The New York Herald Newspaper, December 11, 1876, Page 3

~~ TN MEMORIAM Christianity Mourning Over the Brooklyn Holocaust. THE TRIPLE COMMEMORATION. Impressive Addresses by Mr. Beecher, Drs. Storrs, Duryea and Cuyler. “HUMANITY HONORS HUMANITY.” “The Poor Man’s Narrower Stairway and Chance for Life.” “A Cypress Wreath of Sermons Woven in the Sister Cities. THE ACTORS’ FUNERAL. Last Rites Over Other Victims of the Great Disaster. THE RELIEF MOVEMENT. One More Death Added to the Long List, Six days have passed since the burning of the Brook- lyn Theatre, With each morning the public has awakened to some new phase of the growing horror, At rst chronicled as ao fire, in which the thief importance centred in the insurance and a tremulous fear that one man had been lost, the disaster became one of human life, then grew from 100 to 200 and even again increased to 300. So rapidly yrew the horrible details that the public bad aot time to recover from one shock be- ‘ore another succeeded, The great grave ras made on Haturday and the recognized ind unciaimed dead have been buried. The funeral services of the two young actors were solemnized at tbo little church of Dr. Houghton yesterday. werted measures for the relief of the suffering fami- res of the dead heve been taken in almost ivery large city in the land, the theatrical profession vatstripping all competitors in the work of sharity, The pastors of tho mijority of the churches in the two great cities dwelt upon the disaster yesterday, and the various points of view from which they regarded the moral and spiritual losson of the event are worthy of careful reading. To-day the investigations wit! proceed, and the offer. ings of the charitable will doubtless continue to pour ip from all sources. THE ACTOR'S FUNERAL, The “Little Church Around the Corner,’ immortal- “lzed by Joe Jeflerson when the remains of the gonial George Holland were conveyed thither after a con- yemptuous dismissal by the pastor of a larger and mofe pretentious place of worship, has be- come a beloved shrine to tho dramatic profession. To it the actors instinctively turn whea one of their number 1s called by the Grand Manager of the World, hither was borne yesterday ail that the cruel flames at the Brooklyn Theatre had loft of the earthly remains of two young actors, Harry Murdoch and Claude Burroughs, But ashort week before and the two young men were standing in front of the Union Square Theatre, surrounded by their friends, both in the fell flush of health, and both faces radiant with joy- ful anticipations of a future career of tfiumph and pleasure. A day or two passed, and both were stricken down without a moment’s warning. Sunday, health, Joy and happiness; Tuesday, two charred, disfigured corpses, One kiss from the lurid ips of the epirit of fire, and all that the outward man can boast of in comclinesg, health and attractiveness became a thing of horror and dread. Ail might in Irving Hail previous to the last sad rites which, beautiful though they be, sound the knell over the young and the old, the green and the ripe _ harves both gathered be- neath the sickle of the pitiless reaper, Death, Jay the two handsome caskets that contained the blackened, uprecognizabie fragments said to bo Claude Burroughs and Harry Murdoch. The caskets were closed. There were uo tears from loving eyes dropping upon the pallid faces of deceased friends; even that poor consolation was denied to the mourn- ers. The hall was drapea and festooned with the em- blems of death, and the floral kingdom poured forth its choicest treasures as trivutes to the memory of the dead Iu the cold, gray dawn of the morning, when the pitiless blest swept around the corner of Fourteenth strect snd went scurrying up Irving piace, many ol the representatives ofthe sock and buskin mounted the steps leading to the hall and with uncovered heads bent over the coffins of their Urethren. A short time after the clocks toiled the noonday hour carriages began to fill Irving place for a biock or two, Then the caskets were liited from their resting places by reverent hands and were placed in. the hearses awaiting them. Tac sad proces- rion started, and through the crowd of people that flocked around the Church of the Transtigucation in Twenty-uinth sircet it wound its way, THE LATTLE CHURCH AROUND THE CORNER. A long, low, Gotlic editice, {ull of odd corners and avgles, with any number of puzzling doors, was the object of mterest to the 20,000 people who blocked the adjoining streets. Two handred policemen were drawn up in double lines guarding the approaches from Fifth and Madison avenues. The phalanx of blue coats parted a8 the bearses apd carriages drove in. Con- + The caskots were borne up the aisle of the church and placed upon their respective catalalques. At the door of the eburch were Rey. Dr. Houghton and an assist- ant clorgyman, with the pallbearors. The simple and touching ritual of the Episcopai burial service then com- menced, The remainsof the deceased actors rested fora brief space near the chaneol, and around them were the floral tributes of a hundred [rieods. A dove, with wide spread wings, perched on a broken column, | looked down on a broken lyre, an anchor of tuberose: a wreath, with a touching inscription traced on its potleas circle of white in violet characters, and was overs)adowed by a huge cross, in which all the wealth cf tue forai world seemed to bo concentrated. The church was crowded to its utmost capacity, no less than 1,500 tickets having been issued by the Com- i mittee of Arrangements, “1 AM THE RESURRECTION AND THM LIVE”? Rev, Dr. Houghton recited tm solemn accents tho sublime sentence from the Gospel of St. John:—''] am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord; be that believeth in me, though he were dead, yct shall he live; and whosoever liveth and beheveth in me shall ” never die.’ The murmur of the organ in the tones of Chopin—'*The'dark Lasses, folded in mourning crapes, their hesitating steps often checked by tea: accompanied the grave utterances of the offlctat- ing clorgymay, Mr. Albert Berg, the organist of the church and his choir, then gave the hymns appro- priate to the occasion, The beautiiul service was ovor and the handmaid of Religion, Music, came for- qrard to piace her tribute on thé iifeless bodies ot two children of her twin sister, tho Drama, Mr. Lows Dachauer took his seat at the organ and through the nis es of the church rang the voice of Mra, Gulager, in the immortal song of Handel, to the passionate words of ih@ just maa of Uz—“l know that my Redeem } also took liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon | the earth, And though gfier my skin, worms destroy this body; yet in my flesh shail I seo God:’ whom 1 shall see for myself, and mine cyes shall benold, and not another.” There was a pause at the conclusion of the aria, the light from without flang into relief the many Scriptural groups on the stained glass windows and the wind moaned droand the numerous cornera of the quaixt edifice. ROSSINI’S OFFERING. ° Mme. Eugenie Pappenbeim and Mlle Anna Drasdi! sung the “Quis est homo’? from Rossini’s “Stabat Mater.”