The New York herald., 1870-04-04
The Churches Yssssrday.


in commemoration. Beginning with Grace
church we find that tho congregation filed the
sacred edilicc that the glare and glitter Of
fashion were not at oil cloudod by the sombre
habilimerts of the sorrowing sinner and that
the sermon delivered by DR.. Potter was elo-
quent. The reverend gentleman urged his
hearers to forget those things that are behind.
We hardly think they are inclined to romember
them. 1t they were it would not be necessary
to remind them o. tho words OF Paul and to
advise them to prcss onward through life.
Unfortunately too many Of us make such rapid
progress that we forget everything worth
remembering, excepting the one idea which
animates, and that is too seldom Of religious
nature And even in religion we are seme-
times too fast. When Dr. Potter tells us that
there is nothing incongruous in "the Gospel
in tho ratpit Of Water street rumseller" we
cannot altogether agree with him. However
pure and pious may be the motives CT the
Water street missionaries there is but little Of
the sublime in the spectacle of sinners being
fed with the loaf Of the divine spirit in one
spirits any thing but divine in the other.
Turning 10 the Catholic churches we learn
that all were thronged. The sermons were
devoted 10 the subject OF the passion of Christ,
and, as usual, the faithful were exhortcd 10 u
true repentance, without which the perform
Church during Passion week viii not avail.
At the Church of the Epiphany Bishop Connor
somewhat varied the monotony Of sermons by
delivering a discourse defining the proposed
dogma of Papal infallibility. OF course, the
Bishop believes that the Pope is infalllble, and
he does not think that the proclamation Of the
Council declaring him go will do moro than
affirm what all Catholics believe If this be
the case, why proclaim the dogma at all !?
At the churches of the several Protestant
denominations the services were solemn and
the sermons fairly good. Sensational preachers
were severely handled at the Rose Hill Metho-
dist church, the preacher declaring that their
sermons had no effect upon the minds of their
congregations after these had left their
churches. He thought that people were in
ecstacies over their hopes for three months in
the year. and served the devil faithfully the
remaining nine There is much truth in this
assertion, severe as it is and it is the result Of
a sad tendency Of humanity to follow that
business longest which yields the most imme-
diate returns. At the Church OF the Divine
Paternity DR.. Chaplin took for his text the
words 'IIallowed be Thy name," and preached
eloquently on the subject Of holding Gods
name holy; while, in sympathy with him, Rev.
Mr.. Danner, at the Union Reformed church,
explained the gentleness of Gods love. At
Christ church DR.. Ever informed his congre-
CATION that the Bible was the great seed book
Of tho Church, of which we have no doubt,
seeing that it's contents are intended for propa-
cation. The reverend doctor took an oppor-
tunity Of giving the Pope an indirect slap, by
declaring that St. Paul of England was calling
ST. Peter OF Rome to account for his manifold
errors. In all the other churches the servants
of the Lord sowed the seed of religion, and If
tho soil be fruitful we may entertain hopes of
bounteous harvest. Even at Plymouth
church Brother Beeoher was solemn and
impressive, stating the obstacles to the
Christian in the walk Of life, and deploring
that there was not more religious zeal at the
present time.
In Washington alone was Passion Sunday
made the occasion for political sermon, DR..
Newman declaring, in reference to the Hf-
teenth amendment, that the immunitles granted
the negroes lis the grandest Protestant move
ment since the days Of Luther" We fear
that this somewhat extravagant opinion was
intended as q slight puff for the President,
who was present. But there are some cler-
gymen who firmly believe that in heaven the
spirits of negroes sit in the high places, read
ing Mr. Lincoln's emancipation proclamation.
Let lis have less of this sort Of thing from the
pulpit. We cannot perceive that the privilege
of voting has any connection whatever with
Christianity, which teaches not OF things ter
restrial, but Of things celestial.
FRANCE UNDER THE BoNApARTE CoNsTITU.
TIoN-The mails from Europe by the steam
ship idaho yesterday supply the continuation
of the report of the trial of Prince Pierre