The New York herald., 1870-08-01

to hear of isolated cases OF grave offence ike
this discovered by the Pension Bureau brought
home to members. Indeed, we expect to hear
good deal more Of them; but we hope that a
few examples will be made and condign pun
ishment will be inflicted upon the guilty, in
order to serve as warning to those who may
stand upon the brink of infamy and have not
yet fallen into the guilt, If any such Congress-
men there be who have this day of grace re-
served to them.
Church Sermons Yesterday, Good and
Otherwise.
''But in sober TRUTH" said DR.. Colyer
yesterday, at the Church of the Messiah, 'if
Catholics could prove, by documentary evil
dence, that Protestants are doomed to perdi-
ton, l would rather 60 to hell with John
Knox and the other great lights of Congrega-
tionalsm than 90 to the seventh heaven with
| Pic Mono ami those who believe in him. '
Sngularly enough the text of Scripture
on which this sermon was preached was from
that part of Matthew which admonishes us
| to know men by their fruits. Or course, II
one must, perforce, go to hell it might be best
to 60 there in such good company as John
Knox; but where it is optional, as DR..
| Colyer makes it, we think most men would
prefer not to go to hell at all, no matter how
| tempting the society there.
Brother Beecher's figures of speech are not
always happy. In his sermon yesterday on
"How to Overcome Temptation" he remarked
that cit was the carrion, the dead sheep-not
the living lamb-that the vulture was lowering
above for, and about to wing its way to dart
down upon. So men," he added, ''hover
about these death breeding, fever-infesting
temptations until they lose all perceptions of
life that is set on things above Did Mr.
Beecher mean to compare these men to the
vulture? If he did, their part in life must be
sublime one; for the vulture hovers above
| carrion with the purpose Of destroying it,
whereby humanity is spared disease. We
doubt very much if the majority of men hover
about ''death- breeding, fever-infesting temp
tations," with any purpose Of destroying them.
| However, the sermoa was, on the whole, SEN
sbe and interesting, full Of fun and jollity,
which naturally affected the congregation to
laughter The sermon over Mr. Beecher re-
tired and Plymouth church shall know him no
more until the fall season opens.
| Discourses on the European war continue to
form prominent feature at the churches.
| Not that the preachers threw much light on
the subject, it must be said. Differences of
| opinion as to the religious results which may
be expected from it somewhat obscure the
matter For instance, Rev. Charles B. Smyth
thought that it trumpeted the doom Of Church
and State, and he seemed to imply that France
was willing enough for the temporal power of
| the Pope TO vanish; Rev. David Mitchell be-
| lieved it was the old battle between Protestant
and Romish principles, and that France
Pope Plus which declared the iniallibity
dogma; DR.. Boyntop, at Washington,
arrived at the conclusion that it was a
great struggle between democracy and
monarchy, and he evidently did not believe
there was any religious question in it, because
he concluded by remarking that the great bat
tie of the day of God will (was to) come
While these preachers were interesting them
selves with the war the Catholic priests were
congratulating their focks on the proclama-
ton of infallibility, proving how the detesta-
ton of Protestants is the admiration of Catho-
lies At ST. AIMS, ST. Patrick's and else
where this weighty subject was discussed.
But at he other churches, some Catholic
among them, other topics occupied the minds
of the devout. Thus DR.. Deems eloquently
argued that it was better to give than to
receive, Dr. Brown showed how temptation
should be resisted, and Father O'Brien dis
coursed convincingly from the text snake to
yourselves friends Of the mammon of iniquty.
We regret to say that, although the weather
was pleasant most Of the churches were but
thinly attended Nearly everybody had gone
to the country, and SO the preachers SER
monized to empty pews and the collections
were small At Long Branch Adeline and
Theophilus ignored for few hours the sea-
shore and the PIAZZA and went to church, il
may be 10 pray, but it was equally possible
that they went TO see President Grant and to
crticise Celeste and Gustavus. Fashion was
resplendent; the dresses were magnificent,
and the equipages which transported the
sinners to church dashing in the extreme.
Rev. Mr.. Grow, at the Methodist church
gave spiritual food to these sheep-we beg
pardon-lions. He assured them that theil
souls were immortal, and closed by picturine
the glories of heaven. which, we trust, his
hearers recognized as of far greater value
than the feeting glories Of human society.
! OUR SPECIAL EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENCE