The New York herald., 1870-06-20
NEW ENGLAND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

Where Jefferson Got His Ideas About Cow
ernment-The Ancestral Pride OF the Patri.
archs Appealed tO-Serm0n by the Rev.
Charles Bliss.
The elegantly appointed morning class room of
Rutgers College, situated in the centre of the COL
ege buildings, Fifth avenue, between FOrty-nrst
and Forty-second Streets is on Sundays used as q
house OF worship by the New England COngrega-
tional church. more inviting place to assemble
for devotional purposes on a scOrching Sabbath can
scarcely be imagined. On either side Of the en-
trance are two magnificent fountains the spray
from whose myriad jets, sparkling in the bright
sunlight, descends like shower of dia-
monds on the luxuriant foliage OF the trees
that oversnadow the porch. Passing from beneath
the fierce rays Of yesterdays tropical sun within The
shady portals OF the sacred ed1ce the eye was re-
lieved by the beautiful evergreens that In wreaths
encircled the pillars OF the church.
THE FLORAL AND OTHER DECORATIONS
that adorn the interior OF the room during the Col
lege commencement OF 1870 which took place last
week. have not yet been removed. Their presence
place strangely In contrast with the simple and
ssvere forms OF worship practiced by the descend
Yesterday the services opened by the Rev. Charles
Bliss, OF Wakefield Mass, " no commenced by reading
chapter OF the bible to sparse but selec and APP
parenty earnest congregation. The reverend gentle
man next offered prayer Ill which he suppllcated
the Lord TO turn the Inhabitants of this city from
their evil ways and to hasten the glorious time when
Christians Of all denominations shall merge their
SECTARIAN ID ,FFERENCES
and unite in one grand Congregational Church that
SHALL embrace all races and be free from the demor-
azlng control OF great central power. and assert
the right OF man to determine for himself IN re-
ligiou5 matters. The 122d hymn was then sung
by the choir, at the conclusion OF which the
Rev. Mr.. Bliss read q very lengthy discourse
on 1.-The Rise and Progress Of Congregationalism
He recaptllated, with great eruditi0n and much
devotion TO the minute OF detail, the history The
movement from Its first inception in the year 1884
during the reign OF
KING HENRY VIII.
of England, TO the landing OF the Puritan pilgrims
eightyour years afterwards, at Plymouth Rock. 1t
was from the germs OF cOngregatiOnalism that the
present political system of the United States sprung
For what is congregationaIsm? What is Its guiding
principle? 1t Is the right OF men to determine for
themselves they shall be governed in religious
matters If the truth OF God is Free so should the
Church of God be free
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES WAS PENETRATING AND PERME-
ATING
the whole Christian world, and by its sacred influ-
ence was inducing more liberal views among all de-
nominations OF Chrstans The reverend gentleman,
after remarkng to his congregation that 10 was q
well known fact that Thomas Jefferson obtained all
his ideas of government from a Congregational
minister concluded by saying that the present was
year which demanded aggressive religious work.
and appealed to the ancestral pride OF the Purtans
Of New England to support them in the struggle
against Rome.