The New York Herald Newspaper, December 18, 1876, Page 8

. & GOSPEL SEED. eet How it Was Sown Yesterday from the Pulpits. THE CHRISTIAN’S RACE. St. Paul's “Peculiar People” What They Should Not Be. PREPARING FOR THE LAMB. Providence Through Disasters Says “Make Them Impossible.” CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES. BSEEMON BY REV. GEORGE H. HEPWORTH ON THE CHRISTIAN’S RACE. Despite the bitter cold weather the Church of the Disciples, corner of Lexington avenue and Forty-fifth street, was yesterday morning filled to its utmost capacity. Dr, Hepworth preached the sermon, taku for his text Paul’s Epistie to the Philippians, iii. 13, 14—“‘Brethren, I count not myself to have appre- hended; but this one thing I ao, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 1 press toward tho mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” ‘These words, said Mr, Hepworth, are remarkable as the expression of a high ambition—the possession of a prize—and also as the expression of a prophecy that ‘he ambition will be gratified and the prize will be won, Lwould like to call particular atteutionto the tirst words of my text:—‘'I count not myself to have appre- hended,’? There wero mysteries in the life of Christ which St, Paul bad not comprehended—plans of grace respecting himself which were entirely inscrutable. He had no power of vision which could penetrate them, no grasp of mind that could take hold of them, But there was one thing he sure of—the resurrec- ion of Christ and that those who trusted in Him | should in like manner be hfted up, So, laying aside those things that fretted his mind he gave bis whole b wrt Lo God and determined that, whether he under- od oF not, le would obey, and ‘one thing he could do—he could forget the things of the past and be could press towara the mark for the prize of the high ul isa vivid writer, Although exceedingly actical at times, ho is nevertheless exceed- ly poeticul, bis imagination now and then souring as il on the wings of an eagle, IT hayo no doubt Si. Haul bi ua race from one of the benches of the mphitheaire, I have no doubt he entered enjbusiasin of the occasion, uttering stento- shows for the victors. See’ the arena! Six bundred feet Jong and all around it a high ampnithea- tre in which ure seated 10,000 spectators, And just here at the starting point are the racers, They liave girded themselves lor the race, they have Jong been in trammg, counting nothing asa loss save the loss of ‘trength, The judges’ stand is over yonder, and from it comes the word, when off the racers go; not speeding themselves at first’ but careful to husband their Btrongth that in the critical moment they may pour it forth as a ilood and streteh forth the hand to grasp the prize with eager gaze and a glad heart, As they run around the spectators are some for and some against them, Here they receive encouragement, ‘Well done! Keep on and you shall win; be of good cheer; the prize is almost within your reach!” There hisses and cries of derision and ‘con- t swell upon the air from a hundred throats, he'll never win, he bas not strength enough. Seo what a laggard he i But the racer keeps his face to the goal nnd loses sight of all else. Even when bo falls he gathers himself quickly, forgetting the faings that caused the disaster und presses on full of Yetermination that nothing shall stand in the way of his nal success. This 1s the picture that St. Paul gives us as symboli- sal of his life, and cartatnly lite ds just such a reve as this, by The soul is after a prize—not a wreath that faded, but a crown of immortelles that last for- There is a cloud of witnesses in the arena holding us in full survey. We do not see them, but they sce us. They are interested partly in our success and partly in our defeat, They try to encourage us or to discourage and retard us, You know they are in the very air—you are conscious that there is a dua! iniluence at work round about you all the time, At tbe samo moment you ure urged toward two different points. [ft you ios to one you are wretched; if to the other you'are uppy and serene, And you kuow not why, Todisobey, to Walk in your own way, to wilfully do a wrong act, or willully ‘say a wrong Word, is to live in such weather us this, with scanty clothing; you may endure it, but you hever are at case; you stand in need of another gafmeut, which you do not possess. Everything within and without you Is disagreeable, because you are cold. 1 ask the Christians tere present, What has been the Tesult of your Christiau experience? And you auswer, Joy and ‘happiness You feel that thero is ever a Wwatchtul, Kind and loving care exercised over and avout you, and it gives you strength and comfort un- ble’ In your hour of suffering you say, ‘God ’ 1°" The philosophy of ‘the cause and diMcult tor you to understand, Like 1 you have not apprehended, But the experi- is Yours, you are sure of that, If I turn to tho other side and ask the worldly man or woman what bas been the res his or her expertence there will be but one answer, resilessness. 1t has been a certain sharp and angulat cdge of unhappiness. You have lost your temper, and the next moment have criticised yourself tor dulug so. You have done and felt #0, bot nowing wh You have been uneasy, you bave Ja still, Small voice speaking to you, and you turned to worldly pleasures and excitement; some of You have even turned to Vice to avoid facing the iruth. And yet you Know no man ever yet lived with out having to face the truth, No manor woman over ived whom Death did not summon, and he gwill sume mun you. Oh, tue happmess of having a iriend on whtel to lean—to know you have a Saviour who cares for you and who will gladly bear ail your burdens if you but goto Him! “Oh, the wretchedness of going ibroagh the evemy's country at night and knowing 4 foe may lurk in every bush “and may come out and pounce upon you at uny moment! Oh, brethren, sw great difference in the man who forgets tho 28 of the past and presses forwacd and one who es not, inthe greataronathere are eyes looking You us You run Lhe race—some eager that you may Jose and ot ager with hope and earnest prayer thut you succeed. There is Satan himself, and he wants your soul, and be is using his utmost endeavors to have you lose the prize, and he who loses the prize wins death. How plausible he is! Never did man do wrong but he would make a good excuse fori. No man ever went down wto hell itself but he sent back & plausible excuse for falling, and 80 Satan says to you, as he bas often said to me:—"“Why hurry along ‘so? Sit down anu be at ease; the race is already won.” But you bave on the other side Christ, aud as in the Grecian arena the racers saw the pillars marked with such encouraging words as “Excel!” “Finish the race!” ‘Never yield!” so, in the great race Christ en- courages us and bids us keep our eyes upon the throne and press forward. Jesus has said, “1 willsend an angel to you lest you dash your toot against a stone,” Again, “1 will be with you even to the end of the world.” 8ST. STEPHEN'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. PREPARING THE WAY—SERMON BY BEY. DR. M'GLYNN. A large and fashionable congregation filed st. Stophen’s Roman Catholic Church, in Twenty-eighth Street, at 10:39 o'clock service yesterday morning, High mass was cclevrated by Rev. Father McCauley and the sermon was preached by Rey. Dr. McGlynn, | The reverend speaker took his text trom the Gospel of St. Jonu, i, 19— And this is the testimony of John, when the Jows sent from Jerusalem priests and levites to him to ask him: Who 2 alladed to the lessons wrtthou?” && Dr, MeGly: taught by the chufeh at the paring our hearts for the coming of the Saviour, were bound to make ample preparations for the ad. vent of the Lord. At tnis particular season tho church called apon al! sinners to awake from their slumber that they might not be found sleeping when the Saviour came, In this awakeuing might be observed oue of the uost characteristic features of the Catholic Charen, By hor teacuings Christ was our Saviour and ks ready to instruct as with as much © force as he tanglit those who heard words His lips aud touched His sucred garments. He speaks lo us as Le spoke of old Wuen treading this earth, biesses us as he then ble-sed the litte ebildr vpportunity was now given the faithful to His very hps the words of comfort and pardon sing are forgiven thee."’ The lesson taught in the Chureh of to-day was that Christ was just as much our Saviour at the present time as in the earlier periods of Corsteaniy., It was this practice of the Church which aVe the faith of het chiuren so powerfal a voice. bat wuseen is clearer to their vision than what was witnessed by tho the prophets. The Church brought nearer to the wenk, the ignorant and the i ‘han He was through His mortal life. The Church could wot teach with any wucertain sound, She was to suciety What Christ was to the world—the teacher, guide and guardjan., She shares in oar innocent joys And gives purity, dignity and sanctity to our lives. {t was thus that'in every age she held her own 1m the beurts and minds of hundreds of millions of her chil- fren, We sbould coptempiate the great truth that Christ came upon earth to save ua aud join heartily with bee spirit of the Courch im welcoming His aa- ia ot eyes ce ve Church aiso reminded us of the terrible judgment in store tor us if we heeded not her coun- of the sad words which Christ might be com NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1876.—-WITH SUPPLEMENT. polled to address us, “I know yo not.” Tho reverend | regard to pers preacher then dilated upon the wisdom of the Charch as describing Christ's coming in the dual ca- pacity of Judge and Saviour, it was well to repeat the exhortation of St. John the Baptist, “We should make straight the way of the Lord.” We were also exhorted to meditate upon the dreadfu! judgment that awaited us, It was by this means that we could. remove the obstacle that alone might prevent us from obtaining the grace of God. These obstacles arose trom attach: Ment to siu, ay Und¥e concern for created things aud & proportionate turning away trom God, our Father, It was tho part of the real philosopher to look to the ond of ali things—to realize all issues by their final ending. Our Lord exhorted us to meditate as to the ond of life and to shape vur lives im consonance with what we considered the most aesirable tuture stute of existence, Proper consideration for the final judg- ment would prepare us for that eternal peace always in readiness for the worthy. It was these thoughts which would compel us to appreciate what was dest for our wellarc and encourage us in pursuing the right path. PLYMOUTH CHURCH. HOW CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED TO BE A PECU- LIAR PEORLE—SERMON BY UENRY WARD BEXCHER. Mr. Beecher’s sermon yesterday was founded upon Paul’s words to Titus—‘‘Jesus Christ who gave hiun- self for us that ho might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous ot good works.” The followers of Christ, the preacher said, were to be a peculiar pouple; but not, as many misguided persons suppose, in their outward dress or observances, but inwardly, in their sptritual natare. If @ man be a Christian, he said, there shold be a quality of disposition that would mark him as something sep- arate and distinct from men round about him. The teaching which is continually urgiog men to separate themselves from the ,world was not congenial to the spirit of the New Testament There were nowadays a great many conventional mgns which men are expected to curry about us evidence that they are Christians, Among these was a peculiar form of spoech—“cant” it was sometimes called, at others, “pious phrase’? These signs multipliedastime went on, until by and by men were covered all over with seemings and wore masks, darker on Sundays and black on fasting days Then there were regulauons almost as numerous as shose of the Mother Chureb, which undertake to provide beforehand for every situ- ation in which man m his large activity and freedom is placed, All these things tended to take away from man the necessity of judging, and turn him into a mero machine, and the priest turns the crank. If there ig one thing in the world, the preacher said, which de- mands to expross itself in its own way it is Christian lite—tree, large, spontaneous, born of Goa, It takes no more preseription from preachers than the liowers of the field take from botanists who are obliged to take them as they grew and are unable to make laws for them. The real signs by which nen should know a Christian were the qualities they should see in him—the purity, tbe aspirations, in some cases the grandeur, and in all the clevated disposition. Lovo to God and love of our neighbor were the root and branch and the circumlerence ot a true Christian lite, A mere moralst, bowever good, was always common. Grandeur !u aman could not be bad until he was allied in some way to the infioite and the im- mortal. Even superstition was more enriching than mere bald ethical love that had no atmosphere, no be- yond, no God, Mr. Beecher said he would’ rathor Worsilp Jupiter and Apollo aud Mars, even the Oriental metapbysieal gods, than to deal tn that kind of duli realm ot the unknowable, wherem men mope und grope and come back saying, ‘Nothing 1s certain; nothing 18 known.”? When men should reach such a state as to believe nothing which they could not figure oul upon a slate then thoir minds would be timited to the extent of their arm’s length. The man who became 4 Christian, developed Christian traits aud learned to live a Christian, was to have the fullest possible iree- dom. He was not to be bound by laws ef chivalry or creed forms, nor to be shut in by the observances of certain days and places, The wan commands his cir- cumstances whose heart 1s 10 sympathy with God. He 1s not God’s slave; he is noteven His servant; he 13 His son. Mr. Beecher combated the doctrine held by the Catholic Church and still clung to by many of the sects which bad sprang trom ber, that it was necessary Jor Christians to withdraw trom the world. Texts were tound which inculcated the necessity of witharawing “from the evil which 18 in the world,”’ but in order to do that 1t was not necessary to retire irom it. CANT DENOUNCED. Besides, we live ja an age when Christianity has shone for 2,000 years upon the eurth. Farming and mercantile pursuits were a8 neceseary to the Divine plan as churches or schools, and their tendencies are continually working toward a bigher state. Aguinst tbe conventional religious phraseology Mr, Beccher in- veighed powertully. It was foolish 1or men when they became Christians to lec] bound to speak of truth as it had been expressed by others. There were thousunds ot persons to whom the terminology of lite would to abundant to express their they yo out of the enough. Suppose, Beecher, they should straighten themselves up and sayin an unnatural tone the 1uil significance of the word, “God be with you,”? on every trifling occasion; it would be out of place, 1 don’t wish to bo thought to speak ul oof «ood «people; bat 1 must say that sometimes poople taik.to mein such a way that it I were not already a minister I never would be one. have encountered people who sat down beside me and began to talk vaturally enough until some one whispered who I was, und then the tone changed and the topics changed—and not tor the better—uutii 1 be- gan to tvel ag if I were in a presbytery, so was I del- uged with What the world calls “cant”? If a mau 1s | called to do something which he is perfectly com- pateat to do be should do tt, or, perhaps, remark that ¢ Will think of 14 and decide, Sometimes aman says, I will pray over this very caretuily, aud ten such answer as God may give to mo T will impart to you, There 1s no harmin a man’s thinking that, but the moment | hear of a man’s going to pray over uw thing—goodby! (Smiles.) Are we then io speak lightly and irreverently of prayer’ Is it not the opening of | the gute of heaven—full of sweet delicacy and richness and power? And ought tt not to be, as your mother’s virtue, lifted high above all thought of ridicule? Yet how is the solemnity of prayer bandied about by cant phrases! 