The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-11-28
RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN WASHINGTON,
Practical Christianity Explained by DIR. New.
mRn-The Duties of Christian Lifo-
FaIse Notions Of IeIigiOn CO,pbated

Practical Christianity Explained by DIR. New.
mRn-The Duties of n Christian Life
False Notions Of Religion Conbated.
WASHINGTON, Nov. "a, 1870.
Services were held usual this morning In the
Metropolitan Methodist church. where there was q
good representation OF the wealthy and fashionable
denizens OF the capital. DR.. Newman was more than
ordinarily eloquent and earnest. The subject OF his
sermon was practical Christianity. His text was
taken from Matthew VII. 2l-"Not every one that
saith unto Me Lord Lord, shall enter INTO the king
dom OF Heaven but he that dOeth the will OF Nv
Father which Is In Heaven.n II was, he said consts-
tent with the doctrines OF reason ana the teachings
OF revelation that God should have viii touching
His children. II was also consistent with each that
that will should be revealed 10 the simplest manner
possible, and that TO do the VIII OF the Creator
should be mans first and highest duty. Christ,
himself, was mindful OF this In each event OF life
sayIng-"Lo, come to do Thy viii. Godn
Nothing is SO natural, beautiful, 80 rational as
harmony between the human and divine VIII. Chris
tanity consisted Of two tbings-doctrlnes and prac.
tcc or believing and doing, accepting and being.
The subject suggested practical Christianity In
considering 1t Or. Newman enlarged upon the false
notions which men hold and the devices to which
they resort to excuse themselves from tina
DUTIES OF A CHRISTIAN LIFE.
He showed that Jesus Christ incurred the displea-
sure OF the age IN which He lived by pointing out IN
simple and direct words, the false ideas and life or
the people. After referring to the opinions enter
OF Christ the lase notions Of the present day were
taken into consideration. First, IL was false
notion that Christianity is system Of sublime
abstraction. to be comprehended only by philoso.
piers This must be true 10 certain extent but these
abstract truths were taught US IN the most beautiful
christianity consists IN church ceremonials al
though the patriarch Of Alexandria, who recIted
hours, must have SO considered it. Such was the
belief OF the Pharisee, who placed his dependence
on ceremonials rather than on the vital principles
was false notion that religion requires
our thoughts to be always fixed on God,
TO the exclusion Of all other thoughts. The ex-
perence OF a schoolboy, ever conscious OF
the coming holiday while learning Ills lessons, was
relutaton o. this Idea. Indeed, II was law OF
some important subject irrelevant thoughts might
be passing through tue mind. All that rengon re-
CURED was That all other thoughts should be kept in
control. While the Christian Is performing secular
duties thoughts Of God ana heaven ever before
him, sending their divine radiance over his spirit
That time spent In secular pursuits u 2 loss to
religion was another false notion. This was
one OF the errors OF the day and an error
many out OF the church. Among the devices TO
which men resorted to avoid the necessity Of exer
rellring from the world to religious institutions.
Thus arose monkery. But what lamentable PIC
counting boadsl Far better for him to be jostled
about among men. Solitary places OF religious re-
tlrement are the very places for the devil TO and
keeping OF their wives. sisters anu mothers. THIS
was paying a very nigh compliment TO woman, but
at the last day every man must stand fall to HIM
self. Another expedient was dividing things up into
secular and sacred. But men forgot that ChristIan
" embraces all times, all places and all relations
When the angel was preparing the meal for Elijah
he was performing work aa worthy as any heaven
ly service. When Jesus took our nature lie sancti-
fed all the relations which grow out OF that nature
whether pertaining to man or to God.
THE GREAT WANT or THE AGE
was religion In common things. In society, In the
family, IN business HE. Men might be eyei so de-.
voted In church, and yet seem to forget those
higher Obligations on 'cnange. The command Is,
"Be dlgent In business" but there Is flnother law
"Do unto others as you would have others do to
YOU" Christianity IS failure in Business life, not
because its genius IL not adapted to IT, but because
men fail to carry Its divine principles into every day
life. There was no objectloE to men deal.
ing In stocks Il they dealt lawfully. IL
was mans business 10 consider tho
moral and financial effects Of fortune making
IN stock dealing That he Gid not reduce honest
men and poor widows to poverty. God required
that while they dealt justly they should at the Same
time love mercy. But there Is branch OF society
into which religion AID not yet penetrated-the
great corporations, with thelr grasping hands.
Corporations IL Is .atd have no souls; but corpora
! uons have. ~ 'ney would dad Of Gods tribunal,