The New York herald., 1870-11-14
The Sermons Yesterday.


As religious discourses the sermons de-
livered yesterday were an improvement upon
those delivered on the Sunday previous.
Nevertheless they were, on the whole, heavy
and dull. Nothing is less calculated to lead
sinners to repentance than dull sermon. 1t
fills one with gloomy ideas Of the hereafter.
OF course there were few exceptions to the
general rule. One of these was at the Trinity
Methodist church, where DR.. Oin solemnly
declared the Church of Rome to be on its
last legs, and, very naturally, pronounced
Professionalism the ne plus ultra of reli-
gion. At the Church of Our Saviour
Rev. Mr.. Bowles preached in favor of reli-
gious enthusiasm, illustrating his argument
by relating the story Of Warren Hastings.
Rev. II. D. Northrop after describing the
miseries Of this life depicted the joys of our
home in heaven, very sensibly warning his
congregation against believing that the walls
OF Paradise are made Of precious stones and
that the redeemed, dressed in nightgowns,
never ceased playing music and singing
hymns. Rev. G. F. Krotel advocated forgive
ness of injuries in sensible sermon, and Rev.
James Kennedy, the new pastor of the Fourth
Reformed Presbyterian church, described how
the salt of the earth aided mankind in getting
into heavenly pickle. Rev. Mr.. Hepworth
was eloquent on the subject of fighting the
battle of life. Neutrality in religion he held
to be impossible, and he preferred a
positively irreligious man to one merely
Indifferent. Since religious neutrality
is impossible and religious indifference cannot
be anything but neutrality, we cannot imagine
how the Indifferent man can exist. But tperhaps
Mr.. Hepworth is able to explain. AT the
Church of the TRANSPORTATION Father Trainor,
referring to coming fair in aid Of the Found
ling Hospital, spoke rather caustically of in
fants in cradles deposited by bejewelled hands
without dollar left for their support. DIR.
Chaplin discoursed ably on Gods power in
nature and in grace, while DR.. Osgood, at st.
Thomas Protestant Episcopal church, preached
on God as the foundation of all justice. Mr..
rockingham distinguished himself by deisti-
cal sermon yesterday. He rejected Christ
and an infallible Bible and clung to his own
ideal God. A careful perusal of his discourse
convinces us that he believes that to be the
best religion which is no religion at all.
In Brooklyn Brother Beecher baptized quite
number of infants and concluded the days
services by on unusually sensible sermon on
children and their government. The despot-
ism of some parents he believed the cause
of their sons and daughters turning out badly,
which is very true. Mr.. Beecher also entered
a timely protest against 6ve-year-old Puritans
and wise and good children in pantalettes.
He is right Any child of five that will not
steal jam when it gets chance ought to die
young. In Williamsburg DR.. Taylor urged
the Importance Of religious conversation at
social meetings. If not carried to excess this
is advisable; nevertheless, hardly anything is
so depressing as to st in parlor for four
mortal hours with a pious brother beside you
pegging away at your sins. In Jersey City,
Washington and elsewhere the sermons were
of the usual quality. At all the churches the
attendance was good, the fine weather attract
ing many who do not usually attend divine
services