The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-29
Theological rs..ss. and Theories.

There sa worthy simplicity and directness
In the discourses which We publish to-day
from the pulpits Of this city and vicinity.
Christ and the Father are the objects held up
Tor admiration aud imitation by most, If not
all. Of the preachers. and the general aim
seems 10 have been 10 induce the people TO
look above and beyond the preachers, to ''the
Author and Giver OF faith" Mr.. Hepworth,
who 50 recently escaped IRON Doubling Castle,
aud thinks OF knows that there are many other
poor Christians locked and barred within
lie dismal walls. instructed his people last
night on The kinds and character Of doubt and
the only means OF deliverance therefrom- Ac-
cording 10 his doctrine doubt 10 of two kinds
theoretical and practical And though, In
some sense. these are distinct they are also
united. There Ia . theoretical sccpticsm
which yet admits Of q vlrtuous and moral life
the actions right though the faith be wrong.
Then there is the practical inGdelity, which
may have very aae theory Of faith, polished
and fitted 80 nicely that u looks just like the
faith which Ia the gin Of God. But II is not.
These may exIs. separately or to-
pether In the soul, and In whatsoever
form they exist they strip man
Of all peace aud leave him al the mercy Of
every wind and wave. The only release from
this uncertainty and doubt Is implicit faith in
revealed religions thorough belief In the
record that God has given OF His Son and an
acceptance OF the stonemcnt provided by Him
for every man. And that the religion based
upon such faith as this Is eventually TO subdue
and swallow up all others was emphasized yes
terday by Mr.. Clark In the Church Of tbs Mes
slab. Christianity. he believes, 10 to become
the all-conlrolling religion Of the world. SO we
believe, too. But In the life 10 come he had
no doubt that Socrates and Confucius and ell
tho ancient and modern opponents Of
progress toward Q higher aud . better
life will be gathered around the Lord
Jesus Christ. We do not believe anything Of
the sort, unless. indeed, they have progressed
far beyond their teachings and theories which
remain among us, and which, instead OF lifting
their votaries up, tend only to keep them In
the mud and in the darkness
DR.. Richardson felt the pulse OF his congre-
CATION yesterday in regard to the erection Of
new church ediace for their use, and pointed
out the qualifications necessary and the mo-
tive which should prompt and guide In this as
in every other good work. Religious enthu-
sasm is the great spring of action, and this,
based upon the motive 10 honor God aud
adjoined to determination TO overcome every
obstacle, and q willingness ON the part of
every one to do his part, are essential TO asso-
ciated Christian work, and are and must
always be successful. The power Of these
principles was illustrated by the example Of
Ezra and Nehemiah and their men building
the ruined walls and Temple Of Jerusalem,
which they reared up in less than three
months, notwithstanding they had to hold
weapon of defence in one hand while they
wrought with the other. There is nothing
that will lead to such persistence and sacrifice
when called into exercise as religious senti-
ment. But having built your church, you
need then the Divine presence in it, and this
requirement was the theme Of Rev.
Morley Punshon yesterday in Alanson
Methodist Episcopal church. The won
in His church makes is likencd by
this minister to the raising of the dead, the
bursting of spring from winter, the ruined
made rich, the beggar become heir to tho
banquet hall. Christ gives unsearchable
riches instead of poverty, everlasting life in
there is no help for man. And every
believer is entitled to have, and will
have, a pillar of fire and pillar of
cloud round about his own homestead-the
Divine presence continually encrcling him.
And beyond the grave there is q heavenly
gets glimpse of before he departs. This
light and the home of the saints was the SUBJ
ject of comment by Rev. Chauncey Giles in
the Swedenborgian church yesterday.
The Catholic churches are putting forth ex-
ira efforts at this time for the salvation of
their people; and yesterday many of the
priests discoursed upon the necessity of
prayer and the confession of sins as pre- requ-
sites to pardon and salvation. In st. Pat
rick's Cathedral Rev. Mr.. Kane pointed out
| the object of the Masters call to the uncon-
verted and its frequency and in st. Stephens
church DR.. McGlynn showed the Importance
of confession and its Scriptural origin. Father
Damen, in Jersey City, also touched upon
| it, and announced that at some future time
he would prove it from the Bible, and its
necessity from reason and human nature.
His appeal to wanderers from the fold
was very touching, and no doubt will have its
proper effect on the minds of his hearers.
The greatest happiness, he contended, is not
found in the sinful pleasures Of this life, but
in the enjoyment Of quiet conscience and o
life of virtue and religion. The various ex-