? It was the epitome of sorrow and teaderness, It was as a wreath of roses, not a spray of the gloomy cypress, over the tomb. Mile, Octavic Gomien, Mr. Fritsen and Mr. Blum sung the ‘‘Gratias Agimus”’ from the “Messe Solenelle” of the same composer, and Mite, Henriette Corradi and Mile. Gemien gave tne lovely duet from Verdi’s “Manzoni Requiem,” **Recordare, pio Jesu.”” APPEAL TO THE ANGELS, Miss Emma Thursby then sung “Angels ever bright and fair,” from Hand “Theodora,” and many an eve was dimmed with sympathetic tears as the pure, iresb young voice poured forth the rch treasures of melody that found birth in the mind of the great mas- ter, Mile, Drasdil then gave the subl:me aria from “Eljab,” “O rest in the Lord,” with heartfelt expres- sion, Mr. Sobst, the baritone, sang a melody by Mozart THE LAST TRIBUTE. When tho last strains of the *Recordare”’ died away the benediction was given vy Rev. Dr. Houghton, The deepeniag shadows stole into the church and the out- lines of the Transfiguration on the window of the chancel were dimmer, The congregation aroso and passed in mournful procession around the flower- strewn caskets. The church became gradually thinned of its mourners, One of the coffins, containing the remains of poor Harry Murdoch, was taken to the Pennsylvania Ratiroaa depot at Jersey City, and the otber, enciosing the mutilated body of Claude Bur- roughs, was conveyed to areceiving vault in Second avenue, Lear Second street, there to await its final In- terment in one of our cemeteries, Among those present were the most distinguished members of the dramatic and musical professions, A special (uneral service was held at the Church of All Angels, corner of Eleventh avenue and West Eighty-first street, yesterday morning at half-past ten o’clock, over the remains of Charles Dunlap McLean» one of the suilerers in the Bgooklyn fire. The deceased ‘was nineteen years of age, the eldest son of a large family, and employed in the Brooklyn Theatre as a su- pernumerary at the time of its destruction, He was one of the five employés who, it will be remembered, hud gone up to the gallery a sbort time before the fire broke out at the wings, and were unable, with one ex- ception, to effect their escape. His body was placed in a coffin near the ciancel, upon which rest- ed a cross and wreath of white roses and other flowers, The services were conducted by the rector, Rev. C. F. Hoifman, assisted by his a3- soctate, Rey. Benjamin Webb. In the course of the service the rector uttered a few impressive words, He aliuded to the provideniial escape of two other members of his congregation who had intended to go with young McLean to the theatre, but had remained behind to attend the mission service held by tho Rev, Stephen Tyng, Jr., in their church; adding, how- ever, that he would not be understvod as reflecting in the least upon the course of the deceased or desiring in any way to suggest an invidious comparison, The remains were interred at Greenwood, FUNERALS IN BROOKLYN. A large number o! private 1unerals of the victims of tho Brooklyn Theatre fire were held yesterday in this city and Brooklyn. Among them were the following:— Joseph A. Ashwell, aged twenty-four, of No. 86 Fiect place, Brooklyn, was buricd from the Fleet Street ; Methodist chureb at three P, M. He wa: a member of Washington Division, No. 4, of Sons of Temperance, who attended the funeral in largo numbers, W. F. Burton, aged fifteen, was buried from his father’s residence, No. 436 Lafayette avenue, Brooklyn, attwoP, M, The funeral was large and was attended by the members of United States Lodge, No. 139, of Odd Fellows, to which nis father belonged. Thomas H. Chicester, aged twonty-lour, was buried from the residence of his father, No. 282 Court street, Brooklyn, at baif-past one P, M. Edward P. Doody’s tuneral services were held at his late residence, No. 103 President street, at one Thomas J. Dempsey, aged twenty, a son of Licuten- ant Celonel Thomas Dempsey, of toe Sixty-ninth regi- mene, ‘Was buried irom No. 103 President strect, at the same hour as the preceding. George W. Jackson, aged thirty-six, and hie son Charles, aged thirteen, were both buried irom No, 55 Hicks street, at half-past one P. M. James McGrath, aged nineteen, was barted from his late residence, No. 95 Gold street, Brookiyn, at two Frank Pickford, aged seventeen, the only son of Jobu and Emma Pickiord, was buried trom tue Geth- semane Baptist church, on Willoughby avenue, near Broadway, Brooklyn. ‘The tunerat services of Stephen Oram wero held at his late residence, No. 66 Prince street, Brooklyn, two P.M, He was a member of Greenwich Lodge, No. 467, of Free and Accepted Masons, which attended the funeral im a body. Albert I. Souweine, aged twenty-two, the son of Isador and Victoire Souweme, will be buried to-day from the residence of his parents. Wilham Eawin Terpenning, aged ninctecn, was buried from the Twelfth street Keiormed church, be- tween Fourth and Fifth avenues, South Brooklyn, at hali-past three P. M. ‘The funeral of William atd Alfred Gray, aged re- spectively twenty and twouty-nine years, of No. 158 Colyer street, Greenpoint, took place from the Nobie street Presbyterian church. The caskets were borne to the church irom the touse by the jellow workmen of William and the members of the Favorita Base Ball Club, of Greenpoint. Mr. Lloyd, the pastor of tho church, oflictated. The remains wero taken to Darien, Conn., for imterment, THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC SERVICES. The memorial services at the Academy of Music were attended by a respectiul and attentive as- semblage, which filled every part of the auditorium. The stago was also fully occupied. The exercises, which were simplo and touching, consisted of singing and prayer, the reading of a portion of the Scriptures and several addresses. A large choir, consisting of members of the Handel and Haydo Society and of the Young Men’s Christian Association gave its services, and an efficient orchestral ascompaniment was pro- vided. The principal addresses were delivered by Kev. Dr. Richard 8 Storrs, who took the place of Dr. Bud ington, and by Rev. Dr. Josep T. Duryea, The int ter especially evoked a great doal of applause by an em- phatic assertion that the poor man should get the same chance for life as the rich man, He occasion in the course of his address tocommend tho action of the munteipal ad- ministration of Brooklyn in reiation to the fire. Among those present on the stage were Rev. J. Hyatt Smith, Rey, Joseph Odell, sheriff Daggett, Rev. Dr. John Parker, Roy. Dr. C. D. Foss, President of Wes- leyan University; Rev. Dr. E, H, Stokes and Rey. Dr. Schenck. MAYOK BCHROKDER'S REMARKS, Hon. ¥, A. Schroeder, Mayor of Brooklyn, opened the exercises. He #aid thaton the morning after the fire he had summoned the Common Council together to pay a tribate to the dead and to provide relief for the living. For several days almost the entire force of the city government bad been engaged in orrang- ‘ug a public burial, apd on tho previous day the remains of the uurecognized vie- tims had been intd tm their resting place in Greenwood. Meanwhile, commitiees for the reliof of the sufferers by the drendiul calamity haa been formed by the city government and other public | bodice, and be doubted not that a sum would bo raised suflicient to preserve the survivors from the pangs of poverty. A monument would also be erected on Baitle Hilti which would testily to the public sorrow for ihe unkappy death of the victims of the disaster, and Would also romain an enduring memorial of the novio humanity of the city, Mendeissohin’s anthem, “Think, mighty Goa, on feobie man,” was uext sung by Ue choir with orehes- | trai accompaniment, aiter which Rev, A. 8. Huat, j | i | | occasion, D. D., rend a portion of the Seriptures applicabie to the Rey, Dr. B. 3, Porter then jed the assem- Diage mm prayer, and the hymn, “My God, My Father, Waite I Stray,” was sung by the cuorr. DR. STORRS? ADDRESS. Rev. Dr. Storrs wos then introduced. For the first | time, he said, in the bistory of the building in which they were, 1t was filiead