The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-05-09

BYTERIAN CHURCH.
The thirty third anniversary discourse before the friends
and supporters Of this local Presbyterian American mis-
sion was delivered las. evening" beautiful church OF
the Rev Dr. Adams, in Madison square, by tho venerable
ana Reverend VIM. $. Dwight, DID,, of Portland Maine.
The spacious edihce absolutely crowded but the
attendance was large enough to demonstrate the lively
interest that must undoubtedly felt in mission 90 vital
III s character and 80 important ia its tendencies and re-
suits Tie opening services begun by the Rev DR.
adams AMI after the singing Of hymn an earnest
nation IVES offered by the same reverend gentleman
soul inspiring psalm OF the poet king was then thrill.
pgy rendered by the choir the voices Of the singers
blending together sweet and naeIcss har ony ina
lifted the soul from the thoughts Of earth the asc o.
the spheres
Or the violence Of the yea
"Af a.ils STsssi s%1 e. II Lord ssGr'
a asf S%a1S' t., s :A .ar ss''sn'
Echo round the earth and main.
The kev Dr. DWIGHT selected the text on which the
sermon Of the evening founded from the l7th verse
OF the 24h chapter Of the Gospel according to st. lake.
And thar repentance and remission Of sins should be
preached In his name among ali nations, beginning It
Jerusalem" From the connection of this verse with
similar passage IN the Acts of the Apostles was EVIL
aert tnat theSe directions must have given at the
same season and shortly before ascension Of Christ
The text pointed out the great duty upon which the
cute Tor life They were 10 proclaim among all nations
repentance and remission Of aims the name Of The once
forever
The Greeks, the Romans, the Parthians and the
scythians, and even the remotest part Of the
from these chosen messengers-from them were 70 come
the tdngs Of Joy But the starting point of the
work was bHed,heir mission Of Gospel
10 begin at Jerusalem The work TO be the greatest
ever performed by ortas The abors the patriarchs
and prophets like those Of John the Baptist com
parativeiy 10 accomplish little when this mighty opera
ton was set in motion. But although the Gospel was 70
be preached to all nations, and all mankind were to be-
brought 10 knowledge OF the truth apostles were by
no means 10 journey to unknown lands until repentance
and remission of sins had been preached in Jerusalem
This command, according to the Acts, was strictly obey
remained there until the day Of Pentecost had
fully come, when the miracle Of the tongues q re was
PERFORMED and when Peter 10 the spirit OF the faith FIRST
preached repentance and remission of SINS and three
thousand attested the truth power Of the
gospel Ana yet after this signal they continued
preaching until large numbers Of the people were added
to the church. and great army Of priests had become
years after the resurrection that Peter was sent
TO Cornelius, and then the work Of disseminating
was the mission OF Peter to Correlius-had to be-
pursued. Then Barpabas and Saul were sent by
the Holy Ghost to Antioch. This was the begin
Ling Of that missionary enterprise WHICH dates
back more than eighteen centuries, and which subse-
quenty appeared have been dgressng but has again
aspect the face OF the Garth And Jet rst the work
but local one The conversion Of Jerusalem to
have been first secured The Apostles to preach 10
the los. sheep Of the house of Irae to bring them
back 10 the fold Of the Shepherd-to the green pas
ae ppa ns 70 eas asa ~S S
Jews, and the syro phonician woman might i'm
ploIc aid in vain on behalf of her demonaca child
The decree conclusyethe doctrine of repentance
and remission OF sins was first 10 be proclaimed in
jerusalem II was then clearly econ that tie great work
OF making known the Gospel of salvation assigned TO hs
ministers by Christ in all ages fret to be begun at
home While they are not TO forget nor overlook the
The claims Of their country nust have priority in
nature and In time Begin at Jerusalem, must be the rule
and motto now as in the days Of the Apostles This
the chief effort Of the American Home Missionary Society.
Prior 10 its existence formation there good
who recognized the necessity Of such body and who
heir power help the of local missions and this
hey succeeded in doing very successfully Blu. when this
great was transferred 70 TO send the Gospel 70 The
wide spread and distant settlements of the country And
since Tho american Home Missionary Society began is
existence thirty three years have passed away and it has
been growing and increasing until taken deep root
and filed ands boughs are gone out 10 the sea it's
branches the river and the hills are covered WITH its
shadow. The reverend gentleman then proceeded to
consider the nature Of the work and the workmen who
to perform it. The duty Of the society-which
was its woriI-was to assist in sending the Gospel
TO the utmost limits of the United States, making
who would otherwise be ignorant Of them. It
tally home mission. The scene OF their operations
hborng to extend the Kingdom OF their Divine Master
It can embark IN no other work. Our territory
the work is to be perpetuay prosecuted. An other
cees needed for the kingdom Of Christ and this
one had no opposition to any Other Its broad stream
God 1t inNrered with no society for the extension Of
Christ's kingdom, bu. was rather co-worker with
them all. From the western slope Of tho Alieghanes,
AMI from the fountains OF the Mississippi to the
Gulf, the glad sounds were yet to rebound. The
reverend preacher dwelt with much eloquent energy
the freedom here enjoyed for the worship OF God,
and reoiced that the Christian not here depend
ent upon federation for his choice adoring Cod The
magnitude Of the work engaged his attention. and he
showed how vast Of earth TO be raversed by
the standard bearers Of Chriat Wherever American emf
grafton moved westward the missionary Of the
follow. The buffalo and the savage rereaed instructive
~ before the onward roll of the unreoonnding wave like
81
with fury the plains Of cesoa.ed Rome Ike erup
tion of E,na, the work moving with irresistible
power. The increasing population Of the country
adverted and the gentleman showed
the next census will demonstrate that the popu-
s e '9 sS yin tina. sn Of is
1850 that Of Russia and that time America will be the
most powerful nation on the face Of the globes and n
time the population would amount to upwards of
hundred millions No human power could arrest this
odaious increase The causes were the same those
The division Jsunion OF the States he looked as i'm
possible for those whom God has so joined together
could never put asanier But fearful duty rested
the nation with this increase Of population
pouring in with ceaseless power from all parts Of the
EARTH what was to become Of the people they
are not taught to fear God and to regard MANI
Unless the spirit Of religion dilused among
them, when they arrived at such great strength
they might possibly become military republic, and
led on by the thirst OF universal dominion, after obtaining
Canada and Mexico by conquest or annexation, they
rcan republics The efforts Of the preachers the Gospel
were more than needed to guide the future of this
sfet coultry Inc enemies OF TINS Work OF religion were
iwc--the Romsh Church, with its catheiras gorgeous
vestments musc, s army Of priests and its maths and
vespers, silently gathering its forces In this land The
disguise OF the Romish Church in America was as COM
pete could be- Il has power herc but lie Efforts
to expe the Bible from schools both here and else Where
shows what would do IL il had the power Three ourths
of the emgrants arriving here were Irish and German
Catholics, and these were not confined 70 the
Atlantic States, but they were spreading out,
to the West where Ronanism is most to
be dreaded The other enemy Of the work Amer
can nfdes who were far worse than the inides Of Eu
zone They bad dived into deeper caverns aud their
ranks were to be found gamblers thavee swnders amt
men Of violence and crime who hang upon the skirts Of
our great city, and who when driven the east y 10
the west Among them also the cut-throat ,ibus
tcrs. who proclaimed peace where they were carrying
war These constituted the scrried ranks OF the enemies
CT the mission, and they were to be dreaded baed
sgaus for ndelty and Romansm will unite together 10
forward each others cnuEe Herod united with Plate
fnr both oplr ci,o.