The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-10-25

when they proclaimed beyond question or
cavil what was the faith that had ever been
taught In their Church; what was the faith
for which many Of them had suffered; when
they professed clearly the nature OF that
faith, and agreed that henceforth when one
who would not profess II openly and clearly
should not be recognized as member Of the
Church, the difficulty was over. Thence
forth Ariauism indeed struggled and made
great assaults on the Church. Many were
lost, but II was their own fault. The testi-
mony OF the Church Of God was clear, full
filling the great purposes for which she had
been established. Sue taught the truth as II
was delivered by Jesus Christ, and in tho
midst Of struggles aud contests that carried
away, perhaps, come OF her members she
continued fulfilling this mission until Arian.
ism, like other inventions OF man, disap-
pcared from the world. SO 1t was with
various other heresies from time to time.
SO II was that the so.called Reformers Of
the abuses OF the Church made great pro-
gress for q certain time. But when the voice
of the Church was heard clearly, and the
ancient faith that had always been adhered
to was put forward beyond mistake, and the
question simply reduced to whether the
ancient Institution Of God should be adhered
to or mems private notions be taken as their
guide, the war may be said to have ceased
In all essentials.
The learned doctor then advcrtiug to the
coming Ecumenical Council of the fathers
Of the Church, said that the Vicar Of Christ
has summoned tho pastors OF the Church TO
his aid that they may put forward more
clearly, In q manner that cannot be mis-
taken, what the Church truly teaches; what
she has ever taught from the beginning; that
by uniting their councils they may be able
to unmask error In the various phases that
II assumes. Not only this, but that by uni.
ted council they may devise such measures
as are best adapted to awake the spirit OF
true faith-to urge men on In the practice OF
true Christian virtue-to enable all to attain
that end for which Jesus Christ came upon
earth, and to attain their eternal salvation,
which God sincerely wishes all men to see,
and to aid In which he established his
Church. This is the work Of which we will
hear in few days. And on this occasion
our beloved Pontif, knowing that God Is the
author Of all good counsels, that everything
good comes from him, is not only himself
determined 10 raise his hands to Heaven
and seek aid, light and assistance from
thence to lead those who shall be united
with him tolook to the same heavenly source,
| but he calls upon all the faithful throughout
the world to unite with their petition TO do
violence to heaven by their prayers and sup.
plications, to seek that grace, that assistance
of God, which lie for all the true source of
strength, Of light and OF power. This is
what you are called upon and invited by our
holy father to do.
The Church now, after the lapse of cigh-
teen hundred years, feels itself as strong as
II did when II was first established. Aud IL
Is a consolation to the Catholic who Is thus
blessed with church that II Is as firm and
immutable as the rock upon which II was
built by Christ. The Church Is everywhere
the same, aud will so remain to the end.
Ia lad kKit n ali nNh 10,
the faithful to follow out the doctrines Of
the Church, and, above all things, he urged
the Importance to them OF their eternal sal.
walton, upon which all things rested.
The sermon throughout was filled with
religious JUNCTION, and was listened to with
attention.
The choir sang portions of Fariui's and
"Veni" and an go Salutaris,' by Ritter, a
bass solo, sung by Prof. l.. G. Collicre.
The evening service took place at o'clock,
instead of o'clock, the usual hour, the Rev
DR.. OConnor delivering another very i'm
pressive sermon. The choir chanted the
yesper service cxcellently, and Duet by
Donizettl, as "Tautum Ergo" was sung by
Messrs. Burnett and Wldney In superior
manner.
THE NEW YORK AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH.
The attendance at this church yesterday
| was large, and the pastor, Rev. s. s. Mitch
ell, delivered a most able and instructive SER
mon from St. John, xvi; s; "And when be
is come he will reproye the world Of slu."
| His line OF argument was that before a man
can be redeemed from sin by belief in Christ
he must admit or believe that he Is a sin-
ne'-that certain matters Of belief are innate
and belong or are part Of mans nature, aud
OF which he needs no proof; for instance, the
belief In a God; that one Of these Is the
conviction In the mind of every man that
he is q sinner; that this conviction of sin is
the voice OF the Spirit Of God continually
calling man to repentance; that this varied
in men according to time, place, circum-
stance, temperament and mentality, but
when 1t was made manifest 1t was TO be
needed us the voice Of the spirit of God, and
resistance to II was resistance to the will OF
God. He concluded with q most eloquent
peroration, and made a most touching up.
peal TO those who had not laid their lives
upon the altar of the living God to turn not
away, but harkcn to this voice and yield to
this conviction, aud through this world aud
In the next they will bless the day when in
this way they sought the path Of true happi-
ness.
NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH.
The New Jerusalem society yesterday
morning listened to an instructive discourse,
by Rev. j. Fox, based on the text-St. John
vii: 80 in regard to the Holy Spirit and the
Trinity.
The Holy Spirit was not given to men
was not manifested among them-unti
Jesus Christ In his human nature was glori-
fed then he sent the Holy Spirit, the com.
forter to men, and which completed the trim.
ity of the Lord, as manifested to and appre.
ciated by men.
The elements of the Divine Trinity Of God
are the Divine love, the Divine wisdom and
the Divine power, and yet are one In the trl,
une character OF God, the Creator, Preservcr
and Redeemer.
Through suffering Jesus was glorined; and
through his human nature he suffered temp,
tation, In order that he might be the Saviour
and open the way OF salvation to sinful men.
FOURTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
In the morning, DR.. Smith, the pastor,
preached from John, 18th chapter, l7th
verse: off ye know these things, happy are
We IL ye do them"
knowledge, duty, blessing are the three
points Of the text. knowledge Is power
when there is wise heart and strong hand
to apply 1t. The application Of knowledge
Is wisdom. Exact knowledge Is necessary
in matters Of religion. The divine truths Of
the mediatorial arrangement are contained
In few facts, and we should have not
merely mental knowledge of them but
such a knowledge as will affect the actlous
Of our daily lives. We should lay them NJ
, in our hearts and practice them In our lives
1t is wise to know the truth, but wiser yet tc
do it. These truths are set out In order In
the New Testament. Christ was prophet,
priest and king. He offered himself, and
that offering being accepted, he Is now King
of Kings and Lord Of Lords. We may under
stand all mysteries, but II we have not love
to God and Christ 1t Is as nothing, and we
are but sounding brass and tinkling cymbnl.
1t is the Divine purpose to make the bap-
tlzed children Of the Church the sons and
daughters Of the Lord Almighty. When
there is n failure In this, where does the
fault liel Christ was the teacher come from
God. Could he fall Nay, verify. We
have to question ourselves for the failure,
whether 1t regards the baptized children,
the members OF the church or ministers Of
the gospel. The failure cannot be In the
Holy Spirit. That has been given. In the
! day Of Pentccost three thousand believed.
| 1t Is not said they were converted, nor that
they added to the Church-"Three thousand
| souls were added"
The object of preaching is to instruct the
people up to the point of acceptance Pa