by an assemblage gathered there by a great public disaster. They were not there alone, however. The sympathies of the continent were converging upon the poiuts where thoy were as- sembled, and Irom Wherever the telegraph sent 15 vital nerve, from every place in which nen spoke te Knglish tongue, irom wherever there were wen wih human hearts, ex of sympathy came beck to erty. » Was DO ONE Tact, Dr. Starrs ol had $0 MUCH impressed him, as the herve silence with which 800 peuple bad met their death, Yhore seemed to have been no exciamations or pussionate cries for help. It might be said tat they had been killed by the gases and smoke, but dehind all this, he believed ng silent resignation, a readiness to mect there Whatever fate God bad appointed, and that this solemn | drying. Grief is for the moment, joy to | toll the peopie to tly from the scene of dany silence of the hour, almost unexampled, was the no- blest eulogy of the victims of that terribie calamity. He cited ah instance of a nurse who bad perisned in the flames, with two children clasped to her vosom, In that ultimate devotion, he said, was a grander Messon than ever enme from the pen of seck- ing the highest theme, or from philosopher specu- lating om the nobleness of human action. They were there not to eulogize the dead, however, but to ad- dress themselves to a work which was to be their real commemoration. Their commemoration was not to be im atnonament ajoue, Let tho foundation of that monument be solid, tet tne superstructure be chaste and elegant, and let it tell “the stery of the city’s humapity. But the noblest monument was to wipe the tears of others, not to shed tears ourselves, A garland of good deeus would be a more fitting adorn- ment for the monument on Battle Hill than a wreath of cypress, It was their duty to seo that there should not be desolate, sterilo housebolos, and their liberality shoold be so large that net merely present want woald be relieved, but ibat provision sbould be made for the future, The city should take charge of the young hie whieh had been stricken by this yreat catastrophe, should foster ana cherisi it and iaunch it um a hopetul cureer in the world, So would the city itself become @ monument im comparison with which all the monu- ments that sculptor ever fashioned would be trivial and transient. A brief address was next delivered by Mr. Goorge G, Reynolds, who also urged the necessity of making provision for ihe sufforgrs by the calam: DR, DURYEA. Duryea was the next speaker. Inthe \idress he referred. to the municipal ad- ministration of Brookiyn, and asked bow tt was, if Ubero was not an honest and efiicient administration in the city, that order had been evolved from the | direst copiusion and that chaos had been brought into harmony? They were accustomed to leave their ser- Yants in she public cold of friendiessness, and why, therefore, be asked, should they wonder if they bee camo selfish when they served seliizh peopic? Allud- ing to tho fire Dr, Duryea sald:—Now. give me your curs aud give me your hearts, Where does this thing strike? To the heart of the poor man, Ho is set up there with a narrower stair- Way anda narrower chance jor life. Now, in this nineteenth century, In ibe name of Jesus Christ and im the name of Christian hamamiy, L protest if you ce for ite, don’t let He does not ask to be serv gratuitously; he does not ask even a cushion, bat he does ask and has a right to ask as broad a way out as the rica man. L would be the last man to set class against class, but Ido say thatit a man has little to give to society, society should serve him well for that Little or decline to tako it from him, (Applause.) ‘An address in German was next delivered by Rev. Dr. Stonnle, after whieb the choir sung, ‘Jesus, Lover of My Soul” The se: ws Were concluded with the benediction, which was pronounced by Rev. Dr. Georgo ¥, Kettel. TUR SERVICES AT ROOLEY'S OPERA HOUSE. Long before two o'clock yesterday afternoon the auditorium of Hoolcy’s Opera House was filled with people, and hundreds mere were unable to gain ad- mission. The front portion of the stage was filied with speakers and singers, while members of the company and others hedged themselves in the background, Mr. F, B. Fisher presided over the services, An anthem was sung by a volunteer choir, accompanied by asmall organ, This was followed by reading of tho Scriptures by Rey. S. B, Halliday, prayer by the Rev, H. R. Nye, and singing ot the hymn “My God, my Father, while | Stray.’? Rey, D. Inglis then made a brief address, and wag followed by Albert G. McDonald, MR. A. G. M’DONALD'S ADDRESS, After referring to the saddening scenes of the disas_ ter the speaker said:—It cannot be stid that the un- known dead had no one to care for them, The city of Brooklyn stepped forward nobly, and yesterday the victims of this disaster had a tuveral more imposing than either you orI will have. We look upon them as though their mortal faults had all been burned and purged away. This 1s the dignity of their death. We remember the dead, and, while separated from us, we still believe of them—— 7 ‘They do not lose their mortal sympathy; They change to us, yet do not change. REV. HENRY WARD BEECHER. When Mr. Beeshor arose from his chair an al, most visible interest filled the minds of the audience, As he began speaking in a very low tone of voice those in the further parts of the theatre leaned eagerly forward to catch his meaning. During the few minutes of his discourse they remained deeply attentive, and when he concluded numbore pre- pared to go away. Tho reverend speaker began by saying that the subject of the memorial bad already Been well illustrated, and he would con. fine himself to the lessons suggested by the occasion. He said:—This 18 a changeful life and a changeful worid, Every moment the sunlight breaks airesh im some portion of the earth, and itis morning there, Every moment tho shadow creeps over auotuer portion, and Mt 8 ight. And so the lines of ight and ehade chose one another in con- stant effort, but never come together. Men are born to die, and acath is just as patural as life, It 1s just as muclr the duty of the earth to rid itself of its popala- tion as itis to add thereto. There 1s.a place for grief over this groat loss in the houseboid and i the hearts ofall, But this pubiic place 18 for hunor to the dead, remembrance of their virtues and iessons for the liv- ing. There 18 no good for us to do them pow, What to them are these services of ours, they who stand eternity of their existence? Those are ctors on this stage to-day. Itis place tor jusement rather than tragedy, Such Anotuer Was filed a tew evenings ago with people who sought to pass away an hour in careless m‘rin, The actors strove to win their pleasure, when suddenly the gaunt form of a fiery demon trod betore their affrighted gaze. We know what followed, and we have grieved over the terrible calamity, THE LESSON OF GRIEF. But already the fountains of our t the year, We canuot by circumstance and demon- ation lopg maintain a public griei, and winle 1 is iresh ana tender let us embody it fittingly. My heart has nd blame for the proprietors or the builders of the theatre that has been destroyed. They erected it acoording to the best knowledge thoy possessed at the (ime, and put into it the best material they could, They were not knowingly at fault, and it is for us to learn a iesson irom the dis- aster. My friends speak of what facilities for egress might have been and should have been. But I teil you if you were to put 2,000 men im the open prairie and create a panic among them they will trample one another under