The New York Herald Newspaper, December 25, 1876, Page 6

6 THE Chis at BETHLENEN, Yesterday’s Sermons on the Child- Christ's Coming, A STAR IN THE. EAST. The Temples of God Made Beautiful with Evergreens, L'VING WHAT IS THE CHRIST ? Why the Songs of the Angels Were Heard by the Shepherds, A WREATH OF CHRISTMAS PRAISES. FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH. SERMON BY THE REV. DR. ARMITAGE ON THE BABE OF THE MANGE! At tho Fifth avenue Baptist eburch, Forty-sixth Btreet, near Filth avenue, +yesterday morning, the Rev. Dr, Armitage preached on “The Babe of the Man- ger,’ the text being Luke, i, 16. After examining the mystery of the human virth and the joy of Christmas. fide, Dr. Armitage said: t well becomes us now to look at this “babe in the manger’? and ask ourselves, Who is He? Surely ove who could create such duties as I have now set betore you, and move the heart by every healthy incentive io discharge them, must bea divine chiid. The birth ofan ovscure infant, tn un obscure province of the world, who has filled all the ages since with luminous cllecis, and Wuo bas created a new civilization among the most powerful nations of the earth, sharply c ting off all that is modern trom ali that was ap- cient, cannot be that of an ordinary peasant child. Nearly two thousand years have fulant was born, and yet, under the and deepest tevlings, the cheerfulness of th this, as if the whe lotiest: thoughts and the adoring, the ing 18 transferred to i all its sweetuess, Deauty aud splen hidden in His bosom, god were living there sill Since the hour of that huspicious birth every new-born babe of Adam’s race Beeins Lo have preserved its freshness by virtue of His young pulse, in Him the old creation and the new meet. All that is true and innocent and young in both He incarnates into the human. Since He lay in hat manger almost all things in tue world keom to have changed, or, if they bave pot changed, it is only where the birth has not touched tiem, While the the carol, Rome, iron nis globe uuder her s one of tuastery and ig hither aud thither, entirely ignorant of Lhe baby hand which in Lwo centuries was to crumbie the power of her edicts and to convert her cruel Coliseum jnioa temple for Himseli, On that day Draidist wae absolute in Gaul and Britain, aud while the innocent victims of Herod’s wrath were Walling at Bethieem the dark altars of Stonehenge were quivering With human victims. The black forests pf Germany were teuanted by wild barbarian hordes, eusiaved by the crueliest superstitions, Horrible rites In feariul sacrilice jhbeworld litie knew ¢ place in that manger. But the birth of (his tiny chil bas altered the condition of mankind. The old gods of Greece, Rome, Gaul, Britain, Gerinany, Mexico and America have passed away like spectres, aud where that thraldom existed a litde child leads the nations by a bemgnant chain af love into a potent freedom. When ono looks Bt the Wondrous conquests achieved by this Dabe in 2,000 years we can forgive the enthusiasm ot Aue young Parisian who lost bis balance. One of the Jost eloquent of French preachers was descanting tn onate rhapsody on tue Christ belore 7,000 people Notre Dame, when the youth sprang to his feet and ba stentorian vor demanded “three cheers tor ; Christ.’ That was a piece of rough earnestness, utit was only aspecimen of what Christendom bears Upon its heart to-day and wili express at every tireside to-morrow, For how cau we keep the birthday: with joy without feeling transport for the cluld born? Woe He is still present with us at the festival, still turning the water into wine, we cannot be loyal without the gift of love and the hymnu of enthustistic praise. Neither docs the cele- people, bus to all ‘people and .’ and’ especially may all the young keep the children’s festival. To this end wo Will tell the story to our children at the fireside by one prociaiming that their elder brother ts born, He is your child’s brother by biood, periect in His tender. hess, sympathy, lowliness and sanctity, These ure the ‘natural bends which te Him to them The babe in the manger is our kinsman, In Him you meet a bumanizing of God and adeitying of man. His name 4s Jesus, a name of love inefable, The very name pro- nounced by the angel, ‘“ihough shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins,” callgup a v The name wa esty and brightness, en belore it Was pro- ounced at the man, Such names are realitics; they speak o! persons. This name thrills througn ‘ou in a consciousness that His countenance is radiant, t opens churacter to yoo and feature together. It Kindles your sympathies and awakens your affections and makes you cliug to “ibe Son given,” You undor- Band what Beroard meant when he said that the name of Jesus “is honey im the mouth, melody in the car and medicine to the poul.’” Who can wonder that chiidren who have not yetdawned into early manhood come sometimes of Bye like men among men in their strength and fulness of love to be int manger? they have Diten practised self-donial and inflexibie discipline m almegiving, in personal consecration and in suffering lor His sake. History tells us of children suffering martyrdom from love to Christ. ¢At the age ot four- teen and even twelve love to this Manger Babe is a deep and inward force which lies beyond this worki’s ken, that calm and anmovod collectedness which alone pan’ give birth to enwusiasm. od clothing Dimselt once more i bun a babe and Buckling the ancient God hus * prerected praise.” By the mouth of a babe aud a suckling the omaipotent God bas stilled * the enemy and the avenger; nay, out of the mouth ofa labe and suckling, taken from a manger. He bas “ordained the streogth ” by which He Bilisthem, sSice Jesus lay in the manger, and Jesus puta litte child into the midst of His disciples, the Pentre of attraction in the Very apostieship itself, the world has learned that there is more of God in the oving practic which attests His love for Christ shan fo ail the subuile pretensions of Pharisee and Ieribe the wide world round. Lhen make your children appy to-morrow as redeemed ebildren, Show them t You are free in giltssas tue Babe in the mangor gave Himself, aud seek out the poor hatless, girls, with their keen-edged appe- Dott i to the Babe inthe manger, This is the best way to take the babe out of the manger aud to give Him a warmer cradle, through His own jittle ones, 1» your heart of hearts, ' Accept your pastor’s bearsfeit wish that each of you may bave a werry, merry, nay thrice merry Christmas. PLYMOULH CHURCH. {HE CHRISTS' OF ALT, OF THE SCHOOLS AND OF THE GOSPEL NOT THE LIVING CHRIST—sER- MON BY HENRY WARD BEECHER. As there will be no service hel@ in Piymouth church to-day, Mr. Beecher yesterday preached what may bo considered bis Christmas sermon. Except an unusu- ally vrilliant display of rare flowers upon the platform there was little to mark the festival. A Christmas earol by Dudley Buck, sung by the choir, with soprano obligato by Miss Clementine V. Lasar, opened the sore Vices, and the rest of the exerciges followed the usual routine. “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest m our body,” was the text of Mr, uv free Bhoeless boys and tise and expoced limbs, to make them blessed. to them and you d Feecher’s sermon. He analyzed Paul's churacter and explaiged influence of the feeling expressed in the foxt upon the life of the apostic, When Paul stood firm where otbers would have y, he used to recoguige (he power of Christ within supporting bim; whet he suffered he hatied the suffering as one of the pangs which Christ sulfered for men, and so in every Jituation im his lle tdentined bimuseif with the Baviour. No man, said Mr. Beecher, has any Christ who bas not ove that is born