1 have kiown men who never stabbed until ey prayed and uever prayed but they stabbed. 1 ave known many men Who thought it Was quite safe to slander people—in the church or out of it—ia prayer, when they would not dare to do it im conversa» on. All the elevated feelings that camo of a Christian life, Mr. Beecher held, ought to be expressed iu good natured phrase, If one should say heartily and uate urally toa man, “Now, come; do beter the coming year than you have dono, You ought to set your chil- @ren an example,” it would probably bave a good effect. But if one sbould come to him with a wng drawn face and tunereal aspect generally, und snufile Ubrough his nose, “Oh, my Iriend, I beseech of you, now, to think about your soul; I beseech ot you to think about the clatmé of religion upon you,” he would probably excite only disgust. MASONIC TEMPLE. WAYS OF PROVIDENCE—SEBMON BY REY. ¥ROTHINGHAM, The Rov. Mr, Frothingham delivered the sermon at Masonic Hall. The word “providence,” ho said, is pot obsolete; !t does not beiong to what is called spotled phrasoology ; rather, I should say, it is loaded with newer and profounder meaning. The more its mysterics break upon us the more its ways become Deautitul tn lite, It has been remarked that the sav- lage seos evidence of the existence of God in the viola- tions of natural laws. The philosopher sees the evi- dence of God in order itself, I+ does not becomo any human being to speak of Providence as though he knew ali ubout it We may not think of the Divine mind as working with the methods of in- finite minds, as improving and ruoning His logic along short lines; but wo may think of the Divine mind for ali that, 1a the first place 1 want to call your attention to the great waste in the vegetable und hu- man kingdom, Inthe New Testament it is recorded of Jesus that the multitude being Laugry He created out of a few fishes anu juaves of bread food enough for 5,000 men apd women, and when all were satistied He required His disciples to gather up tbe fragments, and thoy gathered up twelve baskets, 1 do not now dwell upon the probability of such a story. It is @ legend— amyth. It means this—tbat the Bread of Lite is never exhausted; that the more you give of 1 the more you have; the more you dissribute it the more you economize, But wking the story literally te wonder 18, bot so much that Je; should have in- ed the loaves but that there should have been so oO. B. re and that He should have cared to save the remnants. Why so much solieitude that no fragments should be lost? But here we see the lesson of Providence:—First, by the enor- mous supply of everything, aud then by ‘the care that nothing should be lost—that 18, the care for even the minutest atoms of things. Think of the waste there 18, in nature, [tis cotnputed that to one seed that germs sumething like 100,000 perish. The temale of the floan tly will predaco 20,000 young. In five days each of these 20,000 will be in a condition to produce 20,000 tnore. See What an enormous over-provision, The elephant 18 suid Lo be the slowest in process of gest tien, and yet }f allthe young of the elepbunt would live in a century there would be something Like 3,000,000 | of elephants, The waste 18 more extruordinary when | wecome to human creatares. All medical science is considering its power to keep down the death rate, According to the tables of life insurance companies Of the 100,000 that live to be ten years old, 676 will die in the course of a year; of 99,000 that live out eleven Yours, G74 will die beiure French twelve years, The young child grows up exposed to en every hand, There are parts in t where the death rate t# greater in proportion than in any other part Of the civilized world, In times of e: traordinary mortality there have been wards in the city of New York where oue chiid died in every twenty. How many prayers, how many hopes, bow many anxteties preceded the coming of ‘the hue one into the world? And then perchance it 1s swept away as though it were worthless, in speaking of wur Mr. Frochingbam said that it was calculated that war bad destroyed more than7,000, 000,000 human creatares, War ig always at work, ravishing and carrying 1 118 train famine, pestilence and violehee, the uproot- jug of homes, the crushing of liie, without the jeast | or what bas or will come to pass. When Moses and | Common Council, | 1) ‘The baron and the boor, the master and the valet, the hero and tbe peltroou, go down to- gether into the dust, We know that the Supreme Be- ing works toward ends. We know it by progress, in the increase of wisdom, in the knowledge of truth, in the deeper insight into causes, Providence has, it seems to me, the education of bumanity im what con- stitutes humanity’s glory. The increase of intelli- gence, the 1erease of pobleness, of purity, of Deauty—ab!t how much they cost! What a price is put upon anything worth having! For the last Week we huve been muralizing over the awful ca- lamity of the Brooklyn tire. Some bave aeked what mean these calamities? They mean this—that we shallmake them unpossible. They mean this—that ye should make ourselves masters of our hives; should understand the conditions of a right existence, should measure Ways and cnds und aims that are worth our seeking. How much value Providence teaches us thoug hwe have to pay dearly ior the instruction! So hiapy lives must be given velore nen will see the wis- dom of doors opening outward jnstead of inward. So muny belore they will learn ty widen their entrance Ways; 80 many more before thoy will tearn to make thoir staircases eusy of ascent aud descent; so many more belore they will build their public buildings into compartihents, So that fire will not spread at once from one part into another. How wany lessons will be needed before they will acquire sei/-contro! and command their nerves; how many before they will be better than cuildren that every noise and cry and smarticulate sound will not cause a panic which will occasion the destraction of 300 or 400 lives? But Providence willed that these thiogs stould be done that our lives should be pro- tected and that we should learn to protect ourselves. The speaker closed his discourse by urging his hearers to contribute to what seemed to thein the noblest things, that they might ascribe to the great work of economy which the Supreme Ruler of the world was carrying ou. ST, PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL. THE DUTY OF MAN TO THE CREATOR—SERMON BY THE REV. FATHER HOGAX. The services at the Cathedral were very largely at, tended yesterday. Tho officiatizg clergyman at the high mass was the Rey. Father Kearney, At the con, clusion of the first gospel Rev, Father Hogan preached the sermon, taking his text from St. Jobn 1, xix. —'*And be contessed and did not deny; and he co: feased, lam not the Christ.”’ This was, he said, the answer ot John the Baptist to the Jews inquiring of him it he was the Messiah. In our time, when the learned of the world in thofr intellectual researches sock to pierce the clouds of heaven and venture into tho mystorious caverns of the carth that they might re- move the veil which has concealed from us knowledge which an all-wise Providence did not wish to reveal to our judgment, in this ago of inquiry and investiga- tion, bow very few reflect what thoy themselves are? The greatest study tor mavkind was man, Far Detter was 1t to appreciate the saying of ‘Mua, know thyself,” than to be familiar ‘with the laws of ature or to be master o! every science. When tho Jews put to St. Join the question, Who art thou!” | the response which he gave them is applicablo to all of | us, “I am the voice of ope crying In the wilderncss.” He did not say he was the precursor of the Messiah ; he did not say he wns the herald of the Lord; he merely proclaimed bimself the voice—a passing breath, Such is man—a passing breath, a worm, a wanderer on the earth. ‘The royai prophet, inspired by God, styled lumse!f a wanderer like bis forefathers, - Before God he was a wanderer and a sojourner, and we could not claim to be anything more. We ure but pilgnms. One by one We aro passing through this life pf ours, When we begin to live we begin to die, Even the pagans of old understood this when they compared the hte of man to a trayeller—here to-day and gone to-morrow, ur creation was rot necessary to the bappiness of God, that being already perfect. It was out of the depths of His love He cailed us, by the power of His word, into cxist- ence. He continued the work of creation by preserviug us, for wore He to abandon us a moment wo would sink into tnsignificance. We have nothing but what we receive from Him. Ho created us, couse- quently we belong to Him, and He is therefore our Sov- eroign Lord and Master, and as such has a right to de- mand that our hves be spent in His interest. The king has a right to the obedience of his subjects; the | master iad a right to the obedience of his servants; and surely God, the Supreme Master, from whom we receive ail we possess, has a right to demand that tho jaculties with which we bave been endowed be conse- crated to Him, and exercised in His cuuso and for His honor and giory. His dominion inust be universal, sovereign, absolute as it 18 irresistibie, [t ig not nec- essary tat we be endowed with extraordivary facul- ties of mind and intellect, nor was it necessary that wo have great wealth or occupy exulted positions that we have tbe respect of ouF fellow men. We were created to know God and serve Him, and if we ao that we accomplish the end God bad im view in giving us existence, and this ig ail our duty, Ia doing God’s Will consists our greatnoss, and it we strive to please Him in this hfe He tells us our reward will be groat indeed, We are God’s creatures in « Jand of pilzrims—nhere fora moment tending to a distant country, the kingdom of Heaven, where we are to enjoy the society of the Lord. 1n conclusion, the rev- erond gentleman urged the congregation to’ bear in mind the lesson which the gospel of the day incul- cuted, “What sayest thou of thyself??? What have wo to eay of ourselves? Wo have received the bicss- ings of God, we have received tho lightof faith, and how have we profited by the favors we have re- ceived? Ho showed the mecessity of earnest prepara- tion, especially at this holy season, FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH. NIGHT WATCHERS AND SUNBISE—SERMON LY REY. THOMAS ARMITAGE, The reverond gentleman took his text from Isaiah Ix. 1-3-—“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord ts rison upon thee. For behold the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peopic; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, * * °* und the Gentiles shail come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” Those of you, said the speaker, who are familiar with the records of travey in the Arctic regions are well acquainted with tho fact that the absence of tho sun jor halt & year causes a more terrible night and deso. lation than we over experiency in theso happier climes. Just so there have been times 1 the history of morals when darkness has held sway for centuries together. The word darkness, when used in the Scrip- tures in a moral sense, is a figurative expression which denotes a state of guilt, a state of ignorance and a stute of misery. ‘Ihat for several! centuries bolore the Messiah such a state heid sway over the nations, both Jewish and pagan, is a fact too patent to be doubted fora moment. First, take a brie! survey of the pagan nations, ‘Darkness covered the earth.” Let any man, if be’ can, read the picture of it as drawn by the Apostle Paul, in the first chapter of hig Epistie 10 the Romans, witlout throwmg a vell over his face to hide bis biushes. That sort of morality must have reigned in Greece, which in the very height of her in- teliectuai force had 80,000 gods, and among them gods of whom the sincere worship consisted in the adoration of all conceivable crimes in the catalogue. ‘The very practices of heil were exalted into the adora- tion of heaven, so that debauchery and lasciviousness were lauded as heavenly virtues, The pomp of their impure sacritices, the orgies of their idols, thetr profl!- gale senators, their vain literati, their tyrannical gov- crnors aud lawless goucrals, exbibit a depth of corrup- tion that 18 simply shocking. And this picture of the Grecks is su cXact portrait of the Romans too, who practised the grossest depravity with dissolute hardihood, trom the Emperor dowh to the lowest slave. We must pot, Lowever, tall into the mistake tuat the gloom ot this morai night was superinduced in uny degree by the absence of intellectual culture. On Uie contrary, these night waich centuries were the aye of the highest intellectual vigor and refinemont. Demosthenes, Pythagoras, Horace, Livy and Virgil serve to attest this, Botn the Latin and the Greek poets, however, diaclose a corrupuon of life and ,. The condition of the Jows was but littie better than that of the Gentiles, In the words of the prophet:;— “Thoy were sleeping the sleep of death, and tue cup of their moral depravity was tull,’? These were the dark nigbt watches oefore the dawn of redemption; now let us look upou the world’s bright sun rige. ‘Night watches necessarily iuply wight watchers, From time lo time this clogs were asking, “What of the night?” Tuey desired the chun’? Lo ascend the hiils and look out tuto tho dlackness to see whether the sun was yet rising. But he comes back with the sad news that the goden orb bas not yet appeared. Now aud then agieam seemed to be jorcing itseif through the murky shadow, until at last the prophetic watchman ehunted out in joytul tones, “The morning cometh!” CHURCH OF THE INCARNATION, Rev. Dr. Brooks preached at this church from Num- bers xi1., 29—“tAnd Moses said unto him, Enviest thoa for my sake? would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put His spirit upon them.” This reply of Moses was made to Joshua when the poople ran to him in alarm with the intelligence that Zidad and Medad had presumed to rise up and prophesy in the camp, Joshua jealous, for the dignity of Moses appealed to the latter to discountenance the new aspirants to prophecy. His reply was given in the text above quoted. The mind of the prophet must have been ina constant attitude of foreseeing. Not only at times when a vision of future events was vouchsafed to him did he bave a clearer view of the future than other men; but when a man began to feel that he was come who spake for God, there must have been a constant attempt to see with God’s eyes. And the fact that God bad called aman to be a prophot surely tells us thay this attempt would be successiul, unless we held the most mechanical view ol prophecy d@ make the prophet mere speaking mu- ebine. We must picture a man whom God had thus honored as always growing into a more constant songe Of lis position, and as beng transformed in all thoughts and cesires by the constant usé which was made of his whole being. The sight of God had been granted, Which at times for His own purpose he made especially strong, and go it must have found it into the very structure of the m ra the desires of him who had come to think with God, and whose mind had drawn nearer to His, became not only desires but predictions We value them not only because they tell us what one man wanted, but because they give us some clew to What God wanted | a | prevalence of vice of which it 18 a shame even to speak. | Joshua differed, therefore, as to the circumstances that | to text, we look