The New York herald., 1870-06-20
Church Services on Hot Day.


1t is easier to make church warm than to
make one cool. Yesterday was the hottest
Sunday of the season so far, and as conse-
quence the attendance at majority Of the
churches was slim. The members of the fash
ionable congregations are either in Europe or
in the country, while some of them, like GER
tain class OF French people, having spent all
their money in winter and spring social
and religious dissipation, have retired to the
back rooms of their mansions. and are ''not
at home" When September arrives, and their
husbands and fathers once again possess we'll
filed purses, they will reappear in society
and go to church like the good Christians they
are. Their antipodes, the democratic classes,
went yesterday to Coney or Staten Island;
some on excursions down the bay, and others
to Westchester, where they had the benefit Of
fresh air-and lager.
Perhaps the only place of worship really
crowded was St. Pauls Roman Catholic
church, where Father Hecker, who has just
returned from Rome, delivered an interesting
sermon on the Ecumenical Council. The
reverend gentleman was quite eloquent and
confident in his language, which latter, by the
way, gave flattering picture of the condition
of affairs in the Eternal City. It being
the Feast of Corpus Christi, the services
at St. Paul's, and at all the
Roman Catholic churches, in fact,
were unusually impressive, and if anything
was capable Of making the worshipper OBJ
livious of the heat they assuredly were. As a
general thing the preachers seemed to feel the
enervating effects of the weather Their SER
mons were not so animated as in cooler days.
Mr.. rockingham brought down the ther-
mometer several degrees during his sermon
on music by graphically describing the effect
produced by Beethoven's compositions
upon those whose souls are filed
with harmony" He declared that very few
persons can interpret the music of this MASTER
and he modestly intimated that he was one of
the very few. Rev. Mr.. Northrup, at the
Twenty third street Presbyterian church, also
preached on the subject of music. He was
less poetical than the Lyric Hall apostle, but
quite as enthusiastic in praising the divine
art. He, however, administered some severe
blows to the opera, which, Heaven knows, is
sick enough in the United States already
without requiring religious whacks to make it
out of favor.
Rev. Mr.. Smyth preached the Inauguration
sermon of the American Free Church, which
he designs as the nucleus around which all the
contending sects can rally. Mr.. Smyth was
able and eloquent, and started on his new
mission with every prospect of success. An
interesting sermon, defining the position and
doctrines of Unitarianism, was delivered by Rev.
Mr.. Hepworth at the Church of the Messiah,
while Rev. Mr.. Bliss, at the New England
Congregational church, deliverd a discourse
on the rise and progress of Congregational
ism. 1t will undoubtedly crafty the members
of these two denominations to learn that both
are making great progress, and that the tenets
of each are the only true and Christian ones,
which latter claim is somewhat puZzling to
outsiders, but is, we trust, satisfactory to those
directly concerned. Mr.. Beecher was as inte-
resting as usual. His sermon, or rather lecture,
was on the subject of money and the use to
which it can be best put. He spoke highly of
the ambition which seeks posthumous fame,
and expressed the opinion that rich men ought
to educate poor young men of genius, and
live forever after in the fame they achieve.
AT the Church Of the Strangers DR.. Deems
discourse was convincing. He declared
that there was no neutrality in religion.
He who did not serve the Lord served
Satan. At Zion church the Rev. Mr..
Butler (colored) concluded his sermon
with sharp denunciation of ''some white
brute, by the name of Hiram Young" who, it
appears, had ordered the reverend gentleman
away from table on steamer coming from
Boston, and refused to serve him because of
his color. Very bad; very bad, indeed. How
ever, let Mr.. Butler bear in mind that they
who suffer on earth are rewarded on high, and
not try to get even here by calling his brother
bad names. And with this advice we close.
IMPUDENCE OF A CONGRESSIONAL CARPET
BAGGER.-B F. Whittemore, who claims seat
in the House of Representatives as member for
the First Congressional district of South Caro-
lima, has proved himself as stupid as he is i'm
pudent. After resigning his seat to avoid ex-
pulsion for the sale of the cadetship, he ac-
tually comes before the same Congress to take
his seat again. General Logan hit the nail on
the head in the debate on this matter last
Saturday when he said, 'The question to be
decided by the House was whether member
who had escaped the odium Of expulsion by
reason of resignation should be declared en-
titled to seat in body which had passed a
unanimous resolution declaring him unworthy
of said seat" If Whittemore had let his am
bition for Congressional honors cool off till
another Congress came in he might have had
chance, but he stupidity came before the
same body that declared him unworthy of a
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