The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-31

gains In ak days prolonged thoughllessness some
s charms 81 y Ia 10 sna
rms Is the case with every variety OK
but especially Is Il 50 with those tat represen1 az
vivid sensation after living FOR whole week IN an
Armida palace OF luxury and ease ana nalIery ana
social triumph, 10 realize that ono Is q miserable
sinner 10 catch glimpse OF the heaven that VIII
restrained Indulgence IN the delights OF tho
yawning gulf that opens for the wiInlly care ess
abuser o. the gils Of fortune Aiter the first half
and the creaking OF tardy boots have sub
sldea, there Is FOR tme-indeed, almost
Of soemSty and emotion about the Assembled wo
shippers which IL IL TO be hoped Is genuine. The
hymns imme lately preceding the sermon are sung
came period swell into volume OF singular fervor.
Then the minister begins, In more or less eloquent
accents to enforce the teachings OF the Gospel II
he be prudent and refrain from putting his hearers
TO TOO severe and heightened test he may succeed
Of his oraory TILL the final sentence of his peroraon.
II must be confessed, however, that few clergymen
are thus discreet Gradually the aame OF piety
luncheon grow fierce ana sharp, and the restless
movements OF the volatile crowd prove that they are
becoming impauent'O depart ipt0 the outer world.
Then comes the benedicon. and there is hustle IN
the aisles and the church porch, and again the car
sss they
nov enjoyed.
For couple OF hours the avenue again sinks into
the hush of unbroken repose. Upon the street
scarcely soul Is u be seen, and the houses stand
still and noiseless In the bright aud silent sunlight
Again the church bells sound, no small proportion
OF them, OF any rate but with drowsy and sup
pressed chimes, as though the Dell-ringers were
weighed down by the somnolent air that lniects the
quiet sabbath afternoon. The churches such Of
them as are open are not now by any means so wen
filled as at the first SERVICE and the exercises are
comparatively dull and spiritless. Many Eutychus
dozes In his pew though not happily. with very fatal
results. When the last words OF The clergyman at
last are said there Is visible stir or relief and the
church speedily reapses into silence
With the waning SUI and the first breath OF even.
Ing comes the brightest and best part OF the day.
pleasing. II not In its most splendid pIumage
SToillng along the most beautiful street In inc
world, you meet at any step handsome, elegantly
beauty or American womanhood, and glorious with
every tasteful adornment that careless profusion
OF wealth can bestow upon its possessors. Quiet as
Is the scene, suhdued and sofened Us is Its coorng
1t Is pervaded with all indescribable and almost
intoxicating air OF luxury ana refinement. Other
ssriking and imposing magnfcence, but nowhere
else can be found one so keenly suggestive OF what
cVilZation In It's brightest forms, Is capable, I'm.
bucd so perfectly III It's every line and feature with
the subtle charm OF material beauty.
With nigntfall practically ends the avenue Sab
bath. The churches, IL is true, are many OF them
open, but the worshippers are few. Here and there
early times, and submits to be fed with spiritual
mamma three times day; but this Is a rare excep-
tion. and the majority devote themselves to the more
material pleasures OF dining and DIGESTION followed
by quiet calls upon very intimate friends. The
houses bright with many lights, echo now and then
win peas Of subdued laughter or with the light
tones Of piano. and Vanity Fair more begins It's
normal lie OF fashionable routine only to be again
aroused into Sabbatcal emotions after another six
days OF mammon wo ship and OF pleasure.
such are the general features OF q Sunday on the
avenue. But to bring out IN b0der relief Its reli-
gous aspects II Is necessary TO go In detail through
the various churches and TO give briefly their history
their theological tone and the character Of their
gregations. To such description the remainder Of
this article shall ne devoted.
Starting from Washington square, now In the
the Brevo6rt House the arst church one comes to il
o handsome brown stone Gothic structure, stand
Ing on the west corner OF Tenth street. This is the
Episcopal
CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION.