with espectal he solution of that appears to Moses to be Moses’ greatness and magnanimity are indicated by the reply, and he talked face to face with God. And the subsequent indorsement of all ages si wal prediction of the way in which the work of God was | to go on spreading. Moses seemed to cry for holp, for sympathy, ‘he solitariness of Moses was pro- portional to his elevation above bis fellows. His work and object was to bring forth work and God into the world. Ho had a stiffnecked people, degraded by years of slavery, whom he nad to lead into the promised land, and, instead of sympathy from them, his wearied heard but mur. mars of discontent and longings for the flesh pots of Egypt; so that, instead of feeling jealous of Etdad and Medad, he welcomed th We echo the desire of Moses, wish over the quently on the fuifilment Moses as seen in the enlargement of the ways that | man has become- useful to man in helping the spr ofeivilization and true religion, and so doing God’s work, Knowledge, said the preacher in conclusion, is no longer the exclusive possession of one class of men. New prophets and modes of prophecy have arisen, We cali jor young men to till the ranks of the ministry. Day after day some one comes rushing forth in trivmph oralarin ag some new claim of modern science, ac- tivity or knowledge is geen, and cries, *Eldad and Me. dq prophoaying in the camp!" Christ stands to-cay as Moses dido! old, jealous of none, anxious for helpers ig Dis work. WASHINGTON AVENUE OHURCH. THE POWER IN SPIRITUAL LIFE—A SERMON BY REV. DAVID MOORE. At this church yesterday there were services morn- ing, alsernoon and ovening, having special reference to the fact that it was the twenty-fifth anniversary ot the organization of the church, Rev, Dr. Moore’s text for the morning was from Genesis, xlix., 22:—"Josepn 4g.a iruitful bough, even a fruitinl bough by a well, whose branches run over tho wall’? The preacher thought the text was an apt declaratiun of what Washington avenue Baptist church bad been from the time of its organization—a fruiful bough, with its branches hanging over tho wall, and planted by a well with no fear of drought, its branches spreading and offering retroshment tu tho passers by. “Twenty-five years ago, be said, it was | planted there, a leeble churen; Lut, with the blessing of God, its roots bad struck deep into the ground; its brauches had spread abroad, and its leaves gre a source of refreshment jor all who desired to be refreshed. ‘Tho history of this chureb, hefeit sure, taught them not to despise the day of small things. When firs; organized ite memberstip bumbered cleven brethron and sixtcen sisters, a feeble beginning, as any would have said, but, by the biess- ing of God, it bad gone on, ever active and increasing, until 1 now numbered 700 members and a large cou- gregation besides. It had also built a large aud costly edifice and was, fortunately, out of dept. During ail the years of its proyross it had, too, been a harmonious church in all of its various departments of usetuiness, | Theretore, he thought, they might well look up aud say, What hath God wrought for us?” Phere wad, the speuker said, « marvollous vitality im churche@, The many who be.ped to build them passed away, but the churches remained. Man died, ‘bus tho Church survived, for the eternal years of God were hers, And yet God's mercies were ot extended Baanes, but (brought given, Well deiined chanuels, ‘They cume to thosé whe were striving to work out thoir owp salvation in given ways. God was not ca- prisious. The prosperity of the church of which many ot his heurers were members was not w ve attributed to chance Diessings from hove, but becuuse they hud in their way deserved | thom. bey had beon {rom the first a living church | filed with spiritual vitality, and it had, therefore, brought forth much good fruit. They would remem- | ber the poem of “The Ancient Mariner,” in which | dead nen manned the ship, 1t was so with sume | churches. ‘They had « dead man in the pulpit, cead | meu in the deacons’ pews und dead men and women in | the others. When filled m tiat manner no church | could be a success, Their church, howover, had been | and continued to be a vitalized church; hence its great | success. The preachor concluded by calling on God to cuntinue His biessings toward their church, SPRING STREE' PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. HISTORICAL AND COMMEMORATIVE SKETCH BY | THE PASTOR, BEV. ALFRED H, MOMENT. Services were held at tbis church yesterday morn- ing im special commomoration of the establishment of the.church and its continued existence during sixty- five years of varied prosperity and adversity. An ad- ditional interest was lent to the occasion by the pres- ence and participation in the service of the first pastor of the church, an aged clergyman, the Rev, Matthew La Rue Perrine, i Rev. Mr. Moment took as the text of the morning’s BAPTIST WICKEDNESS IN MISSOURI. | THE SABBATH OF THE HUNGRY. A DISMISSED PREACHER ORGANIZYS 4 CHURCH OF WOMEN AND IS MOBBED. The Kansas City Times of December 14, gives s strange account of the recept career of one J. A. Bedi. ent. He claimed to bea minister of the Congrega- tional Chureb, and afew years ago he went to the village of Greenwood, about thitty tniles south of Kansas City, in Missourt, where he organized a church. He seemed to Lave considerable power us a speaker, but he prayed in the streets and stopped people on the sidewalks, and finally announced himselt able to heal the sick and perform miracles ag Christ did. These and other strange actions created scandal and caused biin to be dismissed and repudiated by the Church, Ho con” tinued, however, to cast out devils, und im a few weeks he organized praying bands, which were largely composed of excitable and unbalanced women: They called their church ‘The Temple of God," and cach member was obliged to make regular end open -contession of all sins committed. The result was that in short time startling and shameiul crimes were rovealed which caused the church to divide, and the preacher and his temaic adberemis were driven out, ‘Tne prophet then went to live with a widow and her daughter, who were devout believers im Lis singular faith. Lady members of tho prayiug band weut to the house; wild meetings were held, and it 19 sald that they frequently bad miduight services in the woods and graveyard near by, ail of which excited the oii zens to such a pitch that one night masked men en- tered the house and carried the preacher away by main Joree and uung him until he wus nearly dead, The women were Ued in couples, back to back, und were greatly frigutened. Highly exaggerated accounts of the ailair were sent out by telegraph and the most sturthiag and improbavie sluri€s Were G.rculated Uiroughout Ue State. A cur- respondeat ot the Kansas City Times was scut down to Greeuwood for the facts, and the addivoual particulars are given as iollow A lng Wak out into tho distant suburbs of the town, wuich uppaured to be farmhouses, and the scene of the Kidmapping was reacned, Lt was two dark tosee much. ‘The house stood back 1 a fed or garden aud appeared tu be deserted, Iuquirics at the Hest arm house discovered nothing bul the tact that the women inuubiting the house hau ted ww the Protection of some irivuds in town, ‘The house was a poor looking frame struciure, coutainng three rooms. ‘One of these, ib 1s said, had been occupied us tue preacher's study. the next by two youn, women who did bis cooking, aud the uext by the widow, Mrs. Jonn- son. It was uot sar irom ovber houses, and it seems somewhat surabge thut no one heard vi tive kidnapp- ing until the preacher and his captors bad disappeared, ‘THE VEMALE BEDIENTITES, Guided by a tall boy with a Jautero und @ sharp lite boy with a big pipe the news hunter returned to town, and ‘after applying to several houses in the town for information as to the whereabouts of the Johuson tuinily succeeded at