The New York herald., 1870-05-16
CUuRCH OF TEE HES ;asH.

Large and Brilliant Attendnneo-Bap;isrpn
Seryice--EioqueRt Discourse om Eusnnity
and Crime, Based Upon she Late Mcfarland
Trial.
The beautiful, bright sunshine Of yesterday, in
viting TO Sabbath worship in the great outer temples
OF the woods with the grand symphony of nature
the songs OF birds and sweet lnurmur OF falling
waters the musical accompaniment, was not en-
couraging to attendance at our city churches Not
withstanding the general hegira to city suburbs
OF the tens of thousands seeking days escape from
the heat and dust and noisome vapors Of the great
city, the beautiful Church OF the Messiah, corner OF
Park avenue and Thirtyfcurth street. was yesterday
morning filed to its utmost capacity by the usual
intelligent, Fashionable ana retired congregation
worshpping there. Introductory to the stated rou-
tine OF worship was
BAPTIsMAL SERVICE.
This was brief but beautiful service, and conduct
ed with simplicity imposing and impressive, though
lacking the pomp and circumstance characterizing
this ceremonial in some churches. Four persons
were baptlzed-two adults and two infants There
was prayer, laying Of the mostened fingers of
the clergyman on the forehcads, and then invoking
Heavens kind watcnfulEess over them and guidance
In the future, and the ceremonial ended. After q
voluntary on the organ from Mozart's Seventh Mass
the grandly swelling Ts Daine upon the organ and
the singing py the whole choir OF tns mastery piece
cd uslc was The signal or the opening or the
regular services Alter this II VIII Arise anu Go 10
MY Fathet,n with soprano solo by Mrs Flicker was
exquisitely sung. And taen came the sermon; lis
subject was:
THE M'FARLAND TRIAL,
IL Is hardly necessary to say that the large congre
gatIon listened 10 IL with the most earnestly rveted
attention He spoke with his characteristic boldness
and euquence. lie selected as his text Genesis v g.
''And Cam was very wyoth, and his countcnance
fell" lie began by saying that If Cain had been
tried by tue modern theories OF crime he would un-
doahtedly escaped all punishment on the ground
OF .'insanlty towards ADel" Whenever he thought
OF the success OF his brother, aud his favor in the
LORDS siah he was SO excited by the erce passions,
envy and hatred, that he must oe regarded as man
in a frenzy, and therefore unaccountabe to human
or divine law for the murder. The verdict oil the
Lord would have been reversed by the courts of
day, and Cain would be regarded simply as an ex-
citabe man, who, when he saw his brother Abel felt
a certain unaccountabe and pitiabe impulse TO grasp
his ciup and Kill him. lie was
NOT GUILTY-oNLY INSANE.
The community has OF late been reused by very
remarkable case that has been tired before our
courts The verdict only hair meets the approval OF
the public. The newspapers, whose delicate touch
fee!s the slightest quiverng in the peoples pulse,
have shown this in their unanimous demand fornew
legislation which shall apply to the eXigencles to
when the last ten years OF criminal history have
given rise. 1t Is case that has been discussed
only in America, but over all Europe and Is there
regarded sadly enough, as an index OF our modern
American society. In this case not a single indl-
vdual has been trieG-neither the prisoner nor the
victim, nor the woman who Goes not yet know
whose wife she is. The whole case has been ideal.
lzcd and
PRINCIPLES, NOT PERSONS, HAVE BEEN DECIDED
He did not think he was very for wrong in saying
that the real sympathy Of the public does not go
with any one Of tue other parces concerned.
fact, terrible fact connected with modern society
has been adiudicated. We have settled the general
question that no man has right under any conceva-
bic circumstances, TO meddle in the domestic
relations of man and vile. The marriage relation Is
more solemn and binding contract than the novel
theories Of loose thinkers would have us believe.
I'll any man hauls down the nag shoot aim Oil the
SPOT has been changed to read, III any man steps
in between a man ana his Wife, i0r any purpose
whatever he merits The bullet.o
THE PLEA OF INSANITY
is, however, very thin and gauzy affair.". Every
Is insane who commits great crime. Hardly
murder except under The mighty stimulus Of ire
mendous passion Which made the pulse feversh and
Which flushed the face and made the speech inco-
herent. The trouble Is that there Is punishment
adequate to the case. The exenuating crcum-
stances make it impossible Tor the jury TO render
verdict of guilty, knowing that the consequent
punishment Will be greater tnan the crime deserves.
New Legislation Is demanded, and it must be done
aU once. We are in narrow strait that the plea
OF insanity has excited the rdicue OF the people aud
taken away al fear from The criminal. The truth is
capital punishment is detesed by the whole COM
minty as something abhorrent to its Of justice
and right; and since there is scarcely any judicial
position between hanging and acquittai-tor tne i'm.
prisonment of criminals who have any influence
among the lower classes Is political imposslDiity
justice hangs fire and rogues go Tree.
OUR THEORIES OF MARRIAGE
are criminaliy loose. He charged the Church with
some part OF the responsibility. He did not mean
that part or the Church which has broken away from
the belief Of the fathers and runs riot In all OF
theories which undermine the religious of the
people, faiNer Inat CONSERVATIVE eleIneDt winch
ought to feel shocked at such an accusation. The
marriage service, which q century ago may have
been "a very solemn ceremony, is to-day mere FORM
wtl alas, something Of tasehood in 1t. man
woman cannot soleinny swearat the altar TO do cer
tain things which everybody knows they do not pur-
pose to do, without opening the door to many q
cheat in after years. In the Episcopal service the
woman takes oath to obey the man. The minister,
tue groom and the bride all regard 1t as mere FORM
She cannot obey him unless he is her SUPERIOR and
then the natural laws of their house VIII compel
obedience. strong woman cannot obey drunken
husband, neither viii nor can pure wife obey
bad man, her marital oath to the contrary notwith-
standing. Again, the man says, "Wth all my
worldly goods thee endow.n Does lie propose To
DO it, Is 1t not
HOLLOW FORM,
utterly meaningless In how many cases does the
groom intend, instead Of giving the bride all his
Worldly goods 20 appropriate all OF which she may
happen to stand possessed Now this bad begin
Mug. IL is all wrong. The marriage service should
be simple and direct 1t ought TO direct both parties
To do those things which good men and women al
ways feel bound TO do, and nothing more. The whole
thought OF the community is lax upon this question.
We getting to have establishments instead OF
homes. We marry our daughters amoitlousy, and
they reap only sorrow, trial and misery. fine
house, plenty az ewelry grand cqupage, are prices
paid for many broken heart. Better marry poor
and marry for love than marry for money and posi-