The New York Herald Newspaper, April 30, 1877, Page 8

~ GOSPEL RAYS. A Glimpse of the Heavenly City Through Love of Christ. ’ THE STEWARDSHIP OF MAN. Murmurs Against Fortune Elo- quently Rebuked. J ee TEMPTATIONS AND DOWNSLIDINGS ation of the Conscience a Neces- sity of the Just. DOUGH-FACES. MORAL CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES. CHRIST THE CORNER STONE--S!RMON BY REV. GEORGE H, HEPWORTH, Every part of Rev, George H. Hepworth’s spacious church cdifice was Oiled at the morning service yester- Gay. In announcing an “old folkes’ concert” for the Deneft of bis church, to be given there on Thursday evening, Mr. Hepworth took occasion wo say a word in regard to the position of the church in relation to amusements. “I believe,’ said be, ‘that it fe the mght of the church to take charge of the pleas- ures of the world; and my theory is that everybody— young and old—should have amusement of some kind. If the church would provide them with more amuse- ment | am a little inclined to think that our young men and women, too, would not go elsewhere, Now, I want the church to be pre-eminent for its love for young people, and I want them to bave more of every Amusement that is innocent aud legitimate. We will have nothing in this place that is aot covered by the panopy of the pure Christian religion. TH NAME OF JKSUS. For the text of his sermon Mr. Hopworth read the twentieth verse of Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians, whereip he speaks of the faithiul as ‘built upon the foundation of the aposties and prophets, Jesus Chriat himself being the chief corner stone.’ Neither the scholar nor the man of faith, be said, could pronounce the name of Jesus Christ without awe, One bows his bead at that name as if in the Divine presence, because trom Christ he hath received bis hope of the future; the other walks through the paths of lile trying to take Js trom off Lis feet because it is holy ground, because that name bus been the benediction of life in all generations of men. 111s a wondrous and a magic Dame, written in leteers of guld upon all the centuries, Yo the scholar It \s the fountain of all the arts and in- fluences that have uplifted the centuries, All the eie- ments of civilization have been controlled and directed | by the life and precepts of Chris! Go into the dim old cathedrals of Europe or into the gullerica of art where are stored the magic works of genius that have excited the emulation of the world for generations, and still remain the noblest embodiments of the soul’s as- Pirations, and you will find tho subjects of the grand- tures are conpected with tbe bumble cradie at Bethiehem. Listen to the music that filis the vaulted root and bears the soul upward, as it were, until the world, with is petty siriics and ambitions, 18 for. gotien in a glimpse of the heavenly city itself, The inspiration of the strain is again the lile of Christ, CHRIST THE TEACHER AND RKDEKMER, Mr. Hepworth proceeded to discuss some of the as- pects in which Christ is presented to our conscious- bess, in the Grst piace He is the religious Teacher. From His lips bave falien the biguest laws that yovern human lite and progrees, These laws are not the result of His arbitrary will, but, on the contrary, tre made in perfect accord with and adapted to our mterest and constitution. God is never arbitrary, but s always moved by love for liis children, Then Dhrist was presented as the Redeemer, This, the preacher suid, is the wonder of our human lile, how, with all our unworthiness, we can ever find our way into the home on high; and no man can conceive it aniess he reads the life of the Lord. The future every man must face. Death is an inevitable post in the carcer of the soul. ‘here is a universal dread of death ‘and nas been since the tall, Every one ebrinks tro it, No one dares to muke that leap into the darkue: ‘until the Bible dissipates these fears and Christ giv us faith insiwad of doubt, joy instead of gloom, He telis us that He will walk through the valley of shad- ows with us, and that we can lean on His rod and His staf, Lf conscious of our owu unworthiness we sa “We are clothed upon ouly wit the rags of our might- eousness,”’ He replies, * But! will give you the gar- ment of my holiness,” and so, ieaving our own stained and soiled behind, we onter heaven through our iaitn in the spotless life of the Master, INFINITUDB OP GOD'S LOVE AND MERCY. The mercy and love of God thus shown were sxpa- tiated upou by Mr, Hepworth, 1 cannot comprehend, he said, the boundless love which can forget our past and can bear with us from day to day while we in- duige im the most persistent carelessness. It is be- yond the reach of my understanding. 1 wonder at God always, how He can be so patient with us, We ersist in duing Wrong, and God persists in doing good, ‘e persist in shanning Him, and He still persists in stretching out His hand to us, saying, notwithstand- ing all we have done, ‘Come, my children, take My hand and I will see that you arrive sutely at home at last.” Some day there will come to us a darkness, and we shall know the world uo more. How many times it bas come to some friend during the pist yea: 1 bave never lost the opportunity on these occasio of saying to the friends, as well as to myself, “As that or child lies now, 80 we, too, shall lie one day.” Fhe death of udear one is a sud event, but if the mourners have faith that the grave is only a door to life everlasting then they may strew flowers upon the earth above the lite! jorm and they will wean some- thing. in conclusion the preacher spoke in affecting terms | of the life beyond the grave, when those who parted with tears andin agony in this world shall meet and jom hands around the great white throne, to part no more, ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL. CONTENTMENT WITH OUR LOT IN LIPE—DIS- COURSE BY REY. FATHER O'NEIL, ‘The usual crowded attendance was present at last services yesterday morning at St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral. High mass was celebrated by Kev. Father Kane and the sermon was preached by Rev, Father 0’Neil, Tho gentieman delivered an able and philosophical discourse. He read trom St, Matthew, xx., commencing, ‘*The kingdom of heaven is like toa master of a family who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And having agreed with the juborers for a penny a day he sent them into | flils chapter of St. Matthew recites | his vineyard.”” the fact of the payment of the same sum to the laborer who worked but an hour as those who worked during the entire day, and the complaints of the latter for guch treatment, ‘And receiving it they mur- mured against the master of the house.” The roverend speaker alluded to the opin. jons entertained by these lavorers in meditat- ing upon the apparent favoritism sbown to their coworker, They did not consider it fair to pay bim as much as them abd complained accord. ingly ‘They turued hasier and spoke to him He answered that they had bo right to compiain evea if he had given the man more than he had earned, There were many persons in the world who undertook, like these javorers, to set themselves up in judgment against God and His gifts. We often found iauit wiih God without making our complaints to the world. We murmured against the better tortane of those with whom we were brought into contact ev lives. There were @ Class of persons opposed to thuir neighbors simply because these neighbors were pros- perous und did things approved by Gow. Turougs our igbbor we struck ut Almighty God. We murmured ayarnst Him because He seve lit to endow our brother. Tui spirit Of complaint was widespread; it clings to every condition aod walk of life. A man may have bis own particular set of acquaintunees, but you will fing mauy jealons of him because tuey caunot reach bis own Standard in this connection, lwo young men might start in business One would prove éxcee singly prosperous, white the other would fail enurely, Luis created jealousy and bud feeling on the part of the Jatter. One individual is jealous of another beciuse he bas a good wile, A woman is jealous of her iewale acquaintance because she bas & good busvand In jew learn to be % wiih what thoy sessed in this world spiritually and moraiiy, Some who had great talents questioned the talents of others, Sume who were rich wanted to be richer. The suffering sighed tor relict, poor groaned to be removed from adversity, and 80 on to the end of the chapter, Some who are poor think tbat no one has a right to riches while they are compelled to carn their bread by the sweat of thet: brow. Those distinctions have existed almost trom begifining, and will exist until tue en of time. Lt was wroog for us Lo murmur againel the action a God, our Master, who gave to overs many things that He Withheld from ax, An aliwise Providence arranged everything. 