The New York herald., 1870-08-22
SERVICES IN ELIZABETH.
T1KRD PRESBYrEgIAv CHURCH.

Appeal for Spiritual Aid tor tho Freedmen
Sermon by the Rev. edward q. Read.
Yesterday the Rev. Mr.. Read, pastor OF the Third
Presbyterian church. preached, to pretty large
congregation, sermon on the state OF the colored
people in the South. The reverend gentleman took
for his text "Acts, xvi, o. Io'-'And a vision ap-
peared to Paul in the night. There stood man OF
Macedonia. and prayed him, saying, come over into
Macedonia and help us. And after he had seen the
vision, Immediately we endeavored to go INTO Mace
dona, assuredly gathering, that the LORD had called
US for TO preach the Gospel unto them.o
These words mark an era In the early
SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY
through the labors or the Apostles. The era Is
that OF the introduction of the Gospel into Europe
and the Western World Paul and his co-laborers
had twice travelled over Syria and Cilica and the
various provinces Of Asia Minor, preaching the
Gospel Of salvation and gathering into church or
ganizaton those who believed. We read that they
not only confirmed the souls OF the disciples by
thorough teaching but made provision for perma-
nent instruction and discipline by oriaining them
elders IN every church--no doubt teaching as well
ruling elders.
Paul and his fellow laborers had gone over to
Pnrygia ana Galatia they ''were forbidden OF the
Holy Ghost TO preach the word in Asia.'' Still,
coming towards the provinces OF Mysia in the
northwest or Asia Minor, they ,ried TO To that of
EithynlA east OF Mysia but the spirit suffered
went down to 1roas seaport town. nearly opposite
Greece And there Paul saw tue vision recorded in
| the text, the man OF Macedonia standing and be-
seeching nun, ''Come over into Macedonia and help
| us.n THIS vision was conclusive to the disciples OF
their duty. They therefore immediately sought
| means OF going into Macedonia assuredly gather
Ing that is arguing or concluding thai the Lord had
chosen them for Lnis special service of preaching
| the Gospel IN Europe 1ney went and travelled not
only through Macedonia but through ali Greece. In
Athens the scat OF learning and OF science ana In
"a ou,r limo
The good news or salvation through crucned Re-
deener And there they nc for Europe the lJame of
saving TRUTH which has burned through all these
centuries ana sheds to-day It's mild and quenchless
light upon those regions OF Asia that were first
geiiZeo, but have long since apsed into ignorance
This Macedonian cry was fruitful therefore OF great
movement one which gave the Gospel To continent,
and provided Tor The evan2elizaton OF many ma
tons But wnat was there IL II which made II
powerful? What did the disciples see in 1t 10 turn
them TO this new course9 Why 1t simply brought TO
their notice great spiritual destutIon, which they
felt themselves bound 10 supply. Here was coun.
Try ana people without any knowledge OF Christ
precious souls perLshIng and looking To them Tor
help. It was such an appeal drowning man
makes TO upon the shore who stands rope In
hand, having the means OF saving him. And disc-
pies could not resist the appeal. 1t a different
race to which they were invited it is true, and Jew
ish pride might have rebelled against condescendng
10 go TO Gentle and heather race. But The
PRIDE OF RACE
had been pretty Wen eXtingulShed in them already.
God had shown them all through ASIA period
or many years that they should not call any man
common or unclean. The disciples might have
hesitated TO, because OF the superstition ldolauy
III which these Macedonian and other western ma
tons were sunken, or because OF the many degrad-
ing habits which they practlsed But all these views
anorded in the disciples view only the more reason
for communicating the gospel OF salvation to those
heather people, The worse their moral condition
the more need they had Of being taught the truth.
And, therefore as Luke writes, Immediately Paul
and his fellow aborers endeavored TO go INTO Mace
dOna to preach the Gospel there But TO day there
Is coming To us such cry for help as came TO the
disciples across the ASgean sea From the southern
part or our country 4,O0O, 900 or freedmen
ing out their hands and ASK for the bread OF life. We
need no night visions TO assure OF their spiritual
destuJOn, or OF their readiness to receive the Cos
pei The facts OF tue all familiar 10 u.s. in-
stead OF being unknown as they to the disciples
IN The case OF Macedonia. The people VINO
cry to us for help are different race from
nat which Ssow belong S put then our
in The preaching Of the gospel Al this moment
we are conducting missions al considerable ex-
pense and with great sacrifice OF valuable lives in
the very country lrom winch these freedmen origi-
nally came. And IN Africa the natives are far more
superstltlous more degraded and reDulslve than
are many oi their descendants n This country. Yet
we near them calling 10 US from Africa for help and
we go 10 them; how much more shall we go when
they cry to US from the bounds OF our own country
and in the language we ourselves speak.
The reverend speaker In very eloquent and touch
ing language showed that the principle upon which
our own missions were conducted is applicable in
tins connection. Wherever there Is spiritual want
there must the Gospel be sent; wherever there are
souls to be saved there must provide that the
news OF salvation by cruciied Christ shall be pro-
claimed. That there IS spiritual desttuton among
Y.
souls To be savedY II so send tue Gospel to
them unless we can 40 ourselves. Let political feel
ings and preludices be laid aside and cali TO our
AID the principles OF Christianity. Make the work a
Christian work In which all good Presbyterians
should take an interest personally.
In 1869 there were I4,000 cOiored members or the
Presbyterian Church In the southern States. These
would represent II coored community attached TO
the church OF about five times that number say
10, ,00o There were, however very few separate
organizations for coi0red people, tDey were mem.
bers OF the same churches as the whites enjoyed
fhn
broke out the divisions took place in the church
No less than nine Synods, including forty Prespyte-
ries, wentoif from us and organized
A SOUTHERN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,
with their own General Assembly and entire inde-
pendence of us. When the war closed a vast field
those blacks. And the way IL was brought about
was this: During the war, and especially effected
by It's close, great change had taken place in the
civil and social condition of the colored people
They had been emancipated, which produced a
change or feeling as well as or condition, and tney
were unwilling to continue the Old relations with
the whites. Hence they desired separate OrganiZa-
tions and tnelr own pastors.
The reverend gentleman pleaded the spiritual
cause of the coored race In the South and iabored
show that they are now citizens they should be
thoroughly Instructed In the principles ana truths
OF Christian life well as teaching them political
IDEAS To do good LII this connection, with permanent
results churches must be organized and a cOlored
ministry trained up with That view. The peculiar
prejudces and superstltiOns OF the colored people
can be overcome In matters OF faith as well poll
tics by having ministers OF their own color point
ont TO them the great want OF their souls eternal
welfare This Ia q work in which the good Christian
women OF the North and South could extend their
sphere OF usefulness in educating the colored female
ii her moral and social virtues, which would have