foot, You might mike every window of a theatre a door, loop up the very walls themselves, yet there will surely be de-truction. Men under such cir- cumstances are animais, and you can no more reason wich tuem than you can stop a ruehing herd of bulla- loes by reading them ine Ten Commandments, In such excitements ali human influences are lost. We can do much, but we cannot do rything. There ought in this calamity to be a lesson to every proprietor und every architect in the land, Whatever Improvements tay be mae to provent a recurrence of ch disasters should certainly be done. There is a at charity also hore to be performed, 1 know how 8 lavisuiy men give under first impulses, ‘and 1 say to you whatever you are going to du in the way of funds do it quickly. These str.cken motbers and these groups of orplans have enough to bear in their gricf without suffering also the pangs of want. Let us help them liberally i: their great sorrow, Let us adopt them, not as paupers, bat as our brothers and our sis- ters. O: Lbose bere present who have lost relatives or friends In disaster let me ask, thing ou would have corrected aud made right with them ad you known what wasto beiall them? The dead we cannot reach, but here are still the living among us. Nothing i our life is certain and regular, are living in a great camp, and when the bugle sounds overy man most be ready to go out. At the conclusion of Mr. Beecher’s remarks the Rey. C. B. Shuitz made a short address in German, and after the hymn, “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,’ tho Rey. R. A. Ericson dismissed the audience with a ben- ediction. THE PARK THEATRE SERVICES. The religious commemorative services atthe Park Theatre, Brooklyn, drew together an immense andi- ence, The arrangements for seating the people wero very good, and Colonel Sivn, the manager of the the was present himself, giving his pereonal su- pervision to all the details, The speakers, choir and press were seated on the stage, and belore the opening address was completed every scat in the house was filled and no standing room left in the aisies or loobies, General Jourdan, President of the Board of Commis. sioners of Polhce; Alderinan Biack and Supervisors Howell and Sexton were present. The choir, pamber- ing about forty Jadies and gentiomen, was vomposed of volunteers from the First Presbyterian church, of Henry street; First Baptist chareh, of Hanson piace, and the Baptist Choir and Glee Club of Company B, Thirteenth regiment, They.were led by Mr. Frederick J. Lovejoy and sung some very delighitul music, The orchestral accompaniment was a failure, being fur- nished by the regular musicians of the theatre, who were unaccustomed to the rendition of sacrod music, THE OPBNING EXERCISES, ‘ Shortly after two P. M. Mr. John French, Pres- ident of the Board of Aldermen, oponed the services with a brief address, in which he aliuded with much feeling to the fearful calamity that had brought them ali iogether thisday, The anthem'by Mendelssohn, “Think, mighty God, on feeble man,” was pleasantly rendered by the choir, and then the Kev, D. Ri. Miller, D. D., read @ portion of the Seriptures bearing upon death. ihe opening prayer was offered by the Re J.B. Thomas, D. D., and thenthe hymn “My Go my Father, while I etray”’ wae sung by the choir and the audience. DR. COYLER'S ADDRESS. The Rov. T. 1. Cuyler, D. D., then delivered the first address, He said:—Fellow citizens, I shall deavor to execute the office imposed on me by tho committee of our Aldermen and Super. visors briefly and «imply. Honest sympathy Tequires no rhetoric. No other American city in time of peace has ever had 400 of ius citizens ban) dead under a burping roof. What a griet is ours ‘e are often apt to measure such calamities trom a wrong standpoint, We often think that the death of the great merchant makes a ter say than that of the great God does not think was suffo- the richest and wealthiest being that met a similar tute. Methinks those dying iathers, thoge dying sous, in that burning edifice bequeathed their belpless mothers aud sisters unto us, the pepe of the city of Brooklyn, and let us not be unfaithful to the trust, Then agaip 1 think that we may gather from (his event a solemn admonition for the more caretul preservation of humaa Ii Every public editice, whether it be for the sucred pur. Pposea of devotion or the secular purposes of pleasu: shouid be so crected as to secure the satety of all that enter it, Those engaged in the erection of public buddigs should be regarded the trustees of public life, and teld responsible to a certain extent for the safety of those tba have occu. to use such build- ings. This is a matter that the attention of the au- thorities should be directed to, so that it m»y become a law and be held as suck, ‘Ten, again, think ef the weakness of the binge upon which Luman lite turns, Just thivk of the siight turm that saved the lives of many. I remember myself banding a man, on Monday, a ticket to an instructive entertainment, and he told mo next day, with tears in his eyes, that ho had intended to go tothe Brooklyn Theatre, but having received the ticket srom me be bad used it and prob- ably saved his lite, : ‘THE DEATH SHADOW. Death was not announced jn the bill of the theatre for that evening, but he was lurking behind the scenes, and when he burst upon them in a sheet of flame the apeessiors realized bis dreadful presence. They saw the words of love writteu on that itlame, “Prepare to meet thy God” Let mo ask you, thou and thou, art thou prepared to meet dny God, for to-morrow thou shalt be im etermty. There are other lessons that we learn irom this ca- lamity. 1 confess to great solicitude as to what shall be the result of this calamity. — Will it pass away with the drapery that will soon be removed trom the public DatldingsY Shall it be that, like the flamo that con- sumed that theatre, our sympathies and good feelings ‘Will pass away with the remnants of thoso biackened ruins? J hope not. I trust it may havo a gooa effect upon the hearts of the people of Brooklyn, It seems to me that the voice of God now commands the pco- pe ot Brooklyn to fail down on their knees, o not lot us forget. while our hearts aro touched with the sight of 100 corpses moving through our streets to the home of the dead, of the great good we can do, of the work that is yet to be done, and how God will welcome your efforts if you will only give some attention to the living and save @ living soul out ofthe many that stil tread on the road to perili+ tion, In conclusion, lL may say asthe prophet Elijah sud, “After the lire there came a still’ small voice’? ‘That voice bias every man cloanse his soul; that voice gays think not that these wero all sinners tnat per- ished, but prepare yourselves so that when your cail is made you may bo ready, MN. TAYLON’S ADDRESR, The Hon, John A. Taylor then made an address. Ho said:-—utot the respect which Brooklyn lays ou the graves of her dead we are here to-day. The throng of citizens that live our streets, the tramp of armed men, the averted fuces wo meet on the streets, are the result of no hero worship—-ours is the homage of bumanity to bomunity, It is because. these charred and burned vodies have been dragged from the ruins, the disman- ted forms of human souls, that half a million people bow their beads and testity their sympathies. Well does the city honor its public dead, These forms and faces are evidences to us by long associatios wo tnd the expression in those intimate relations of father, son and husband, mother, daughter, wife, but toward the city they bear but one relation— that of sors