1t would prove « great sour of happie ness Ww us if We occupied ourselves in enjoying wat have in preteronce to soaring after what belonged to oth W ought never to shut our eyes to the {act that we might be much worse off than we really are, {! our weighbor bappened to share bevter than ourselves that was Goa's business, He owes us notning and He gives us much, Poverty is uot the most agreeable thing i the world, but how much more disagreeavie would it be to go begging Irom house to house 1m order to getaliving. We were always look- ing outside of ourseives—living 1 a state of moral Diindness, y day oi our | It would be » queer world if there were | NEW YORK HERALD, MUNDAY, APRIL 30, all masters and no servants, Inwe and no one to keep them. Rev. Father O'Neil delivered a powerful argu- ment in support of the above points, concluding with | the werds of St. Pout to bis youthtul diseiple, Tim- | otby—" We brought nothing into this world, and itis | certain we can carry powhing out’? MASONIC =TEMPLE. | SERMON ON SELF-CULTURE BY REY. 0. B, FROTHINGHAM, | Rev. 0, B Frothingiam preached yesterday in the Masouie Temple on “Self-Cuiture, the Aim of Life.” ‘The subject, be said, had been brought to his attention by a young man who seriously asked bim whether sell culture could properly be pursued as the moral aim of a man’s life. An objection was ordinarily raised to this idea that tt was idle to think of self-culture at all, ii was pretended that man was a creature of neces- sity, that what be was he was by nature and that to | increase his faculties was impossible, that, there- fore, be must do nothing but resign bim- self to himself; that cach one came into tbe world gifted to @ certain measure and that he need, indeed must, do uothing wore nor less than is Within the scope o! these gifts as he finds them, and bence that as nature Las given us our minds, hearts, consciences and souls, we aspire or despair as our nature impels us, To this he answered tbat the questions come, What is naturey And do we know the limit and extent of our faculties? Are we not all full of unsounded capabilities, of bopes, dreams and aspirations? Does nature decree that none of these shail be utinged? Are we calmiy to flout on the bosom ol the stream of life, no faster than its tide, wuei with nature's own ‘aid, and by the sul she wil pro: vide us If Woseek il, we may be propelled much faster? Who bas ever sounded the depths of nature? Who bag ever (ested the extremity of 11s powers’ Steam and | electricity are but the agengs that bring uature to our aid. ATUKE’S POSSIMILITINS. Were our natures wholly employed no mind could coujecture the results, no fancy could picture them. Only When our systems of education have been per- fected Lo the uimost can we hope to begin to utilize our navural powers, He who says that he will remuin what he is jusuits nature, Which bursts with impatience Lo be uljized to its extreme extent, In considering: this sopic sell comes prominently into view. Dis- | guise self u® We may, it is still self, What | jucture of self-seerifice, he asked, equals that | ol u mother rescuing from danger ber sick child? The intensity of her solictiude expresses thu poetry of xelf-sacri All ber wctions express the pussion of her devotion, She allows her aifection to chant its own devouon, But are there bo other lives in peril? es more valuable, better, ricber than that ior waich she bas 50 much solicitude. Yet does she not struggle to save (hem vor rush to their uid, And way? Be- | cause they are Ho part of herself as is (hat she watches | with so much care, The preacher uext instanced the | | disinterested efforts of men who have toned aud suf- tered for their fellow men nding their seitish reward in the joy they telt in the struggle, This was the devouon ‘of the lower .o the — bighor | self, as when the sinner coniessed = his ollences and humbled himseit that be may elevate bis better nature. There are two kinds of seli—vigh and low, mean undglorious, The ove isin- voluntary and mstiuctive, tue other insirucied and controticd by imtelligence—that looks betore and after, The preacher uext inquired how far it were best to | carry sell-culture; of What nature should this culture be? All evangelical reiigion regarded seif as the root ofsin, and would drown out all self 1m a flood of su. pernatural grace, Forget yourself is the precept ot evangelical religion preached 1n all the churches. AIMS OF CULTURE. Mr. Frothingham im pursuing the inquiry--what kinu of sell-culture & man ghould pursue—instanced the case of a man who had studied to be & perfect gen- tleman. He succeeded iv being considered faultless in dress and mauners, courteous and without vices—a good deal to say even lor ope Who 1s called a gentie- mao, He betrays no one and 18 kindly thought oi by all who know him, But he takes no active interest in the great measures of the day. The mere cultivation of the gifts und graces that commend a man to the Gil into which is brought should not suffice, It wag necessary, be said, to yo far beyond this if we would have true self- culture, We should come to the consciousness that we Lave minds, Mr. Frothingham, alter considering what may be regarded as proper behavior, said that this Was in a great measure moulded by prejudice, and prejudice was a drawback on the power of seil-culture, Tbe man who wished to go rightly about the duty of Seli-culture must begin with a detcrmipation to en- courage the champions of truth, the iree press, the bold tuimkers, the good writers, unless he would bo buried out of sigut in the tudes of ignorance and prejudice, In pursuing the requirements of a ju- icious and beneficial self-cuiture the whole tine of man’s duty to bis family, bis neighbor and society was brielly considered. ‘To pursue profitably the idea of sell-culture, men must begin by cultivating their consciences, and no man can do this without becom- ing of service to his feilows, It was true that men are, in a great measure, the creatures of circumstance, Opportunity makes the great difference between peopie, Some are born io glorious opportunitics which are denied to others who would be great But Knowledge Rich with to their eyes her ample paxe, spoils of time, did never urroll; Chill ponury repressed their noble rage, | And froge the genial cuctent of the soal, CHURCH OF LHE MESSIAH. “EPHRAIM 18 A CAKE NOT TURNED'"—-THE IN- CONSISTENCY OF ONE-SIDED PEOPLE ANDTHE | FALSITY OF THEIR IDEAS—SERMON BY REY. W. BR, ALGER, In the Church of the Messiah Rev. W. R. Alger dis+ coursed from the text—‘Ephraim 1s a cake not turned,” and said that the word dough-faced, although a laughable one, is yet significant and implies a weak and vacillating md, a pufly mass like a paste un- baked, It is unfortunate that in our day there are 80 many whose characters resemble a cake baked on one side only, aud who, therefore, may be justly termed one-sided characters, Society 1a so constituted now- adays that men have but one particular idea and one ob- | jectin view. On that