The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-07-19
LOCAL DEPARTMENT.

RELIGIOUS SERVICES YEsrEapAY.--Not-
withstandlng the excessive heat the morning
services ut the several houses OF worship OF
all denominations were attended by devout
congregations.
In the afternoon there was large assem-
blage nj the East Capitol steps, pursuant to
n call, for free discussion on religious sub
jccts. The meeting was called to order by
Mr.. George White, aud Mr.. Edwin Combs,
Of Massachusetts,, was chosen secretary.
The subject discussed was "Immortality,"
In which several persons participated, and
was quito edifying, and will be continued on
Sunday afternoon next.
Religious services were held In the after
noon at the jail, under the auspices Of NJ.
q. Flnncy, esq., assisted by Colonel B. Y.
Hanker and Mrs. Josephine Grifiing. A
number of tracts were again distributed,
which were furnished by the Friends So
ciety Of Richmond, Indiana, through the
kindness Of Mrs. Eliza Hodson and Mrs. L.
NJ. 4. Kicks, Of Indiana. Many Of these
tracts are on temperance subjects, and are
attcntively pcruscd by the prisoners during
the week, and II Is already evident that much
good is being done by their dissemination.
Much praise Is due Warden Croker and his
deputy officers for the ncatness and order
which prevails In every room and cell Of the
jail, as also for the courtesy shown the wish
tors at these Sunday afternoon religious ox-
crcises.
\ sERvIcRs AT THE METROPOLITAN N. L.
OBuRcH.-During the week DR.. Newman
has been absent, attending the national
camp-meetlng at Round Lake, near Sara
toga, N. Y. He returns6nQn saturday, ex-
pressing himself well pld with his trip.
He preached to a fui sregation yes
terday, taking for his tcxt&11 Timothy, II:
8; "For there Is one God, and n mediator
between God and men, tfidsQlifh Christ
Jesus"
Tho Scriptures, he said, admitted the cx-
istence OF God, and they nowhere attempted
to prove 1t. not even by single argument.
There were few atheists in Bible times,
and their rebuke was found In the words of
the Psalmist, "Tbe fool hath said In his
heart, There Ia no God" 1t is so, also,
with the immortality of the soul. Atheists
say you cannot prove the Immortality OF the
soul from the Bible. 1t is taken as q fixed
fact In the Bible.
In the controversies In the Bible the only
point has been the superiority OF God. The
istence OF God but to demonstrate his supc-
riority. The Magi performed wondrous
things; but as the question was the superior
ity Of God, why may we not suppose that
God allowed them to do those things that
his servant Moses might show his superior
ltyi The drawing OF fire from heaven by
Elijah, on Mount Carmel, was to demon
strate which was superior, God or Baal.
Polythelsm has always existed; that IL, as
far back as authentic history. lie said he
had not timo then TO enter into the causes
which led to Ii.
There Is one popularity In the Old Testa-
ment-the unity Of God Is often spoken OF,
while Of tho Trinity but little Is said. That
doctrine was len for Christ to teach. The
Trinity was prelntimated, for in the original
several passages speak Of God in the plurali
such as, ''Let us make man, &c, ''Rcmembcr
now thy creators In the days Of thy youth y
Jesus brought out this great truth just when
the people In their advancement were emery.
ing from the midst OF mythology. lie
teaches that there Is but one God, and that
there should be but one prayer.
Tho unity of God Is discovered In nature.
By the same law that causes the apple 10
fall from the tree, the moon wheels around
the earth. This law Of unity runs all through
nature. The light from the fixed star, aud
the light OF the candle Is the same in vcloc-
ity. The heat OF the sun and that of u fire
Is the same. The unity of law prevails all
through the universe Of God. Wherever
you go on the earth you do not feel that YOU
are In the province of new God. Go tc
Europe and pass from Italy into Austria
and you arc impressed with the idea imme
diately that you are in the province of new
sovereign; so 1t Is in passing TO any othel
country. But wherever you 20 you arc still
impressed with the unity of God and hi,
laws as seen In his works.
What is true In regard to nature is true in
regard 10 government. All laws bear tn,
impress OF the same infinite intellect; al
laws arc adapted to a given end. Wherever
you look or wherever you investigate yot
are impressed that all things come from tn,
common mind. There cannot be two su
preme beings, for this would be a contradic
ton. There cannot be two supreme beings
ono good and one evil. There can be Blu
ono supreme being, and hence but one gov
eminent. II there Is but one government
so there Is but one responsibility. We car
owe allegiance TO no government but Gods
II there Is but one law, one government ont
God, then there eau be hut one allegiance,
and that man Is a rebel who does not per,
form bis duty to God. Gods will is the rule
OF action, and obedience to that will Is the
condition OF everlasting life. This idea of
oneness permcates the universe of God
oneness OF God, oneness Of government, one
ness OF responsibility, and oneness of sin,
that Is, sin can only be committed against
God. Every time man Gins against hls
ncighbor no trespasses against God; every
transgression Is against him, and against no
other. Now, If there Is but one God. but
one government, but one responsibility and
but one sin, then there eau be but one me-
diator, and there cannot be two or more me-
dlators. As there Is but one sin, one me
diator, so there can be but one pardon. The
pardonng power belongs to God only. 1t is
not possible for him to confer il upon any
creature, not even the highest angel. lie
can commission angels or men TO proclaim
pardon, but the right of pardon belongs ex-
clusiyely to God. This is logical, and
drawn from the oneness illustrated.
mediator Is u middle man; this Is the
meaning In the Bblei a man who proposes
TO come In between two men and make peace,
and hence Jesus comes to us as n middle
man. With the right hand on the Divinit,
and the other on humanity, He Ia In IN,
highest sense middle man. This idea Of |
middle man is recognized in society wher
one man becomes surety for another guilt,
Of crime. As 1t Is His power to pardon, S,
1t is His right to provide Saviour. lie ha,
done 1t by giving His ly-begotten son, an,
II Is our duty to accept Him.
Christ is our middle man-our intercessor
He does not sit by tho Fathers side, showing
the prints Of the nails In His hands and feet
the mark Of the spear In His side or the scar
from the crown ofthOrns on His brow, to OBJ
tain tho intercession. II Is the presence o
His humanity In heaven, bearing the mark,
of the crucilxlon, being at the hcnd of thu
government that gives the pardon. Chris
needs no helper In Ills lntercession; sc
there Is no use Of praying to St. Mary, St.
Peter, and all the other salnts, whom can,
not name. There Is no praying In heaven.
There never was but oIs prayer recorded as
having been made In the other world, and
that was made by Dives in hell; he prayed
for drop Of water, but In vain. Prayer be.
longs only to earth; beyond, In heaven, all
Is praise. If tho angel Gabriel were to come
for you tonight, as you are uttering your
last prayer, II would melt into praise. The
intercession Of the saints Is q stupendous
fraud. There Is only one mediator. Jesus
trod the wlne-press alone.
bless God that he Is not an angel. What
sympathy could an angel have with you
bruised and battered lu llfe's battle! What
does he know Of shlpwreck; what does he
know Of temptations what could he do to
help man In his mulancholy-fOr this be-
longs more to man than to woman-mclan-
choly, when the mind Is In the state to think
everything Is gone; what does he know of
sickness and pains that rack the body; what
does he know of deathi THANK God, Jesus
Is not an angel. o, tempcst-tossod mariner,
Jesus was In tho storm; he endured lfe's
trials and haTdshipsi he said "my soul Ia