The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-11-28
NEW EYGLAND c0sGaEGaTGoyAL CHURCH.

NEW ENGLAND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
Rev. Merrill Richardson breaches iho
Dui;;ul Son rs Opposed ~ tho ProdigaI
Soo-Thc Poetry mad Prose- ana Duties OF
Lilo Host LloGncntiy P0rtrayed-The
Genia. scapcarnce anl the Dntifui Duiiard.
Tie New England congregational church. corner
OF Madison avenue and FoTty-seventh street. was
than usually crowded at the services yesterday
morning. ANY one going to hear Its new pastor
REV. Messill Riehardson once Is sure TO go again.
He has mos, Justly been called the Beechcr OF New
York. in rugged clearness OF style, in tersely cpl
grammatic sentences, in keen subtlety OF logic, In
pure sledge.hammer-!ke argument, carrying the
truth home to the convictions ana hearts Of his
hearers ID the free fresh and thorough abandon
OF HIS devery-now cold ana classic now
stern and severe now sarcastic and occasionally
humorous and now, in the iorgetfuness OF himself
ana his manuscript and h,s pulpit, In the glowing
warmth IN his subject, giving utterance to the most
willy ,mpassloned strains OF extemDoraneous ora
tory Lake Beecner, he is thorough New Highlander
He hates show, pretence, humbug. lie preaches
plainly what he thinss, and his force and eloquence
are natural part OF his preaching 1t Is this pain
spokenness with an utter absence OF anything like
rhetorical ornament pursuit OF effect or elaborate
fastidiousness OF art, that has already established
him such favorlte with his new congregation and
l. rapidly making him OF the most popular
preachers in the city. We have already stated that
the church was crowded, and certainly o more re-
fined and intellectual congregation Is not to he seen
at any church In New York. Beautiful inside, looks
more beautiful with the elesalt aud tasteful floral
decorations in front OF the pulpit their sweet per-
fumes tnc vigorous incense OF refined religious
worship. Another good feature IA the nne singing,
which Is here conducted By most accomplished
uuartet-cousistng OF Miss Macombcr contralto;
Miss Peck, sopIano; Mr.. Alden tenor; Mr. Jones,
bass-and the excellent playing on the organ by Mr..
ncRae AiIer the usual preliminary exercises the
reverend pastor entered on the delivery OF
TIE SERMON.
TIE subject was one OF unusual interest,"" The
dutiiul and not the pronigal s0n'-and while
striking and original it Is certain that the manner
o, treating 1t was characterized by like striking
originality. The text upop-Whch 1t was based was
Luxe xy 3I--"Son, thou art ever with me,
ana ali that have Is thine" He began by saying
that a great deal OF romance lad been thrown
around the character Of the prodgal son, while the
character OF the ooedtent son had been deemed
uIuely prosaic. The former was pictured as LIBERAL
largchcarted, noble fellow. with all HIS vices, while
the latter portrayed as close mean, stingy, self
Son the The best and most iovaSe Whatever might be
the opinions OF men it was evident that God prefer
red the one who did not waste his substance. The
text was addressed to tins, was plain proclama-
OF TINS preference. When tins duiiiul son, who
IN his abors in the ned, who had stayed by his
father and always showed himself t!al son, heard
a u bis q s Srohes he coauea a
no such honor had ever been conferred ON him.
,ad the fa In i Wa arr ever wta me ana
ton in these words lie loved not the duuful son
less HIS heart, sorrowing through Years over the
wild recElessness and dissipation and misdeeds or
the absent wanderer, rejoiccd at his return Alter
eoquently porlrayng the fathers feelings at length
he proceeded to show that to make this dutul son
worse than the prodi2al destroys Tie sense OF tie
parable Jesus Christ cid not mean to be understood
q saying that
Is better han one VITO shows himself llia aud dut.-
iu The design 81 Inc parable was 70 snow shs
the yest Jew or Gentle who comes back obedicnt.
The parable had no reference, however, 10 Jews or
Gentlies as such, any more than the illustration OF
the sheep ana tile piece OF silver In connection with
sts among the Praises When Unfit nj a9sG
these He used no circun!locutIon He told them to
their face That they were hypocrites. and asked.
used no articles when He told them '.they were
whned scpulchres.'' Among the Jews mutules
loving ana obediont sons-proyed tho richest bless
,ngs OF the household. Others were grossly wicked,
seen In every community. our early fathers
took pains to train their children under !
s E rom free ara from eseaT vc o. Go
them moral and. II possible, religious. Occa- J,
sionally there would be prcdigai son, but ne was
turned the father was glad and the family reJoiced.
But the dutifu son constant cause OF 10y,
every day gladdenlng the Households feast richer
far than any special occasion OF rejoicing alter
years Of sorrow. So Christ presents Cod father
full OF pity and love, not willing that should /
perish. The pain he has caused the fathers heart,
the shame he mas brought upon the family, the girts
wasted, time lost power Of evil over others tho |
father Overocks all this in tho JOY Of seeing the
wandeYer return This Is the "gad idings OF the
Gospel But how much better had the son never be.
come prodigal! IL would have saved years Of pa
rental sorrow, days and nights Of bitter tears. I
duLlui son ~
A BLESSING USSPEAKABLE.
pr0dtgal son Is an unspeakable shame The |
State itself rested on Gods appointed system OF
training. But are not all men prodigaiss No, not
Ia the sense OF the parable All are sinners, ana
must be saved by grace. All sons are not prodgals;
nor does productivity tend to make them religious
When 1t is said .there Is more hope OF prodigals
than OF the mora,n it is false 10 nature and the
PREposrERoUs NOTION
1t c0ntradicts every principle Of Gods government.
'Ihe wicked wax worse and worse" AS well ex-
pect the leopard to change his spots. Occaslonaly
does 3d. When a vile man repents much IS said
ABOUT It. But how much more should be thought oil
Guild whose whole life was lovely. Novels make
1eroes OF prodiGals, the Bible never. The CONVEX.
eion OF child under mothers nurture is rs much
monument OF grace as any other. Would that all
were converted SO early. that none would have 10
STARVING AND IN RAGS.
Win our multiplied temptations, IL prodi2al
docs return, ~ might be wise not 70 make least
Gill we knew ne purposed to stay at home. After
dwelling with great eoquence on this portion oil is
theme he urged that they should labor TO reclaim
prodigas, and, more, TO keep youth from becoming
prodigas. Wien one does come back, however
lost, God be praised he Could be forgiven. Who
can fathorn the depths OF parental lover What dis
tance can sever, what period OF time can annu the
bond that binds the parent TO the child What
0al ingratitude aud sin can quench these fires OF
love? The anguish OF separaton the pain OF re-
belIlon goods wasted, talents aused s4Haitd rags,