The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-28
ST. JOHNS METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, BROOKLYN.
sermon by Rev. Dr. Andrews.

sermon Dy IteVs Urs An0reWBs
II Is not generally known that the most imposing
edifce belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church
in America-whch, IN point OF numbers, Is the
largest religious denomination in the conntry-is
the st. Johns church, located on Bedford avenue
Brooklyn, Il. d. II was completed last summer, at
a cost OF $3.50 900, and Ia ornament to that part
OF the City OF Churches. The sabbath school hall
adjoining the church s admitted to be the most
beautiful room OF Its kind In the world. IL is
perby frescoed and ornamented; the walls are
adorned with choice pictures and illuminated Scrip
ture notices, and fountain IL located in the centre
OF the room. No expense has been spared to make
the place attractive TO the young, not only upon the
a Young Peoples Association was organized, whose
members are exerting themselves to entertain the
children or the Sabbath school and their parents by
series OF free musical ana literary entertainments
and a course OF lectures by distinguished men. The
Metropolitan church, which Is now being erected by
the Methodists IN Washington, and OF which General
Grant ana Chief Justice Chase trustees viii cost
az much as this Brooklyn edihce but IL is claimed
VIII not be SO complete IN all it, departments as ST.
JOINS.
Tne pastor Of the Bedford avenue church, Rev. Dr.
Andrews Ii one OF the ablest preachers In the con-
ference OF which he Is a member. lie is a clear
methodcal earnest, extemporaneous preacher and
a first class biblical scholar The musical depart
ment il In charge Of Mr. otto Fox, an accomplished
organist who has summoned TO his aid an efficient
and well disciplined choir. Mrs. Josie Johnson, the
leading soprano, has voice Of great richness force
Or. Andrews preached o discourse In the morning
appropriate to the OCCASION taking for his text the
fifteenth verse OF the second chapter Of st. Luke:
''Let US go unto bethlehem In his Introductory
remarks he said that what The shepherds did In per-
son his hearers could do In thought, and although 1t
took The shepherds but little time to travel to the
village such was the marvellous power OF thought
they (hs auditors) could enter into the great facts
which sauted their attention, and which were for
them the beginning Of new FRA. We said he, shall
lose something OF the awe and the JOY that belonged
to their experience; we have had dawnng upon MS
no angelic presence and no ,aiutation OF peace on
mitted to listen to angel miIntresy nor to under
stand, as did those shepherds, that new epoch
had come to their own particular nation;
and yet. upon the whole, broader and nobler
thereto might be theirs, IRON the TACT that the
people OF the present day knew more OF Christ than
they could know, the eighteen centuries OF Christian
Redeemer OF the world Going to Bethlehem they
would look upon AZ an afiair which, however trivial
IL might appear to ordinary observers nevertheless
was fraught with higher influence for the world at
large and for the whole course OF human history
than any event that had transpred upon the face Of
the earth. The speaker proceeded TO elucidate the
passage by dwelling first, upon the fact that IL was
by no means definitely settled that the 25th OF De-
cember was certainly toe day upon which Christ
was born; but II the Christian Church did not know
the exact day the OF the year OF the advent
history had established beyond controversy that the
period when Christ came was one OF universal
peace, the Roman sceptre then bearing com.
symbol Of that great fact connected with the
advent now celebrated-the TACT that lie who
was TO come had been entitled centuries
before the Prince OF Peace Dr. Andrews then pro-
rather Than 10 Jerusalem or Nazareth, By demon.
strating that Boar, Ruth and David came from there
and TO whom the Savi0ur's geneaOgy could be traced
an interesting comparison was iHs,iloteb between