The New York herald., 1870-06-13
CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.


MIR. Talmase breaches About the New Taber.
uacle.
A large congregation gathered yesterday morning
to listen to the Rev. T. De Witt Tamage This gen.
tleman is widely known as in some sense, sensa-
tional preacher and the knowledge Of his intended
departure for Europe for OF and relaxa-
tion, united with his somewhat startling powers Of
attraction, filed the house to 0vernowlng.
The platform was beautifully decorated with fiow-
ers, and the preachers reading stand was wreahed
with fuchsias and roses.
After the organ voluntary the congregation arose
and sung with fervor and spirit, "Old Hundred" to
the words, "Praise God, from whom all blessings
now.n
THE SINGING
in this church is strictly congregational being led
only by the organ and by leader who stands on the
preachers platform, thus giving opportunity for
singers to win money or fame by quartet, duet or
solo.
Before announcing his text Mr.. Talmage said that
he thanked the church for their generosity in max.
ing it possible for him to go to Europe and that he
hoped to repay them in part when he came back
with renewed strength and added experience. He
then said his sermon would be founded on the thir-
tieth Of the twenty-siX chapter OF Exodus
..And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle" You all
know that God gave directions In olden times con-
cerning the building OF the tabernacle, and will
from first to last under the direction or God Is not
fit to be a Christian church.
On the 10th VI January, 1870, some members OF
this church neld memorable meeting. During the
previous ten months the church had arisen from
the trustees went into session, and it was decided
that tney should build new tabernacle, that should
be
You all approved and that you had courage and
independence, aud faith enough. as you afterwards
showed, to rise above ecclesiastical precedent and
say that would abolish
THE UBIQUITOUS PEW SYSTEM,
astonlshed me ana thng must s,Ir nave pleased the
many good men, who nave said that, Just as
possible, they would fall into line, and that, working
together, this system, chat makes the church
pOration and the trustees board Of directors and
the members stockholders, should fall with crash,
MAKING HE'LL TREMBLE.
The work upon our new building has already
commenced. want to say few words concerning
what ought to be The grand moral characteristics OF
the tabernacle And first, it Is to be emphatlcally
Christian church. where Christ Is set forth as the
former OF all wrongs, the umpire of all disputes the
most lovely and beloved OF all that the Imagination
can picture or the heart desire. If understand it
right, that tabernacle Is to be built to set
forth the glory OF Jesus Chrst--al the sermons, all
the songs are TO go that way. Are we going to
preach there that God made some men on purpose
to damn them? No, no. Are We going TO preach
such barbarlsn. We shall preach our iaih in God,
and our love OF Christ who is willing to save to the
uttermost. We shall preach
an inspired Bible; that there is heaven for the
eierna home OF the righteous, and he'll for the sui.
cidal Souls who desire their own ruin. Our Church
shall be the home OF all true sonls. whether they be-
lieve In sprnkling or planging, whether they be-
lieve in episcopacies or presbyteries, whether
they are Americans or EthiopIans. We
mean TO have unconventional Church;
we shan not ask how Others do. Fashion
would ike to control churches. Fashion says that
church architecture shall be still and have pious
gloom that the congregation must not go 10 church
Til they have studied the fashion plates. The best
churches ale those that make the people most COM
forable: the best preaching IS that which makes
men sick OF Slnning NO Two churches ought to be
alike, any more than Two individuals. The Church
to-day Is
THE SLAVE OF THE WORLD;
it dare not sing or preach according to its own
sense or right, have no iaith IL gloomy religion.
III your religion makes you Joyful let IL SHINE; II it
makes you gloomy the less Of II the better. When
people come to my house with great displays OF
wife 10
LOCK UP THE SILVER.
All the sanctiinonlous people have known have
| turaed out badly. our Church must be abreast OF
the times 1t Is all folly 10 be doing what people did
fifty years ago. Men OF business acute and active;
to fed the richest mental ood Will not be salts.
| ned with
ECCLESIASTICAL HUMDRUM.
We must not hunt with bank cartridges. The
Church ought TO lead the age. We musg not be
punIshiDg the Phllistines and hanging ADsalo, and
and tile
| DAaINABLE WHiSKEY RING.
The people are starving Tor the Gospel, and
churches are keeping them out; the churches Keep
their solemn festivals and the people stand outside
and look in. The Church musC wake up in its duty
| till the enemy ranks waver, and above all noise o
| discord, shall sound the note Of victory.