The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-08-05
LONG ISLAND CHURCHES.

Far ROcknway Episcopal Church-St.
Paul and the Serpent-ErrOrs OF the
Greek Nations-The Bible at Home and
AbrOad-SermOn by Rev. r. A. Nichols.
The threatening aspect of the weather yesterday
morning cast n gloom over the visitors at Far
Rockaway and spoiled the happy plans arranged
for good days sojourn. The early trains on the
Long Island Railroad took down about one hun
dred visitors The time from New York was an
hour and ten minutes. The hotels are all well
filed, the st. James having over three hundred
guests.
The majority Of the visitors are Catholics and
most of the residents are of the same denomi-
nation. There are but two churches in the village
the Catholic and Episcopaan. Protestants,
whether EpscOpalian or not, who prefer church
going to bathing and boating have to attend there.
The congregations are quite fashionable, and, with
the regular attendants, Ill the little church to
Overno wing Among the regular attendants are the
families of Messrs. Lord and Nelson Of the New
York Stock Exchange. A son Of Mr. Nelson presides
at the organ. There are two ministers
connected with the church-Messrs. Pearson
and Nichols. The congregation yesterday morning
filed the church, and despite the storm which
prevailed before the service, the silks disturbed
the quietude Of the carpeted asles, the animated
wearers swept brskly up to their seats.
The sermon was preached by Rev. Z A. Nichols,
who took his text from the Acts Of the Apostles
xviii, 3, 4, 5:-"And when Paul had gathered
bundle OF sticks, and laid them the fire, there
came viper out of the heat and fastened on his
hand. And when the barbarians saw the venom
Gus beast hang on his hand they said among
themselves. No doubt this man is murderer,
gcance sunercth not to live. And he shook of the
beast into the hre, and felt no HARM"
The reverend speaker began his discourse by say
nU lut In ifa Of
Paul was In various ways full of instruction. IL
was not strange that these supplemented and I'M
tutored barbarians should reason and conclude as
they did, yet each OF their conclusions was wrong
they saw man with difficulty rescued from a
from the boiling and raging deep when death In
another form assaults him. A yenomous serpent
fastens on his hand and his now seemingly newt
able death they attribute to the special vengeance of
the Deity. mo doubt this man Is murderer This
idea of a Nemesis, or divine vengeance, which, as
sure, inevitable fate, pursued, tortured and ut
length destroyed great and notorious Offenders,
was an idea prevalent at that day among the
Greek nations and ncighborng people. II is an
idea which lies at the basis OF the principal TRACE
dies OF Sophoces, Euripides and other great poets
then everywhere famous. 1t was natural then,
that tho sudden and seemingly fatal calamity over
taking the apostle at the very moment of his es
cape from shipwreck should lead them to conclude
that he was q murderer or some very holy
person thus singled out by the Deity for punish
ment. In this, however, they were altogether
in error Thus, too, the friends Of Job, when
the patriarch was so grievousy afflicted erred IN like
manner, adding to the weight of his afilictions by
saying that he must have been guilty OF soINe
special and grievous crimes When st. Paul shook
OF the viper unframed the parbarians rushed to
an error at the opposite extreme, saying he was o
God. God has His own methods OF dealing with
men. ''Hls ways are not as our ways, nor His
paths as our paths" He can, and often does
make plain those OF His dealings which at first
seemed altogether mysterious and perplexing.
Many, Ike Job, suffer heavily but not on account
OF any special guilt In them above all other men.
Many are sgnally blessed who are not only no
better, but far worse than those who suffer- We
We must endeavor always to exercise wise judg-
ment-to conclude and act with discretion, not
with blind credulty. Faith Is virtue; credulity
defect II not o vice. When we stand before God 1t
VIII be no excuse for the least sin to say we were
encouraged In II by others or by the example OF
MIN VINO stood high In the c0mWuntg They must