In external appearance It greatly resembles, so far
as mere form goes, the parish church OF an English
village. 1t has the same low, square tower the
same modest portal, the same large-arcned windows,
and here and there a scxly creeuer whose leaves
are now DYED II, autumnai tlnts OF crimson and ale
gold, trails over the walt poor imitation OF the
Ivy that almost hides The stones Of Its English archie
type. Pass across the paved court, through the vcS
THULE into the charoh Itself, and you VIII find new
points OF resemblance. Hi9h-backed pews OF dark,
rich-coored wood, furnished with handsome cush-
ions and hassocks are spread over the floor; aud
along two sides OF the church heavy, frownng collie
shippers in the aisies beneath. The chancel is
deoenlly but plainly, furnished, and the COM
anion taoe n IN IT'S sqeled FREEDOM from all
word .'altarn in the Liturgy. over lie
door there is old-fashioned organ loft,
sacred to the choir. who carefully screened from
the public view by curlained railing The Gospel.
as It Is preached here seemsto be coIored with the
same tone that silently asserts itself in every mate
rial reature or the church. Church and gospel are
both emnently respectable and both eminently old
fashioned No glowing pictures Of the indefinite
progressive growth in goodness and IN intellectual
power OF The human race; no eager srainng alter
the old light OF accepted revelation; ana perhaps
also, no strong expression vi sympathy with The
strange times we live in, mark the truth Is de-
the church is what may DO termed Low"
with strong conservative Instincts Its
6anr a. amor Eat.fl far Tho
good points Of the Low Church school, such as the
earnest incubation OF the "beauty OF holiness and
inces5ant praise OF the meekneSs, unse .hshness
and humllity that ought 10 pervade the Christian
character. Far more attention is paid 10 the dill
than TO the promises OF tho golden future that IL
spread open before u.s. Its Idea oil heaven Is
bounded by the literal declarations OF the Gospel; it
contents itself with vague hope Of eternal happi-
ness and hearty desire and purpose TO deserve 1t,
and does not care particularly 10 speculate to the
form such happiness VIII assume. Except upon
rare occasions, it leaves the terrors Of hell In
n decent background as though they We're too hor,
rible to be lightly thought or So far as II has any
strong feeling upon the old and understandable alb.
stract dagmas OF Christianity 1t nciines TO believe
in free viii, but accepts The passages OF Scripture
faith and at bottom holds that the whole matter Is
one Of the many mysteries that can find solution
only when the spirit is released from the tlainnes
Of the flesh and receives through less gross me-
dun than IS possible upon earth the enlGhtening
influences of the Holy Spirit.
This church Is one OF some historical associations.
II stood originally in Canal street, bat having been
burned down about 1s4o. moved TO its presen loca-
ton. The two Immediate predecessors OF It's pre-
sent pastor have now both been raised
to the dignity Of the Episcopate--Bishops
Eastbugn and Burdel Its rector since 1860 has been
the Rev. John Cotton Smith, the editor and pro-
pretor OF the Protestant ChuTcinlaa, and an ac-
knowledged leader OF The Low Church party OF tho
American Episcopal Church. He Is man Of about
forty years OF age with hlgh Intellectual fore
head, from which thick curly locks OF grlZzied HAIR
are wen brushed back His face is strongly marked
with the lines OF thought but preserves pleasant
ar OF cheerfulness, which seems TO attest that his
studies have not as yet impaired his digestion. AS
pastor he is singularly POPULAR and ls celebrated
Tor the exquisite purity OF bis pronunciation and for
the possession oil rlct, sweet, musical voice. Tue
congregation at this church is an extremely aristo.
cratic one. Among the rest are numbered August
Belmont Lloyd Aspinwall William IL Aspinwall
Stewart anu James NJ. Brown tot Brown Brohers),
Frederick De Peyster, William O. kheinlander
Howard Potter Frederick G. Foster Frederick Schu-
chardt and Wliliam HelmDold.
Upon the next corner, occupying the Whole west
trout oil the avenue between Eleventh and Twelfth
streets, IS tie
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.