and daughters, Every particle of those remains claims a parentage from the municipality, and Ciaims a resting pluce in the urn of their dead, Honor to the great metropolis that gathers to the slopes of Greenwood at the momentous hour the sacrec remains of their dead. To the distressing scencs of that terrible winter night who among us dare turn in imugination? What bitter ears and what direiul apprehensions of swiftly approaching dissolution Would they not call up? To what housobold has the tide of grief nov turned? Win the vast audiences of to-day has not felt the blow Of the destroying angel? MR. REED'S ADDRESS. Tho Rev. George E. Reed then spoke in tho place of the Rev. I. W. Bancroit, D. D., who was too sick to bo present. He said:—l am unexpectedly calied to make ‘a few remarks to you. 1 did pot come to till any such @ position, but rather as a citizen of Brookiyn. ltisa Tare sight’such asceno a8 We seo to-day, when the temples of pleasure have been transformed into places of worship, where we have assembled to express our feclings and sympathies tor the departed, It isa mel- ancholy satisiaction to think that there could not have been much suffering. Life must bave passed qnickly away, How fearlul is the — deso! tion that it nas spread! There are homes where avacancy has been made that will never be flied; some dear husband ur beloved child has gone that they will never see again. I»aw a widow yesterday who has buried a child within the past few months, and now the husband has gone. You will never sce the sunlight m that eye again; joy bas gone from her face; she wiilsuffor on until eternity. We bave heard a great deal said that those left desolate must not sufler. T hope, fellow citizens, that the days will not be long beiore we have made provision for these sufferers. If we ure Cnristiaus the cry of bread should never come up to us without the anawer, We not only give tears, but we give that assisiance that our means will permit, God grant tbat out of the disaster (his good may come—thut we shall try so to live that we can go into thas land where there is no sorrow aud no sullering. A GERMAN ADDRESS, The Rev. George Brandensiein then read an address io German trom a manuscript, and after the choir and audience suug the hymn, “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” the Rev. GM, Campbell closed the services with a benediction. About 2,100 persons attended the ser- vices at the Park Theatre, DEATH OF ANOTHER VICTIM—HIS TESTIMONY, Lato on Saturday aight Firo Marshal Keady went to the Long Island College Hospital, on Honry street, and there took \he testimony of John Cumperson, the flyman of the theatre. Like that of all the other employés, it shows that no hose or wator were kept i readiness on or about the stage. Cumberson was probably the Jast man to see Mr. Murdoch or Mr. Burroughs alive. This unfortunate witness, who was ijured in his at- tempt to escape from the devouring flames, died at the hosprtal yesterday, adding another victim to the already long list. Cumberson tostified as follows:—I live at No. 154 Prospect strect; 1 was employed at the Brookiyn Theatre; I had charge of tue flies; 1 was in tho thoatre on Tuesday night; the tire commenced in the centre of the building, iu the rigging loft among the borders or drop curtaivs; L think the dratt caused the boruer to come in contact with the back of the light. There ‘was a Wire covering un the light, aud we thoughtit was suificient to prevent the border from catening fire; the vorders and lights were aways in order; the fly weut up rigut enough, but when L went to pull it down itdragged; LI tried to pull down tbe curtain, but broke; nothing broke beiore the lire; this Was the be- ginuing of*the trouble; we had some of tho scevery of “Julius Cwsar’? on the stage that night; 1 was untasteming the grooves and one of the men went out to put out the flames with a pole, but he could not do it; there wus no tire hose about the place, attached or’ otherwise; 1 bave seen a hydrant under and on the stage: 1 Mrs, Conway's employ three or four years; she always kept a fire hose and pails tull of water ready; I never received aby ipstruciions from Mesers, shook & Palmer, or Mr. Thorp, regarding a fire; we had two otner fires in (he theatre about 81x weeks ago—one in the box ollice and une on the stage; I can’t say they were reported; 4 think the door to Jobnsun street was clear on the stage; 1 don’t think the vorder lights were us well protected as at other theatres; they were too flimsy tor me; they looked as if they “koivting;” wanted more the alarm = waa given to tho police pretty soon after 1 fire; the audienco was net notified for threo or four minute 1 kept the curtaio down as long as I could; we had no fire extinguishing appa- ratus except the stationary hydrauts; 4 am sure of tus; we never had a fire in Mrs, Conway's time; I remained in the theatre longer than I should have, and could not get out; | met Mr. Murdoch as be went to his room; { saw him drop from the heat and smoke; it seemed to ino that he was making ior the roof. I finally jumped out of a window opening on Flood’s alley from the first jlandivg; Murdoch and Burroughs lirst ran out on tho stage to get out, but were evercome by the heat; they then went up stairs again; { could Dot reach the Jotinson strees door; I don’t think either Burroughs or Murdoch tried to get out by the auditorium; had I had a bose or some water on the stage or in the flies I could have put the fire out before it gained headway ; it blazed up very rapialy. ANOTHER MISSING. John W. Warner, werty-ive years of age, ot No. 438 AUantic avenue, Whe is supposed to have been at the Brooklyn Theatre on the night of the fire, bas just been reported as missing, THE RUINS. The walis of the burned theatro still stand as they did on Saturday. The cold weather kept nearly all the would-be sightscors at home, The sidewalk in front of the raing is stil boarded up to prevent pedestrians {rom passing on that side ofthe street. A rope is also airetened across the street, but it 1s lowered by an officer who stands by whenever a carapproaches, Tho: placo was visited yesterday by Superintendent of Public Batidings Norton, Cnief Engineer Nevins and Archi- tect Morse, and they agam made av cxamimation of tho standing walls, y my that the wails are not in a dangerous condition and they notilied the police to that eflect. Tho side wall, howevet was found to have worked several inches away from Dieter's Hotel, against which it was orfgigally built, and two ‘jacks’ were inseried im it to strengthen 1} These ‘jacks’' are pieces of stout timber run inte the wall, and to them ropes are made fast and then thrown over the roof of the hotel and bent on to the trees on Washington street Captain Smith, of the First precinct, asked permission to open the rear of hig station house, which was closed on Saturday, but his request was denied, owing to tho possible davger of the falimg of the guilery wall, which, in its descent, would Jand in the yard and on the roo! of the station nouse, It 18 said tat the property will be surrendered to the owners, by the authorities to-day, Whether or uot an order to pull down the ruins will be issued could not be ascertained. From what the experts who visited the place daring the day have to say on the sabject it is thought by some that at least the rear wall of the theatre can be used im the rebuilding ot the edifice. CHERCH COLLECTIONS. In the absonee of Mr. Talmage, Mr. H. M. Gallaher, formerly of Brooklyn, preached both morning and evening inthe Brooklyn Tabernacle. He alluded to the great fire only incidentaliy and in general