they concentrate all their thoughts to the exclusion of everything else, The merchant gees nothing but mercantile maters, the scientist pothing but science, the professional man only his profession, the poet but poetical fame. This is neither | well ordered nor well bulanced, and there veing no centre of gravity there 1s, of course, no equilibrium. Men must look at and study both sides or their minds will be warped and one-sided, When this is neglected the balance power 18 lost, Thousands of pouple pursue a regular routine of life from which they will not swerve, ‘Those engaged im worldly par- suits are so engrossed by them as to neglect tueir | spiritual interests; whereas the meditative think not of the fail, the atonement and the resurrection. The tirst tends to avarice, ambition and bard-beartedness ; the second to bigotry, fanaticism and lunacy, On sidedness is seen everywhere, The republican hates and denounces the democrat, and the latter returns the compliment; the Catholic consigns the Protestant to eternal perdition, and is m return called a papisiical idolator; our barristers are but lawyers; our miplaters but preachers; our physiciaus but doctors. An abnor- wal urm aud jeg on one side of the body distorts the whole, We should endeavor to be as catholic as possi- ble, so as to overcome unesidedness, otherwise We Aro | a8 a cake burned on one sive and cold dough on the | | other, a moss of worse than useless humanity. Some men are unhappy when alone; others delight In soli- tude, and become like pieces of dried beet, Tuo | avaricious see ail others prosperous and happy, but | themselves in penury and misery. The spendthrilt be- | lieves all are as happy as be himself, and so feels not for the alllicted and miserable, Lt is the exception | now to find one Who is vot onesided. Where there 18 so much atstake men should endeavor to tind checen- tre of gravity ou which to balance all their thoughts . They must be tolerant, as is inculeated by | d and nature, They must not jostle against every one they meet in their way, lor every inan Las a mind of his own. A day laborer hos noright to dictate a statesmen what he should do because he thought msell right, wor an astronomer to an arcsan. Men should be modest. Superiicial knowledge teuds to create selt-love, which is most unjust, He did not like 10 See @ Journalistic critic who was capable ouly of writing about a street brawl or & cause ina police | | court, diem should attempt only what they are quali« | | fied to undertake. All should endeavor to iuiorm | themselves as thoroughly us possivie and to make things omporal subservient to things eternal Then would obesidedvers disappear, and with it avarice, aticisin and prejudice. More hberal views Ken of things in general, Christian char- ity would predominate anda healthy state of society be inaugurated, No longer could men be compared to | the cake spoken Of, and instead of being a bait-paked mass Would become a Wuvlsome elemenk SWEDENBOKGIAN CHURCH. | MAN A STEWALD, NOT AN OWNER—SBEKMON BY THE REV, CHAUNCEY GILES. The Rev. Mr. Chauncey Gites preached yesterday | morning m the Swedenvoraian Church on the subject, | “Stan @ Steward, Not an Owner.” The sermon sev forth the duties of man in regard Lo his wealth, viewed | im the light of tue New Church doctrines, The text | was trom Luke, xi, 42-44 Our Lord bad been speaking, said Mr. Giles, of His divine purposes of love to man. He points out man’s true relation to what he possesses. Man is a steward and nota proprietor, He holds nothing in his own right, not even the faculves ot his own ndture, Ho has no absolute right to anything, but only the direc: Hou and use of it; and he has no right to use any power of means, except tor the purpose fur whieh tt Was intrusted to om. All our faculties and posses- sions are given to us lor our own good and thu good of others, This truth demands caroiul consideration. Every human being is a steward, set ov the Household of tis own facaities, You cannot put your finger upon anytuine you are or have which Was not given to you. Tbe merchant and te banker, the physician and (he Jurist, the king aud the subjecr ate Only slewards, anu are respoustvle lor (ue Wise bane ling and use of the ni us committed Lo them in trust for the | Lhemsvives aud others Woman ju ali the relations and lucuities pecusar to her ag a daughter, wife and motor isa steward Every angel und every spirit, youd or evil, is asteward— | of the divine order, the realowner. There i# only ope owner in His own right, and that is tho Lord. ly MAN'S STEWARDBIIP. Man bas never liked this truth. Mis natural repug- nance to it was the cause of bis fall. He desired to be a god, @ creator, @ proprietor, an owner in his own right. This desire 18 the essential orincip! Jove, the root of ali evil, Whether we like it or not, suc is the fact, Now let us look the question squarely in the face, Whatare the duties ofa steward? = The word our Lord used means manager of a household. The natural meaning 0! household is family. The father and mother are stewards, Their children are | not their own in the seuse of ownership. We may ro- gard our own faculties as a household; the thoughts arecbildren, They sre to be clothed and fed and pro- tected anu nurtured and diseiplived and devel- oped. The Lord has given to every human being the power of directirg them; freedom and rationality are the stewards He has appointed to rule over them, Our stewardship 18 pot limited to ourselves or to our family. It extends to our business, to our social rel tions, to national allairs and to the Churcu. Jt goes wherever our influence goes, Thus you wiil see (nat all have large interests cominitted to their care. What, then, is our duty? Measare it by the weakest and low- est siandard, Houesty, fidelity to trusts demand that the money, the estate shall be used aecurding Lo trust imposed. poly the principle to your relations with the Lord, He bas made you ruler over his house- holds. You bave uo right, human or divine, to rule according to your own caprice, or to uge.the smallest fraction of time or means or influence for any oiner purpose than the one for which it was cominitted to you, Not todo so 18 dishonesty, theft, robbery, | put iv as strong as 1 can, becuuse | want to disperse the faliscies with which the lovers of self and the world have deluded us, and to wake you up to the responsibilities which rest, upon you, But there is a higher point of view than the one of trust, of obligation, of honesty. When we rise out of the patural into the épiritual lite we come into @ region in which new motives and new principles operate, Compulsion becomes tree- dom; duty, delight; labor, the free play of all our ac- tivities; acd making others happy becomes the only means of being happy ourselves, In this way we can gel the greatest possivie good for ourselves.” We aro as free to act as we should beif we were independent of the Lord, There is no probability that we could have improved on the plan and methods of intiuie wisdom. We are stewards, but we have the same uso ag an absolute owner, There 18 a sense also in which we are creators. God does uot floish anything and cast it from His band. He makes a beginning, gives it @ stewardsbip and calls it 10t0 co-operation with Him, He inyites us to partnership wih H and gives us the same share of the proiits that we shouid Teccive i the capital we imvested was ourown, He rewards us according to our work, MAN'S HAPPINESS, Again, all the Lord’s directions to us about the use of our trusts are given for the purpose of evabling us | to get tho urgest returns from them. The Lord works jor us, His purpose was to make us ag rich as pos- | sible in every possession which would contribute to our happiness, He does uot ask the apple treo io grow und blossom and vear fruit only for the delight and sustenance of man, but for its own beauty and glory. The splendor and fragrance of its blossoms aud | the