The New York herald., 1870-05-02
ST.. PHILIPS CHURCH COLOR ~.

Sermon by the Rev. Mr.. Da Costn-Thc Ex-
anipics OF ST. james and ~. Philip.
There Is cOsey little Episcopal church In Null
berry street. just OF Gleecker street, called Sc. PHI
lips which has become to be OF late years the Sun
day rendezvous par c1ce,iece OF the wealthy class
Of our coored citizens The interior of the church
is very pleasing one, and everything about II de-
notes that It Is In good hands, ana that Its manage
ment have devoted as much care 10 the simple yet
chaste embellishments Of the cdince as they have In
selecting amost excellent choir ana devoted pastor.
In TACT, the singing OF The quartet OF this church
cannot oe surpassed by that Of any other church III
this city, which, taking into consde alton the great
attention that IS nowadays paid to the selection OF
church choirs cannot be taken as mean compli-
ment.
There was numerous congregation present AZ
the morning services yesterday, which were con-
Quoted In strict accordance with the rules aud
regulations laid down for observance by the Episco-
pal ritual. Alter the reading of the lesson Of the
day nom The Scriptures, the choir sung the hymn
beginning
To lions hin lift my eyes
From lions bin SdiIs and LIONS "i God,
Whom heaven and earth have made
The usual morning prayers were then said, ia
which the congregation devouty joined; after
which the pastor, the Rev. Mr.. Da Costa preached
James, the first verse, which begins as lol.
lows:1"James the servant Of God and Of the Lorl
attention to the iact that the Church that lay cee.
braled the festival OF ST. James and ST. philip. He
spoke OF the 1rinness Of the two saints IN withstand.
Ing the terrible ordeals through which they had had
to pass. 81. James practcel what he preached 10
men. He exhorted the faithful TO be srin as rock
that his nrnness was that OF the true Christian. lie
withstood the shocks OF his enemies as rock With
stands the dashing the that lasn themselves
In Jury against it, and even up TO the hour when he
was killed for his faith his voice was always
rasei in exhortatlon aud praise to God.
i'm fhn nc
| Philip which ought always to be held up as an
example to be followed by Christians. When the
the Divine Master, he abandoned all for the sake Of
500. Inat raltcnlar thing IN his NE Which
to Nathaniel when ask3l II any good could come out
OF Nazareth He did not argue the question withhi
| 9uestoner, but simply answered. 'Comc and soe.n
4 people who sneercd al religion wanted TO know
any good could come out o. Nazareth, that is out
Chritanty, they should be answered IN the words
OF st. Philip. Ii they wanted to know God, to ind
cut whether it was true aJ Christians claimed. that
there was SO much gool, go much consolation IN
matter for themselves. Nothing was easier. N, No
argument could satisfy them better than their own
experience, and what man learns by personal cx-
many ylcisstudes were there not-how many terri
bic things which tested this value OF religion In ie
Gays ago religion shona out piighty in many
instance. Amid the cracking Of the tmbers, as the
iioor or the court house gave way, and hundreds
were buried beneath the RUNS, there were many
whom religion came to console in their last ex.re.
nifty, VINO had strength enough in the very agones
Of aeath 70 70 Sd re9c, may gy ~ Se9Ya Y me
lives cried out to Col to be spared for yet few mo-
ments ere they We're hurled into eternity. The con-
soing power OF religion was beyond al expression
great, and 1t never was felt in all ITS strength more
than when the soul was the brink OF the life to
come, and knew that but few brief minutes Of NOR
tal existence separated IL from the eternal presence
OF Almighty God.
The reverend gentleman then closed by 7ror,ing
the congregation 20 follow the example OF Philip
and st. James In doing good, in being sielaaat in
their faith and love Tor religion and it, teacngs,
even unto death.