withia himself, No man's Christ is other than Wat which is termed i tim, Tuere is a Christ in the text, the Corist that lived in the New Testament, but He lived in Galilee; you do pot, He waiked and taiked around iis shores; you have pever—most of you—rested your eyes upon that jace. He rested in the Temple; Your eyes never be- ‘eld it, He wore the garb of the Jews and spoke in the ancient tongue. Tuis Christ is the phantom of history; He 18 a mere spectre of the long past to you; aud the Christ of the text can never be the Christ of lo-duy and of your vital experiences. Then there is the Christ of ari, We receive with great pleasure and Jey, sometimes, the various embod ments of men—their touception of the bead of this fiero of heroes, this Lord of lords—Jesus Corist, And although there are pone that meet our need, almost ail of them bring to aa a certain pleasure. But after ail it is dramatic, Tho pleasure that w ni art representations of Ubrist and His lite to the great realm of y veh art dweils, and out of Which it attempts to fashion human life, But the Christ of art, although it may be xulary, if ou baye no other thau tbat, you bave none that for you. ‘Then there is the Christ of pbil- osophy, the Christ of the schovls—His nature delineated, His rank and station marked down—the Christ of the rinity, of (he Atonement, of the Chareb ; and althongl there is aexiiary help in this, ue who o other Christ than this that has been thus made the elements of judgment, out of intellectual has 0 ch Christ as Paul had. Ali these are piovoree: they are all another Crist than the one mm of fmugipation— | you need, Yours is living; these are all dead. Tneso are, all of them, mere representatives, THE PROLEM OF LIFE. Now, no artist can paint a portrait except by pig- ments; but the pigments are not the portrait. Toere must be the various colors on his palette, and but tor them he might pot be able to bring out the cherished likeness that is desired, But after he has brought que your mother, wile or child, it is not the piaments that you see or tuink of, but the face, the living face, a8 it Seems, And vow we need the Christ of art, the pliilo sophie Christ; but they are mere pigments; and, as it were, we lay them on the pale dour Christ, i we have one that 1s to us what was to him, is the Christ of our enildhood, the Christ of our youth, the Christ of our manhood, It is the Coriss that was re- Vealed to us when our heart was like aciuster, aud God crashed ttuntil the blood flowed out like wine from a cluster, Was there uo God revealed to us then? At this portion of his discourse Mr, Beecher’s voice became choked with emotion and tears started trom his eyes, so intense, opparently, was bis fecling. The effect upon his congregation was instunianeous, and npdkerehiets Were brought mio requisition to bide & weeping countenance. There have been times, be continued, of temptation when you have been bowed down to the ground and seemed likely to be utterly swept away, and there have come to you wholesome, lucid moments of uprising and victory; and in those moments there has been some sense of Jesus Christ, ome sense of a power rising up to help you; some moments when you would have trodden men under foot. and there hus risen up thoughts of sympathy and forgiveness; and in the midst of them there las dawned upon’ your imagination a down- looking tace of Christ, so ‘uil of sympathy and so full of satistactiog that you had gained a victory over your passions, that it has stamped ftseil upon your mind never to be forgotten. In days of durkuess and sorrow there are born into man ele- ments of Christ, and so 1 might go step by step and make the whole round of buman life and say, If there is a Christ in you that makes you stronger than otuer men while you feel less and more humble than they; if there be a Christ who dominates, it is tho Christ that bas been fashioned In you by’ your ox. periences, Weare born to suffer, if you choose to cull it suffering; we are born to trial and discipline, and to ali (hose rude exaetitudes by which discipline is made to result in second nature; and there is a perpetual revealing to us of the Christ that suffered for us, Whatiséhe meaning of life? What is the problem? And there isa silouce in the heavens, not for the space of half an hour, a8 the Apoc:lypse de- clares, but there is silence through the ages. Tho mystery of time 1s the expression of God from men in the scenes in which they communicate with each other. It is the sorrow of the soul that God hides himsell, and is not revealed to man. Ob, how sad is the way of life! But there comes out of these individual elements the cou- ception of God and we feel that we are not separated from Christ, that we are carrying in this globe part of the experience which takes ou its bighost coaception in nature of God Himself who suffers, not through want or limitation, but because love suflers aud must for- ever suffer in ‘doing good. In living we are joimed we. gether in that we sufler and in the detaiis of lile we are abie to dignily them, to cast grandeur upon gloom; we are able to seo what no other eyes than ours can dis- cern in the straugo unrolling of the drama and the trayedy. Rejoice, my friends, said Mr. Beecher, in conclu-, sion, as standing upon the eve of the celebration of Christ's birth; rejoice in the historical Christ; rejoice in the Christ of beauty which art bas fashioned; rejoice in Christ as set forth in the documents of the Chureh; but above all rejoice in that Christ which is born within you. ST. .FRANCIS XAVIER'S CHURCH. KNOWLEDGE OF GOD—SERMON BY THE REV. FATHER DEALY. The services at St. Francis Xavier's church were largely attended yesterday. The sermon was preached by Rev. Father Dealy. The text of the sermon was taken from the Gospel according to St. Jobn, i, 14:— “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us,”” The preparation of the church for Cnristmas, the rev- erend gentleman said, was in response to the com- mand, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord,” and tho Church had not ceased to exhort us to pay attention to the command, The coming of the Saviour pro- claimed to us with renewed enthusiasm invitations to be in that frame of mind in which we might profit by the festival, I! asked who is the being whose birth was about to be commemorated the beart would throb with delight and answer that it was the ever blessed Jesus, who had come down trom heaven and dwelt among and this brought to mind the trutns which naturally occupied the thoughts of the faithiul at this timo, The blessed sacrament was the fruitof the incarnation, the perpetuity of the presence with which the dis- ciples were familiar when they couversea with Him ou earth. He bad promised not to leave them as orphan but to return to them again. When the doors were closed upon them He suspended the laws of na- ture and stood im their midst, saying, “See my hauds and feet, that itis I myself; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones such as you see me to have. it is the same Lord and Master whom you have known; with whom you hage eaten, drank and conversed. [tis 1, mysel!, who am come to you !n all my personal identity.” This holy mass was the divine worship of the Catholic Church, for there was Jesus present, the source of all grace and light He dwelt in the tabernacle according to the word of the evangelists, and over His divine presence sprung the visible Church in all ite majesty and beauty throughout the world. He was also manilest in our faith, His disciples had seen Him and we had not; but in what had they seen Hina more than we? They bad seen Jesus and He was God. They had seen His manhood, His glory and resurrection, and t was all that buman