terms, At both services collections lor the benelit of the sul- ferers wero taken up, tho serves amount of the mioney collected being $374 Attho Hicet stroes Methodist Episcopal church. was taken up to add to the suf- Brooklyn, a collecti Xact amount could Lot be ascer- ferers’ fund, but thi tained last night. At Dr. Cuyler’s church, on the corner of Lafayette avenue and Oxiord street, $195 was subscribed. CHURCH OF THR DISCIPLES. Mr. Hepworth preached to a very large congrega- tion yesterday morning from the text Isaiab xiii, 25:—‘'And it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not, and it burned bim, yet he laid it not to heart.”” that within the last week we bad deen startled by an event which had aroused the thoughtfulness of every wise man. Our sister city bad been struck by the hand of a great affliction, and this had aroused a fecl- ing of our own helplessness and the possibility of a like experience ourselves, Wo recognize in it the hand of God, whose providences are inscrutable, which are always wise, aud pever cruel except to the thoughtless, {t was not the mero fact that 300 or 400 persons had died suddenly that startled us, tor as large as the number Was, just as large a num- ber were carried to their “graves in this vast city every week, but 1D this case we were struck by the shape in which the affliction bad come, [t was not one cry of woe, but 4 chorus of wailings that strack our attention. The preacher said, a» he con- templated that great horror, that ho was struck by the mysterious way in which Gog’s afflictions came. Jesus once said that death was "like a thief in the night, who not only comes in darkness, but comes on tip tov, aud strikes when least of all you expected him and when Joast of ail you were prepared for him. Tho reverend gentleman then continued:—What a change this was in a tow hours—that in the afternoon these uomes were happy; happy in the anticipation of an eveuing’s amusement, and that they crossed the threshold) with no more anticipation of what was to happen than blind man who walks off a precipice. Alarm beil sounded on bigb and their doom wi Only a single spark at first; then a fire no bigger than aman’s hand; thea tn a moment the sitice gates, as it were, burst open, and, like an arm of the sea uf fire at high tide, the waves’ rushed and rolied and hissed through the wholo building, filling tt with wailing and death. Only a spark, und yet wnat a result! The speaker suid ho thought much of the differences in hu- man nature under such circumstan ud wondered | what were the thoughts of the people when they found thomselves hemmed in by a waliof fre and death staring them in the face, ready or unready, There were some cailed who were innocent as children, There were others blackened by guilt and crime, un- repentant; the day of judgment had come tor them, the trumpet ot doom was sounded and they could not fail to hear it or fail to obey its sutnmons, THE DISASTER NO ACCIDENT. Mr. Hepworth said he knew lis congregation were Anxious to hear what place inthe provid@ntial disci- phoe and education of God such an event as this bor- ror would occupy. He would not tor a singio moment yield his faith in the protection of an Almighty God who controls everything that happens, trom the greatest events to those most insiznivicant; and he said this great sorrow was ‘‘of God,” aud that it had an important place in the discipline of the word, for admonition in the first place and instruction in the second. It was no accident, as the word was gener- ally interpreted) There were no accidents in God's world, What was done by man’s folly was over- whelmed and controlicd by a higher power. It would never do to believe in Providence when all things run smootbly, and then talk about “accidents”? when the durk places come. He said there w: lesson in this providence to (his city, und he begged his hearers not to let it be wasted, te ing them to ask themselves the question, “What effect has it produced on the people of this city?’ and they would find that the lesson had been rightly inter- preted. HOW TO PROVIT BY THE TORROR, He said he Loped the community would learn the lesson and consecrate itsell by a new oath ot fealty to Him who was ready to help us if we only called on His high ana glorious name. The next lesson we were taught was that we were creatures of uncertainty ; that we could not tell what a day might bring fort! He suid then the people would probably ask, ‘Shall we go trembling through lifey”? A thousand times no. It we had an abiding faith and crust in God, then it aid not, he said, matter what should come, we would be prepared. The speaker reprebended tho general carelessness and thoughtlessness on the part of men in the world, and said @ little thought would compel us to mend our ways, He did not mean to bo understood as talking on the high plane of Bible com- mands, but on the low plane ot ordinary insurance. He said that there was dunger in the air, aud that, perhaps, all in suddenness and haste we might be called onto goout at once. He usked his hearers if they were ready. It not, then why not get ready? Why hve in a world that might crush in a moment and not get ready to le ave it? He said he could not compretend such conduct, We ought to say toGod that wo were ready todo His will it He would only show us the way. FIVTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH. Kev. Dr. Armitage took for his subject yesterday the “Crown of Thorns.” | In his opening prayer the Doctor prayed ardently for the afflicted homes of our sister city. He plead that the Great Ruler of the Universe would pour the consolation of His spirit into those broken hearts. We stand abashed, said the pastor, to think of human weakness contending with Thy ap- pointments, Oh, God! to think of that unsightly and unrecognizable inass of humanity. Such disasters aro alarming, and we prostrate ourselves at Thy feet, ber cause many of our brothers and sisters in that city, so much a part of our own, are robed in habili- ments of black, dark as the tomb. But one short week ago hundreds of trusty wives, faithful toga oy loving fathers and clinging chil- dren, who were in tne full enjoyment of life and health, are now sleeping im that terrible trench at Greeuwood, and the homes made happy by their pres- ence aredark and cold and cheerless, May the God of Peace visit aud lift up that sorrow-stricken people, Dr, Armitage selected bis text trom Jobn xix., 2: “And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns and put it on bis head,” The last words, the last acts are the most impressive of all wurds and all acts, suid the Doctor. Especiaily is this so of those persons and those things we love. Who would ever forget the last words of @ sainted: mother, the ast act of a dear father? How their = last words burn in ‘our bearis, and how their last acts on earth continually rise up before us! As wo worship here to-day many a heart-broken father and many @ soul-crushed mother takes up the last relic and recails the last words of their dear on now gone from earth forever. Uniy afew short days ago they went fortn well and Vigorous, but to-day las! those forms so virile in life, those faces whose lineaments were so comely when the warm blood coursed through their veins and animated their being, sre now a charred and fearful mass of flesh and vone, somo little article of clothing, some Ltwio souvenir of that doar son, that idolized daughter, or that toud parent, is now being conned over by stricken relatives, who will over consider these mementoes very uear to their hearts because of the melancholy associativns sur+ rounding