last in tinding them home at the house of a sir, Lefebre. The women were somewhat trighteued, no doubt expecting more uuwel- come visitors, but were soou reassured aud ia uure- werved conversation with the nows hunter, Mrs. Johnson is a determined looking woman of perhaps ify years of age. Miss May Opdyke is a pale, taika- tive iemule of perhaps twenty-seven. She is passably good lovking, but not attractive. The third wouau and the alleged cuuse of the trouble was seated at a stand writing on a pile of manuscript (evidently w book), Her uame is Saide White, and sie 1s the daughter of a widow whose son has recently returned irom the froutier. This girl is a firm beiever in the creay p: son's doctriues and bus willingly become one of nis dupes, or twenty-lour years of uge, pale as chulk and wildly fanatical in her conversatio: THY WOMEN’S STATRMENT. Theso womeu stated that about nine o’clock on Tuesday nignt they wero startied by hearing mon Walking on the porch, and immediately afterward the door was kicked opea and four masked men entered, euch presenting a yun or a pistol They bade the Womva make n0 noise, and at once seized the preacher, who was iu his dressing gown und snppers, and marched him outside and delivered him vver to the meu outside the door, They thea ted the wwo girls’ bands and then tied them both together, back tu buck, and lett them. The boy in the house attempted to go out and give the alarm, but was met at the tront door by a guard, who presented a gun 1m aud bade bim go Into the house. Tne boy made a sccond attempt to escape, and succeeded by getting out of a back window ‘aod rubning across the iiolds, and reached town und gave the alarm. Scarch was’ at oneo instituted for the reacher and his supposed lynchers, but without avail, ‘he excitement in the town soon became iutense, and Parties wero out all night tooking for the body of the preacher, which was not found, SAFK IN CHRIST, While the peoplo wore hunting the body a despatch came from Pleasant Hill, which read : Beloved ones—Dou't grieve; I am safe in Christ, J. A. BEDIENT. Mrs, Jonuson and her daughter and one or two other fermales started ut once for Pleasant Hill in buggies. disqguurse the last two verses of the 90th Psalm. The | reverend preacher said that the two thoughts most | natarally suggested by the text were the care of God | for His Church and the required work of man us a co- | operator with Him. The Psalmist saw that the Church | to “be successiul should bave the guidanco of | God, and, possessed by this thought, he rose to the iuspired height indicated by tho, words, ‘the work of our hands, establish | thou it!” It was, however, not to the general thought, but touts special application that they were | to look to-day in the history of their own eburch, Ho ; would ask them to go back to the time wheu those crowdoa thoroughfares and stately butidizgs which they now saw before them had not yet come inio being; when this metropolis was far to the south, and | What was the present Spring street Was a gmail subur- | van village. In the year 1809 two young Presbyterian converts, John Morris and Jobn Mills, who were en- yuged in mission work, caine to the Spring atreet | suburb and established a prayer meeting, 10 1810 a | plain Wooden building was erected, which was tu Bished by the contributions of the oid Wall street church, On the lst day of October, 1811, Rev. M. La Kuo Perrine, D, D., was ordained, who closed bis zeulous and uselul pastorate in 1820. in that year Rey. Sumuel Hanson Cox, D. D., was istatled, a man ot brilliant and varied talents, Who by his eloquence and fervor Was successful in uniting many members to the new church. In 1825 Dr. Cox and w large patt of the congregation seceded to establish a new church, and tho date of the organization of the present Spring street church should be assigned either to te year 1811 or the year of this sucus- sion, a8 one or the other might be taken m preierence as the actual time of its formation, From the tine of this division in the church Rev. Mr. Pillsbury supplied the pulpit ull, in 1828, Rev. Henry G. Ludiow was regularly ordained, The year 1834 was notable ns the year of the great riots, when the lives of prominent abolitionisis were threatened, and an attempt was made to destroy the church ou Spring street, which was especially obnoxious to the prosiavery party in New York. The church was saveu by the prompt action of Colonel Stephens, who marched to the spot at the head of his Tegiment'and dispersed the mob. In 1863 tho morn- 2d that the chureh would be handed pomination, and w bili of sale was placed on the door of the building. By united action on the part of some generous members abd Iriends the church was, however, carried salely througn tus crisis, Kev. Mr, Moment spoke in couclusion of the noteworthy work in the form of mission sebuols and prayer meetings which hud been undertaken and car- ried successtully on by the churen since 1863. THE FORTY HOURS. COMMENCEMENT OF THE FORTY HOURS’ ADOR- ALION AT THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY. At the Church of the Nativity, Second avenue, be- tween Second aud Third streets, yesterday morning, a solomn high masa was celebrated, Rev. Father Everett beiug celebrant, Rev. Father Kane deacon, and Rev. Father Nolan sub-deacon, At the conclusion of the mass a procession of the priests and altar boys was formed, and the blessed sacrament, exposed in a re- | monstrance, was carried around the church by tho | celebrant, On returning to tho altar the remonstrance was placed over tho tabernacle and the litany of the saints was chanted. The altar was ablazo with lights. In frontot the tabernacle, on the altar slab, was placed a lurge basket-of flowers, which was surmounted by adove. Owing to the length of the service incidental to the forty hours’ adoration there was no sermon, The blessed sacrament will remain exposed in the church Jor the adoration of the faitutul until to-morrow morning, when a solemn bigh mays will be celebrated as w close to the devotion. in sumo | otber church of the archdiocese tho forty hours’ adoration will at the sanv in this Way this dovotion yoar, tho blessed sacrament being always oxposed in some one or other of the churehes. NO TIME HEK: Hickory, dickory dock, What ails the Ulty Hail clock ? Along, long time ago a gentleman named Joshua commanded the sun to stop and a day of many mor than twenty-four hours was had, Ata later date—the pursery histories are not specific as to the year—a quadruped, in the shape of a mouse and by name “Hickory, Dickory Dock,” ran up @ certain clock and caused confusion, the extent of which ts a8 obscuro as the date of the occurrence, The presence of the “finest police in the woria”’ in town was calculated to insure us against such pranks for many a day, but the calculavion was faulty, The mouse soems to have taken up @ permanent residence in New York such mischief has fe been doing lately among our elevated time- Pieces, No later than Saturday evening he unpleas- me be commenced, and continued throughout the antly manifested bimselt by appearing 1m the City Hell tower at ton minutes to nino and stopping the cloc! In the days of Philly McDowell, when the City Hall clock ry bw tour—Philly const ote slight stoppage. But of late, since Position of + Offtciat olmak wiader bes to be a cure, the public has become critical and the commissions of the | mouse are looked upoa as omissiuna of the wipder, Agreat chance here lor # commitice of the ‘There they met the preacher, who consoled them with tho followimg story of his uight’s adventures:—He said there were eigbt men in the party, all armed aud masked. They wero ull on 1ovt, and compelled him to walk with theta, They took him west of town to a water tank pond, where they compelled him to stand upon the ice for about half an hour in his shppers. While thoy were consulting he guys he knelt down and prayed for therm. him he must consent to leave