eyes or flesh and blood could see, We saw Him as they did, with this distinction—that we recognized Him in the exerc! of supernatural powers and the perpetuity of His love forus The Jews had seen God through sense alono, aud believed Jesus to be “the carpenter whose mother they knew. Nicodemus bad seen Him through both sense and reason, for he said unto Him, ‘We know that thou arta teacher come from God;’’ but it was Peter who added the illumination of faith and con- fessed the divinity which neither sense nur reason could, In like manner we knew the sense, saw the bread in the blessed sacrament, and reason alone pen: trated the boundary of sense; but when reason be- came illuminated by faith we knew that Jesus had ordained tho succession of the priesthood and the presence of His body and blood, The Caibolic Church alone taught His presence, and would do 80 to the end of time. CHURCH OF DISCIPLES. BETHLEHEM, THE CRADLE OF CHRISTIANITY— SERMON BY THE REY. GEORGE H. HEP- wortH. Tne Chureh of the Disciples was crowded yesterday morning. In compliance with the custom of the sea: son the edifice was neatly decorated with evergreens which met the eye on every band im the shape of a cross, a star ora wreath. For bis text Mr. Hepworth selected the sixth verse of the second chapter of Matthew—"‘And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda; for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel.” When Herod asked the chief priests and scribes of the people, said the pastor, where his dreaded rival sbould be born, they tried to answer in the words of prophecy, but they misquoted the prophecy, leaving out what are to us the most important words, There are peculiar associations connected with that beauti- ful town of Bethiebom. It is picturesquely situated on the crown of a ruggd, rocky bil. Away off to the might lies the sluggish Dead Sea with all its sad memories Of thero to the north, like a crown hilltop, sits the holy city of Jerusalem, the very air which floats over it being redolent of notes of gratitude to God. This city (Bethlehem) is rewarkablo also because of the associa- tions connected with the past. Here Jacob buried Rachel, who died after giving birth to Benjamin. ir tomb 18 said to be still in existence, aud sluiher pil- gritages ure constantly being mage by the faithful. Tt was near by that Ruth gleaned wheat in the fields of Boaz, an ancient Jewish law requiring the ‘tarvest- ers to jeave something bebinw them for those who were poorer than they, It was bere also that the prophet Samuel was sent to anoint David that he might rule over Jerusalem, and it was just outside the city’s limite that the shepherds beard the anvounce- ment that the jong promised King had arrived, the event being heralded by angels, who filled the air with their song of “Peace on earth, good will toward men.” ttiewonder, then, that Bethiehem bas become a cred spot! Litile wonder that devote ‘om all nations, from all quarters of the globe, find their way to tts hallowed precipe(s and there lit up their voices to flim who sent His only begotten Son that we might have life everval The announcement of the birth of the Lord was mado not only to shepherds just outside the town, but also to Unose 1h the far Ewst, Where (he peuple saw the star in the heavens and ‘ollowed it until it sat over the granite walls of Bethiehem, and,tben they apointed the new born King with precious ollsand myrrh, Do you tink itu litte remarkable thatthe Lord should announce: this great event to those people of the Unient at tho sume time He made known the glad Udings to the humble shepherds? To me there is nothing strange aboutit, for the Gospel of the new retorm is wot the Zoapel of clique, or of a nation, but it is the Gospel tor h, and it draws all so closely together that in God's own good time every heart in the universe shall beat in unison. THR CONSOLATION OF FAITH. And now, bretiron, let me ask you to stand here and Jook for a moment at the condition in whict th world was when Jesus first entered 14 Take you stand, 4{ you will, upon the biliside overlook:ng Jeru- sulem, ‘The population of this city was lamentably corrupt and debased. Their spiritual notions were very fow indeed. They did not look for an humble child of God to lead them—for one who would give them the marvellous git of second sight that they miglit see through the mysteries of God. They were | ratuer looking for a military power, Jor one who could briog the legions of heaven to do battie for and sup- plant the weakoess of their own people. Their eyes und they were ever ou the alert tor piendor and worldly power alone, and when in @ peasant’s garb, one who spoke with great humility of bimself, but who said 1 am the Promised Messiah, I will lead you out of the wilder. ness, they contemned Him and smote Him, and thas they stood as @ nation aud looked over the Son of God, hoping to find ove answering more their erroncous notions aud designs. Alluding to Athens and ber great philosophers Mr. Hepworth continued:—There is one thing we must know and not guess a Go to an Athenian home, NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1876. Do you think the mothers of the past did not know what griet was? Do you think their hearts were less tender than ours?’ See that mother beading*over ber child, still and white as if carved out of marble, She stands in the presence of a great mystery. Her sobs, her tears aud her supplicas tions elicit no response irom that coldclay. Teil me, | can those great philosophers, those men of whom we | just spoke—men whose fame is boundiess.~can they give her any certainty of the future to which net chila | is gone? ; tbe stote may come and say it is an iron fate, and that she must stand it. Harvea your heart, | he tells ber, will 1t 18 stone, and then only will you be | fitto live. Go with me to Rome. There the army was | the only power, and its Governor once said to Christ, ith a tone of disgust, when He talked to bim of truth, -"What is trath? I know nove putthe arm, I put my faith in Roman spears and Roman sworda” She captured Athens—that is, she captured the bodies of where lies a child dead. the Athenians—but in time Athens eaptured the minds of the Romans, Again 1 atk, where can I find consola- tion and help THE SONG OF TH CRNTURIES. We will go back to Bethlehem and kneel, as the shepherds and those people rom the East kuelt, and ask there the same questions that I have been asking the world. The answer is perfectly satisiactory, Jesus gave us the ambition to cultivate Our moral nature, and He did it to teach us tha! God’ie not our King, but rather our Father. He bas told us how to dry our tears by looking through them, To-day, when a mother kneels beside her dead child, what a differ- ence there 1s between her and the Athenian mother! One feels the sorrow of despair, the other looks up and says, “Thy will, not mine, be done,” I reinember once hearing the story of a soldier wha, during our late war, was doing guard duty before his commander's tent. ' As he paced to and fro he began singing that dear old bymn, “When I can, read my title clear.” Afier a httle his voice grew louder and a restinel a little tance off caught the refrain, avd there was aduet. They sang the old hymn as if it were a song of victory, and presently -anuther voice jomed in and there was a chorus, and in afew moments the notes had swelled along from post to post, irom tent to tent until the whole army bad joined in that wondrous song in the presence of the enemy :— When Lean read my title clear To mansions in the sky. When I first heard this story I thought I could see that poor carpenter singiug “Peace on earth,” and afier a little the disciples took it up, and the next cen- tury more, and yet