rich, ripe treasures in its loaded arms, are gained | in the perlormance of its use. This 18 & universal law Fidelity to trust consistt in pre- serving it trom loss and using 1t for the special pur- pose tor which we Were appointed to it, Wisdom con- sists 1p using itin the best manaor to accomplish the end. We bave a physical bature and material wants which must be supplied. We have a natural mind which must be instructed, We have a spiritual wind which must be developed if we would gain the high: est good. We are all stewards to give to each one of these faculties and degrees of our nature their por- tion of meat indué season, Our wisdom consists in doing this. FREE TABERNACLE CHURCH. ORANGE PEELS ON THE PAVEMENT—SERMON BY REV. JOHN JOHNS. ‘A large congregation was gathered together at halt. past seven last evening in the Free Tabernacle Meth- odist Episcopal Church, Thirty-fourth street, between Seventh and Eighth avenues, to listen to a sermon by the pastor, Rev, John vohns, on the somewhat peculiar subject “Orange Peels on the Pavement,” The pastor, by this curiosity-inspiring title, bad created in every one a lively interest in his remarks, The sermon was intended to be a warning to young men not to slip up in the paths of duty by treading on the orange peels of temptation that lie Bcabtered about, A young map, saia Dr. Johns, was constantly beset by temptations of all sorts, Some of thom were hardly Louiceable, #o light that the young men scarcely knew they were temptations atall. They were like orange peels lying in the stroet, passed by unnoticed until some one was hurt by them, No one thought anything of those litile bits of orange peel lying on the sidewalk, Oue might pass tbrouga the street thousands of tim without ever seeing thom, much legs being hart by them, but there they were lying in wait for the uu- wary, and somebody some day would be sure to in- cautiously put his beel upon one of them and fall, A sprained leg ora broken back or even fatal injuries might result, This showed what evils might arise trom apparently smali begionings, So it Was in real hile, The path of duty was thickly strewn with dangers to all, more especially to young men, whose impuisive- ness and iaexperience lead them to rashiy attempt to cross slippery places without thinking or caring of the danger they Were under o: losing their sou). PARTICULAR PEELS, ‘Tbe reverend preacher next took up a more particu- Jar part of the subject, speaking of tbe various temp. tations young men weresubjectto. ‘They did not begin a career of vice at the Jowest rung ol the jadder, Un the contrary, they began as bigh up aod in the most fashionable places they could ind. Brilliant gambling saloons were open tO tho giddy-headed vouth, and there was displayed, in addition to the excitement of dissipation, the temptation of gain, ihe young man thought be would just venture a little; be stepped on the peel and down he wont. Besides the sin of gambling, theatre going aud all the otuer disstpations of the life of @ fashionable young man were caretaliy analyzed by the preacher and condemned in terms of strongest displeasure. Dr. Johns showed how ail those were entered into 10 the false jdoa that pleasure was to be derived from them. But no true happiness could come from such sources. THE ORANGE PRELERS, Then there was also anotner ciuss of people to blame, The youths uo doubt were to blame for foolishly rua~ ning the risk of jeopardizing their salvation; but what should be said of those who threw the orange peels in their way, who led them into temptation? Such per- sons deserved the most severe puvishinent, BROOKLYN TABERNACLE, THE MISSIONS IN THE EAST—-SERMON BY THE BEV. DR. COAN, The pulpit in the Rev. Mr. Talmage’s church yes- terday morning was filled, in the absence of the pastor, by the Rov. Dr. Coan, a recently returned mis- sionary from Pet who preached on missionary labor, His text was taken from Matthew, xxvi., 8— “To what purpose is this waste?’ Theso were the words of Judas, said Mr, Coan; not that be cared tor the poor, although he said the ointment mixht havo beev soid for much and givento the poor, Thus there were men even in the Church who cried out at every work of love, ‘To what purpose is this waste?” But what was done for Christ was not waste, The preacher had heard of millions of dollars ex- pended by the government in the war against the Sioux Indians, Novcdy called that waste, yet when it was proposed to spend jew hundred thousand doilurs on missions the cry of waste was raised, Was this money really wasted? The returns should be looked at ‘In this country evils of all sorts, “wickedness and gin, intem- perance and Romapism,” stalked ber of bopetal conversions in this cou try was only | eleven per cent of those that joined the Church. Now, in heatuen lanus, where a new language and literature bad to be learned and developed by the inis- sionaries, this ratio amounted to twenty-live per cent, Lhis certainly was not waste, TUR MISSIONS IN THE Kast, ‘The preacher tuen went on to relate his own mis- sionary labors. He satled from Boston in the bark Jonin ‘nearly twenty-eight years ago. Tucy went to Coustanuioople aud then overland to Persia. Near the Sea of Uromia he found an ancient sect of Christ jans called Nestorians, They claimed io havo been organized = by = St Thomas = and — had preserved the ancient faith in comparative purity. No pictures or crucifixes or images or con- lessiouals were there, The religion of the country was Mohammedan. The Nestorians, Armenians and Jews were tolerat ud proseiytism irom them was forbidden by law. For a Mobaminedan to change bis religion death Was the punishment, At present the large majority of these Nestorians were gathered in Kurdistan, They were not permitted to have church belis to call the fuithful to church. Criers were obliged to call with the voice from the cliurch top. Olten 1M the early morning was heard the long, loud cry, “Komo la-mow shabahone Aliaha”—“Kise up; come to churen; give giory to God.” The mission aries found copies of the old syriac Bible among these peopic, and on this basis they began work, For ton years they made little progress, Now, uowever, there were Christian churches that bad sprung up all over the land of Persia. They were minisicred to by vative preachers, taught by the missionaries in a new seminary there, Those young preachers took (or weir wives mative girls, who were luugut in the female gem- inary. Many of these churches were entirely sell-sap- porting, and lormed 80 many moral lighthouses in that heathen land, ‘ibey bad kaouschas or presvyteries in that country, meeting several Umes a year, and revi- vais were in full blast there. ‘he Church was pro- gressing very favorably there, Was this waste? ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH. SERMON BY REV. DR, CHATARD—AN APPEAL IN BEHALF OF THE AMENICAN COLLEGE IN ROME, At St. Stephen’s Church yesterday morning bigh mass was celebrated by Rev. Dr. Curran, and, previous to the sermon, Rev. Father McCready announced that on next Sunday the Church of St Agnes (Rev. H. G McDowell, pastor) would be dedicated; and he then in- troduced Mgr, Chatard, rector of the American Col- Jege in Rome, who is visiting this country to procure funds Jor the marntenanee of that instication, Mgr. Chatard read the epistie and gospel of the day and proceeded to address the coneregation on the unity of the Church, dilating to some extent on the advantages to be secured by the priesthood and laity is pothing but a steward, possesses BO Iraction of wealth, power, wisdom or love which Was nut given to him jn trust to be used according to the direction of {rom an ecclessastical eddcation at the centre of that unity, When, in 1854, Archbishop Hughes conceived | and he selocted his text trom the eighth verse of the rT} 1877.