The New York herald., 1870-05-02
UNION (CoLoaED) CHURCH.
sermon by tho Rev. Ely Every.

sermon BY tho rev. ELY Ev0ry.
Upon>entering the little wooden building occupied
by the Union (colored congregation In the vicinity
OF Eighty fourth street. yesterday morning, wo
found but three sable brothers In attendance. After
naIf an hour had passed by nine more Africans ap-
peared, three men and six women, and there were
then also three foreigners present The preacher Ely
Every, was man OF advanced age and bore evidence
of such freak Of accidental variation on the part Of
his immediate ancestors as would render them anne
nable 10 the democratic law, which says, Th0u shalt
not miscegeDate !" He said, In introducing hymn,
rendered In Wild monot0nous chant by the w0r-
shippers. while we sing let us sing unto the Lord. not
as II we were singing to dead god. God Thou art
indeed very great and much to DO beloved; Thou
built the ark OF our faith with the axleree Of hope
and set us upon our feet that we might 60 forth
and prosper We have seen IN this bright beautl.
full morning that even the little herb is not forgotten
by Thee. and though lying In the frostblten ground
during the long. bitter winter TIL 1t seemed to be
long dead 1t springs forth now In green youth and
beauty, fitting emblem OF immortality. We have
seen the little ant toiling all last summer through
s e Ching ca and On darkness sis ru o Winters s h
seen the trees put on their rich clothing
Of green, and the birds singing sweet anthems, al
few do we ind at % Thy feet sweet Eords We on The
verge OF the city know that IN the open country on
the Sabbath @ and ii the city they are gathered around
the card table or reveing In wine aud women They
then sang:-
MY willing soul would stay
In such frame ns this,
AHS Ta st sysIia!.IsSs sAs sI2S Asf:s'f Sl:s. away
Let us look up said the preacher; 1t Is no use TO
look down. All creation beh0lds the stars, and why
should not man. ut least part OF Gods creation,
looK upwards "Blessed Is that man who worketh
not In the counsels OF the ungodly'-Psalms l., L..
was the text. used, as boy to go out such
bright May mornings as this into the woods gather
ing nowers, listening t. the Wild birds and crouch
ing behind the rocks ana bushes TO watch the flying
and agile squirrels, and this on the holy Sabbath.
knew no great wrong In this, and enjoyed 1t 30.
But gradually, little by litte learned OF Christ and
OF His sublime humanity, learned the truth or the
Bible, not the empty word, but the spirit the inefa
bic virtue that runs through the words as the sap
through the tree. Now how dare ], in this holy
place, disguise truth, II it Is In my power. The
sap that runs through the tree does not all merge
into one limb, but reyives and nourshe ALL so the
truth OF the Bible splriHand Chriss teaching does
not pour itself into one sect alone, but In all sects
ana peoples and classes. Without food man
Will die and without something OF the faith
and works OF Christ man Will 60 TO
hell. The spirit OF truth and virtue and
Goodness Is like tree Girde tree and 1t Will die
draw across life OF honesty and virtue single
line OF crime wlckedness and the life OF honor is
destroyed, Its soul wfther5 and dies.
Many or the phrases OF the preacher were homely;
he talked to an humble people in an unlearned
strain, but for all his lack OF polish elegance and
even grammatical construction, there was q wonder
ful power and force IN his Illustrations and In The
drectness with Which he questioned and challenged
the congregation.