still more, and pow in the pine- teenth century the music of tuat wondrous song begun by the poor carpenter at His workbench is sung in every quarter of the globe. BROOKLYN ‘TABERNACLE, THE JOY OF RELIGION—SERMON BY REY. T. DE WITT TALMAGE. ‘The Brooklyn Tabernacle was well filled yesterday forenooa during the services, The pustor, Rev. T. De Witt Talmage, who bas} ust returned from a lectur ing tour in the West, in reading the usual notices, ex tended an invitation to his congregation to call upon him at his residence, No. 1 South Oxford street, on New Your's Day, The text was Luke, iz, 14 The reverend gentleman said that we learn from this story of the birth of Jesus, in the first piace, that indigence is not always significant of degradation, When princes are born heralds proclaim it and flags wave tt, and cannon thunder it and illuminations set cities on fire with the tidings; but when Christ was born there was uo demonstration of earthly honor or homage. In all axes of the world there had been great hearts throb- biog under rags, gentle spirits under rough exteriors, gold in the quartz, and in the very stable of poverty and penury wonders of excellence that have been the glory of the beaveniy host. Tue great deliverers of hations have not come tram tne bomes of aflluence, bul by the discipiine of their own hardship learned to speak und write and fight tor the poor and te oppressed. How seldom i is that you find 4 man starting out in the world to accomplish any great mis- sion Who has not bad bard struggles at We'start. Men have sometimes held up their pine kuot ght unui by it whole nations could see, Of the crust of their own hardship and penury such men Lave broken the bread of knowledge and righteousness for the starving mii- lions of the race. Poetry, science, law, constitution and commerce, like Christ, were born in a manger, apd great thoughts thut scemed to have been the axle- treo on which the centuries turned staried in some obscure corter, and had Herods who tried to slay them, and Iscariots who unjueiy denounced them, and rabbles who crucitied them until they broke torth again in glorious resurrec- tion, Men ure like wheat—worth all the more tor being fiatied, The Lora’s dear children are in hovels of want. You find them in the most unexpected es, They have all hardship, all privation, all trial many of them; but they shail reign with Christ forever, Again, I learn trom the text that it is when we are engaged in our lawiul occupations that we bave divine mantiestatious made to us, If these shepherds bad gone that night imto the Village, und risked tneir flocks among the wolves, they would not have heard (he song of the angels, He sees most of God and Heaven who minds bis own business, It is only when we are at the post of duty that divine exbivition 18 made to us. We are all shepherds, aud we have large flocks of cares, and we must tend them. I know there are a great many busy men who say, “If T had the days, months aud years to devote to the sub- ject ot religion I should be one of the best Christians. ’’ The busiest men ure gencrully the best men. There is no point from which you can get cleurer views of duty than at the merchant's counter or the accountant’s table, or on the mason’s wall, Jobn and Jumes wero mending their nets when Christ demanded that they become fishers of men. If they bad been snoring ip the sun God would not have called them trom their indolence to the apostieship. The prodigal son would pot bave reformed or desired to go home if be bad not first gone into business, though it was swine feeding; and there 1g not one chance vut of a thousand for a man’s becom: ing a Christian if bo is lazy—givea up to thorough dolence, wiliul and voluniary idleness. When we are like the shepherds of the text, watching our flocks, then the glory oi the Lord shines avout us, JOY IN THE ANGELS’ ANTHEM. The music that troke turough that famous birth night was nota dirge but an anthem. It shook joy over the midnight hills, The religious life is not ail weeping and sighmg and cross-beariug and warfare, Around the temple of Christy 10 the beart, we ought to plant not so much mightShade and weeping willow as cedar and triumphal palm. Religion 1s nota grown, buta song. loa World where there isso much sin and there aro so many scpulchres there must be trouble; but Christ brevks through ail* this with in- finite consolation, and im the darkest night tbe heavens part with angelic song. If God sends trouble upon you it 18 for the same reason that He drops the natural night, so that you may see the stars. Qno’s religion is not to be calcu. lated by an elongated face or tho cut of tne garb. | Christianity dare not trown on atnusements and reere- ations. Religion 1s beither a cynic nor a shrew; it chokes no laughter, it quenches 10 light) Among ihe happy itis tne nappicst, Crist died that we might live; He walked that we might ride; He wept tha: gh. Gather home yourchildren and make the days and the nights as merry as you can. Drive care from the heart and gloom irom tbe face, and un- baruess yourselves. Do not take next year’s work and trouble ito the charmed circle of seven days, Let the old forget their staff, and they who are worn out with and troubles for one short while be happy, Love and joy on earth are types of something better, MASONIC TEMPLE. FESTIVALS OF JOY—-SERMON BY REV. FROTHINGHAM, ‘Mr, Frothingham delivered a Christmas sermon yes- terday morning toa large congregation, Thero is, he said, but one festival that can justly be so described, and that is Christmas, There are other festivals that claim to be joyous—Thanksgiving, the harvest festi- val, is socalled. Butthe latter comes in the autumn of the year and the joy is contined to those who have light hearts, and only the very young have hearts that are always light. Thanksgiving reminds us of the broken family circle—of dear ones that are gone, The bitter sorrows irom which the heart has learned no lesson of praise for defeats that have no repairing on this side of the grave. The festival of New Years is a festival of joy; but on New Yoar’s Day wo think of how many years that aro past and of the uncertainty of tne time that is before. Matters of busin: press heavily upon us, and gains and losses are our continual thought, The festival of Easter isjoyous; but the ioy oi Easter is a joy of the spring season, when the earth is warm and the air 18 soltaud balmy, aud we are throwing off the g ments of heavingss and putting on garments of praise, But the joy of Christmas is entirely differen, It comes 1b Inidwinter, When Ufe days are at their short- ost and the suu 1s at is weakest; when cxisience runs on a low plano; when suffering uid sorrow are pouring thei compiainis into the ear; When we feel ourselves that life 18 precarious, that it 1s a battle, aud we creep into our corners und keep ourselves as warm as we may, in expectation of the spring time and the sum. mer that isto come. The festival has always been one ot joy. It i380 sacient, so remote, that iis origin Jost in the Western World, aud ia the Eastern we cannot find even im what quarter of the globe itoriginated. Those im Persia, we read, in the re- motest ume celebrated i. The high priest clothed oa B. himself yn his official robes of splendor and led a long Bebind bit came robed in maguiticent at- procession toward the holy mount. the wise men, tho magi tire and carrying fire ina were men, 365 in number, according to the days of the year; behind them came the vast multitude of the people, all in suiewa march, making their way toward the holy bili to wait tor the coming dawn, Wheu the first beam of light gladdened: the hilltops a great paon of praise broke forih from the asrembied thousands, An ancient feast