-TR the project of establishing the American College at Rome, be had an in vew with the Holy Father, wh warmly favored the enterprise and immediat vanced the sum of $35,000 toward the purcba: grounds aud suitable bulidings. A collection wus started ip this country for the purpose of continuing the good work, and $42,000 wus realize |. She war interveved and retarded the progress of tue institution, and afterward an additional sum ot $12,000 was contributed. A third effort in the same direction resuited 1m the subscription of $200,000, partly in cash and partly in promises, Of that amount $50,000 was neverlpaid in, and there was reason to lear that $16,000 or $20,000 more would be lost. Under these circumstances an urgent appeal wos vow made to American Catholics to redeem the College trom the aisasier Which Was impending, Kome was in a dis- turbedcondivion, the Holy Father was a prisoner in the Vatican und coutd not ald them to the exteat bis heart prompted, The evangelicals were spending money frecly 1a we Eterual City for the propagation of and it was a painful trath that 4 large money so expended came [rom America, ‘This fact alone stould stimuiate American Catholics to earnestness in sustaining an institucion which should ve their pride and their reliance, The munificence of the Holy Father in the original en- dowment of the college should ve remembered with gratitude, and the best way of testifying gratitude would be not to suffer an’ tustitution be so dearly loved to perish for want of funds. portion SERMON BY THE REV. T. K. BEXCHER, OF EL~ MIRA—NINETY-SEVEN CANDIDATES FOR MEM~ BERSHIP. The attendance at Plymouth Church yesterday morning was uot so crowded as usual, several pews being ovly partly occupied. Tits was occasioned by the knowledge that the pastor of the church would be abgent fulfilling lecture engagements in Obio, Before the singing of the hymn prior to the delivery of the sermon the names of thirty-one applicants for mem: bership were read, bringing letters from other churches, including several from Drs, Budingtou, Storra, Cuyler ‘and Talmage’s churches, There were also read the names of sixty-six persons who had been received as candidates for membership od proiession of faith, These will be publicly admitted during the service next Sunday morning, that being the anniver- sary Sunday, signdlized for many years by accessions of membership aud by floral decorations. THE SERMON, The subject of Mr, Boecher’s sermon was “Prayer,” second chupter of the first epistle of Timothy—“I will, therefore, that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy bands, witnout strife and doubting. He said:—The man that has found God and js fond ot Him 1s, as Jesus would say, a branch of the vino, Paul, in that memorable sermon | read to you this morning, speaks of a feeling after God, The blind, as you kuuw, become expert in feviing the raised letiers for their reading, in like manner a spiritual senso can only be obtained by frequenting those places where God may be found, Your spiritual nature is in this regard like your physical nature, After reviewing the materialistic theories of modern science in spiritual phenomena he said:—It isa fact that there bas come to us Irom ail ages, in sume instances, grotesquely, impertectly, aud incompletely, perhaps, a senso of God, of spirit, of angels, ut a spiritual tite. Now, as to the practice of prayer, | cannot preach that. ‘There are thousands of details about it; it is wise for beginners to have a consecrated place, a’ con- secrated hour, a consecrated position. Jesus seems to have bua this in mind when He said, “When thou pray. est, enter thy closet and shut the voor, and thy Father | which seeth thee in secret sbail reward thee openly,’? Give up the childish notion that prayer is principally asking and receiving. ‘Let us take paper and pencil into our closets with us and write out the thoughis that God gives us. Then there wiil come to us in times of prayer holy emotion, Let me warn you that real and lasting good does not come to any man suddenly, I will certify to you thas in a year you will so grow in grace that prayer will be an intense delight, Will you begin to-day, if you Lavo never prayed before? Will you give thanks for avy quickening intluencea these words of mine may havo inspired, and will you henceforth lead moro prayertul lives? OUR CONSOLATIONS. THE SOCIETY FOR ETHICAL CULTURE—PRO- FESSOR ADLER'S DISCOURSE, As is usually the case when Professor Felix Adler lectures he bad yesterday morning a very large audi- ence at Standard Hall, The iecture was preceded and followed by vocal and inatrumental music, The lec- turer said wo often heard tho words of anguish spoken where externally all secmed on the surface calm aud fair. We go abroad ia the glorious suusbine and wit- ness the resurrection of nature in the green fields, the blooming flowers and the fragrant blossoms that sur- round our path; and so wo remember that summer bas come, and all that is joyous in existence is here to point out the golden future which may lie before us. If we Isten to the melodious charms of nature the earth is an outlying province of fairyland; but beneath all these alluring beauties are to be found disharmony and confusion, Only a short time ago we heard that a sudden and unexpected invasion of the sea had swal- lowed up 200,000 human lives. The destructive elo- ments, mding in triumph on the wings of the hurricane, exerting an unknown might in the force of the unquenchable volcano or devouring whole prov inces by the ravages of the grasshoppers, teach us the terrible uncertainty of life and the utter insignifi- cunce of man as a factor ‘n the economy of nature. Wars of conquest that have not yet, alas! become an anomaly, though shaded under the shallow pretence ot some diplumatic fiction, at this very moment shake Europe to tts centre, and tever—the starvation fever of battle’s famino—bas broken out in Silistria, One of the most despotic and most bigoted of the Christian sects has arrayed itself in arms against the Mosiem, and hundreds of thousands of lives are to be sacri- ficed and the God of justice invoked in aid of botn sides, who claim to figut under His special and guid- ing care. THE BELIEF IN IMMORTALITY. But man has tho happy faculty of looking on distant evils with comparative culmuess, A single ratiroad accident taking place in our midst would move us more to griei than the slaughter of thousands in the East. This is because 1t would touch ourselves and our hopes and fears more nearly, We have sustained financial injury; we are harassed by domestic discord; worse than all, we are placed at tho bedside of a sick parent or Irieud, and can do nothing vat look upon his nights of sufferings Wil death comes to relieve him, When at Jast the struggle is over and he 18 Jad under the sod, what hope is there for as—whither shall wo turn for comfort or solace? The only remedy that can be offered 18 the consuling thougut that in healing we are cured, in redeoming there 16 re- demption, The hope of immortality 1s by lar the most prominent one among mankind, [tis said that ip the world to come there are crowns of glory and meetings to purt no more, It 1s undenimble that this beautiul idea is the most consoling thing upon earth to those who can believe init, 10 is pot at variance with poi- losophy; it is beyond the sphere of science, und as to the certainty of the theory, Christianity claims to have settled that poiut. Has not God intervened to suve man ;bas not Christ suflered on tho cross, and dia Ho not rise from the dead on the third day? All this is very fine, and, in fuct, could the doctrine of the resure rection be firmly established, it might be well to be- eve in immortality ; but those who are not Christians cannot believe the one nor accept the other. PROMISKS OF HEAVEN ARE FAILURES. , The belief in the immortality of the soul has been heid by some of the most profound thiakers of our | race; yet who can tell what phases ol new existence | shall greet us im tho ocher unkuown eterual wortd whither we are ail