them. This was Brooklyn’s crown of thorns, and although it sets so beavily upon ber brow and juflicts Wounds so maliguant it will im the end work good. We ail have to wear the crown of thorns, GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH. The Grace Baptist church, Fiity-third street, near Seventh avenue, was thronged last evening to hear tho pastor, Rev. J, Spencer Kennard, on ‘Lessons of tho Brooklyn Tragedy. His text was Lamentations ji 22. Hoe referred to the Brooklyn tragedy as follow: Surely 60 serious a visitation of Providence should not fail m producing on impression onus. In addi- yon to the general interest which all hu- man hearts feel, one cannot help observing the different special ways in which, according to their interests, different classes are aflected by an evont like this, The journalist 18 concerned in it as furnishing au item upon Which he must exercise his skilful pen. The illustrated papers send their artists to secure the most graphic pictures, Thousands of peoplv hurry to the scene to gratify a taste lor excite- ment and horror, and rudely jostio the heart-broken relatives searching for théir dead, Evog the thieves and pickpockets are stirred with lively interest to piy their wretched trade umong the crowded and even among the blackened corpses of But how far all this parated from the deep and bitter woe of that 1 company who mourn to-day with a griet that h reo any human aileviation over the loved and jost! CHE BLESSING OF HUMAN SYMPATHY, ‘The very first lesson we should learn is the needs and the biessing of human sympathy, We are in this shallow jile very seitish, We care so littie tor the Woes that weigh upon our tellows, if they be but a little removed from us. So long ast bolt docs not strike ug, so long as the crush uf hopes, the wasting of health, tho torture of the body, te bereavement and lonely fife, do not interfere with our pleasures we would rather lorget it; We practicaliy cease to be of ono blood and kindred, oxe Father over us and one destiny before us. He thon added: — ‘THKATRES AN EVEL. Ido not mean to point tothe destruction of theso lives in the theatre as a specitic judgment of Heaven upon theatre going. You, who know my ministry, know that I have never indulged in sweeping denunci- ations against actors and plays and theatrical assein- biages. I believe that virtuous and some plays are do believe tho theatre 10 be, in its actual and current history, an evil in the community, ft do believe that we would be a more virtuous, honest and happy community if evory theatre were, from the date of this great tragedy, burned down, never to be rebuilt. Have not some of ‘the most emiaent actors and act- Tesses, among them Macready aud Chorlotte Cash- man, expressed their disgust with the goneral lite and the influence of a Jarge portion of its representatives upon public morals? But the very tinct of dying in the theatre, and dying #0 sudaeuly, comes home to us with asad significance, While we are not to regard pecial Judgment on tho who were is God may have permitted this disaster Lo occur to shock US {nto avrious retiec- tions regurding the held which the various grades of theatrical performances bave gained upon this com- munity. I doubt not that the periormunce on Tues- day night in Brooklyn was one of the less harmtul, and the periormers | know were among the virtuous and caltivatea. Think not, therefure, that these wére the especial objects of God's wrath. Nay, bewer that the awial blow should fall there than upon the meaner, guiltier mass that glue their passions at spectacies at otber theatres which tide the very gaveways of hell, flow have we fallen from our standard of social morals, which was never too puritanical, to the level of Paris, with its festering corrupticns ! downward tendency till, like Paris, God @hall send the torch of the Communists or the artillery of war to consume out beautiful cities and desolate our homes? Kennard closed with a carnest appeal to bis hear- The reverend gentleman began by saying’ Shall we go on in this | surteit ot Ee eR ee a eg a nT De ee ee ee te ee a eee ee NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, DECEMBER ll, 1876—-WITH SUPPLEMENT. 3 ers for individual repentance and avurning to a more earnest life, CHURCH OF THE DIVINE PATERNITY. The first allusion made by Dr, Cuapin to the disaster m Brooklyn was in his “prayer, in which be most touch ingly alluded to those who have been so suddenly stricken with ailliction, As he spoke the solemn still- ness of the p hour seemed even more than usually impressive, and every word which fell from the minister’s lips was feelingly uttered and carried | weight in the consolation asked for to those who wore in saddened homes and inthe awful presence and reality of death, and to whom, now, all the world seemed dark, He preyed that the lesson taught by the disaster might fall with true effect upon the hearts of men who, m giving comtort to the afflicted, might be prepared to meet any sudden and dire calamity that might come upon them, and thatthe faith in God's power and goodness might become a medinm of con- tion to those whuse hearts were in sorrow aud ‘The d and the text chosen was fr to the Corinthians, t., gto tue calamity Dr. Chapin remarked that it was im the sight of Chris's advent, in the teaching of Curist cru- ciled, that he would say but afew words respecting the calamity of the past week that bad wrapped the community ina pall of gloom and had oversnadowed by its sad Importance even the pofitical agitaidn and anxiety of the time, Words were not plenty oa suc an occasion onsach a topic. One could scarcely be eloquent in the presence of Niagara or in the presence of any great work of nature, nor was eloquence prop or possible in the presence of such a visitation of sor- row. The sad details had harrowed the bearts of all, and had been cast aside, unread by many, as a very horror and an overshadowing of death, Death, in any phase, was siarthog, and when it came witb such a sweeping torrent upon the ogwmunity it Wwasscarcely a time for moraliziny. It would be classed by mauy asa visitation of God that the occurrence had tuken place ina theatre, But this was no lime for h redecuions; it is a Visitation of God whenever we him; it Was a time to give ald, comfort and con- solation to those whose death, under such appaling reumstances, that bad put «city in mourning and curried expressible griet into the bereaved households of the suflerers, In the in the cinders and ash: yo conflagration, there to be seen the overpowering depth of Gods pow and the manifestations of his visitations given to men; but there is above ail, and seen even in the emoke trom the ruius where De hoids his carnival, the manifestation of a higher iaw, a supremo Being who directs occurronces, and in this hour of trial and of tho deopest sorrow faith in the power of Christianity may come as @ consolation that nover fails. The lesson of the great dissster 1s one which strikes deop to the hearts of tho afllicted and carries with it the teaching of preparation and roverence for those who have eseaped bereavement, The present 18 a time for consolation; kindness and kind words go far toward healing the pangs of the great grief, and the trust in God's greatness, submission to His holy will, aud the teaching of Christ on the Cross js tho true relief to the Weuried hearts of tose who are sure rounded by sorrow, and whose grief and lamentation are doubly great from the sudden visitation of Death and tho awlul shadow of the calamity om CH OF THM INCARNATION, The Rey. Dr. Brooks, the rector of tho Church ot the Incarnation, corner of