The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-06
The Themes OF Pilgrim Preachers.

year, THIS CITY ana brooklyn are hlilng up with
strangers clergyman and laymen come hither
to discuss measures for the future progress Of
their work. It will not be surprising, there
fore, to our readers that our religious columns
are marked to-day with the utterances of some
of the ablest of those clerical visitors
who are temporarily with us. Brooklyn,
of course, had the lions share of the
Methodist preachers who were distributed
among other denominations than their
own. DR.. Newman, of Washington, with
his graphic pictorial representations and
illustrations, kept Mr. Talmages Taber-
nacle congregation interested for an
hour while he earnestly enforced upon
them the necessity, the fitness and the power
of q holy life. He was careful to make pro-
per distinction between devout life and
life of holiness and pure devotion to God. He
boldly asserted, what we fully believe, that this
is the great need of the Christian Church to-
day; and were we in possession of this power,
how much more useful the Church Of Christ
might be than it is!
larger congregation than DR.. Newman
had, and one composed mainly of clergymen,
gathered in the Academy of Music, Brooklyn,
in the afternoon, to listen to the words of wis
dom of one whose reputation is as wide as
Methodism on this continent, DR.. E. O.
Haven, of Detroit His discourse was one of
great power, coupled with great simplicity Of
presentation. The value Of the human soul
was his theme, than which none moro impor-
tant could be presented His line Of thought
was new so far as our experience reaches
The idea of property and Of value-the GEN.
trail idea Of human ife-was that chosen by
the preacher, and in describing the elements Of
value-usefulness, scarcity, skilled labor, per-
manency, liability to loss and association,
he carried the mind of the hearer along until
he brought him square up to the question,
''What shall it profit man if he shall gain
the whole world and lose his own soul? or
what shall man give in exchange for his
soul2" and left them to answer it themselves
before God.
The Rev. Dr. Fowler, of Chicago, than
whom there are few men in the Methodist
Church more able and eloquent, preached in
St. Johns Methodist Episcopal church, Bed
ford avenue, also to large audience. The
limitations of human knowledge was the subject
chosen by him, and the expanding greatness
and grandeur Of that knowledge in the world to
come was contrasted with the little and the
partial knowledge of things that we can have
here The recognition Of friends in heaven,
which naturally grew out Of the theme was
beautifully illustrated, and the Doctor
remarked in regard to our anxiety about
pedigrees that for himself, he preferred the
one which read, (which was the son of Adam,
which was tho Son of Cod to any other.
Side by side with those eminent preachers
but a little in front of them yet stands Mr.
Beecher. The stranger who should stop over
Sabbath in Brooklyn or New York and
not make an effort to hear this prince Of pulpit
orators would risk his reputation among sane
and intelligent men. And hence hundreds Of
clerical delegates and society men now here
crowded to Plymouth church yesterday to be
instructed and delighted. The characteristics
Of Christian unity and the creed that is likely
to unite all men was a theme proper for such
an occasion, when 50 many men are here to
applaud or TO amend old creeds or to make
new ones with view to more conn
plete unity among themselves Following
the train Of Paurs argument to the Hebrews
when he in the eleventh chapter Of that epistle
calls the roll of Jewish worthless who had made
their names imperishable by acts of great
faith, he built upon it Paul's conclusion that
faith in God consoles and exalts men, and that
pedigree traced to good man is far better
and more enduring than one traced to royal
ancestry. And, by the way, we may
pause moment here to thank Mr..
Beecher for the very hattering compli-
ment he paid the HERALD in the last num-
Der Of his own paper, and to congratulate
him for his keen rebuke to other religious
contemporaries, who find in our columns only
texts for censure, but nothing for praise. But
it is true in religion as it IS in poliacs, no
man can see clearly through creed or party
spectacles. We belong to no party or creed,
save that party which. loves God and
humanity; and we are glad to claim associa-
ton and fellowship with the pastor Of Ply
mouth church in this great party.
In our own city the Rev. W. Morley Punshon
of Canada, whose reputation as preacher and
lecturer is almost worldwide discoursed in St.
Paul s Methodist Episcopal church The appa-
rent paradox, being free from sin but servants
to God, was explained and illustrated, and
the difference between license and true freedom
clearly demonstrated The yoke Of sin, heavy
and CALLING, was contrasted with the yoke of
CHRIST, light and cheerful, and the audience
were left to decide for themselves whether they
would continue 10 wear thc former or ex-
change it for she latter. Dr. Joseph Mckay,
Of the Irish Wesleyan Conference, and DIR.
Holmes, of Pittsburg, Pa, and DR.. DALEY, OF
Louisiana, also preached excellent sermons in
different churches, but We are able only to re-
fer to them. Father Gavazzi held up for the
| ndmiraiinn and accenkance of O Presbyterlan