The New York herald., 1870-05-16

Sermon by Rev. DIR. Cheever-Thc Public
Conscience Observation-Disclosures Hackett
Arraisned-The Bible in the Public Schools
The Ecumcnicnl Council Dubbed ssHuman
Liars.'
In a small rectangular room at Apollo Hall there
assembled yesterday very slim, stad and formal
looking set of wOrsnippers OF the Puritan faith.
They were decidedly prim and exact In their appear
ance and seemed to eschew the prevailing fashions
altogether. The only lady who was any wise con-
spicuous was o brunette OF African descent, who
was gotten up regardless Of expense. She wore an
Alpine hat with bright spring flowers, an amethyst
brooch and black silk dress with 1Ounces. The
preacher was the once renowned DIR. Cheever. He
is gentleman of undoubted intellectual parts
and reads his sermon with proper elocution. but
like most of the New England parsons, seems to be
endowed with prctence Of liberaty altogether
warped and prejudiced In his theological views.
His sermon was on
AN EDUCATION OF CONSCIENCE BY THE WORD OF GOD.
An enlightened conscience, he said, was the only
safeguard Of our liberty. Our only hope of success
IN the experiment Of republican government Is by
cultivating general good conscience. The national
conscience must be educated. God governs the
world through the conscience and the conscience Is
enlightened by his word. The work OF human gov
enment is TO protect men from the frenzies of their
fellow men, from their selnshness and passions.
Here the preacher, In low and solemn tone,
quoted portion OF the charge OF
RECORDER HACKETT
in the Mcfarland trial, wherein tlat gentleman in
slructs the Jury that If the prisoner committed the
homicide in moment OF frenzy he Is entitled an
acquttal. After making the quotation the preacher
paused Tor moment, and, uplifting his eyes ana
hands, exclaimed, "Oh, what community is safe from
dcmOralIzlng effects Of such charge ~ Allud-
ing the Ecumenical Council, the preacher politely
designated that august body as the
''ECuMENICAL COUNCIL OF HUMAN LIARS"
DIR. Cheever then proceeded to dwell on the power
of conscience. The power OF conscience more or
less enlightened by Gods Word, was evidently ne
cessafy Tor the world Susi end its operations for
IN hour and this world would become moral chaos.
The pulsations OF Niagara are not more rea the
thunders OF Niagara not more audp re than the
monitious Of conscience The learned divine dilated
on the question OF public conscience. He denied
il had any existence. The public conscience. SO
called, was perverted and generally wrong. The
sermon next took another drift. The attempt to eX
pei the Bible from the public schools severely
anathelnlzcd and the priests rubbed up pretty
sOundly. '.What." said the preacher, 'hrow on,
| the Word Of God from schools The book
which alone embraces knowledge OF the
Almighty; the universal guide to all Christian gov
crnment. What blasphemous contempt Ii sIcl
thing, If such attempt could be successful thel
| farewell TO progress in this land. But it neve
would be real,Zed.r The preacher went on and
spoke about the Bible, its influence its nallibility
and its Indispensable moral worth. The audience
did not seem to be moved in the slightest by th'
eoquence poured forth from the pulpit. That cold
arstere demeanOr was preserved throughout, ant
after earnest prayer uttered by the preache
at the conclusion OF the sermon they separated VIII
| the silence and uecorum OF thorough Pnritans.