of Italy was observed in the same tumultuous and splendid way. Sngland borrowed irom Northern Europe its Christ mas ceremonies, and in every respect the ceremonies pertormed in Persia and the other ancient piaces wero repeated thei We do the same thing to-day—the same gachering, the same carols, the same delicious Atmosphere of merriment, the same interchange of gifis and congratulations. In the soveath century there was a council in France im which a decree was passed forbidding Christians to decorate their churches with ivy and evergreen, In the seventeenth century, in Canterbury, England, the town crier, by the di- rection of the authorities, told the people they were to put dowa Christmas and superstitious observances, Ii was of no effect. No act oi Parliament, no decsion hotbing wat was so dear to the au id festival of nature, It was human and social. It @ lestival for clnidren, The revival of Christmas in these times is a revival of bea- thenism, I recollect a time when Christmas was dis- liked by religious people, The Puritans tried to put it | down, The season of the birth of Christ was the sea- son of ail others when ft became them to get down upon their Knees, to confess their sins, to acknowledge the depravity of their nature and to celebrate the reli- gion that came in with che Prince of Peace; but the celebration was a desecration, But with the decline of Puritanism this spirit bas passed away. With the buif century the influx of foreigners: Itulians, Germans apd Spaniards—has Jeaveued our whole intellectual and spiritual world with the spirit of joy. Guy music is patrouized by the people. Lile and color is what we demand. It is carried into our religion. In closing Mr. Frothingham said:—The belief of Christendom is that the fulness of light is hat the end is reached and we have gothing to Go but diffuse the light tuat we have, The whole sig- nificance of this Christmas to us is the power of the dawn. How much isto be known? How tar are we from baving solved any great problem ? be it from us to believe that the light is come. Let us use the light that we have, not feeling that we have more than we wetually possess, but though it be but a beam use it, apply it, let itshine. It will spring in joy to the earth; it will open heaven for us and the dayspring from on bigh wili come in our hearts with healing in its beams, Z CHURCH OF THE INCARNATION. THE DUTY OF PREPARATION FOR THE SECOND ADVENT—SERMON BY THE REV. DR. BROOKS. The Church of the Incarnation, corner of Madison avenue and Thirty-ffth streets, was tastelully deco- rated with evergreens yesterday in commemoration of Christmas. A large congregation was in attendance at the morning service. The sermon was delivered by Rey. Dr. Brooka, who chose for his text the first epistie of Paul to the Corinthians, x., 11—“Now ail these things happened unto them for en- samples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.’ Dr, Brooks described the enthusiasm of the apostles in their an- ticipation of the second advent, The Master had promised to come again, and they looked with unbounded joy and implictt faith to the fulfl- ment of His promise, They were ever prepared. It was, ho said, the duty of all good Christians to be ever ready. He reminded bis hearers that a cessation of work Was unfalchiulness to that preparation go well illustrated in the Bib! Every act of glory must be carried on by us. The second advent told us to look behind us and taught us that (here was no time which could be called “unnecessary.” The preacher spok: at length of the lessons of the dying year and the morals to be drawn therefrom, The wise man of busi- ness did not cease labor, ho said, because the pew year was close at hand; rather he worked the barder in Straightening and arranging his uffairs, knowing that the coming year grows out of the one about to expire, It was thas that the earnest Christian should work the harder aud prepare the more diligently and caretuily for the advent to come. The reverend gentieman referred to the anxiety and pleasurable anticipations of tue children in the kuowl- edge that Christmas morn would bring them things ot joy. ‘They watched and waited*pattently with throb- bing hearis for the coming of the day. Workers tor Christ should, in the same manner, regard the happy event of the coming of the Master. Blessed, ind: would he be who, wuen tue second advent com: found fully prepared. The reward of his labora are sure. In conclusion Dr. Brooks exhorted bis hearers to faithful, earnest Christian work, warned them of the dangers resulting from lethargy. and assured them ot the happy result sure to follow of duty tuifilled with fidelity ALLEN STREET M. E. CHURCH. At this church yesterday morning Rev. Charles E. Harrison preached on the text, “Glory to God on high, and on earth peace and good will to men,’’ from the secoud chapter of St Luke, He described this text as voth enunciatory and prophetic, It announced the coming of Christ for the salvation of men, It an- nounced that Christ was come, not to aflord a beauti- ful example for imftation, not to preach and teach, battoserve The preacher considered that never had 80 much meaning been put in so few word’ as in this, text, It announced the whole purpose of Christ’s mission, He also thought that any amplification of this statement would be injurions $0 it, as the Jact was sublime in its bare assertion, He then considered question, Why did Christcome? He said that, even as. & mechanic Wants a wachine to be periect, 80 did God want the universe to be 80; as a moiner loves her sick- hhest cuild best, so did God care for the weakness of the world, Pussing to the prophetic meaning of this sen- tence, he showed that there could be no doubs but that || in a future not far off peace aud good will will prevail, notwithstanding the present disturbed state of the na- tions of ibe earth, He concluded with the hope that the initiation of this peace might date irom the present Christmas, COLLEGIATE REFORMED CHURCH. SERMON BY DR, LUDLOW ON THE STAR IN THE EAsT. The services at thischurch yesterday were of an im- pressive and interesting character, as it was intended that they should take the place of the Christmas cele- bration, no services being held there to-day. The Rev, Dr. Ludiow preached from the text, Luke » “Let us now go and see this thing that has come to pass,”? Thepreacher spoke of the great humility evi- denced m the Son of God being born in a manger at Bethlehem, a of the great faith of those who had ob served the Star in the East which guided them to where the Saviour was laid. What sublime lessons of bumility and faith do not these facts teach us! If the infinite Creator of us all should by His own choice be born among beasts and in a stable, should not we be wiiling to endure whatever trials and troubles Heaven may, in its imscrutable providence, place upon Let us rejoice to-day that the God is born to redeem the world from sin and to reciaim bis children, ofering them everlasting bliss and happiness. ‘The music was rendered in an effective manner by Miss May Tallman, soprano; Mrs. Mitchell, alto; Mr. Hills, tenor, and Mr. M. A. Ward, who presided at the organ. CHURCH OF THE DIVINE PATERNITY. The illness of Dr. Chapin prevented his attendance yesterday at bis church, and the pulpit was occupied by Rev. J. Smith Dodge, Jr., of Stamford, Conn. Mr. Dodgo spoke most eloquently, preaching without notes, of the Christmas season, and of the grandcar of the occasion to the Christian world. The church wag decorated with Christmas greens and holly, and special music was given by the choir and upon the organ by Mr. Aibert J. Hol- den, the organist. The quartet were Miss Maggio FE, Hall, soprano; Mme. Fuca de Gebele, contralto; Mr. H