The New York herald., 1870-03-07
The Churchs. yesterday.

Yesterday was the first Sunday in Lent, and
as such il was natural that the services at the
several churches should be Of more than ordi-
nary solemnity. With souls wrapped in sack
cloth and persons attired in the very latest
styles the patrons Of our prominent places OF
worship took their accustomed spring cushioned
seats, which yielded beneath them even as ashes
would have yielded. Thus 1t required only
a moderately plastic imagination for these
pious mortals to be convinced that they were
really in sackcloth and ashes. And we trust
that in spirit they were. Heaven knows how
much repentance is needed in this world.
Religion, like Confederate bonds, has been
seeking market, with few purchasers We
trust, therefore, that the minds Of all worship
pers were filed with holy thoughts, which
opened before them the greatness of God, the
beauties of heaven and the grandeur Of the
eternal home, exceeding in all respects exte-
riorly and interiorly brown stone front on
Fifth avenue.
1t must be said, however, that to all out
ward appearances the congregations were the
same as usual. If the souls of some Of the
ladies were wrung with remorse at the sins Of
the past year their countenances did not show
it. At the same time we admit the power of
cosmetics to conceal the truth, SO that we
shall be charitable in our judgment But it is
exceedingly difficult to perceive piety behind
quizzing glass, unless the object of the
wearer is to catch a distant view Of angels,
who seem, somehow, to occupy seats in the
pews. Still it is true that at Grace church,
Church of the Holy Trinity, DR.. Adams church,
Church of the Divine Paternity, Plymouth
church and some others Of the same class,
the lions and the lambs knelt together in
prayer-the lions, as is proper, In the high
places of the synagogues and the lambs under
the galleries. At the Protestant Episcopal
and the Roman Catholic churches the day was
observed with grand and impressive services.
DR.. Potter preached a sermon on Lent, and
urged his, hearers to due observance of the
holy season. He said it was the duty of parents
to induce their children to abstain and to make
sacrifices. Undoubtedly abstinence is the
most desirable thing that could have been
urged AS regards sacrifices, DR.. Potter
might have added, in the language Of clever
French preacher, whose name we cannot
recall, but who gave somewhat similar
advice, 'My children, for months past you
have been plunged in fashionable dissipation.
You have made sheep of your parents and sac
riiced them at the altar Of your vanity. Try
if you cannot make q sacrifice that will be
pleasing to God"
Appropriate in all respects was the discourse
Of Rev. Stephen H. Tying, Jr., in which he
endeavored to inculcate the beautiful lesson of
humility-a virtue very few of us possess.
To ears not over familiar with the subject a
sermon on death was preached at DR.. Adams
church, while in Brooklyn Mr.. Beecher con-
vulsed his flock with the comical side of ''Chris-
tan Steadfastness." ssOur will," said he, sis
little wheel revolving in the watch, but God
is the mainspring"-a simile that would be
apt if the thought did not strike one that
mainsprings occasionally snap. We presume,
however, that Mr.. Beecher knew what he
meant At all Of the Catholic churches-St
James, St. AIMS, ST. Patrick's, st. Teresa's,
st. James in Brooklyn and others-Lent
formed the prominent subject Of discourse.
DR.. Armitage preached eloquently at the
Fifth avenue Baptist church on the way to see
Jesus, and the Rev. G. L. Prentiss informed
his congregation that Christ was the only
means Of salvation. At the Laight street,
Murray Hill Baptist Campbellite, Mora
Wan, Fifth avenue Presbyterian, Christian
Israelite and st. Marks churches the attend
ance was large and the sermons admirable.
We have not space to mention by name the
other places Of worship the services ir
which are reported in the HERALD of this
morning. We must refer the anxious seekers
after light and truth to other pages of thil
paper, on which they will find spread out 9
religious feast the partaking Of which will
benefit them materially.