Greenwood for- ever or they would bang bim. He «nswered und satd be could mot leave until God bade bim go; that he was ready to die then and there if it was God's will, Then be says they took him to a treo and buug him until he was tnsensible, When be recoy- cred they were kicking him to make him getup. Ho | was then taken to within a short distance of Pleasant Hill and turned joose, with the promise trom hin that he would not return to Greenwood “unless the Lord bade Lim” or an officer of the Jaw brought him back. The women returned yesterday trom Picasant Hill and went volore a justice of the peace and swore out Warrants against Americus White (vroiker of Saide White), Watt Poilhps, Wiltam M. Faleouer and Sam- uel T, lioover, charging them with being members of the kidnapping purty, ‘These men deny the charges dnade, but the girls say they are positive in their iden- (ication, The prefiminary exummation wil take place to-day. Meantime the preacher will do weil io keep away Irom Greenwood. CHARITY BALL, Tho Hebrew charity bail, which is to take place at the Academy of Music next Thursday evening, trom present indicat:ous promises to be a grand success, A meeting of the genticwwen having the arrangements in charge was heid yesterday altergoon in parlor B, St Cloud Hotel, the main object of which was to hear the reports of those having the saie of tickets in charge, Although the reports were necessarily incom. plete sufficient was developed to warrant the belief that tho proceeds irom the sale of tickets alone will amount to about $12,000. The committce have, wisely cnough, determined not to expend any great amount of money on unnecessary dec- orations, as such expenditure would only deplete the fund which the bail is intended to anecren: Suitable floral and other designs will be fur ned—most Of them, it 18 hoped, gratui- tously—to decorate the raised platform un the stage, It 1s expected that the entire expense of the ball will be defrayed out of the recurpts tur boxes, thus leaving the handsome sum of 312,000 to be applied to the United Hebrew Charities Fund. ‘The proscenium Voxes nave already been subscribed for by M. M. Heu- dricks, 1. Haas, Adolph Haigarten, 8, B. Uimaan, Joseph Stner, Moses Alitchell and Moriiz Cobeu, Utner yoxes will be uccapied by J. 8. Abecasis, BO, Solomon, B, Russak, sy!vester Bravh, Juan Nathan, M. H. Moses, Pup Stiner, A, B. Ausbacher, J. 1. Sent, EK OM. Angel, D. L. | Hinstein, Jelus Hulgarten, A. Schoile, Jesse — Seltginan, h. Hermann, S. Hendricks, 4. F. Kotnscnild, J. S. Isuves, H. H. Nathan, Menry Rice, J. KF, Bamberger, A. KE Kursheult, A. 7. Hendricks, 3, Rossini, A. Wallack, 8, /. Hart, A. Steitel, CG. A. Heuriquez, L. Riess, L, Lewisonn, Hyman slum, B. Bernhard, Mrs. THE HEBREW | R, Javous, 2. Wertheimer, tl Honig, 1. 3. Levy aud HS. Alien, ‘the floor will be under the management of the Purim Association, H. H. Moses, chairman. ‘The reception commitice will consist of H. S. Alen, chairman; Aldermen Lewis und Hess, Mr. Isaac Selt.- man, Messrs, Rice, leury Bium, Kau and others, Neyer will furnish the music for dancing and Grafula for promenade. Io view of the) unparalieled distress whieh already prevails among the poor of all creeus And nationalities in the city the committee hope that this special charikableobject will be hverally patron. jued, FUNERAL OF MRS. GRATTAN, The fancral of tho late Mra, H. P, Grattan, who for many years occupied a prominent place in the theatri- cal profession, was held yesterday morning, from her late residence, No. 101 West Twenty-ninth strevt, and was pumerously attended, the profession being largely represented. Among those present wero J, W, Collier, Miss Bijou Heron, Mr. and Mrs. Parsioe, Mrs. Hind, Mr, and Mra. Sol Smith, Harry Watkins and daughter, Mra. Eldridge, Mrs, Reeves, Mrs. J. R. Scott and Mr, and Mra, flarkins, besides many others equally weil known. ‘The caskot, which wag placed in the centre of the parior, bore the inscription :— serareceresereresertserseeressogreoereceneteee. boas EMMA’ GRAITOS. z Disd Dec. 14, 1876. Aged 66 years, Qrriscccerecsenccccenrececssererecese re rere robe ne teow It Was almost entirely hidden from view with floral tributes, principal among which was a large pillar of choice flowers, the offering of J. W. Collye which were the words “All's Well,” aad aot tue ondearing word ‘Mother,’ the giftot Mr. cue, sou-in-law of the | decouved. — Otn ral contributions were a beatiful cro! lilies uf the valley and rosebuds, a wreath from Mrs, Showler and choice voquets irom Mutilda and Bijou Heron, At ten o'clock the Re Hough. wn, of the ‘Little Church Around the Corner,”’ began the solemn and impressive buril service of the Kpis- copal Church, At tts termination the many friends of the lamented actress gathered around the bier and took ‘ tarewell louk of the dead artiste, The remains were conveyed to their final resting piace in Cypress Hilla Cemetery, followed by many suurners. She 1s # sad looking girl of about twenty tiree | When they came back-sney told, IN THE STREETS YESTERDAY—GLIMPSES AT THB PEOPLE'S POVRRTY—COAI, WANTED BADLY, Yesterday being a fine, sharp, sunshiny day, and the day of rest for the toflers im ordinary times, the com trast between the dull aspects that presented them selves aud the lite and cheerfuluecss of passing throngs in the streets that might have been, were it not for the hard times, was marked indeed, Tho city was us bright and inviting as any good citizen need wish to have it on a December day, but the people were notin harmony with the brisk, ‘ gladsome, invigorating weather, It is vot so easy nowadays to meet with men who speak in bopetu! strains and look forward to the future with adefying strength ta their owo pur- pose. Doubt, aread of some unknown catastrophe, fears of harder times than even those we are passing through, pervade men’s thoughts and make them choerless im speech und deed. There is a saying now, and it has become famiijar to every one {rom is repetition for two or three years back, that there ts plenty of moucy in the city, but that those who have tt bold on to it In tvis saying lies the secret which explaing the thoughttal demeanor of the great body of the people, una whieh induces the iorebcdings and the uncertuin- ties characterizing ail classes of tue community at tho present time. Tue “hope deferred” of better tines 80 Tar trom being nearer a realization becomes daily wan- ing into the sienderest prospect of a return to what people like to call the “good old umes,” and so yester- day, though ine day was bractug to the body and provocative of happiness to the mind, there was an of depression mauitested in the people secu In the streets. THE WANT OF WORKINGMEN’S BARNINGS, Everywhere that one inquires as to how storekeep- crs find business, the reply in nearly every instance 1s that it ought to be inucn better. Among those cater- era who nave to rely im the main upou the working- men’s fannlies for trade the uF 1s that business could not be Worse—-uotbiag atall doing, ‘The liquor dealers und beer sellers, Who took away so inuch of the poor man’s money, are thoroughly disgusted. The buteher and baker and grocer have ali felt the loss of the workiugman’s earnings, Inu thousand ways tho idleness of so many tuousand men dude its uatural effect in ithe depression of trade. In the groceries connected with tenement houses and the beer shops, which exist trom a similar propibaclky to the workingmen’s homes, busiuc8s las long siuce ceased, so fur us making money 1s con- cerned, ‘These traders no longer trust the men Irom Week to Week, and wul not seli except tor cash down, The result is that they ure but litle patronized, as the chief attraction they can offer to customers 1s the trust until pay day, Jt will not take uch longer time to Cioso the inajority ot these places aitogetber, No inconsiderable number of tumities of this class wil) be, therefore, lett on the verge of destitution. ‘THE HOUSKLESS