R. Romeyn, tenor; Mr. George C. Deyo, basso, ‘The musical programme cousisted of organ prelude; overture, “Messiah,” Handel; Festival Jubilate in B flat, Mosenthal; Motett, **Calm on the Listening Ear of Night.” Holden; “Ob, Thou that Tellest’”? (solo and , Messiah, Handel; Christmas anthem, Will- “Cujus Apimam,” Stabat Mater, Rossini; Halle- lwab chorus, Handel, POLITICS FROM THE PULPIT. THE DUTY OF CHRISTIAN MEN IN THE PRESENT HOUR. “This is a subjectin which morals, and hence also Christianity, are deeply concerned,’”’ said the Rev. Jobn Cotton Smith yesterday, in a lecture on the duties of Christian men in the present political cor- ruption of parties, delivered at the Church of the As- cension, It is especially deserving of consideration at the present time, when we are about to celobrate the birth of the great Giver, Lover and Advocate of Peace, While under other forms of government other public vices reign, continved the speaker, we, under our ro- publican institations, have to suffer from the tarmoils of parties and party strife, and as the virtue and the feeling of moral résponsibility is always wehker in so- cicties of men than among individuals it follows as a necessity that public virta emustthereby decrease, and that it is only the innate instinct of self-preseryation which preveuts, as iar as povsible, the outbreak of civil Wars. CAUSES OF OUR PRESENT CONDITION. One of the most prominent causes of our present unbappy condition is the exientof suffrage. Though not actually it 18 virtually universal, and through the ignorance of their political duties among many of ot Dative-born citizens, @ large vamber of forcigners and D 8, 1+ bas been the prime motor in bringing about the actual state ol things, The unlimited exercise of sufirage which was given to the negro im- mediately alter the War may have been a necessity, Dalit wasa terrible necessity. Another cause is that wo have acurrency which says one thing and means nd because of 1s plentiiuiness has led to a feartul amount of wild speculation; it has extended luxury, and on account of the unblusbing efrontery with which legisiators voted immonse sums of money for the benefit of a few monopo ists has demor- alized tho youth of this country. The fact, jso, that an clection of our officers takes place between such brief intervals likews consideration in ab examination mto the isting political corruptiou. Aside irom the fact that the country i@ kept in a continual turmoil, causing an immense los to the business the novi mission of thi country 1s placed at the disposal of a fow scheming politicians, and is thereby permanently imperiled. NEITHER PARTY UPRIGHT. There 18 no need, however, of jearing a downfall of Our institutions at present. The truth is that neither party 18 possossed of a great ruling idea or bigh moral principle of moraiity which would Joad the American people (o tolerate for one moment a of things by means nt of right and justice is too grea ce to permit any sudden, thought id this present combat of two rival Sa 8 this rentinfent, inasmuch ‘as one party subjects Lue other to Lhe most exhausting tests and eXamipations, and both have tn consequence to periect thetngelves aS much as possible to Ket Into power, and, if there, to maintain themselves, At resent no Obristian man should allow this great residential problem to be settled by a mere technicality or thik one moment of rolving it by violence. Let prejudice be removed entirely, and calm, unimpassioned inquiry take the pl of the isting boisterous altercation, tricker, violence, Let us listen to (hove grand and righteousness which the Son of God, w we will celebrate to-morrow, continually Jet us bear in mind that the firs lato and prosperity of a Republic is peace. FRENCH GOSSIP. the Prince Napoleon Again Subject of Discussion. REMINISCENCE OF THE COMMUNE, An Unusual Scene in the French Academy. BONAPARTISTS HOLDING FESTIVAL ——_+____ Panis, Dee. 2, 1876. Prince Napoleon’s anti-clerical harangue continues to get its author a good deal talked about, and some old anecdotes are being refurbished by ill-natured per- sons for H.s Highacss’ special benefit. A pretty good one relates how the late King Jerome was ill and how a gentleman who was well known at the Pi Royal askea the pb: jan in attendance for news of the ex- Majestg’s health. ‘*Alas!’? quoth the man of medicine, e is very ill, indeed;” then significantiy tapping bis forehead, “head going, you know.” ‘‘ludeed?”” “Woy, yes; just fancy, Prince Napoleon came into father’s room this’ moruing and King Jerome called || out, ‘Ah, te voila, mon brave.’ ”” It should be added that though every one knows too well the nature of the terrible accusation against Prince Napoleon, few are probably aware of the reck- Jess manner in which the charge was first brought and has been since sustained. It rests on not one particie of evidence. When the Russian war broke out the Etmperor’s cousin was given a command in the Crimean expedition, and he was present with sufficient credit to himeelt at the pattle of the Alma In the following spring he returned to Paris, and it was for this reason that party spirit charged bim with do- serting bis post and stigmatized him with the fearful name of coward, For what reason the Prince did re- turn home bas never been cleurly ascertained. Vory likely he found the hardships of campaigning a bore, as did a good many other officers, English and French, who wero nevertheless serenely indifferent to the whistling of bullets about their ears. Queen Victo- ria’s cousin returned to England early in 1855 from the seat of war, yet no one ever accused the Duke of Cambridge of failing in the hereditary courage of his rece, But Paris is perbaps less interested in these matters than io THE LAST NEW DISH, one it may be predicted which will speedily cross the Atiantic. Last weck tho accomplished chef of M. le Duc de R—— delighted His Grace’s guests with a macédoine of diamonds, rubies and whatsoever other Precious stones the earth contains. The gems weré in fact composed of exquisitely colored jgilies, the dia- monds being masterpieces of dazzling whiteness. Tho stones reposed on little tickets, artistically designed, and bearing the imagiary price of each in francs—a piece of fancy perbaps in questionable taste. One gentle- man remarked with a sigh, after devoting himsel! with some zeal to the jellies, that be had eaten $400,000 in the space of a few minutes, Meauwhile American ladies who may be bent on giving their friends pre- serve of emeralds might do well to superintend the coloring process in person, for the brightest tint of the fairies’ color is imparted by arsenic, a mineral which has been found extremely unwholesome by many per- sons. ‘The worst piece of news that intellectual Frenchmen bave discusged for many a day 1s THE SORNR IN THE ACADEMY, for the Academy had hitherto been sacred from the intrusion of contemporary politics, which are rarely of an exalting character, and bickering on the merits of the Third Republic is best confined to the Chamber. But the election of M. Charles Bianc (brother of Louis), in succession to M. de Curné, certainly placed the former im a delicate position, By the rules of the Academy M. Blanc’s inaugural address was bound to be a culogium of M. de Carné, who had been ® zealous conservative, abhorring the Revolution and all its works, M. Charles Blanc, on the other hand, holds very much the samo opinions as has distinguished brother the Deputy. Under these circumstances he would have uone weil to have confined himself to praise of M. de Caraé’ literary merits Unbappuy be could not re. sist the temptation of taauching out into a defence of the Revolution and the Republic, M. Camille Rousset, on whom devolved the