journeying? Lf we are to go by Curisuan beliet the cburch-goer should hail the day of | his death as one of life, restoring, a8 he claitns it does, his spirit into regious of perpetual delight; but bo does not #0 hail tue hour of bis dissolution; patural feclings overcome the force of revealed re- ligious promises and reward —hereatter. Loss js feit to be loss, and = sulfering humanity is not consoled even Ly promises of future Lappiners, Mystic religion has ensuared mauy noble minus into its dark bypatbs, and jearfal meutal immorality has followed tts adoptiot like that of the dinvoos, bas impressed its dogmas ou human thought. Thi desire, and thus kill pai but a longing for pleasure. s It 18 contenaed that by killing the wants and desires of body end mind the edge of pain is blunted. ‘To act upon this ductrine would be to do like the magman who pulled down bis house im order to banish Che rats; he got rid of the pests but eft himsell withouta home, Here the lec- turer Went on to show bow Jealous nature is to hav her laws obeyed; bow she resists their (ransyressious, and that When man violates them a physical and a mental Chasiiement must follow bis transgression, SEEK NATURE. Itis only by discovering nature’s laws and obeying them that man can hope to be bapp; To resist the Aggressive forces in navure man has hia intellect and reasoning powers to aid him. When he undorstand the secrets of nature he overcomes them, becomes their master, lashes them to his chariot of progress and triompbs, Great progro: boing made; lile 16 now mach easicr than in past ages; there is more justice in governments; we now possess wiser laws, ‘and, above all, enjoy a tur betier physical development, The cundition o1 all progress is experience; we must seek a thousand times for the right path before finding ), thereiore, becomes u necessity; it is the rice which humanity pa; jor an ipyaidablo rule, The cry ol the martyr is like tbe creaking of tie wheels of the great chariot of progr ere the Protessor showed the necessity of self-culture and dilated upon the pleasure to be found in ap juter-com- munion of aliied natures, He claimed that charity meaus love, and that the rich cannot bribe their way but proper training as to how they could work for themselves, and the treatment of brothers, aot that of wretches, should be extended to thom, fa making charity a part of our lives it loads us to a wiser and purer loyality to that great cominand—rx. celsior, Not in creed but in doed must our solace and saivation be iound. Let us therefore belp o auother—look into each other's ey es for sympathy, alins, into heaven by almsgiving; that the poor neea now®} ST. JOSEPH’S CATHEDRAL. A GRAND CATHOLIC ENTERPRISE AT HART- FORD—LAYING OF THE CORNER STONE YES- TERDAY—SERMON BY BISHOP LOUGHLIN, Hanryorp, Conn., April 29, 1877. The lamented Bishop McFarland, of this diocese, plauned as his litework the erection of a grand cathe- dral in Hartford, but was called away by aeath betore bis aspirations were realized. Bishop Galberry suc- ceeded him, and bas'vigorously pushed the enterprise from the point where it was left by bis predecessor, until to-day he witnessed the laying of the corner stone of a noble edifice that will be second only to the Cathedral at Boston in size and archivectural beaut) The prostration of the business interests of this section has greatly obstructed the accumulation of lunds requisite (o warrant a begiuning of the work, but the people of the diocese have contributed Mber- ally in proportion to their means, and a fund has been raised, or pledged, sufficient to finish the basement story and furnish it for religious services in December next. Thereafter the work will be prosecuted to the completion of the building as rapidly 4s money can be had, more than a third of a mililon being the estimated cost of building and furnishing the Cathedral, exterior aud interior. THE SITE AND THM BUILDING, The site is ou Farmington avenue, one of the finest thoroughiares in the wealtby section of Hartiord, and surrounded on ail sides by the residences of prominent citizens, Immediately adjoining the edifice, on either side, are the episcopal residence aud Mount St. Jor seph’s Convent, both of which were erected during the hifetime of Bishop McFarland, The architect bas de- signed a building Whose grand proportions wiil be an object of tuterest for mites around, 1 will command & courplote view of the surrounding country, ‘The architecture is of the Gothic style, and the building will be crucitorm; ma- terial of brown treestone, wilh laborately carved trimmings of the same, Its length ts 264 tect, width 178 In the transept, and 93 in the nave; on the front will be two spires 250 tees in height. At this time the plans for the Cathedral proper have not been wholly pertected, and only a general description can be given, The walls will be 6t wrought stone, piercea by not less than two hundred windows, the larger of which will be of richly stained glass, and illustrating evonta ip sacred history, The roof will be covered with English slating, with ornamental cresting, and the apex of the roofof the nave on the front will be surmounted by a large statue of St, Joseph, Both towers wiil be of stone up to the gilded crosses at top, aneie ig proposed to have costly chime of bells te ea fe THR INTERIOR, The interior is a clear story, rising 85 feet from the incaustic tiling of the floor to the vaulted and richly ribbed roof, The interior walla will be of polished marble and Mosaic work, the ornamentation Ol the whole interior being cocined mainiy to the splendor of the stamed glass windows, Unlike the architectural arrangement of churches the audito- rium wall be limited 1m area as compared with tho size of (be structure, very large portions of the ground floor being taken up with the chapé &o, and the the nineteenth and twentieth vi of St. Paul's great ganciuary, 88 feet wide by 66 deep, designed {o uford space for the grander ceremouiais of the Cathedral, THE ALTARS. ‘The altars, all of marble, will be five in number, the high altar in the centre (Lo be a sp.endid work), the St. Joseph's and Biessed Virgin's altars on either side, and beyond the altars of St. Vatrick*and the sacred Heart, iu the basement, at both sides of the transept, there will be chapels, each containing an altar, with coules- sionals ou the borth and south sides ol cach chapel. The sanctuary, eighty-eight feet wide by thirty-nine deep, will contain th uitars, the high, Stu Joseph’s and Blessed Virgin’s, and on either side will be the marriage altar aud bapuistery, In she rear of the high altar of the basement and immediately beneath the high altar of the Cathedral proper, will be a crypt, which will coniain sixteeu vaulis jor the burial of bisuops of the diocese, The interior doishing has not yet been decidea upon, bat it will be ofa neat and quiet order, leaving the more elaborate work for tho Cuthe- dral proper. LAYING THE CORNER STONE, The ceromonies of laying the corner stone to-day were of a most imposing character, and were witnessed by thousands of persons ‘residing here or who came from the surrounding couatry within a radius of fitty miles Special trains were furnished by the various railronds, and in every instance were literally thronged with passen- gers, The clergy was represented by a majority of the Dishops of this and the adjoining province, aud by large delegations of the priesthvod, who nave been entertained by tbe jocal clergymen aud at the resi- dences of citizens. THE ATTENDANCE. The agsomblage preseut at the ceremony was va- rivusly estimated at from 15,000 to 20,00 persone, 1u- ing, not iess than 4,000 trom Willimantic, Bridge- port, Waterbury, Winsted and intermediate points, Fifteen Catholic benevolent and temperance societies, accompanied by several bands, formed a line at the depot and marched to the Cathedral grounds, neaded by Coit’s band, oi Hartiord, in scarlet unitorm, and the Sursfield