The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-09-20

dresses the one humanity and therefore one
system and form suited to all. If FIVE hun
dred Christians should now be gathered from
all nations, one church form would be fitted
TO them all. Necessarily this form would be
like the prinaitive churches, a church OF the
Congregations self-govcrned church OF the
people. Such church would be In harmony
with the spirit of Christ and with our insti.
tutions. II would not be sectarianism, but
capable OF indefinite extension and suited 10
universal humanity.
There are some important indications tina,
the public thought Is tending towards an
unsectaran Church Of Christ. Creeds arc
losing their authority, and In the swing Of
the pendulum toward the other extreme, mcr
will probably forget that sound practice
grows only from q sound belief.
scctarian barriers are crunbling down,
and sheep from different folds, on meeting
are surprised not to fluid each other wolves
The Business Mems Prayer Meetings, be.
ginning In 1867, was q mighty instrument in
removing sectarian feeling.
Then came the Young Mems Christian
Association, a true birth Of the spirit of this
new time. Ignoring all sectarian distinc-
lions, and owning only the Christian name,
they have shown on the large scale the pos.
sibility, the beauty, and the power of Chris.
tan union, and they may yet prove John
lut utIulu VI lut SUuTCn oil tn(
future, the reunited body of Christ. Tho
| association is already widespread and
powerful body. It forms q cluster of anil
lated dcmocracics, with daily prayer meet.
ings, Sabbath schools, and other religious
services, has free reading rooms and journals
OF Its own, and In each great centre bcauti-
full and spacious halls like this are being
prepared, where, perhaps, the churches of
the people may gather.
IL may be that this Christian Association
will prove the halfway station between the
old sectariau churches and a reunited Protest.
antism, strong enough 10 meet Liberalism,
Rationalism and Rome. Surely the favor
which God has shown this effort indicates
the proper direction OF Christian effort. No
great religious movement can become per-
manont as religious force, except In church
forms, with Its ministry and the one univcr-
sal bond Of the sacrament. II there should
be at an important centre church orgnniza-
tion on the same base with the association,
with the same unsectarian character, gather
ing the masses for worship TO the free seats
Of halls like this, the free churches in the
free temples of Christ and the people, how
far should we lie from realizing the grand
idea OF the spirit OF our time, the one rcuui.
ted host OF the Lord, rallying In the one name
to the one banner Of Christ
After presenting pointed reasons why the
members of the new church now beginning
its public services had felt constrained 10
leave the body with which they we're for
merly connected, the discourse closed a. fol.
lows;
"Wc present here q church nj whose
threshold We expect that the spirit aud the
weapons of sectarian war will be laid aside,
aud where all within shall feel the secret at
fractions Of a mutual love, and the comfort
ings OF that peace which the world cannot
give, and the Transforming power OF that
life which Is hid with Christ In God. We
hope II Will be church whose fleece OF faith
shall be ever wet with the baptism of the
Spirit, and In whose hands the gospel will
be the power OF God for the salvation of
men. We invite all to the free seats of this
hall, and SO far as in US lies, We
consecrate 1t to Christian unity and Chris
tan freedom, and to the elevation of hu-
mainly in Christ"
THE FEAST or TABERSACLEs-(CuARG uAH
sCCcoT.)
The command for obeying this feast is to
be found In Levitt. xXiii; 50, and Is rs fol-
lows; "And the Lord spoke unto Moses,
saying: Speak unto the children of Israel,
saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh
month shall be the feast OF Tabernaclcs, for
seven days unto the Lord"
1t Is also substantially repeated In Num-
bcrs xxx: IL, and elsewhere.
The feast serves to commemorate the de-
parturc OF the children of Israel out of
Egypt and their forty years wandcrings In
the wilderness, during which time they
dwelt In booths or tabernacles, (Succot.)
1t also Is season Of festivity consequent
upon the ingathering of the harvest, as
named In Deut. xvi: 10: Thou shalt observe
the least oil Taoernacles seven days after
thou hast gathered In thy corn and thy
wine.' This latter admonition was the
cause, probably, of Plutarch (Sympos ", CO.
and other contemporary writers, believing
that this feast was held In honor OF Bacchus
but the command as quoted is SO clear on
the subject that there is no room left for
doubt. Besides which, If there were no
other evidence to refute it, the VIGOROUSLY
temperate characteristics OF the Jewish PEG.
pie would be sufficient; for even In our DAY,
who remembers seeing Jew who Is a con-
lrmcd drunkardi This is a strange fact and
is worth thinking over.
This Is the last Of the three great annual
festivals, (thc others being Pasach, "Passo-
YER and Shebuot, "Pontecost,") which re-
CURED the presence OF all the male Tsraelitcs
in Jerusalem. Vide; Exol xiii: 10, &c.
The feast began last night and lasts seven
days, exclusive OF the eighth day of solemn
assembly" (shemenec Atscrct.
On lloshonganah Robbah, the seventh and
hAJ VI thC itEtlNuI Seven uUUI-
tionnl circuits were made In the temple, and |
also additional hosannahs were chauntcd.
simchot Torab (reJolcing of the law) |
loses the feast On this day the last chan. |
cr OF the law Is read, and is Immediately |
commenced by reading the first chapter OF |
Genesis, in order that there may be no inter- |
mission whatever In krcping the law before |
the people. With the view Of imprcssing
upon the memories OF the young people
Inc history of the past, many synagogues
dyc succot erected adjoining their ediiices,
n which blessing over wine (kiddish) and
bread (moutze) is said. Many individuals
also erect these structures in their gardens,
md, II the weather be favorable, take all
their meals In them. We have seen some in
this city which were beautiful In the cX-
IRENE, for 1t Is n matter Of pride among the
faithful to decorate them quite deliberately
with flowers, devices, colored lanterns, &c.
In the synagogue service the palm branch,
(lulab,) citron, (esrlg,) willow and myrtle
Joy and festiyity, not however unmlxcd with |
omc sad memories of the past, are the lead
ng features Of these time-honorcd customs |
# the Jews.
ST. sTErHEN's CHURCH.
Yesterday, at the 1890 O'Clock service In this
eautiful church, very large congregation
'as In attendance. High Mass was cclc.
rated Dy the pastor, Rev. John McNnlly,
nd the choir rendered, as usual, some very
ne music. Mozart's Mass, No. Z, was sung.
he tenor solo "Cujus amman" by Rosslnl,
as exqulsitely sung by Mr.. SelgsOn.
Father Mentally announced that the
,rvices pertaining to the jnbilcc would take
lace in st. Stephens church in the first or
'cond week OF October; but that any of the
'lthful who desired to share In Its spiritual
lyantagcs could do so at any time from the
resent TO the close of the Ecumenical
Ouncil by complying with the conditions
t forth In the recent pastoral letter of the I
.ost Rev. Archbishop of Baltimore. Father
cNally then read the Gospel of the day as
und In st. Matthew, chapter 0, verses to I
and proceeded to remark that the Church
to-day the Seven Dolors Of
C Blessed Virgin, which were also COM
cmorated during Passion Week, In the
onten season. Hence, twice during the
.ar the Church presented for the mediation
her children the suilerlngs and SORROWS
the mother of God. They were called
&C Seven Dolors, because the seven senses
Mary were afflicted by the suilcrngs of
n divine son.
The reverend speaker contrasted the sor-
ws and lamentations Of the Patriarch
braham, when called upon 10 sacrifice his I
loved son Isaac, with those of the ever
ass pl moi hpr who frntn tho ti,na Of tho |