The New York herald., 1870-08-22
TRINITY CHUI Cd.

Sermon Prayer by Rev. MIR. Obcrii.
II Is most noteworthy that the state of the
weather has q great efIect upon the attendance at
places OF worship In this CITY, Yesterday was truly
glorious summer day, and the cloudess sky ana
the grateful breeze which moderated the heat of the
sum- joined to the solemn stiffness which reigned
about Trnity's venerable pile, instilled feelings OF
piety into the hearts OF many and induced them to
devote some hours Of the morning 10 religious
clses Never did old Trinity look more magnificent
than yesterday with its countless towers and pima
cles bathed in sunshine. while inside the mellowed
light streamed through the stained glass windows,
imparng an air OF religious soemniry to the gothic
aises The Rev. Mr. oberli Is a young man of
asCetic aspect, who has lately been appointed to
church Connecticut He took his text from the Sec
ond Book OF Kings vi 11There1ore the heart of the
King OF Syria was sore troubled for this thing, and
he called his servants ana said unto them viii ye
not show me which OF US Ia for the King of Israel
And one OF his servants said, None, my lord y king:
but Elisha the prophet, that is In israel teeth the
King Of Israel the words that thou sDeakest In thy
bedchamber." Prayer, the preacher said, is an ele-
vaon OF the soul 10 God; ii is the highest aspiration
OF the creature to Its Creator; IL the avenue to
heaven the ladder connecting the enpyTean with
this miserable world 1t is the venicle OF our thanks
TO God; IL Is the recognized means Of obtaining all
graces and blessings 1t Is the medium by which uu
fortunate sinners dlsburden themselves or the weight
OF their sins. Prayer IS the dread OF the sinner aud
OF the slonfu; 1t Is the comforb Of the sorrowful
and the delight OF the saints. He went on TO quote
ST. Francis on the beauties of prayer and said that
an accurate and complete description OF prayer is
impossible, as prayer is essentially spiritual aud
mental.
Is full OF the deepest interest 10 every thinking man.
IL Is OF recent birth, but is from all time and
| truly catholic, being found in various forms all over
the earth. 1t is first in Paradise, and Is called
the iS and sep Se Of and e @
dation OF our first parents, and in subsequent ages,
| when SIN defed the earth and the things OF this
world diverted the thoughts of man from his Crea.
| tor, prayer became more formal and more reveren-
tal and only the chosen ones or God such as Moses
anm & .ne nSa nhase y"
| other; and even when the nations became blinded
and worshipped the various attributes OF the Deity
| as distinct gods, they used some form OF prayer
| which was really spiritual-not addressed to the
statue, but TO the invisible, supreme being repre-
sented by the statue. In prayer that
LONGING FOR THE SUPERNATURAL
which all men have IN greaJer or less degree finds
its object. In prayer the heathen who worsnips Ii
ignorance the MOslem, the Jew and the Chrstiar
address the same supreme Being, and have some
Thing IN common. The power Of prayer Is bes
prophet Elisha from which the text is taken, show'
this IN wonderful degree. The King OF syria wa
waging war against the King Of Israel, and thu
prophet revealed the plans Of his enemy to the latter
The King OF syria, suspectnR treacnery, blunt,
asks his followers which OF them Is In league witt
the enemy. They answer that none Of them are, bu
that Elisha the Prophet informed the King OF lsrae
of his plots Then The King OF SYRIA determined Il
find the prophet, and hearing that he was in Dothan
invested that place with large force. In the morn
ing the prophets servant saw the Desiegtng arm.
and told his master. And he answered Fear not
for they that be with us are more than they that
with them" Then he asked the Lord to open hi
eyes, and he saw the mountain full Of horses AM
charlots of fire round about Elisha. Again doe
Elisha pray, and the enemy Is struck Will
mental blindness, iand he entered thei
camp and told them they were at the wrong city
but that he would guide them TO the man whom the
sought. And he led them into Samaria and whe
they were in the midst or the enemy's forces h
prayed TO the Lord to open their eyes, and the
were astonlshed to find themselves surrounded b.
the Israelites. In this story we have an extraord
nary instance OF the efficiency OF prayer, and Hoi
Writ ab0unds with
| STUPEND0US MIRACLES
wrought by the agency of prayer The dead wer
raised TO lie the SICK cured, sight was granted &
the blind and children to the chilJless food was nu
tIplled aud countless other wonders were Derf0rma