The New York herald., 1870-03-14
The Churches Yesterdn y.


The Churches Yesterday
Inclemcnt weather is foe to religion. At
least we should suppose 80 from the fact that
the snow storm of yesterday had the effect Of
keeping a very large proportion of church
goers at home. Doubles, on the principle
that all good Christians should avoid slippery
places these absentees from divine service
abstained from encountering the dangers Of
the sidewalks. Besides, serenity Of mind is
essential to religious contemplation, and one
can hardly expect damp clothes to impart
much warmth to piety. Rather than have the
colors washed out of their garments by rain or
snow some people forego the opportunity Of
having their sins washed away, thus showing
the relative value placed upon dry goods and
souls
Is there not something radically wrong in
our religious teachings when a fall of snow
possesses the power Of deterring hundreds
from attending service? If the reader will
refer to our very full religious reports, pub
lished on another page, he will ascertain that
the delnquents yesterday were principally
members of our most aristocratic congrega-
tions. Now, the HERALD would be lacking in
its duty if it did not call the pastors Of these
churches to account for the shortcomings of
their Hocks. They must be held responsible.
We do not deny that these reverend gentlemen
have built their churches on rocks. What we
fear is that, discovering the mineral to
be very rich quartz, they have devoted
too much attention to the extraction of
souls and undermining the foundations of faith.
We submit the question whether shepherds
who receive large salaries should not be unre-
mitting in their attention to the sheep?
To those pious people who braved snow and
ice all praise be given. The small but de-
vout congregation that assembled at the
Church Of the Divine Paternity, learned from
DR.. Chaplin that the principles Of Christianity
exist in the love of God and in the love Of ones
neighbor. In this materialistic age there is
too little of both, although occasionally we
hear of little too much of the latter kind of love
when bestowed upon a neighbors wife or hus-
band, as the case may be. To preserve an
equilibrium it is necessary that there shall be
love Of God. What God is not and what He
is was eloquently explained yesterday at the
Church of the Messiah, while at Grace church
Rev. Philip Brooks, of Philadelphia, told
what faith is. The two sermons combined
furnish the whole subject of religion.
There are, however, the details which
were profoundly argued at the Church
of the New Jerusalem by Rev. Chauncey
Giles, who spoke on the necessity of having
heaven in the soul; at the Broadway Taber-
nacie the same subject was discussed, in diff
ferent language, of course; at the Madison
Avenue Baptist church, where the congrega-
ton were shown the evidences Of the divinity
of the Christian religion and the evidences of
Gods grace, and at the Church Of st. Paul
the Apostle, where Father Hewitt preached
ably on prayer, describing the difficulties
the Christian has to encounter from the
world the flesh and the devil. At st. Paul's
chapel DR.. Dix gave some instructions to his
flock on their duties during the Lenten season,
while at Lyric Hall Rev. Mr. Frothing
ham was very uncertain whether it was pre-
ferable to be inside or outside of Eden. He,
however, empaatically declared it to be impos-
sible for an American to be inside OF that
place-why, he did not explain clearly.
The large number of churches whose SER
vices and sermons are reported in this morn
ings HERALD renders it impossible for us to
refer to all. We shall, therefore, close by
stating that, Notwithstanding the black sheep
were numerous, there were many thousands Of
good Christians who attended divine service
yesterday, prayed ferventy and listened
soberly to instructive sermons. 1t is true
they laughed at Plymouth church, for
there Brother Beecher described the hui
morous side Of human misery. But they
always laugh at the Tabernacle of the
Brooklyn Saints, and will probably astonish
st. Peter with a giggie whenAhe opens the
gate to admit them to Paradise. Still, if hu-
man misery is capable of recognizing it's COM
icalities as Mr.. Beecher describes them, we be-
lieve there were many men and women in this
world yesterday who are not go wretched as
might be supposed. And to them particularly,
in closing this article, we offer balm for the
wounded aud rest for the weary.
Tue New POSTAGE STAMPS will probably be
ready for use in April. They are said to be
much better than those now ia usc We
cannot see that they could be much worse, and
as we have had several changes lately we
hope the national designer has pitched this
time upon q stamp that will stick.