duty of answering the orator, made a very spirited reply. Of the Revolution he ob- served that it might be saia:—Sunt bona, sunt quedam, ie sunt mala plura. Nothing would be more’ foolish than to ask men to admire tue Revolution en bloc, to overiook its excesses and follies and to think that its leaders were uniformly in the right trom 1789 to 1794, through the massacres of September, the terror and tho.reign of the guillotine, | may add that the aca- demic custom, according to which a newly elected member must’ pronounce « panegyric on nis prede- cessor, was one of the reasons wuich prevented Nupo- loon Iii, from presenting bimsel! as a caudidate for the highest honor 10 which a Frenchman can aspire. His Majesty remarked in confidence to a irienu that Victor Hugo was vo longer young, and that he (the Emperor), if he once sougit election, mizht be chosen to succeed the autbor of “NAPOLEON LE PRTIT,” whose eulogium be would then bave to pronounce, to We intense amusement of ail men and the especial de- light of ail aisioyal unjects. Butt is equally possible tuat the Emperor would not have been elected at ail, for in his reign the Academy was tho sirongbold of Orleanism. Now, like all other French instituuons, it 18 gradually being repab!icanized. Apropos of the Revolution, an amusing story, which dates from the era of the Commune, is Just pow in cir- culation, A soldier of the Versailles army was badiy wounded in a skirmish betore Fort Vanves. A frag- ment of sheil, however, was extracted {rom his body und it was thought he would soon be well. Io the sur- prise of the surgeon he continued to suffer an uousual jength ol time, and seemed to grow worse rainer than A large tumor began to form on bis breast, i bh decided that the soldier must sub- operation in search of the foreign sub- staped which was Lo hey to be er bedded in bis flesh. And, sure enough, a piece of paper, tighi!; roiled up, abe found buried deep beneath th murtace of the skin. Having beem witndrawn, it was unfeided, and proved to be a brie! exhortation, to this effect :— “Soldiers of the army of Versailles! Do not torget that we are your brothers!"” Whetber the gentioman who devised this singular method propagandism thought that there was no bewer way of driving argu ts bome than to push them straight into the people he wanted to conviuce ig @ question difficcit ot solution after this lapse of w Perhaps the humors of. different nations can seldom be better studied than in the law courts; and a caso which was to have been tried this week, but suddenly developed into * romance and made trial impossibie, is worth @ briet notice for the pleasant light in which it caused pearly every one concorned to aj Ttalian artisan, Moitrasio by name, was the Assize Court op a charge oi outrage. ‘witness jor the prosecution was a preity wor! who seemed to be about twenty years = voapenk The Judge insted, while the Jury and tae to 0 jury and the wondered, At last sto spectaiors Dieu! mousieur,”” broke out the witness in a loud voice, aud, as if sporking to borseif, **1 think Moltresio isa very nice young man. 1 have been to see bim with my mother Since be has been in prison, He me, lam quite sure of it, and——it he could be acquitted ——why——I think bah ye ooagy om married.”’ it will readily be un- derstood that Moltrasio, who, in coniormity with Freuch law, Was aigo examined, sald nothiug to con- tradict this evidence, which astonished as mach as it pleased him, The Judge remanded the accused til next term, by which time the partes will have been married and the p: will thén be quashed, Bat this was net all The jury, determined the berotne of the drama must have a dowry, forthwith Taised @ little subscription of $20 for her. | Iwo of the umber added each a check for the.same amount, pay- able on the wedding day. Sixty dollars is not a mag- niflodmt portion, but it will go far to help a young French coupie of the humb.or classes to set up their household gods. Moreover, one gentleman, who wi on the jury, bappened to be a wealthy mavulucturs and he prom,sed to flnd employment sor Moltrasio, who has the reputation of being a skiitul craiisman, THR DONAPARTISTS HAVE BREN F&ABTING one another the Grand Hotel to celebrate the triumphant re-election of all the members of their party whose returos bad been invalidated by the Chamber of Deputies, The fact appears to be that though a certain artillery cadet, late of Chiselburst and now of Fiorence, is in a decided, minority in this country, yet th are certain uistricts of France where impe! bas struck deep roots and is nkely to flourish for some ume lon The Republic can never be held to ve firmly estab!) hed, once tor ail, till 1t bas undergope the ure bap: ot war, If ever it shali emerge victorious from ‘iet—say with Prussia—it will have no more \ 6 trom dynastic intrigues; though even then tt may perish, as in 1799, At the bands O1 One Of 1ts OWE successiul generals. Long before this letier can reach New York she cabie will have informed you of ‘M. DUFAURB'S RESIGNATION and of the reconstruction of the Ministry. A series of petty defeats, chiefly on Ecclesiastical Budget, bad Tendered bis position intolerable, but it was with un- fey Feiuciance that the old man, now ciose upon his eigbtieth year, parted with the shor Quite incorruptible in the coarser sense of the word, M. Du‘aure hud nevertheless a weakness for sitting on the Ministerial bench, bearing @ ‘tiolio ander hie arm being styled President the Council. Were the pun translatable into French it said ef him as it was said of Sir Robert Poel tn 182 that “be wanted no virtue but resignation.” Whatever Cabinet may now be tormed, whether M. Jules Simon, or M. Léon Say, or the Duke @Audifret Pasquier becomes Premier, THE ADVENT OF M. GAMBETTA TO FOWRR cannot be long delayed. Indeed, {rom an enlightened point of view, the Marshal would do well (o entrust the chief of the republican party at once with the torm: tion of @ pew goverument, for the popularity: of fe French statesmen survives a ‘ew mon-hs of office, and & Kubagas Minisiry mightspeediily produce a reaction 1 favor of **n order’’ and dukes, whom the irony of {ute bas im this country so funnily linked together. Possibly the angel of kingdoms, te whom is confided the destiny of France, bas a sense of bumor, fostered 4 long study of the countrymen of Rabelais and Le ‘ane. In yesterday's sittigg of the Chamber M. de Marcére made @ statement with respect to Lhe military honort to cred to deceased members of the Legion of Honor. Virtually Marshal MacMahon completely abandons the position taken up by his advisers a fort night ago, and the same bouors will now be rendered to all Legiouaries, whether interred with religious ceremonies or without them. COLONEL BAGLEY’S OLSEQUIES, =_—_— * The funeral of Colonel James Bagley, one of the Sachems of Tammany Hall and formerly commander ot the Sixty-ninth regiment, N.G,S5.N.