The New York herald., 1872-12-09
THE CHURCH OF THE DIVINE PATERNITY

THE CHURCH OF THE DIVINE PATERNITY.
Dr. Chaplin ON the Revelation or Man in
Christ-A Last Tribuse to tho Dead
Philosopher.
The Church OF the Divine Paternity. on Fifth av-
enue, corner Forty fn street. was fiiled by an un-
usually large audience yesterday. gathered In part,
no doubt to View the CORAL decorations erected on
the occasion OF Mr.. Greeley's DEATH but mainly to
hear what DR.. Chaplin might have further to say re-
garding the lesson or the life OF
THE DEPARTED PHILOSOPHER.
The foral decorations and the sombre folds OF
mourning drapery remain they were at the
funeral. The deserted pew Is still hung with
black, and the Tyre. with its broken string, still
leans mutely against the wall The American
nag, with its silkcn folds entwined by
the black serge Is still displayed over
the main entrance to the church; gorgeous banks
ana arches and wreaths OF Mowers still bedeck the
pulpit, and the preachers form while he impaired
the lesson OF the day was st spanned by the howery
arch with the inscription, II know that my Re-
deemer liyeth"
Dr. Chaplin took his text from the twent ty-afth
verse of the second chapter OF John-"And needed
not that any should testify of man, for he knew
what In man, The reverend gentleman said
that, as appropriate to the Advent season he had
last Sunday spoken in regard to Christ as rcvela
tion OF Goa In man, on the present occasion he
would consider him as
REVELATION OF MAN
in God. He was followed by immense multitudes,
was the object of the most enthusiastic demonstra.
tions. treated the sick, passed days o. s.'dsh in
the lonesome wilderness and on the s, and
everywhere received the hosannas OF thuse whom
he succored. bcirendcd or entranced with his
teachings. Christ was not unpopular; indeed, he
was
POPULAR LEADER.
There were many, doubtless attracted to Him by
the impulse Of the moment and there were many
who had been especially touched 10y His acts OF
goodness-the beegar whom lie had succored, the
leper from whose form He had driven away foul
disease. the blind whose eyes He had opened, the
mother whose child lie had raised rom the dead.
the humbled heart whom He had lifted UP. But
Others looked upon Him as great political leader,
king. He discouraged these latter, and 1t was
doubtless the reaction growing oa of Hts refusal OF
political honors as we'll the anmosty OF the
Scribes and Pharisecs, that led to His trial and
crucidxion. The working OF miracles by Christ for
the goou OF men IA symbolized also by the working
OF His Spirit upon the mental organizations or
men. The unstopplng Of deaf ears and the uncos-
light and lessons that lie poured upon the souls
and spirits oi the people.
HE KNEW MEN THOROUGHLY.
''The proper study Of mankind.n says the poet
''is man." and so 1t is Men pass their lives in
studying their fellow man, but the knowledge is
too often devoted to the most sordid uses. The
politician, the preacher the merchant, the author,
the worldly seeker alter wealth and the libertine
all devote their study to the ansyzation OF men,
been their search. How little, indeed. can man
know OF his fellow man, OF the workings Of his
part which is in itself world more wonderful than
the whole material world Of nature. We may pass
their business habits, their clothes, their outward
form, and think that we know the men
is plainly seen only sorrow and misery there may
be a soul peopied by angels thoughts; behind
lace bright with apparent JOY and hope there
may be soul fu'! OF haunting terrors, and behind
a face where the lines OF sin and wckedness are
drawn there may be gentle stream, rejecting
the teachings of loved mother or the face of a
child In Heaven. How little can we know OF these
even among our intimate acquantances. But
Christ could fathom the inmost thoughts OF men.
would have misled Him. lie did not commit Him
self unto them, because He knew all men. But,
again. as He knew all men He exhibited no anger or
CONTEMPT OF HUMAN NATURE.
And II Is this, my hearers that should teach US to
many Of US are inclined to ridicue or to use for our
own ends. The mother may bare her tender breast
to protect her child; the father may interpose
or dishon0r; but this man, Christ, for the
whole world. for the man who pierced Him. for the
very rabble who hooted Him. died, gave up His
life and endured the ag0nes OF popular denun-
cation and cruel crucihxion. And the cross that
symboized his devotion to the human race SYM
b0izes also the grandeur and goodness OF human
nature. IL IL not until men die that we know and
appreciate their full worth, and nothing illustrates
THE SAD sRRyICEs
held in this church last week over the remains OF our
utparleu DTOtneT, tne SHauOWy elnDlems oil WhiCn
are still about us. All through his life, and es-
pecialy in the last six months OF it, the clouds OF
miseonception enshrouded him and people talked
OF his mistakes; but with his death the clouds
dropped away, and 1t was not the man OF genius
the statesman, the President, the Senator that
upheaved those mutitudes that stood within and
about these walls on that sad occasion, but the
man. the inner central spirit OF the man, that
loved human nature and sympathzed in his
broad sympathy with the slave and the oppressed.
His familiar form has gone from among us, but the
lessons OF his life remain, and the greatest lesson
OF that lie is the broad sympathy with human ma.
ture that Christ symbozed by His death upon the
cross. oh, ye men or the world, it Is not your
boarded gold, it is not your rank and ofce, that
will sustain you in death as this man was sus-
taine |.
DR.. Chaplin continued at some length in relation
to the sublime teachings OF Christ's manhood and
wound up with an impressive prayer. The choir
and congregation sang familiar hymn, in which
the beautiful voice OF the soprano, Mrs. DE Ruy-
ter, rang out with remarkable sweetness, and
the benediction being given the congregation de-
parted from the scene, so suggestive with its rich
nowers ana s0mbre drapery, OF the sad services
four dayB AGO over the remains OF the t.hclovpd