Madison avenue and Thirty, fifth street, preachea the sermon yesterday, taking his text from Isaiah v.,4. Tho preacher said that sometimes when we undertook to do a good work we found many obstacles in the way of its accomplieh- ment, and wo were very profuse in excuses tor our shortcomings, We should learn where the diMcuitica arise, In some cases they were very discouraging, Then we thought that God, who does all things vest, put thom tn our way, and tuat we should sit down and quietly wequiesce in'what appeared to us as a judg. ment, But we should remember that God was goodness, and that theso obstacios which we met with were of human origin and could bo @vercome, He did not mean to say that reso- lution Wagan easy thing, but it was often requisite in tho production of good results which wero possible an¢ Sure when brought about, As we looked back even t¢ the beginning oj the world, we saw everything wus of God. ‘We traced tue effect ofa supernatural power in every work; we could see His baud in all work, God never deseried us, but was with us in our daily occu- pations, We sould always be prepared to meet God, ‘The case of the terrible calamity of last week told us God was near. There 300 human beings were suddenly summoned without warning to stand face to lace with their Maker and Judge. This went to prove tho sboriness and danger of life. It seemed discouraging, but the other side of the view snowed that God was with us not only iu territyiug calamiiies, Such disasters happened seldom and only as warnings, God was with us daily in this world, which was His vineyard, an wo were but His vines, ‘We should take truth as'it came and stand up belore God as His cht dren, We shouid remember His constant presen and govern our conduct accordingly, so that a sudden event like the Brooklyn fire should not tuke us unpre- pared, We should all be better trait raisers than we were, It was easy to work with God; therefore wo should use His assistance tor life, 8T. MARK’S CHURCH, An impressive sermon on the ‘So-called ¥ 88 ations of God” was preached yesterday morning at St. Mark’s church by the pastor, Rev. Dr. Rylance. The preacher took for his text Luke xiii., 1-5, At the out- set of his discourse Dr. Rylance said that, as if to silence the contentions and to allay the animesitics which have distracted and demoralized pubiio feeling of late, a great and overwhelming calamity bas fallen upon the adjacent city which has absorbed the sympa. thy and attention of the whole community, aud which bas sent a thrill o! horror to the utmost confines of the land, Ho then drew a grapnic pletare of the variea and crushing desolation which had failen upon hundreas of houagholds in Brooklyn and New York, and supplemented it by a rapid sketch of the great catastrophe itse}f. The speaker next ad- dressed himseit to the subject proper of bis discours¢ and stated that t would doubtless be made the vc casion of a guod deal of religious ndmonivion and in- struction. Lt was, indeed, un occasion for such ade monition as*was proper and legitimate, Butit would also be “improved,’’ as the phrase goes, in some iu- stances, in a style offensive to good sense and charity, simply because the calamity betell atheatre, Here tha preachor handled, with great severity, those who taik about providence or ‘‘providences,”” as though they were members of God Aimigity’s privy counsel, or as though they shared with Him the attrivuce of om- niscience, He argued that if the judgment of God was to be predicated of the burning of a theatre 16 might, with equal justice, be predicated of the burning of a church or the sinking of a ship ag sea in which innocent and guilty go down alike to- gether. He further maintained that our verdict in dhese matters wag usually tramed by our partialities and prejudices, and cited Milton's celebrated answer to Charles IL, when the latter interpreted the former's biindvess as a judgment upon him jor taking port against his father, Charles 1., “Nay, but ff I tost my sight through Gol’s judgment, whatcan you say of your fathor who lost his bead ?’’ One-sided aud tool ish inferences would probably be drawn from the fearful calamity of last week, Thoso who muke them should pause, because it 18 Wworre than foolish to denounce the instinct which geeks the recreation of exhausted energies and jaded powers occasionally in some sort of light indal- gence, Dr. Rylance held that allour amusements ought to be innocent, and went on to contend that most of that which we attribute to the direct inter- ference of Providence is duo to the sin and negiigenco ot man. He would not take upon himself to say how much eriminal negligence there might have been, bub in any cage tho matter should be sulemuly and thor- oughiy sifted, Au admonition against intemperato worldliness ia strong appealto the religious in- stincts and feelings of his audience closed this calm, able and lucid diecourse, CHURCH OF THE MOLY TRINITY. Tho Rey. Stephen H. Tyng, Jr, pastor of the Church of the Holy Trinity, yosterday, previous to be- ginning the regular services of the day, said that the usual collection fur the poor would take place. Bat, said be, inthe snadow of the calamity across the river we are anxious as a church to express our sym- pathy for tho friends of those whe have suddenly and Without warning died. We must remember tie widows and orphans, How nobly tre members of the theatrical profession responded te the eall for aid you woll know, Whether we are sym. pathetic with tie principies of that profession or not we caa at least learn charity from them, And the question propounded to the churches is this:—Has the Chureb of Christ less humanity than the public pidect « of amusement in this city? Now, dear irtenda, thi 18 & certain test for your charity? While doing all we can for the suflerers in that terrible tire we must not forget our poor Whom woe have with us. He thea said that be intended to divide tne collection taken up, and after retaining (ho small sui necessary for the destitute in bis parish the balance would be forwarded to the fund for the reliet of the sufferers at the Brook- tyn Theatre fire, The result of the collection was very satisiactory, BEREAN BAPTIST CHURCH. At tho Berean Baptist church, corner ot Bedford and Downing streets, yesterday, the Rev. Luther G, Barrett preached from the text, Amos, iv., 12. He said the horror of that night in the theat 0 tongue can teil, no pen depict, The young bave was left moth. eriesa, the young tinsbacd was compelled to behold his loved bride a blackened corpse, brother was wkea from brother, lovers were snatched away from each other, ali the bright earthly hopes ot loving fathers and mothers in their chiidren wero biasted at one fell swoop, There was an awful lesson to be learned from that tragedy, an: behooved us to think over tt as seriously as a The textof the day's gospet ould sink deep, he said, into the heart of every mar dd woman, and every one should heed the warning, “Prepare to meet thy God.” YLERT STRERT METHODIST BPISCOPAL, CHURCH. In Fleet Street Methodist Episcopal church, Brook. lyn, last evening, the Rev. W. ©, Steele proached on the calamity. Were those people who lost their liver in the theatre greater sinners than others, and where bave their spirits gone?) Wo must not say that the vie tims of this last calamity were punished beeanso they were inaplayhouse. They might have ded so ing church, Itisof the Lord’s mercies that many of ag are alivetoday. We must not attribate every calamity to Providence, nor the accidents which are the results of carciess building, of detective steamboat boilers ot {CONTINUED ON SIXTH PAGR*