¥., took piace yesterday, Shortly after eleven o’clock the remains were taken from the late residence of deceased, No, 32 Pike street, to St. Teresa’s Roman Catholic church, corner Rutgers and Henry streets, The church was filled upon the occasion by alarge and respectable body of friends, who assembled Jor the purpose of paying & last tribute to ove who was weil known to and bighly respected by bem. The following gentlemen acted as pallbearers:—Comptroller Keily, Augustus Schell, Commissioner Dunlap, Alder- man Sheil,- School Commissioner Gouldin, Robert Whitehead, ex-Senutor Keily, Edw: L. Donnetly, William MeCieau, General Spinola, Li tenant Colonel Dempsey, a. Feely, Hugh 0’Don A, Dougherty ana Tuomas J, Cummins. Among tbose who attended the funeral were Colonel Wiltiam P, Roberts, Judge Maguire, ex-Senator Fox, Alderman Joun Reilly, Joel 0, Stevens, and several other prom- inent members of the Tammany organization. High mass was celebrated at St. Teresa’s by Rev, Father Fiattery, pastor of St. Cecilia’s, assisted by Rev. Fathers O'Farrell and Flynn. Soon after one o'clock the funeral! cortege formed on East Broadway and procecded slowly to the Grand streot ferry. The grave was reached at Caivary Cemetery about three o'clock. There Rev. Father Flattery spoke feelingly on the character of the deceased. lo (the speaker) esteemed him bighly asa frievd, and loved bim as a brothel He was a true man, and would reap the reward of hi charitable works in the world to which his soul bi been sosuddeniy called on Thursday evening last T' coffin was then lowered into the ground, and the mourners turned away from the sad scene, THE LATE JOHN PULLMAN, Memorial services for the late John Pullman, who died on last Wednesday woek, were held yesterday in the Twenty-seventh strect Methodist Episcopal church, The deceased was a strong supporter of the Methodist Chureb and contributed largely to the building of the ‘Twenty-seventh street, the Thirty-seventh street and the Sixty-first street churches. He was a member ot the former from its toundation down to the day of hia death. Touching culogies were delivered by the Reva, Dr. W, Ciarke, Dr. Curry and Dr. Stevenson, MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL, ANNUAL MEETING AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS— LAST YEAR'S WORK. ‘The annual meeting and olection of officers of Mount Sinai Hospital was held yesterday. Mr, Adolph Hall. garten, the Prosident, called the meeting fo order. The minutes of the last annual session were read and approved. The President submitted his annual mes sage, from which was shown that, during tho year end iug December 1, the Executive Committee had passed upon 1,566 applications tor admission to the hospital, 1,466 were treated gratis, 60 paticnta paid for them treatment, 154 were refused on account of their cases not coming within the scope of the hospital practice, 1,516 patients were cared for during the year, of whom 104 remained, 964 were discharged cured, 320 improved, 23 not improved and 25 left before. treatment. The daijy number of = patieats averaged about 115, and their average stay in the hospital was 2734 days. Seventy-four died, 15 of whom were admitted in a hopeless condition, A number of emi- nent membe! the medical faculty have rendered valuable servis free of charge to the institution, and the following Lg ene were the regular attend. ants:—Drs. E. J. Messencer, M. J. Messeneer, Mary Putnam Jacobi, George H. Butler, Paul J. Mandi, Rue doiph Tauszky, UV. Froelich, U. Willtams and A, A, Angell, During the past year very extensive repairs had to be made, including new boilers and heating ap- aratus, involving an expenditure of about $17,000, Pre treasurer’s report showed a balance in his bunds of $°5,000, of which $12,000 bolonged to the sinking fond. Alter the close of business the election of officers ‘was proceeded with, resulting in the unanimous choice of the following gentiomen:—President, Mr. Adolph Hailgarten, re-elected; Vice President, Mr. Harris Aronson, re-elected; Treasurer, Mr. Samuel M. Schater; Directors for the term of bey Bae? Meswrs. Ferainan Kurzwan, Isaac Blumenthal, ‘Stix and Solomon Sultzberger; Director tor ove year, Mr, Isaac Wallach. The directors whose term of office has not expired are Messrs. Henry Gitterman, 1. MI. Stine, Solomon Som- merich, Edwin Einstein, L. Fatman, Levi Samuels, Jsaac 8. Solomon, Harmon H. Natnan, Hyman Blum, V. H. Rothschild; Nathan Litthauer Honorary Secre- tary, Joseph L. Scherer Assistant Secretary, Mr. Leo pold B, Simon was reappointed Superintendent. EPISCOPALIAN ORDINATION. The interesting ceremony of ordaining four deacons Twenty-sixth street, near Broadway, The church wat filled with the friends of the young men who were about devoting themselves to the ministry. Bisho} Potier presided, and tho Rev. Dr. Dix preached the Sermon. The candidates were presenved by the Rev, Drs. Poters, Seymour and Eigeabrodt. The Rey, Drs, Swope, Olmstead and Mackel also took part in the services, which were unusually imposing. The or dained priests are F. H. T. Horseflela and George W. Douglass; and the deacons arc:—Messrs. Van Ranse- lear, Peters, Ungar and Westervelt, INCOMPETENT SWITCHMEN. AN ACCIDENT ON THE ELEVATED RAILBOAD OF SATURDAY. To tas Epitor or tuz HeRaLp:— I left Liverty street this afternoon at about five o’clock in @ train that was supposed to stop at Thirty- fourth, Forty second, Fiftieth and Filty-ninth streets, After a delay of thirty or /orty minutes the passengers ‘were requested to.get out at Thirty-fourth street, be- 1ng informed that they could go no further. The wild- est rumors were spread this evening about s dreadful accident in which several persons had bees killed, Learning that a car was off the track at Forty: second street at half-past nine 1 visited the scene, The car, it appears, was the foremost of a dow: train and the wheels had jumped the track I found the advance wheels projecting eral inc! over the strect the track, the wheois on tho sidewalk side be: supported by the wooden cross bars. ‘rhe car was lashed on to the tram’ , and half a dozea men were working hard by ped lampligbt, standing on the switchman’s rm, trying to Tight the car, Upon inquiry I ed that the switchman had misplaced the switch— tne old story. As soon as he tound that bis form was being carried away he began to shout. con- ductor was so much trighiened that did not kn whether to pu'l the bell or what to do, he gineer, finding that the train was going heavy, the engine, only just in tine, for, bad ar been ope! many feet further On, it must have gone over juto the street. ‘The passengers were soon taken off and so serious harm was done. My object 10 writing ts to 61 it to you to draw at. tention to the imperative n ity of engaging men ot brains, at whatever salary is necessary, to aitond the switches, The countenances of the switchmen do nos Indicate the bighest Intellect, With many ot! areguicr traveller on the road. It i: veniehce tous, We like it, and, havit tomed to it, would return to the horse cars with reluctance. There ought to be a double track ai way. Property has improved in value above Twent: third street in consequence of the Elevated roud, and ‘when it was proposed to extend it to Seventy-eighth atreet there was considerable inquiry about the value of real esiate in that vieiwity, Help along a doubie track, if you please; but help us in the meantime to feel that our lives are not jeopardized by switchmen who have not got their wits about them. Yor 4 a "Sew Yous, Deo. 24, 1876. — SALARY SAUCE. The Rev. Francis George Henry Smith, late pastor of the Zion African (Methodist Episcopal) church, of Rocky Hollow, 8, L., recently sued Burr Sivadwell, as one of the trustees of the church, vefore Justice Hemfayor, ce of $46 60 due him on account of salary. wot alleged that the preacher ha notas: counted for certain moneys received by him at the Clifton Park camp meeting, but Smith produced his 8, showing that he received ana disbursed the @proper manner, and had a balance of sixty-seven ceuts in hand. The Justice decided in favor of the preacher, deducting the sixty-seven couls from bis claim, BORROWING A WAGON. Andrew Fay, of East New York, who resides on tho Jamaica plank road, yesterfay identificd the wagom found in the possession of the colored burglars who broke into the grocery store of Charies Brocher, corner oi Broadway and Conroy str erty. The horse was stolen Trem Site adeling Hit denbrandt, of Liverty and Smith streets East New might, bo | York and two priests took placo yesterday at Trivity chapol,