The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-27

with membership OF nearly DO, -one-tweu-
tieth of whom have been added during the past
year
raise the sum Of S75,0 600 for work among the
freedmen. They intend to put a Thousand
colored ministers in the field to counteract the
Roman Catholics, who are making strong efforts
among the freedmen
DIR. Child Secretary of the Baptist Publica-
tion. Society, is seeking help to establish a
Branch House in Boston. That city already
has three genuine Baptist bookstores, kept by
members of Baptist churches, besides several
others with Baptist partners.
An interesting Sunday School service will
be held in the Tabernacle Baptist Church to-
morrow morning. sermon to Sunday School
scholars will be preached by the pastor, Rev.
George A. Peltz, and the schools will render
some of their beautiful Sabbath songs under
the leadership of j. NJ. Evans, Esq. The schools
will occupy the galleries, and the public are
cordially invited to occupy the body of the
church.
The Sabbath School of the Memorial Bap-
tist Church, northeast corner of Broad and
Master streets, celebrated their second anniver-
sary on last Thursday evening. 1t was q grand
success In the rear of the pulpit was placed a
magnificent painting by Russell Smith, intended
to Illustrate the true idea of Baptist belief
1t represents the baptism of our Saviour
by John the Baptist, in the river Jor-
dan, upon whose banks appear the dis
ciples bowing before the scene, with their
faces dazzled by the light from heaven. In the
the distance. The arch of evergreens which
fronted the painting was not the least entertain
ing feature of the celebration. In addition to its
being tastefully arranged, there was beautifully
lettered in crystals, the words "Our motto" un-
derneath which the children had placed in flowers
and moss the sentence, 'Worl1ing for Jesus"
The annual report showed that the school had
largely increased during the past year, and was
now in very fourishing condition. The years
operations were explained in novel manner by
eight different scholars. The whole affair was
exceedingly interesting, and in every way credi-
table to the pastor, Rev. DR.. Henson, and ofIi-
GERS of the school. large number of friends
were unable to obtain admission, consequently
the anniversary exercises will be repeated on
next Tuesday evening.
| An Interesting Course of Lect,ueS.-A series
of lectures on the "Life and Teachings of Christ
is in progress at the First Baptist Church, corner
| of Broad and Arch streets, in this city, by the
| Rev. DR.. George Dana Boardman. They occur
every Wednesday evening, in the spacious audi
ence room of that church, are open and free to
all, are entirely exempt from sectarian inculca-
! tions and are really very interesting and in
| structive. The learned minister has taken up
the life of the Great Teacher as detailed in the
Gospels, and, pursuing it in chronological order
| appropriates each remarkable event, miracle,
and teaching as the theme of a lecture. As ex-
! positions of Scripture truth they cannot be too
highly commended to the attention of the stu
| dent and anxious inquirer. As productions of
sacred Oratory and finished scholarship
| they must elicit the admiration
of hearers more Indifferent. Indeed, it
| is not always that much of talent andEndustry
| are expended upon dissertations of this sort
| which must necessarily partake of semi-secu-
| lar character DR.. Boardman stands pre-emi-
| nently at the head of his profession Inherit
| ing all the qualities of great preacher he has
| by unceasing industry and the development of
his genius even transcribed the greatness of his
| illustrious father. To him may well be applied
| what has been recorded of the great Jeremy
| Taylor:-''He has by general consent the high
| ast ha nboro ptnris IF ctyIo
| eXuberant beauty of dction both in the choice
| of the words and in the flow of his sentences.
| Redundant Illustration from natural scenery,
from the customs of life, from science, from his
| tory, and from Scripture. Great fondness of
| metaphor, accuracy of method in statement and
| division, proliXity running into almost endless
| digressions and reveries, with prevailing
moderation, dignity, and maj jesty of tone"
I The subject of the last lecture was Christs
| Interpretation of the commandments, in answer
| to the question, (Which is the first command
ment?" 1t is narrated by Matthew, chap. xxi,
34th to 40th verses, and by Mark, chap. xii, 2Sth
| to Saith verses. st. Matthew, it was said, re-
garded the questioning lawyer as the head of a
| conspiracy to ensnare Christ in some conflict of
| his opinions while st. Mark evidently was more
charitable in his history. The querist was un-
| questionably learned Scribe, and he may have
| held at heart much better opinion than his
seeming This was often, though not ordinarily,
| the case with the world. TOO sadly, men are
in secret worse than they in truth appear to be
| to those around Them
| The Saviour's exposition was "a condensation
of the whole truth of the Bible into the eternal
principles of love to God and love to our fellow
man." Upon this simple summary depend all
the law and the prophets. Without just ap-
probation of these immortal precepts, nothing
else in religion was of any value or of any avail.
God is unity, an infinite being, the author, the
| sun, the end of existence.
There could be no Pantheon, with its constel-
lation of deities and single niche for the great
Jehovah. The love for Him must be with all
the heart, all the soul, and all the strength.
Next to this supreme affection and its very
counterpart is the love for our neighbor. The
former the root, the latter the flower, foliage,
and fruit" 1t was very hard to fully appreciate
the searching duty of love for our fellow man,
debased and degraded as he often is, TO love him
as we love our own dear self-'to look upon and
treat him as a duplicate of ourself." Yet this is
"the intensely practical part of theology
| Without this man cannot be q true Christian.
The great Teacher loved those who were not His
neighbors, but world Who hated, despised,
and slew Him.
1t was easier to believe in the Trinity in pre-
destination, in the perseverance of the saints,
in many of the doctrines of the theologians;
but to that teaching which is the most practical
and vital of all, it was so hard to conform.
'This was the severest test of Christian piety-
the fiery crucible trying out the true gold"
The conclusion of the lecture was eloquent
and earnest. Christ's recognition of the spark
of true inquiry in the mind of the catechising
lawyer was beautifully portrayed. The Great
Master, who was the searcher of all hearts, saw
the germ of genuine inquiry, and gave 1t warm
encouragement. Reaching forth His hand
with Esoftness of touch, he drew the delicate
tendril-tooking upward for the light, and
gently directed it toward the trellis of His
grace"