The New York herald., 1870-09-19
ST. PAuL,s METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

The Advancement of Chrisrianify--Renl Cause
of the Franc DE- Prussian War-Sermon by the
Rev. Albert ID. Vail.
Services In st. Pauls Methodist Episcopal Church,
on Fourth avenue and Twenty-s street. were
conducted yesterday by the Rev. Albert ID. Vail The
church was well filed, and with very fashionable
congregation, it being very favorably situated
ly in the centre OF May Fair. In the prayer before
the sermon the power OF God invoked to aid the
side on which was right In the transatlantic quarrel
to crush superstition on the one side and to grant
victory the upholders OF liberty and justice After
the prayer the congregation Joined in singing the
hymn of which the following is the first verse;
The head that crowned with thorns
Ia crowned with glory now;
royal diadem adorns
The mighty Wctor's brow.
The singing of the hymn having been concluded
Mr.. Vail proceeded 10 deliver his DISCOURSE which
he took from the second episte OF st. Paul to the
Corinthians ", 1s-19--"Aud all things are OF God
who hath reconciled to Himself by Jesus Christ and
hath given to us the ministry OF reconciliation; to
w.t. that Coo was in Christ, recOnciling the world
unto himself, not imputlng their trespasses unto
them; and nath committed unto us the word OF
reconciliation"
The last sentence he would call the attention OF
his hearers TO In particular. Ii was one OF those
a-comprehensive passages TO he met with in Scrip
ture which conveyed III Ats few words an idea OF
Christ'5 mission on earth. II gave AL explanation
of the history OF Christ's coming on earth, and
plainly showed the object OF his mission. This
coming OF Christ seems wonderful to US. Thus, as
the Gulf Stream comes from the tropics forming
separate river a. IL were, In the ocean, 1t changes
the natural order OF things, as FOR Instance in Eng
land it gives " temperature entirely different from
that OF other countries In the same Latitude. So
sweeps the tide OF
JEWISH HISTORY OVER THE EARTH,
and brings the word Of God to change the hearts OF
from the things of this world TO tho thoughts OF
Heaven. Every nation with which the Jewish race
comes IN contact works out the will OF God In pre-
serving its distinct nationality Cyrus, the greatest
of The Persians was used by God to help rebuild the
temple OF Jerusalem and OF all his great deeds none
gard to the temple. Thus 1t Is that God uses all
means for the advancement OF Christianity The de-
scent Of the barbarfans on Rome was considered
direful calamity but 1t resulted in their conversion
and the boundaries OF the Christian world were en-
larged.
The war at present raging on the other side OF the
Atlantic has been brought by the hand Of God FOR
The
PROPAGATION OF PROTESTANrsM.
and TO level TO the ground institutions rounded on
superstition 1t plain to the mind or tile
preacher and should be, 10 all thinking minds, that
this was the real cause Of the warthe advancement
OF Christianity,
In the hour peril one sees all his past life as 1t
were in panorama passing before him, and also ls
seen, like thread connecting each link and passage
the hand OF Christ trying to save u.s., The Bible says
the cross shall have attraction for the soul The
influence OF the human heart and OF the world ID
always tending downward, but the cross Of Christ
attracts upward and raises the thoughts OF sinful
the Bible which all do not subscribe TO- but every In
dividua If he looks into his own heart will see that
God is stretching forth his saving hand and Will
feel that heavenly power which raises MS aspra-
tions on high and which makes him long Tor tho
happy time when hls Spirit aoos lorte 70 llees tas