The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-25
RELIGIOUS lNrEIIIGEECE.
Pe,ig.cus Services To-Day

Dedicatory services will DC Yes" III eae io'HHN'is
square Methodist Episcopal enurcn' btoo"Hu' d.
balcpast ten A. H., by Rev. Dr. Jesse l. PeeS; al
three p. H., by f. ;. Ahoio"s' GA" u ''"'t -" ~
pm Inv william H. Thomas.
seryioas viii lie held IN tile John street methodist
rntscopa church. at halfpast ten A. NJ, by Eier H.
+. Pease, and in the evening by Rev. NI.MM T.
Corbit-
Rev. George z. Thrau will preach this morning in
t,,e Protestant Episcopal Emanuel church, Fifty
seventh street.
Rev. J. II. Vincent will preach IN The Cnlrch OF
the STRANGERS, large chapel, University Washington
square, at halrpast ten A. NJ and again At quarter
to eight Z. M.
Bishop 8. s. snow Will preach ia tho University,
Washington square, this afternoon, al three O'CLOCK
Services will be held at hsfpast ten 4. NJ aid at
eight Z. nj. In Zion church. Madison avenue.
A Sermon on the Great Truths o, Theology.
TO THE EDITOR or TIE HERALD:-
In my last letter endeayorei TO show tnai II was
extremely probable that when the great truths OF
theology Should become as thorouy hiy understood
and indispataDle as are the great truths Of the
science OF astronomy-that then We should know
chat not only "three personsn were comprehehded
In the "anity of God,n but an iadnity OF persons
within that ''unityr--as innumerabe as are the
worlds ana svsiems Of worlds scattered throughout
the immen glty OF space-that every world In general
ia under the especial care OF one "jeheVah' or
'Lord Ccdn 'Most High God' Lord Of Hosts"
with very great number OF 'aIgeis" 'arChaRgels,"
ssspirts OF God,n or "sons OF God,u wao are all as
thoroughly .'one''-a perfect anityas Is tree, or
s'vine,n VITA all its 'pranches" how ever numerous
they may 30.
In this letter propose to consiler in what re-
spect man IS Ike God and in what respect he does
not resemble his Maker-hls HeaysnlS Father. We
know NJ hrpr vfslhe mortal eyes who
rior to na therefore very naturally conciudctnat
man il the highest order OF Visible animal being
In tue universe and that he Is also the great connect
ing link between animal and spiritual existence
between iac visible and the invisible world. Our
own eyis. eace and the existence OF the visible and
organizad creation general proves to MS most sat
tsactcr.lf Tie existence OF creator ana organizer
whom We cali COD. All known eAisteace may be
comprise within two great dlv.slous-the great
visible creation and che great invisible Creator; and
the one order OF existence we MAY reasonably con-
clude that tne spiritual BODY Of maa as serainiy
also tends 50 confirm US IN this view. in the very
1rst chapter oi the Bible It is writJen, And God
said, Let rs make man In our image, alter ouI like
ness; so God created man IN His own image, IN the
Image OF God created He him; male an1 female Gre
Ated He ttcm F" and throughout the Bible men are
frequently called 'sons OF Cod" anu encouraged to
address Goa as ''our Father in heaven lntlllang
as plainly IS possible that the spiritual bodyn
Of man Is as much like God his creator and heaven
~ Father, IS the natural body'' OF son is Ike the
natural body OF his father Nevertheless it Is con-
trary both 10 reason ana to revelation TO suppose
that the spiritual body' is at all like the natural
body'' OF man. There is doubtless no more resem-
blance between the natural body'' OF man, which
dies and Is resolved into its original clements, and
the spiritual body' OF man. which survives and
grows la .wlsdom knowledge and Joy'i to all eter-
nifty, sincreasing with the increase OF God" than
there is resemblance between the 'gran OF Wheat,n
which buried In the earth, and the plant OF which,
originating in an almost inperceplloe germ in the
grain OF wheat, survives its dissolution, and spring
ting up grows rapidly, and soon reproduces many
Of Dr M
sOwn, ami the oaK which terminates therefrom; or
between The creeping caterpillar which disappears,
originates therefrom. When theology Is q science
shall then probably know that man is but COD IN
the invisible things OF God with those things that
are seen'-and what we now see OF man here Is
which proceeds from the egg OF the bee, Is like the
bee into which it is afterwards developed
Sy the light Of tue modern science Of geology we
ton OF the developed spirit OF man. which may per-
haps afford some idea OF It's great power and glory
when 1t emeiges from It's larv9 stage OF existence as
1t were, and assumes It's spiritual and godike iacu-
ties and powers The science OF geology causes us
TO know positively that this earth, comparatively
quescent as it has been for several thousand years
past, has nevertheless IN former ages undergone
very great changes. From melting mass Of rock
liquid with intese heat it has been caused to cool
on, so as TO allow the vapOTs OF water TO condense
aud cover the earth, and the primary rocks to
harden, and the various other rocks and soils to be
formed III the waters or by the waters, that
the earth might be prepared to sustain the
which we know that IL has sustained for thousands
OF years. The incontrovertbe ruth that this earth
was once melting with intense heat, and was tnen
OF course utterly destitute OF either animal vege.
table life, and that, now it IS sufficiently cool and
admirably ntted and prepared 70 slst am aoundantly
every variety OF animal aad vegetable life suggests
to US that IL Is ext enley probable that this eattn IS
subject TO perpetual change; that lis periods OF melt
ing and cooling, OF being devoid OF oil animal and
vegetable ne and of being again covered with every
variety O. animal and vegetable existence, follow
each other succession as certainly ana regularly
as summer follows winter and as day follows nigat
The fact that it night few hours ago and mat
u Is day now leads US to expect nignt again IN
the course of q few hours, and the fact that
1t was winter few months ago and is
summer now assures us Of coming winter
sion to the end OF time. SO also the fact that the
earth was once melting with intense heat some thou
sands OF years ago and 10 now sunlciently cool to
allow of cry variety OF animal ard vegetable ex-
tstence leads us to expect time, probably thousands
Intense heat and afterwards cool or that the varie
ties OF animal and vegetable life may again exist
and so on in succession perpetuany, as day aud
night, summer and winter. &C.. &c.
Should tins be SO, 1t would enable US In some mea.
% ana nsirs Of aOy men our a
for doubtless the repeatedly new creations upon the
surface OF this earth are not affected by the very
Same sons OF Cod" or splrits Of God;'i for that,
after comparatively short period OF eternity,
would doubtless prove monotOnous and tedious
accordance with reason and with revelation, and
with what we may observe also III all nature around
us 70 suppose saat It Is the perfected ana deve
the earth during the previous cool period, aud have
afterwards gradually acquired the power OF God to
reproduce all the varieties oil organized vegetable
and animal existences which commence to nourish
hQain the earth is Ia fit condition. after
each great cOnfagration, when 1.-THE elements melt
with fervent hea,n and the earth is burned UP and
then renewed again.
From what have already written think 1t ough,
TO be clear to thinking men that the modern sciences
of astronomy and geology may AID us 10 understand
several Of the great truths oil theology. In my next
letter intend TO endeavor to show how chemistry
also may throw considerable light upon theology as
science. III.
Religious Progress in Switzerland.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HgRALD:-
Many CO your readers interested in religious pro
gress will undoubtedly rejoice in a religious move
ment now taking place in Switzerland and by
North German journal OF recent date describes
In substance as follows:-"Busson, modes