The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-14
Missionary Ordination.


BYTERIAN CHURCH.
The members Of the Spring street Presbyterian Church
last evening to witness the ordination of Mesrs
H. W. Pierson and H. p. Herrck, before the departure
Of the latter for the Gaboon mission in West Africa The
ceremonies being of unusually interesting character
they were attended by large number of the congsga
ton Services were nmenced with prayer by Rev. Mr.
Campbell pastor of the Church; after wi ch the choir
sang the hymn 337, commencing with the words "Stand
up, my SOUL shake off thy fears" At the conclusion of
this Rev. George A. Thatcher delivered sermon taking
his text from the Book Of Judges 9th chapter and 2Sd
verse; follows-"C Curse ye Neroz (sad the angel of
the Lord) cure ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof
because they not to the help Of the Lord against
the mighty"
tuting comparison between the circumstances
which his text described and the which truth Is
sad be relates to ths nature Of tho contest oa Is
ing in the world We must first consider that the end
God has in view is two fodthe eternal salvation of
and he establishment of kingdom of holiness and
truth Our race he continued has been ruined by SIM
iuiquiy and error which have held almost universal
dominion the world, and have built up Kingdom
for Prince of Darkness in bold defiance the author
ty of heaven For wise but inscrutable God ha
allowed this to exist but is meanwhile preparing for his
enemies more terrible destruction At the beginning
OF human apostaoy God mmenced system of opera.
tcr for the purpose of eectpg the everlasting rsdsmp
ton OF many possible of mankind. He could not
SUR ender this vast fabric of intelligent beings to error
and eternal punshment for this reason he has set ut
work ain influences whose tendency is to couneract
the power OF wickednefs, and has issued his mandate
to the children Of man to unite with him in the
overthrow Of the kingdom of Satan. He has asserted
the claims truth and his determination to suppress
ev he has set up kingdom of purity and lce oppo.
stOn to of maevolence and nquty he has declared
against false doctrine and every form OF vice. The
contest whih he Is carrying is spral contest for
the danoy of the ght and the salvation Of
the weapons WI ich he not carna but those of
truth. There are, however, differences in the Church
and in the world but those only prove how deadly is the
opposition feel to the claims Of truth. Sometimes
the children of God have been guilty of excesses and
have resored to violence to make converts to righteous
Zeal has In toe many instances degenerated into
fanatcism and The progress of the work Of God has
been checked This is not in accordance with his com
mards He said "Ysu shall beat your swords into
p'ough shares, and your spears into pruning hooks'
for the war which be is waging is of spiritual
nature 1t Is contest Of mind with mind of heart with
heart of argument with argument and the elements
poyed Iurely of moral character. Bat thu forces
the less pressing and impeous Tho angel Of Truth will
help the children of God with host of attending spirits
clothed nth the pure robes OF heavenly hight to oppose
the subtle end of error, with his thousand swarmng
imps. In this beht ID mild, hearted benevO
lence pptng TO flight seshnes and co dness Of heart
goodness with her heavenly mica boldly confronting the
grim caunt form of deoray,y The Daughter If Zion
the Church of God is in conflict with the wordthe vain
,infu mTenitenr grovelling world The followers of ths
Lamb fghtcg under the captain of their salvation
sgnst the ~retched yotriss of sin, not to say and
dt stroy but to convert and the n. One of the
principal ways by which it is to b. DONE
Is through the practice of the commands of God and By
conforrnir actions with his holy preceps-by diff
fufing general intelligence throughout the world BY re-
forming the morals Of osnkind by convincing men OF the
folly of sin in temporal respect and In thousand other
ways.
The reverend gentlemen continued at greater length
this part of his subject and concluded by exhortng his
hearers to lend their aid and influence the side of
truth, in the contest between 1t and error
When he resumed his seat the pastor OF ths church
came forward, aud calling upon Messrs Pierson and Her
rick by name, informed them that they would be
ordained. These gentlemen then approached the
tuary and knelt down before the Rev Mr. Campbell who
performed the ceremony OF ordination. The reverend
gentleman asked the following questions
Do you believe the Scriptures OF the Ola and New Tesa
mens he the woid Of Godthe only infable rule Of faith
you sincerely receive and adopt the confn of faith
Of this church containing the system Of doctrine taught
in the Holy Scriptures
Do you approve and discipline Of the
Presb, teTian Church in these United StatesY
Have you induced as far as you know Jour heart
seek the office OF the holy ministry from love to Cod and
poms % soas h shs 0iS n
the truths Of the Gospel and the purity and Of the
church. persecution OF opposition may arise unto
Do you engage to be faithful and dgent in the exercise Of
n private and personal duties which become you Chris
duties and the public duties Of occ endeavorns to
adorn the profession of the Gospel by your Conversation
God ihall make you oyerseor. .
To these questions each of the candidates replied,
"I do.n
The presiding minister then holding his hands over
them in solemn manner made prayer appropriate to
the occasion This concluded the ceremony Of oTdina
tion A charge was then made to the newly ordained
candidates by the Rev. q. W. Wool, Secretary Of the
A. B. G explanir the nature Of the duties which
they would have to perform and the great responsibilities
extended to them afterwards by DR.. Anderson,
ther secreGy of the cety, after which the choir
sang the 539th hymn TINS closed the ceremonies and
the congregation then dispersed.