educa- tion in all true goodness, its growth in knowledge and grace, is the grand object proposed in all re- ligious structures—the consecration of men to the | great end of their being in the light of heavenly union aod practical godliness. In conclusion, the reverend speaker, the aadience rising, formally dedicated the building to its sacred use. LAYING A CORNER STONE. The New Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart, Brooklyn—Remarks of Bishop Laughlin. Yesterday afternoon the flock of the Catholic parish of the Sacred Heart, which has been wor- | shipping for the past two years, since the organt- gation of the congregation, in a small frame strac- ture on Vanderbilt avenue, had the pleasure of witnessing the laying of the corner stone o! a new church on Clermont avenue. The occasion wae celebrated with considerable ¢éclat, about 10,000 members. (of tne branches of the St. Patrick Mntual Alliunce and the Hiber- niang attending the ceremonies and con- trivuting their mite towards the erection of the new buiiding. Rignt Rev. Jobo Laughlin, Bishop of the diocese, officiated, assisted by the pastor, Rey. Thomas PF. Mofivern, and a@ large | number of clergymen of Brooklyn. ‘The Bishop | took occasion to make a few remarks, in wich te dwelt upon tue duty of man to love God above ait things and to serve Him. To do so it became necessary for those Who would follow tn the foot- ‘eps of Christ to bear testimony, bota by faith and good works, of their sincerity and zeal. in no way could they clect what would be more pleas ing to Him than in furthering all that tends to glorify His Church. This they had done im tne par- ish Of the Sacred [Meart in commencing the new | eatfice which had mude such favorable progress. | He, in conclusion, urged his nearers to contribute, | gs far as their means would adinit, to this object, and their reward would be ten/old even in this itie. THE NEW EDIFICE has ® ground frontage of 100 feet on Clermont avenue and runs back 125 feet on Adelphi street. The building i 183x70 feet, It will be of Go aio style of architecture, of the thirteenth century, with nave, aisies, chancel and tower in the sourh- east corner, Tue tower will be surmounted vy & spire 178 feet in height. ‘The m tals Wil 5@ brick and Dorchester stone tri ey Ie will be Ceiled inside with wood, due regard bein; paid ta the acoustic properties of the building, hore wit be accommodations for seating 1,200 persons, oe the architect, Mr. Thomas F, Haughton, is of “4 | opinion that the structure will be ready for occ! Dancy early next winter. | i | | | i eed