The New York herald., 1870-03-28
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CauECN.

Small Attendance Yesterduy-The Solemn
Calm of Worship In Wet Weather-Sermon
by Rev. Mr.. Paxton.
The attendance yesterday morning at the First
Presbyterian church. corner Fifth avenue and Elev-
enth street, was considerably below the average ex
tent for this popular temple OF worship. Hardly
dozen ladies put in an appearance, and those who
did were not arrayed in fine or fashionable apparel.
or course whoever could afford It came In car
rage. Those who could not had hard time OF 1t
steering umbrellas In the teeth Of the fierce wet
wind tnat swept the streets and roared Justify around
corners and up leyways. The interior OF the
church wore a silent, sonDre look. The daylight en-
terng through the stained glass windows fel! duh
and deadening over the pews and over the faces IN
the congregation. There was no instrumental music
to break the spell OF solemn calm that pervaded tne
place.
all the simple fervor CHARACTERISTIC OF the PresDyte-
rian faith Mr.. Charles Day as sexton, looked after
pous Christian strangers anxious to get comfortably
seated. The church was about onc-t -thrd hled, and
1t Is safe 10 say none but good and devoted members
OF the faith composed the attendance on day like
STYLE OF THE PREACHER
The Rev. Mr. Paxton preached the sermon upon
the text 10 all things & we worketh @ ,. Cod , n ~ @
enlightened with the light OF the iving"-Jo
xxxlii., 20. 80. The reverend preacher has very
clear aud effective style OF elocution and breaches
extemporaneously. He grows impassloned occa-
sionally and makes his discourse highly impressive
livery. He Is one OF the few preachers who can
arouse and sustain the interest OF his hearers from
beginning to end OF his sermon.
THE TRIALS OF LIFE
was substantially the subject OF the discourse, apd
was well ana eloquenty treated. He said that God
works with men In variety or ways through good
and evil fortune, and that when He ceases TO work
with men or men negect 10 work with God they
are In danger OF disaster. The man upon whom
some uncommon stroke OF adverse fortune has
fallen thinks that Providence uses him uuklndly
and that his is hard to bear; but II Will only
examine MS own nature his life, hts shortcomings
and the course he is pursuing he Will discover that
the adversely which has befallen hun has deeper
significance than is willing to credit. God works
with him. He has sent the bitter dose to remind
him OF Himself, 10 chasten pride check the con-
suming fires OF lust, envy or avarce
worse temptations. Many there are VINO go along
through lie and leave a record for goodness AMI
humanity who, had certain latent elements OF their
nature been developed by circumstances, would have
left the world different history. Men, to work
with God, must mark the occurrences which each
IN his lifetime experiences in the prosralion or dis
appointment or nopes the wreck OF fortune or the
loss OF friends. None are beyond the reach OF un-
Toreseen casualty. The mother loseS her darling
babe, the husband the fond partner of his bosom,
the ambitious man the prize OF eminence he has
struggled lifetime to secure TO each OF these God
has deigned to administer one OF his divine
lessons--a lesson OF purlncatlon-a lesson which
each can best apply 70 his moral
nature. TO HIM that never receives one, and who
goes through life confident IN bis own strength,
much mercy indeed withheld. lie might be
hkened 10 mat proud, seltrehant and glittering