The New York herald., 1872-09-02
wAvERIEY PLACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,

Sermon by the Rev. Charles b. smyth
ON Newspapers and Sermons-A Com.
parisOn Between Athens and New York.
The Rev. Charles B. Smyth delivered last evening
to respectable and appreciative audience at the
Thlrty-sixth Waverley place American Presbyterian
church the 1rst ofa new series Of Sunday evening
popular free lectures, entitled, 'More Lessons for
the Clergy" the particular theme on this
occasion under that general head being
sNewspapers vs. Sermons and Sermons Vs.
Newspapers" Taking for his text Acts XVIII. ,
1874, he drew comparison between the
ancient city Of Athens and our own modern city Of
New York and their Inhabitants respectively, espe
cally In their institutions habits and love Of news;
and from the comparison he drew some very i'm
portant lessons to he learned by the clergy in
order to make their dscourses the more attractive
and effectuaL Although 1t has been announced
that we are commencing new course Of lectures
entitled "More Lessons for the Clergy" he said we
do not arrogate to ourselves any superiority over
our brethren, but, aware that there are grave de-
fects In pulpit ministratons seriously de-
tracing from their usefulness, We DESIRE
while striving TO avoid them ourselves
20 exh0rt our brethren to get up
out OF the common rut and drive with us along
the high way to popular usefulness. And we think
we have discovered key to success in this respect
in what is recorded concerning Paul's visit to
Athens In the seventeenth chapter Of the Acts Of
the Apostles In the city Of New York and her
people We fnd many things corresponding with
those OF Athens and her inhabitants; and In the
conduct Of the great Apostle model, which, II
followed by the preachers Of this metropolis,
would no doubt secure greater success to them in
their professional career than commonly falls
to their lot. There are several points of resem-
blance between the two cities Athens was very
celebrated and influential city is New York. The
former was distinguished for talent learning, elo-
quence, bravery and gross vices; 90 Is the latter.
The former had upwards OF three hundred places OF
public resort, where the citizens met for cOnversa-
dred and twenty.eght churches and synagogues,
which ought to be made places OF attraction to
which the people would resort to have their spirit
OF Inquiry informed. put city excels the other
In this-that whereas Athens had not any,
New York has at least two hundred and
seventy-two newspapers. OF the people Of
Athens II was O well-known characteristics, re-
corded by many ancient writers, among whom were
Thucydides, Hlian, Demosthenes and the Apostle
Paul, that they had great desire for novelty, and
spent much Of their time In telling or hearing some
new thing, and 1t was because or this that Paul
was brought before Are0pagus and furnished q
splendid opportunity to preach the Gospel. See
Acts xviii, 1921. The same desire Is characteristic
IN some degree OF our people, and they must have
it satisfied. Now, IL Is not the desire itself
that is wrong, but the carrying OF 1t to the
excess OF idleness, or Of inquiry into things Inn
proper or corrupting. In fact curiosity Is q
Characteristic OF human nature generally, and
Is one Of the things which distinguish man nom