The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-09-25
Lougacre-NIurrny-Sab.ue.

The reverend gentlemen whose names are
herein inscribed are not unknown to fame
already. Mr.. Longacre is comparatively
new man in this vicinity. He is now in the
midst of his third years pastorate of the
Central Methodist Episcopal church, in Seventh
avenue, near Fourteenth street, and few
months more will find him laboring in another
and, perhaps, more distant field. But man
of such manifestly spiritual power as he ap-
pears to be ought to be retained in this
wicked city, where there is so much real work
for such as he. In size and personal appear
ance Mr. Longacre is tall and thin, and at a
distance young-looking, almost to boyish-
ness. He Is, however, man about
thirty-eight years of age His ut
terances in the pulpit are those of a
scholar ripe In the things of God. There is
no affectatlon, no attempt at anything like
sensation in his manner or matter no dabbling
in ''science falsely so called" and no effort to
cover up the simple truth with load of logic
or philosophy. His Sabbath morning sermon,
which will be found in another part of this
paper, may be accepted as fair sample of his
general preaching It is a message of inspi-
ration, of faith and power, and is well calcu-
lated to strengthen the faith of the Church and
to increase its zeal in the Masters cause.
And coming, as it does, from heart appar-
emily full of tenderness and sympathy with
those to whom the message Is presented, and
given, as it very frequently is, with fearful
eyes, and always with deep pathos, its effect
in the end cannot fail to be sublime and touch
ing. Mr. Longacre uses extended notes in his
discourses.
The Rev. J. O. Murray, D. D., pastor of
the Brick Presbyterian church in Fifth avenue
and Thirty seventh street, has a widely
extended reputation as preacher and as a
theologian, as well as for being the successor
of that venerable saint of God, Rev. Gardiner
Spring, D. D., who has lived out more than the
allotted time 9f man. . PF. Murray is both
deeply logical and theological in his pulpt
very choice in his language and highly
picturesque in his illustrations and Incidents
He reads his discourses, and adheres very
closely to his manuscript; so much so, indeed,
as to mar the effect of many good things which
he utters. ''The Spirit shall teach you in that
hour what ye shall say and what ye shall
speak," and it seems to us that greater
reliance on this work and Office of the Holy
Ghost would enable most, if not all, of our
ministers to look their audiences in the eye
while they deliver the message from God.
There is power in the look and in the man
ner Of a minister who breaches rather than
reads which no amount of carefulness in the
choice of words or picturesqueness of illus
tration can atone for. There is degree of
inattention in every church audience almost
incomprehensible and beyond belief, and which
requires the steady eye and the earnest word
mately to dispel. And were this fact borne
in mind more by ministers they would leave
their manuscripts at home, and either commit
their sermons to memory or trust to the spirit
for utterauce-which, we think, is the better
way. However, DR.. Murray has attained an
cmincnoo aud reputation which few men
without their manuscripts have yet attained.
The Rev. w. T.. Sabine, rector of the
Protestant Episcopal Church of the Atone
ment in Madison avenue and Twenty eighth
street, is. a small man, Of nervous tempera-
ment, and very active and earnest. His life
work of his Master, In which he is constantly
engaged, and not without considerable spirit
ual success. A meek, simple hearted, pure
minded Christian, he made one mistake for
which the unchristian world will not accept an
atonement. He refused to bury the mortal
remains of an actor from his church, although
that actor had been for years member of his
church. But Mr.. Sabine's refusal was
based on principle, and for reasons which
appeared satisfactory to himself he recon-
mended the messenger to try ''the little
church around the corner" This circum-
stance gave the young minister notoriety
which he did not seek and he never expected
to obtain. But the purpose to be consistent
was what impelled him to refuse the burial
rite to the dead. He had acclaimed against
theatre-gofng and ball-going and intern
perance, and other folies and vices of the
day, as they seem to him, and he felt that he
could not with consistency perform this service
and thereby swallow all that he had ever
said against the stage. This and only this
was the inspiring motive of his action, and
though we may not agree with the letter the
spirit is certainly commendable, since consis-
tency in the pulpit or out of it is a very scarce
article. AS preacher Mr.. Sabine is plain,
simple and direct-the cross and its vicarious
victim being his constant theme. AS pastor
he is ''instant in season and out Of season."
teaching and preaching from house to house,
and encouraging, reproving and warning in
love wherever he perceives the need. He is
admired and beloved, for his spirituality and
zeal and Christian arge-heartedness, by all
who know him, whether Of his own denomina-
ton or others.
JUDGE UNDRRwooD, of Virginia, has un-
- Al