WANDERERS, It was easier yesterday to distinguish the poor homeless street wanderer than on week days, when they merge more easily into the tide of populauon flowin, through the (thoroughfares. ‘Tho contrast be- tween the man at work aud the man out of work snows itsel! in signs uomustakable. Without taking the idie workingman for an example, a short period of idleness tor any man working for a living sullices to show that be is out of employment, How vasy, theo, in throngs of well ~ dressed men ulung the streot# 18 it to observe tha dejected workingwan, as ho 8, with his clothes bespeaking the poverty which has ‘come to biw. 1a the alternoon the biting wind which succeeded the morning sunshine brought cold and benumbed titbs t¢ mauy a poor, weary, houseless wanderer 1 the streets, and no doubt this morning the police courts wiil show {but there is to be a long list of applicants for the Alms. house on the first day of the week. ‘These poor men were out in tie streets in large num bers yesterday, the places where they find « resting place on week days being closed, and for tue samo reason there was a groater difficulty io getting someching toeat. The day of rest was a day Of misery to many thousands of people in this gr city, orno rehef ad come to them during the past week, and there was juat as little hopo yesterday aa on the previous Sunday. CHIKS FOR COAL, Apart from the destitution of the men who are with« out homes and who have to parade the stroets hungry, there 1s 4 pressing Want among not only the working: those who men’s families, but among earn a little during tno week, for a supply of coal in this severe weather. That the work- ingmen’s families need charity in this particular ig evident, but the relief 1s needed among the very large number of other classes just as much. Tho Board of Apportionment recently gave some money to meet the Want among some of this latter clasy, but there wus no provision made for the working ciasses, and al this moment the Commissioners ot Charities and Cor- rectiun axe daily obliged to tura bunarods vf poor peo. ple away who come to them asking for the charity of some coal, Ip former years, when the working 30% ‘ere far inore prosperous than they are now, coal wad iven to the poor generously and avundantly. It seeina ard at this season, when distress is the ruleand not ihe exception, that evon in Unis necessary charity #¢ much penuriousness has been practised by tye Board ot Apportionment, If even coat were suppl.ed tu ihe poor families who are striving to hold out im all then present wretcnedness against the disruption of their homes, much misery would be reheved and a great boon conierred upon members of tamiies in every ward im the city. Tho Commissioners of Charities aud Correction bave usked for an appropriation of $100,000 for the outdoor poor this yeur, and the Board of Aldermen have in a very emphatic way signived weir approval of the Commis: sioners’ petition for thatumount. It now resis with the Board of Apportionmedt to withdraw the oppusi- tien already unmistakubly expressed by them to thig Mem for outdoor rele! aud thus make some boginning voward reiioving the admitted general poverty among the workmg classes, So tar the relief from any source aflorved to the sufloring poor hus been of the most meugro sort and altogetber insuflicient. Rev, J. A. M. Chapman, D. D., preached yesterday in St, Paul’s Methodist courch on the sacred obligation of relieving the suflerings ot the poor. — fia address, which was toauded | upon the text, Pealms, xi, 1—"Blessed is he that con aidereth the poor”’—was jor the most part a collection of quotations and pithy stories trom the Bible appro- priate to the matter. My subject, bo began, i# raiber hackneyed, and is ove upon which ] perhups may not be able to say anything vow. ‘This 13 true of most sub- jecis. Ministersdo not miroduce new and emotional Ubristianity ; they but bring to mind old teachings, ‘There is nothing mentioned tn the Scriptures, more often asked for by God, or upon the rendering of which He showers moro rewards than tho helping of the poor. They seem all along to be Hia special favorites, and He says, ‘He that giveth to the poor lendeth unto the Lord.” He does not send then poverty because He hates them, but because by the uneven distribution of wealth the noblest natures ure given a ficld in which to practise their virtue, Un ‘the one hand ts a God-like strength to bear privation developed, und on the other side generosity takes the place of selfishness, We must alwaye remember that ail we have we owe to God and are but His stewards, and are commanded to distribute a part, A collection was takeu up after the sermou forthe benefit o: an organization highly prai: by the speaker—the Ladies’ Union Aid Society. A SAD CASE IN BROOKLYN. A deserving case was reported to tue writer yestere by Captain Crafts, of the Second precinct. Tho pian stated that a few days ago he had been notifled that aman bad fallen down the stoop of the tenement house in the rear otf No. 187 John stroet, and had cut his head in several places, trom tho effects of which he was likely to vleed to death On hasteving to the pice indicated be found John Forbes, uged about thirty-live years, un American, lying upon @ rough and bare pallet im a miserable apartment, in an almost unconzcious éondition. Forbes, alter receive ing surgical aid, was romoved to tho City Hospital, Ine quiry showed that the unfortunate man, who bad boon, Out of employment for several months past, had fallen” through weakness brought on by honger and cold. Mrs. Forbes is te advanced in consumption, and has one child, axed three years, On Thanksgiving Day tbey buried their other child, @ boy six years old. ‘The Captain procured a iew dollurs’ worth of the absolute necessaries to sustain life, and seme medicine for the poor woman, | Sho says that she would willingly go to the hos- pital, but that her child would not be permitted to accompany her there, gnd she could not euuure A separation. ADDY assistance that the chari- tably disposed may sce proper to bestow upon the Forbes family will bo received by the captain ut the station house, corner of York aad Jay streots, undduly forwarded to the sufterers, READY 10 HELP, eat Eprror Mo fny| AgRALD:— ljaving seen In the HxkaLv ior many days an appeal for aid tor the pocr, which hus notes yet reuervedL avy response, I propose to set tho ball rolling by agree- ing to bake all the bread thatthe poor may need, a cost, to bo delivered iv large quantities. JAMES G, DUNCAN, Baker, No. 521 Pearl street, COURT CALENDARS THIS DAY. 8 Court—C Hi SUPREME CoURT—GENBRAL i te until December 28, 1876. A Surremk Count—SpxctaL Tkrm—Hoid by Judge a ge te gn ot 67, 638, 692, 697, 703, 710, 729, 788, 741, 80, 75Y, 760, Tl, 785, 7 4 90" 61, 231, 680, 781, 763,72 “8 7% RT, Circuit—Part 1—Held by J ue.—Nos. 1459, 2361, 695, 699, 023% ne 4, 2080, 862, 3213, 2011, "2015, 2091, 2527, 4, 2175, 2379, 1993, S841, 2088, 1, 1111, 2485, “777. 1789, i, Ae Part 2—Held by “Judge 'Lawrence.—Nox. 1949) 1104, 1404, 608, 760, “Gov, 10, 3728, 2240, 3582, Bosw, 258%," 2788, 11084, 826%, 1430, 2545, 2880, B22 139%, 652, 1898, 3709,’ 1500," 3140.’ Part 3—Hola by Juage Larremore.—Nos. 3915, 1967, 1609, 2207, 174144, ¥SdI, 657, 1735, 1823, 3075, 2267, 3365, 278, BOT, 41. 419, '2089, 696, 1809, 1097, 2288, 3i87, 1829, 1617, 37, SureRiok COURT—GENeRAL 'TeRM,—Adjourned for i Sreciat Trea—Held by Judge ‘Now. 22, 41, 26, 49, 30, 61, 36, 37, 40, 9, Surknioz Court—Tria, Tenm—Part 1—Held Judge Sedgwick.—Nos, 250, 417, 435, 436, 687, 30, 467, 473, 404, 408, 432, 443, 475,.052, 307, 319, 423, 434, 464, 1116, 486, 421, 1099, Part 2—Held By Jadge Freed: man, —Wili assist Part 1 in disposing of calendar, eee PLeAs—GuNERAL Tkna.—Adjourned for the Common PLreas—Equity Term —! Hoeson.--Nos. 6, 24, 25, 28, 29, 2, Common ’Leas—Ti ‘TRR the term, Part 2—Hei - igs by Judge Van 1—Adjourned for by Judge Van Brant.—Nos, [CONTINUED ON NINTH PAGE)