Temperance Killes, of Watervi with glittering muskets, The weather was fortunately pleasant, although a trifle raw from the heavy showers ‘of the moruing. A covered platiorm was provided for the invited guests, of whom over cne hundred were present, including Senator Eaton, United States Mar- sbal Bates and many State and city officials, THE CERKMONIES, The ceremonies began with uw procession of the clergy to tue site of the bigh altar, headed by Arch- bishop Williams and Bishops Loughita, of Brooklyn; Conroy, of Albany; Shaouhan, of Harrisbarg; and O'Reilly, of Springield. Among the clergy were Vicar General Waleh, of this diocese; Very Reverend Father Stanton, O, 3. A., of Villa Nova Collego, Pennsyl- vania, and other members of the order; representa- tives from the Franciscau convent at Winsted, Conn., d priests trom the various parishes. The nssist- ants in the ceremonial were Reverena Father Hughes, of Hartford; Father Mulcahy, of Kast Hartford, crozier beurer; Fayhers McCabe and Gulligan, of Martiord, Acolyt and Fathers Campbeil, of Manchester; Duggan, 01 New Britain ; Roderick, of Meriden, and Dougherty, of Fair Haven, chanters, | ‘he ceremonies being in accordanco with the reguiar order prescribed by the Church for such occasions a detailed description is unnecessary. THE CORNER STONE. ‘The corner stone is a handsomely wrought piece of brown tree stone, on the iace of which is ihe inscrip- ton:— OLDIE DE OEDORI DELL EODEDEIELODODE DODO DELEDE DELON ® Sr. Josxpi’s CaTHepRaL, H September 13, 1876, 3 Crnee none rene rere ns enst ittb tb POCO tb TE Ob Cone et Ot tOtOee On this date the first stone of the foundations was Jaid by Bishop Galberry, groand havihy been broken the mooth previous. The placing of a sealed box, con- taining documents, &c, within the stone Was post. poned until u future tit THR SERMON, The ceremonies closed with an effective sermon by Bishop Lougtitw, of Brooklyn, who pretaced bis text with remarks commonding the Catholics of the diocese for their liberal coutributions in the past and urgiag them to continue their good work until the spleadid edifice is completed aud dedicated to the worsbip of God. The Bishop selected tor the text of his discourse Epnesians ii., 19, 20. He said that tt is desirable that al the works of man shall rest apon a solid foun- dation, which, baving dcen found, should not be de- arted trom, The toundation of the Christian Church ig esus Christ, the great Redeemer, who sacrificed selt that the heaven which bad been closed agi man might be opeued unto bim, The promise of God was held by His people all along the line of agea, The patriarchs impressed it upon their memories, and His chosen people were made the depository of the Word, and, thougu few in pamber, tuey never forgot the promised Mvssiab, Enemies came up—pantheism, dualism and tue taism—to draw from the minds of the people this promise, but in vain, The promise was ful. filled and a child was born, ‘Emmanuel. He camo only tor the redemption of mankind; not, as the Jews bad hoped, tor the exaitation of their kingdom, His great work on earth was consummatedipy His death on the etogs, 80 that the merits of Him crucitied might be jelt the world over. Further than this, He pre- | Vided that the truth might reach all nations aud also fe 8 perpetuation by the estublisnment of the Chris- tan character, Vo His chosen apostles He gave the word of life and bade them go out into the world preaching it to the people, promising to be with them in their holy work in ali days to (he consummation of the world. God Wished that those who sat im the shadow might be- come the cbiidren of light, and in this we bepoid the Jove and condescension of God tn prowiding that man might teach his tellow men the means of grace, ‘The sacrament of baptism was established by which the merits of Chrisv’s suflertug might be applied to the work of salvauion, and by this ceremony of the break- ing Of bread and the drinking of wine We w abled to com with the rujing that uniess map should eat ot Hie h and drink of His viood he should perish, Hence we must regard Christ a8 the chie! coruer stone of the Church, aod jook to Him for life and for salva- tion, So regarding Him, He has the right to expect gratitude and fidelity in the discharge of Christian, social, family ana civil obligations and all the duti t life, 80 that when the end comes we may joim with Hitn in beaven. Upon the conclusion of Bishop Loughlin’s discourse the official document to be placed on the corner stouo ‘Was road to the assemblage, concluding the ceremonies 1 the day. During tho sermon a collection was taken, izing nearly $5,000, several of the or.anized societies con- triouting sums in bulk, the largest being $600, by the St. Pairick’s Benevolent Society of this city. ‘The visiting clergymen were entertained at the resi dence of Bishop Galberry this evening. A RIVER M\STERY. The boay found in the river on Saturday at the foot of West Eighty-ninth street was identified: by Mrs, Morriseey, of No, 31 North Moore street, as that of her husbaod, wno has been missing since the Saturday before Thanksgiving Day, 1876, The last seen of the rr hat time was when, in company with Deu: wo Journey toward the grout unknown goal, Help one another; this 1s the acme of our wisdom, |. they argue, it is no harm to aso it. FIGHTING THE INEBRIATE’S FOE QUICKENING OF THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT— A GRANITE STATE CHAMPION IN COOPER IN- STITUTE. The usual Sunday battle against King Alcohol, at Cooper Institute, was resumed yesterday afternoon under the geueralship of the American Temperance Union? The audience showed some recruita over former meetings, probably drawn for the purpose of listening to the thunder of @ new gun ww the temper. ance field, a Mr. Drew, of New Humpshire, in addition to the usual attractions, The engagement was opened by some good volunteer music, and then the artillery of temperance oratory was commenced by the introe duction of A. M. Burns, M. D., of Greenpoint, L, 1. A BRILLIANT PUYSIOLOGICAL MOVEMENT, Dr. Burns commenced a brilliant movement on the enemy’s works by scientific references to the effect of alcohol upon the human system. He was satisfled to bea common soldier in the temperance cause, The enemy they had to eocounter was all-powerful in @ certain view. But when it was considered that the fight ogainst alcobol had been going on for a long time, and when it was shown how much the health of Communities depended upon the overthrow of the {cll demon, that power would certainly be overcome, The Doctor went on to sav that no living thing through all animated nature could stand the presence of alcohol; that it was a poison, and a :nan who was sald to be drunk was sim- ply poisoned: that jt was an elemeat of death, and not of tive; that when life departed from the human body it became offensive unless the body were speedily ine terred; that the grapo upon the vine was luscious and healthful, but when pressed by tho wine maker its health and life were crushed out and it became an offensive object, The Doctor said every man was born with more of less of tho devil in him. Jf he did pot urouse the demon ali might be well. Al ohol would arouse it. VERDICT OF THE AUDIENCE. During bis discourse Dr, Burns said he would cons Stitute the a jury, with the president as jud, nd after ne had concluded he would submiy the question, which he then did—**all come’ to the conclusion that alcoho! is nova fit thing to be put into the human system will raise their right hands? Nearly every hand in the large audieuce wae raised, and the result duiy announced to the pres dent of the union. (Great applause. ) THE MAN WHO DREW THY TEMPRRANCE FIRM, Though Dr. Burns was physiologically very effective the speaker who literally drew the temperance fire out of the assemblage was the new temperance champioa and reformer trom New Hampshire, Jou W, Drew, of Concord, N. H. Mr. Drew is ratuer a