The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-09-06

pastor, tho Rev. John G. Smith, DID,, who q
preached In tho morning from the Sd verse 4
Of tho 1st chapter Of Mark-"The voice Of P
one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye ne .
way Of the Lord; make his paths straight a
Coming events cast their shadows pe- q
FORE" Ia, with us, familiar language. In y
the divine government there are no surprises. q
Prepare Is a word found ofteu on the ecrip-
ture page. II becomes every man In the l
United States to look at coming events a. I
they cast their shadows before. The fash |
Of lightning Is seldom seen In tho clear sky.
then the quick fash indicates the coming
tempest. Prepare! Admonition 10 the Ian
guage Of mercy and kindness. God has
spoken TO us by his prophets, and In these
last days by his Son. This Bible record IL
the record Of what will certainly come TO
pass. The words Of the text are recorded BY
three Of the Evangelists, aud are q repetition
prophet Isaiah. What Ia meant Is explained
by the 10th verse Of the 62d chapter OF |
Isaiah, and is easily understood. In the ad- |
vance Of royal percentages In the East, mes
sengers were sent before to announce their |
coming that the roads might be cleared and |
necessary, due to the people and to the dis
tinguished personages. Thus the Son Of |
God was about to undertake his mission. |
The wonderful, the mighty counsellor, the |
Prince Of Peace was coming.
John was the messenger Of Chri,t, sent TO |
by declaring 'the kingdom Of heaven Is at
hand" baptlzlng the people that they might
be ready to receive the p-iest and king. |
Multitudes went out to be baptized Of John. |
The way being prepared by John, Christ
himself came and was baptized by John,
and when he was baptized Jesus went up
straightway out Of the water, and he saw
the spirit Of God descending like q dove
and lighting upon him, and 10, q voice from
heaven saying, this is my beloved son, In
whom 1 am well pleased. Many people are
misled by this word like, which refers to the
manner Of descent and not to the form Of the
spirit. We often see churches even deco
rated, or desecrated rather, with the figure Of
above, which idea was not intended to be con-
yeyed by the language used. The same
word In the original Greek, translated here
Ike, is translated in many other places as.
"Behold send you forth as sheep among
wolves" Is the same word In the original.
The men who wrote the gospels were with
Christ, and were eye witnesses Of his acts,
and so written they are given for this specific
purpose, that the kingdom of heaven might
fill the whole earth. The whole earth is to
be filled with the knowledge OF the Lord.
How is this to be donei The apostles are
dead but the work goeth on. The first GEN.
turtles were marked with bloody persecution.
Kings and potcntates united TO destroy the
kingdom but failed. The only wonder Ia
that 1t has survived. The kingdom Of
heaven Is to be established in the whole
,srth, and 1t is our duty to aid, Individually,
IN accomplishing this great work.
Money, men, and the active, hearty co.
operation of every man, woman, and child
10 required. To US, In this national capital,
it is given especially to assist In preparing
The way of the Lord. The responsibility IL
upon each Of us. Do you appreciate your
positioni Increase Of personal piety Ia the
lest preparation for this work; for money
given without preparation is as chat. This
preparation Is with the individual. The
body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. If
you are n believer, prepare the way OF the
Lord. Look at the parental relation. This
relation has In 1t the authority Of law, but
the law Is the law Of love. The father !,
the head. In the constant, faithful dis.
charge Of duty In the family the way Of tn,
Lord Is prepared. This rests with the fathe
and the mother, and they are to so instruc
the child that the way of the Lord may ~
prepared. Now, as to the scale Of opera
lions our Saviour taught the Jews that tn
field was the world, the whole world. Chris
died for all, and grace is for all men. Th
text comes to us full Of meaning and warn
ing. We have awful responsibilities. tn
faithful observance Of the fourth command
ment is the corner-stone Of the perpetuity Q
our Government. Never before was tn
Grafton. Nothing demoralizes nation, G
man or a woman, SO much rs violatio
of the fourth commandment. II you wal
to break down our great Government, incu
cate a habitual neglect Of the observance
the Sabbath. Vital Goodness must be ha
in our hearts If We will prepare the way {
the Lord.
In the afternoon DR.. Smith preached frol
Ephesians, 9Th chap, 10Th verso; OR,
deeIing the time. because the days or
evil"
ST. STEPHENS CHURCH.
The services in this church yesterday were
as usual, very interesting, and many strat
gers, invited by the charming weather ,
take q stroll along Pennsylvania avenue b.
youd the Circle, found their way into Il
beautiful edifce. The singing by the cho
was remarkably fine, and, as some Of II
sweetest notes touched the ears Of the col
gregation, many heads were involuntaril
turned In the direction whence they cam,
Professor Arth deserves great credit for Ii
high degree of proficiency to which he hi
already brought this comparatively youn
choir.
Father McNal,y, before the sermon, ma
several Interesting announcements. Amo'
others, that the parochial schools, on TIVE
ty-fourth street, near the observatory, wou
be reopened to-day; that on Wednesday ne
the festival of the nativity Of the Bless
Virgin would be celebrated, being day
great devotion, and not OF obligation; an
that on Saturday next, at nine O'Clock, q. m
the catechetcal instructions for the childre
would be resumed, and be continued ever
Saturday thereafter.
The reverend gentleman also incidental
stated, In abiding to the financial conditi
of the church, that S25, 900 OF Its indebte
ness had been paid within the past two yea
and that he hoped, with the Jealous ASST
ance of the congregation, to iquidate t
remaining debt within similar -perio
The original debt was about $50,
Father McNally has been unremitting In
labors to reduce 1t, and the result, thus 4
shows that he has been wonderfully succe
full, especially when 1t Is considered Il
St. Stephens Is not by any means amo
the richest congregations In Washlngto
Father Mentally, having read a few vert
from the third chapter of the epistle Of
Paul to the Epheslans, proceeded to prsa
an excellent discourse on the necessity
faith and charity, commenting particular
upon the words of the text: "That Chri
may dwell by faith In your hearts, that beir
rooted and grounded In charity"
The reverend speaker pointed out the d
ference between belief and faith. We
lieved that there was sun and moon a
stars, and we had the evidence OF the SEM
to sustain this belief; we believed tt
there were such cities as London and Par
Though we may never have seen them,
eause we had well-authenticated testimo
To- establish their existence. But faith "
s,ronger and more certain than belief,
cause 1t was founded on the revelations
God, which could not err. This faith wa
grace of God, and could only be obtained
prayer and conformity to his will. Thus
was acquired, under the teachings Of
jealous missionary Of the Catholic Chur
by the untutored red man Of the forest, W
sfep by step, beginning with prayer, v
gradually lifted up to the contemplation
heavenly things, and from having beer
savage become docile child of the chur'
This faith, with its twin sister charity,
should fondly cherish, that Christ may DIV
In our hearts.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
Services at this church at II o'clock, a. I
were opened by a quartette by the cho
sung with good taste and pleasing effect
short PRAYER by way of invocation; sngi
offs hymn by the choir, In which the cong
cation Joined; reading OF the both chapter