The New York herald., 1870-01-03

last evening" q the Church Of the Messiah corner OF
Park avenue and Thirty NTH street. preached New
Years sermon 70 hts congregation generally. His
subject was "The influence OF the Bible on Modern
Civilization His eloquent manner OF handling the
theme, tyfte Il ", hnbacd II with Q glowing
vitality. As usual the church was crowded and the
vast congregation listened with the most undivided
attention TO the sermon, although occupying con-
sderably hour In the delivery. His text was
St.John ". 39"Scarch The Scripturesn little while
ago he was nndinr his way home In tho cars ana in
order to while away the tedium OF the journey ne
read work on a scientiGc subject. Suddenly he
was startled by voice behind hin--one OF those
whose philosophy Ii wonderfully mixed. lie said
TO me. iauglingly, ut Will be long before your
churches VIII be torn down ana your Bibles de-
stToyed and such books as tins take the place OF
the latter" He did not know ] was clergyman.
said to him, lyon denounce the Bible: DO you
know anything about Ls" Continuing his conver-
saton WITH the stranger he found that the latter
knew nothing of the beautes OF the Bible, the pro-
phecies OF the Old prophets, the saaness OF
Isaiah, and 80 on. This conversation led
him to think what was the influence OF
the Bibie In our civilization to-day. ought
II not 10 be the corner stone upon which they
should build Had they oargrown ltf Could they
not comprehend nf Is was deep probem-one
that should be discussed by abicr lips than his IL
was obvious that while In days gone by 1t was the
life OF the household Il was now neglected. IL Is
now closed tO the boys and gris eyes, ana Its texts
are rarely used bearing npOn the duties or common
lie. Why was thisY As ne looked about the world
ne found two iendencies The first was toward an
enrIcned rtualsm This favored inildrlitJ. form,
ceremonial Is good so FAR only as II is the vehicle
OF thought. IL was help to open the doors
leading To heaven ana shut the doors Of the earta;
then all well When 1t opens the portal and shows
what IL beyond then all well but wnen this rituasm
becomes the main and absorbing thought, then It Is
H. The object OF the Christian Church was TO bring
the Bible out INTO polder and boder relief, as the
only fountain at which they should drank, the only
table at which they should eat The only object OF
THIS pulpit was to teach tnat out OF the Bible ~ to oe
formed the loitcst possible manhood and the best
possible womanhood. You may 20 back to the
Puritan tlmes when the congregation sat
on wooden benches. and not very comfortable
the sixteenthly: but the Bible was the grand
centre OF tnelr worship. In the Roman Catholic
impress o more emotional nature, but you do not
impress the heart The magnificent sOnorOusness OF
the music may impress him but y0n DO not alter
his life. Jesus CHRIST was the model OF the true
preacher lie stood IN His simple dignity. His iiie
was too dead earnest for forms. he wore no
gown. HIS only form was the earneslness OF His
spirit. he spoke OF the DANGER OF rituasm sepa-
rating the pastor from his people. They lived in
than anv,asna else rhey @ are raacss Ths as' ey ayo
moogy OF the word would indicate them as men
VINO 90 to the root OF things, white the fact
was they dug up the roots Of things and threw
them away After portraying the characteristics OF
this class OF men aud the practical men OF our
timcS-IDOse VIII WOulu kuOW W tu6 lTdCuOY VI du
inch the height OF Chlmbora2o ana the distance to
the sun--he proceeded to speak OF the inner con-
sconsness OF The existence Of God and the truths OF
the Bible. Another tendency was to hunt after the
old and worst command; another TO hunt after the
novel, and mode class who do not care much
about anything Rise but the present things. lie
loved the npholders Of religion as 1t WAS taught
hundred years ago. 1Deir xrandfathers never got up
in the morning without long prayer. nor sat down
TO meal without blessing and never went To bed
without long prayer The present generation took
revenge upon the Old religious tunes BY turning
their backs on them. The family Bible ls now
closed aud put on the shell. they we're su iIering
from tho reaction. They should 70 back to the
times Of their grandfatners. There was no map-
hood, NO WomanhOod, no liberty OF o people that
dld nor 1nn It's teachings here Ii should be read In
the family and IN the public school. IL should be the
toxI book Of the times No one can read the Bible
without believing In It. The unbelievers arc those
who do not read 1t. In conclusion ne showed how
the Bible gave It's fitting teachings and consolation
III ali the circumstances OF u0-in childhood, In
youth III Old age IN prosperity, IN poverty, In Joy, in
sorrow, III temptation daily pesettlng u.s. and last,
IN The valley anG shadow OF death, through which
all must