The New York herald., 1870-10-24
Chureh service. Yesterday.

One of the results of the late Unitarian Con-
ence of opinion on the great subject of religious
faith among those who claim to be Unitarians.
Yesterday Mr.. rockingham, at Lyric Hall,
delivered an extraordinary sermon, which was
really an attack upon the Conference. He
declared that he was a radical Unitarian;
that he did not honor the God OF
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; 10 fact, he
had--and so had all radicais---a little God of
his own. The radicals God was the loveesi
dream Of the human sodl. Thus, with COM
plete ignoring of the God worshipped by
Christians and patronizing reference
to Christ this reverend preacher of the
doctrines of general convenience spent an
hour or So But if Mr. rockingham was
displeased with the proceedings Of the Confer
euce, and coaid stow away his religious doc
trnes sin the small end of nothing and leave
ample room for great deal Of material, Mr..
Hepworth, Of the Church of the Messiah was
in happier frame of mind. He spoke with
pride of the Conference as having performed
its labors acceptably and well. Growing
enthusiastic, he declared that "a quarter Of
know ii or not, are essentially Unitarian
As religious fact this assertion may be qres-
toned as a secular fact il is undeniable that
great many people in this city are 'essen-
tally Unitarian for, TO use 4 vulgarism;
their devotion to ''number one is notorious,
However, the reader may Judge from the two
sermons referred to what the spirit OF our Uni
tartan congregations is.
Brother Beecher was scarcely as happy in
his sermon as he was last week, although the
subject was religious one. He spoke on
''rhe Sanctifcation OF Suffering and the Phi
losophy of Pain" and said, among other
things, that spain is the concomitant Of the
attempt to enlarge our being, and he would
have added to contract it also, had he ever
philosophically endured the agony Of tight
shoe. In fact, while Brother Beecher's con-
illusions were admirable and full Of
sound religious doctrines his philosophical ar
gument was not as good as it might have been.
At the New England Congregational church
Rev Merrill Richardson, who is described as a
formidable rival Of Brother Beecher even to
flowers on his pulpit, preached on the subject
of ''Tbe Supply and Demand in the Kingdom Of
Grace, in which he was particularly eloquent.
At the ST. Johns Methodist church Rev. Mr.
Ferris denounced corruption among politicians
and mournfully affirmed that in one hundred
years of national life we had not had one Pre-
siient who was professed follower Of Christ,
after which the reverend gentleman closed
with melancholy picture oil our condition.
AT the Madison square Presbyterian church
Or. Adams assured his congregation that
the Bible is the true exposition of
Gods viii, and at the Holy Trinity church
Bishop Clarke discoursed on death and life.
Rev Charles b. Smyth, at the American Free
Church, preached on the love OF God toward
mankind, while Rev. John Rogers pitched into
the Church OF Rome, the beast, the horns and
everything else included.
AT the other churches the sermons were Of
the usual quality, and at all The places OF
worship the attendance was good. Indeed, a
careful perusal of our religious reports will
convince the reader that much WAS done yes
ierday to promote the cause of Christianity
aud confonnd the devil and all his works.