young gentiemen, Of prepossessing personal appearance and bears oo facial indications of having been a drunkard, although be was generally placarded as being @ reformed one in the temperance meetings in his State, He is a fair speaker, uses pretty correct language and has a good lund of anecdotes applicable to th temperance cause which at one time make hi auditors laugh, and at another weep, Ho is new and will prove a sensation in temperance and a good man other quarters, P MR. DREW'S ADDRESS, The young champion of temperance from the Gran- ite Hills commenced by modestly deciaring that he wag no speaker, that bis education was limited, but that he knew all about drunkenness, from the primary school all through college, He reterred to his recla- mation through the tnflneace of Nathaniel White, of Concord, Mr. Drew tuen explained the progress of the temperance causo in Now Hampshire, where there were 165,000 signers of the pledge, 75,000 of them men and voters, He mentione the number of tamiites that had been restored, and gave a description of his effurts in Massachusetis, Anecdotes wero related with humor ana pathos, and with dramutic effect, so as to arouse the audicnce to a pitch of ‘enthusiasm?’ seldom witnessed at a meeting of the American Temperance Union, The result was the enlistment of a lorge number of recruits to the temperance army, with the probability of the opening of a number of new recruiting stations under the ministrations of the new temperance champioa from New Hampshire. SENSIBLE ADDRESS BY D, A. GOODSELL IN BROOKLYN—THE OBSTACLES TO REFORM, Rev. D. A. Goodsell, pastor of the Washington street Methodist Episcopal Church, Brooklyn, doliv: ered ay address last evening upon the subject of tem: perance under tno title of “Some of the Obstacles ta Temperance Reform.” Tho apeaker, 1n prefacing bis remarka, suid be had not chosen a text, as he remem- bered the comment of a minister at the proachers’ meeting a few weeks ago, whe said that it frequently happened that there was such a differenco —_ between the sermon and the text that if the text had an in- fectious disease the sermon would not bein avy dangor of getting it, When a great work is to be done, it should be our first duty to consider the obstacles, tha difficulties of the task to be overcome. With regard to the great work of temperance reform he believed there would be no permanent success till the plans of tho Christian laborers tn the cause take all the difficulties into consideration and be come ready to meet them. He desired to place himseit squarely upon the total abstinence platiorm, He believed that no Christian can use liquor of any kind without dotag injurv to himself, It was no doubt true that there are professing Ubrisuians, and good and sincere men, who differ upon thut subject, but they should weigh the qoestion more thoroughly in thew own minds, ‘I'nere are ministers who believe that the Bible sanctions the use of wine in moderation, But if we wish to aesist the temperance cause tbe Church of Christ must unite inthe work, Toa manutacture of aleoholic and malt liquors and wines is one of the leading sources of occupation aud revenue in tbe country. lJuandreds of millions of dollars of capital are invested in it, These manulacturers, brewers and wine producers will pot be willing to give up such a protitable business. They are ready to meet us, step by stop, in opposition, We see them trying to tamper with the conscience of the country and to Intertere with the advance of ite moral growth, They tuke advantage of every quibble of the law aud buy legisiators, The speaker regretted that so much money should flow into the public treasury from such a source, Thus ia the truflic 1ouod strongly intreached sn the businoss iuterest of the country. THY POPULAR AVPETITE IN THE WAY. We must fight these men upon some more practical method than we bave been using in the past. We must also consider the bold tbat the appetite for liquor has apon the peopl In Germany it 18 customary for Lutheran ministers to arink in beer gardens, In England, wo, from which we derive a large share of our foreign population, the cua- toms are different frow those which are obtained here. Ministers did not all believe that because somo people became intoxicated that they themselves fbould abstuin from the use uf spirituous liquors. Such was the force of their education in that country. But there 1s also an immense number of American-born people who go into liquor saloons with even an air of hilarity that sbould make. the Coristisn man shudder, There 18 the social castom of the land, therefore, to be fought against. Thera are many families who do not use liquor except upon weddings aud what they term special occasions; then, ‘The speaker de- nounced tue custom of fair bands tendering vhe wine. cup to young men on New Year’s Day. In Calitornia, where they manufactured such vast quantitics of wine: he fouad that they drank nove of them, but partook o! the strongest kinds of spirits profusely, Many of the frontier cities of the country are bells from this habit, The evil of intemperance js strongly intreached in the lite and babits of meu, and the appetite is free quently inherited. Crowded population always means an increase of drunkeoness, There are poor, o' tasked workmen who say to you that their only hap- iness in life is in intoxication, The liberality of George eavody, in providing better homes for the poor of London, 18 dolog great good in the cause of temper. ance, will not be able to compete with the evil ull the philanthropy of the country takes hold and relieves the poor and makes the their. interests aro understand that not regarded With indifference by the wealthy, 6 miajudgment Of the past in temperance reform has thrown back the success of the cause, Tho law should not be ina vunce of popular sentiment, Laws bave been enacted which cannot be eniorced, and the people regard oh as dead letters upon our statute bouks, The Maine liquor law bad thrown back the wave of temperance improveinent, because it was premature. Li we cane not blot a liquor store out by the law we must create @ Dotter moral sentiment NO QUARTER FOR THE DRUNKARD, There has beeu a mistake, too, iu treating the drunk- ard with too much pity. All the objection and abuse has been bestowed upon the liquor dealer, ‘The drankard should be made to understund that it isa crimo and bot simply a misdemeanor to pour the poison into big system. In Russia the poor man and the lord, when convicted of drunkenness, are made to sweep the streets, and if that were done hore wo would have cleaner streci# than we now enjoy. The temperance cuuse to be succeasiu! must be carried on by the Church, the pulpit, the press, and all other Christian agencies, and especially must we rely upoa the help of tho Divine Spirit THE TEMPERANCE INFORMER, The speaker suid he felt shaky, he was free to say, on she subject of Christian men buying liquor on the Sab- in rum shops, for the suke of convicting and Punisbing, by fine or otherwise, the liquor deal le was not quite according to the law of God, The ops may be closed, but he was afraid that the liquor ier would not have a very good opinion of the Christian who broke the law to enforce i, Their Texpect tor the Jaw could not rise very high in suck roumstances, and that was the case in Brooklyn ‘he speaker concluded by urging the extension of Intelligence and a greater faith in God among those whose appetites for strong drink 18 great; We should teach them there 18 @ better spirit than that which comes from the still, MISSING AND MAD. Charles Wood, of No, 206 Broadway, who is some, what deranged, hag been missing trom his house, No, 256 West Twenty-fifth street, since last Thursday. He in 1k boat at the foot of 45 forty-four years old, of fair complexion, with hazel The watchman at that place that | eyes, light ‘brown bar and mustache somewbal Vue two mon were scolding vach other, Singed with gray,