The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-24

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the pulpit are as diverse as can well be i'm
'gincd. Plain, practical and pungent, with
an earnestness and zeal begotten Of strong
faith in the truths which he u.ters, the Rev.
MIR. Pentecost, Of Hanson place Baptist church.
declares the truths Of the Gospel as he under
stands them from Sabbath to Sabbath to de-
lighted multtudes. Mr.. Pentecost is q man
OF fine physical frame, about thirty-six years
OF age, possessed of clear, pleasant voice,
fluent speaker, and one of those men who
can hold an audience in the greatest interest
for an hour or more. He is not, however,
verbose. He never talks against time or be-
cause his profession requires and his people
demand an hours or a half hours exhortation
at every service. He speaks of that which he
7 knows and testifies Of that which he hath seen
and believed and while his sermons are
elaborate enough to remove all doubts from
the minds of his hearers they are also models
of concseness and clearness. Mr.. Pentecost
is o Kentuckian, and in earlier years, we
understand, practised law; but when the
Lord opened his eyes and forgave his sins
he felt that his duty lay in the Gospel and not
in the law. few years aso he assumed his
present pastorate, which has proved eminently
successful. He found the church low-spi-
ritually, numerically and financially-but he
has elevated and established it in all these
aspects. 1t is now sometimes impossible to
obtain standing room in the church five min
utes before the opening service. Though
confined in the straight jacket of immersion
with his denomination, he personally would
reach out the right hand of fellowship to men
Of every creed and name, and when the scheme
of Christian Moral Science Association came
before the public here he was one of its first
| and ablest advocates.
| The Rev. Aaron S. Hunt, pastor of the
Methodist Episcopal church in Hanson place,
is no! the most spri htly or witty man who
may be found in Brooklyn, but he is one Of the
most learned men and close thinker and
reasoner. He is an extensive reader and an
excellent biblical student. A recent series of
sermons which he preached ON the PARALLELS
demonstrated this fact beyond dispute. They
were models of research and arguments for the
divinity of Christ and the authenticity of the
Bible which could not be gainsaid or sur
| passed. With two such men as Pentecost and
De Witt Talmage so near this Methodist
church could hardly escape loss had it not
men of brains, and of power too. And such Il
man it has now, and hence it not only main
tains its own standing, but is able to send out
colonies such as that which has erected the
Seventh avenue Methodist Episcopal church,
to which the Rev. DR.. Andrews has just been
appointed. The Sunday school OF Hanson
place is the largest Methodist Sunday school
in Brooklyn, and owes much of its vitality to
its present pastor. No wonder, then, that at
the late session of his Conference, when the
bishop and his brethren sought to honor him
| by promoting him to the Presiding Eldership
his church earnestly protested, and, after con-
| sderation, he was restored to them, and the
Rev. L. S. Weed, of John street Methodist Epis-
| copal church, in this city, was made Presiding
| Elder in his stead. The pastoral relation was
| never more tenderly or affectionately held
toward any people than that which Mr. Hunt
sustains toward the Hanson place Methodist
Episcopal church.
The Rev. T. De Witt Talmage is the very
opposite Of his two ministerial brethren
named. A good man and fluent speaker, he
spoils everything by his love of sensation.
He is nothing without 1t, and his power lies
mainly there. The crowds follow him because
they are tickled and amused by his fashes of
wit or his ludicrous illustrations. We cannot
deny the power of ridicule and satire when
aimed at any evil but good thing may be
pushed too far and in Mr.. Talmage's desire
to draw crowd and to gain popularity we
fear the great end of preaching is sometimes
lost sight of by him. He is possessed of
magnificent powers Of description and
illustration, and some of his oratorical
flashes are sublimely beautiful. But there
is something in his style and
manner in the pulpit which conveys an i'm
preston of insincerity, of want Of faith in the
fundamental doctrines Of Christianity. He is,
of course, extremely popular, and we would
not at all impair his usefulness or his popu-
larity. Mr.. Talmage has peculiar twang
in his manner of speech, sort of Jersey or
Penns ylvania brogue. 1t is rather pleasant
than otherwise, but, as the property Of an
American, and descendant Of the old Knick-
erbockers, it must attract attention. The
rage for sermons has led to contract by a
religious paper with him for weekly dish of
his pulpit wit and wisdom but of course the
peculiarities of style and grace, the long face
or broad smile, cannot be put on paper, and
our readers must hear Mr.. Talmage before
they can thoroughly appreciate him.
A BEAUTIFUL IDEA is that Of adjoining the
wards Of our public hospitals with pictures, as
introduced by Warden Brennan, Of Bellevue
Hospital. Art is q great consider, and If the
presence Of good pictures can add comfort and
nleasurs To the library and tho narlnr of the