The New York herald., 1870-02-28
CHURCH or IHs ASCENSION.

Postpone Hscnt Of the Revelations al New York
by Gaslisht-Eicrnity Of Moral iniimcnce-
Eloquent sermon by Rev. Dr. Thraii.
Owing to rhe fearful inclemency OF the weather
last evening neither the Dulk OF the congregation OF
this church nor the numerous promoters ana sup
porters OF the Midnight Mission were present TO
hear the interesting revelations which the
president intended 10 make relative 10 the recovery
o fallen women from their evil courses and the
many singular agencies employed By those VINO
have organized thus mission by gasight. The lecture
was expected to show the extent and ravages Of the
social evil well the OF those engaged IN
combating IT, The gloom OF the bleak, wintrJ storm
which snrouded the city threw It's penumbra within
the church ana seemed 10 intensity the devotion OF
the small congregation.
After alluding TO the inevitable postponement for
fwo weeks OF the subject he had intended 10 treat he
took MS text from the Epislo OF ST. Paul to the lie.
'brews xL, 4-.'And by It he being dead yet
speaketh.r He said the text referred 20 Abel He
MAS dead more than four thousand years when Paul
wrote yet he left memory behind him more e,o-
quent than words. hat fact, he held, showed that
the Influence of moral worth ald spiritual
action were eternal. Despite the disintegra-
ton which continually took place In the
material social and political order. the influence OF
mans thoughts aud words ana acts were felt, and
being felt, were living influences. The last words OF
Dauiel Webster II Still i've" Were beautiful as
rrue, and the nation seemed 10 understand this
peare while ne lived belonged TO England--now he
was not Engand's aione--ne belonged To the whole
world 80 II was also with the political wisdom or
Washington. 100. And rs regarded Homer
Many wealthy towns contend for Homer dead,
Through which Homer isin. begged hrs bread.
Turning TO the natural order, The irees which
were the PRIDE o. the forest by the wealth mag
nltcence OF thelr fOliage, hey were much vaiu
40 Q after they were Ieyeed with the earln. They
per- eued their grandeur IN the ya,t variety OF use
fu ana beautfu shapes to which they were turned
wnen fashioned and polished oy the hands OF the
artist.
IL was 80 with the Christian. Luther was not
dead. Neither was KaikeS nor Henry Martyr. A
little book read by Richard Baxter caused MIN to
give to the world his lnestmapie Thoughts; ana
these Thoughts 10 turn twenty live years after they
had lett the press, caused Doddrdge 70 com
pose tue beautiful well known hymns which
go by his name. II was these hymns
that thirty years later on awoke tie SOU
or philanthropy TO a marvellous pitch OF energy In
William Wberforce. The stories o. THE Poor
African" and the 'Dairyman's Daughter wrought
lnDumerable conversions, among others that OF a
noted worldly curate LII the Isle or Wight, who be-
came an apostle later on. he man who wrote
.iere ~ me down 70 sieep," never dreamed how
many dread and noly thoughts these simple words
would afterwards awaken.
Nothing dies in the material order. Bodies grow
and decay but become dlsintegrated only to com
6lne with other substances and to .orm new shapes
Every body, nay, every atom. Affected every other
no matter how genial, or gentle, or unIeit It's iniu-
snce. peobs thrown INTO lake produced
circle, which was the parent ol Others that
widened TIL they covered It's whole ex.
same. Every thought, every word. every act hau an
influence ana effect which survived long after nim
who gave Il birth had passed away. As there was
no annhiatlon IN the world there no isolation.
Peter. IN running quickly TO she sepulchre did not
observe that he brought John with hin. When the
apostles sang the prison Phi!ippi they dId not
dream they were converting The other prisoners
Sh0ugh tDat the result. Hence the reyeiend
preacher, ~ CHOICE and appropriate language, ex.
they would not be likely 10 treat lightly the rcspou-
sibilities Of their words and decds.