The New York herald., 1869-04-26
Progress of Reiision-The Exercises and
Church Sermons Yesterday.

Progress Of ReIigion-The Exercises and
Church Sermons Yesterday.
We present to the readers of the HERALD
this morning complete account OF the pro-
gress of religion among us during the past
week; our stenographers, as if blessed with
the gift of tongues, portraying the various
exercises, observances and sermons which took
place in Washington, the churches OF Connecti-
cut, New York. Brooklyn and on the line of
the Hudson and in other suburban temples
with rapidity and fuency which would go
far to excite the envy of the disciples and
apostles Of old and may even to-day console
their spirits in their place of blissful reward.
From Washington we receive the encourag-
ing statement that ''all the churches were well
filed, the several congregations being edited
by sermons, high masses and other adjuncts
to devotion. The forty hours ''adoration of
the Blessed Sacrament" instituted over three
hundred years ago, was commenced by the
Catholics. The colored Baptists dedicated
new church, praying in it three times. The
Metropolitan Methodist church was thronged,
President Grant, accompanied by his daughter,
being in his pew, near to which sat Chief
Justice Chase and several Senators, the clergy
man giving an impressive discourse from the
ninth chapter according to st. Luke. AS
| If in illustration of the universally
| of the Christian law and its happy
effect in binding the peoples in peace
and amity, Senator Fenton, of New York,
worshipped in Plymouth church, Brooklyn,
| side by side with the colored Lieutenant
| Governor of Louisiana ; the distinguished gem
tlemen holding an extemporzed levee in
| front of the reading desk after the Rev.
| Mr.. Beecher had concluded an eloquent SER
mon, taking as his text, perhaps very appro-
priately, the words ''Thy will be DONE" In
the Cannon street Baptist church, New York,
Rev. Mr.. Adams held forth on the subject of
"a close or restricted communion" disagreeing
IN toto with the soul saving process Of the
Free Will Baptists on the subjects of baptism,
faith and repentance. Rev. DR.. Flagg gave
some excellent advice to his congregation, pre-
vious to his departure for Europe, in the Church
of the Resurrection. The Presbyterians were
fortified in spirit by illustrations taken from
the accounts of the perseverance of the con-
testants in the Grecian games, and
warnings against the consequences of
gambling. Bishop Snow encouraged his
hearers by setting forth the ''Sign of the Son
of Man" as denoting the near approach of a
second advent of the Saviour; which, it must
be acknowledged, is almost required, particu-
larly in New York, for purposes both Of present
security and future comfort. Many children
of Zion church were confirmed in the faith.
OF the ultimate salvation of the souls Of our
Highlands population we have great hope,
from the assurance that the twenty churches
located in the town of Newburg were thronged
with earnest worshippers, petitioning for grace
in as many different forms of Christian prayer.
A furious wind storm prevailed, loading the
air with dust and rendering locomotion by
pedestrians difficult; but, remembering per-
haps the Divine rebuke conveyed in the words
'Ye of little faith," the ladies braved the
breeze, as did their sisters in Poughkeepsie,
with dxity Of purpose and devotion worthy
almost of that shown by the early martyrs,
the chief difference being found in the fact
that the communicates of the Newburg
churches were dressed in much better style
than the martyrs, and consequently appeared
to relish the storm. A Methodist Clergyman
during his first sermon, in Trinity church,
preached from the text, ''The time is short"
illustrating the brief span of human life by
contrast with the infnity of eternity.
''Blessed is he who regardeth the poor" was
made the basis of cash collection from the
Presbyterians. In the Ninth Congregational
church, Bridgeport, Conn, pastor Richards
afforded vast comfort to the poorer members
of his congregation by using the words of st.
Matthew in exhortation to observe how ''the
fowls of the air" are fed by the heavenly
Father There were two 'larewell" sermons
and two exchanges Of pulpits. The Methodists
were shown how the soul of every man
''longs' for Christ. In the Episcopal and
Catholic churches the ceremonies were accord
ing to strict ritual rule, while the Spiritualists
held forth on ''Woman's suffrage the only hope
of the temperance cause" AS a sorrowful
finale of the day devotion we have an affect
| ing account of the exercises which took place
| in Brooklyn over the remains of the victims of
the recent calamitous accident on the Long
| Island Railroad.
THERE are said to be over two hundred thou
sand thrashing machines in the United States
a. -.cl T. 1fx