The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-08

rev. Robert COllyer's Sermon Last EVEN
fng-Solitude Conducive to Temp'ation-A
wholesome Social Life Strengthening 10
the Soul.
Rev. Robert Collyer, OF Chicago, preached At
the free religious services held at the Acad-
emy OF Music last evening, and a. least twenty
ave hundred people wended their way through the
netting rain storm TO see and hear him. All
she Unitarian churches Of the city were closed last
evening In order that their congregations might
have an opportunity to attend the Academy, and
had not been 1or the extremely Indictment weather
repetition OF the on the occasion or DR.. cha.
pins sermon at the Academy few Sunday even
tngs since when the house was damned and hun
ureds were unable to OBTAIN even entrance to the
buildingl, would, no doubt, nave been witnessed.
Last evening the house was well nlled.
The services were conducted by Rev. Henry
Powers, az usual, and were opened by singing and
prayer.
Rev. MI. COllyer announced his text FROM Acts w.,
50, "Tne multitude Of them that believed were
all Of one heart soul; neither said any Of them
that the things ne possessed were his own" 1t was
IN the morning OF Christianity that this was DONE
and 1t was the first demonstration OF the power OF
the Christian life its primitive FORM We observed
multitude with one human soul ana the multitude
lowest to reach up and the lofIiest to reacn down
until they stood on Christian line to transform the
world. He wanted 70 speak about the blessedness
OF tins lie In its own simple essence and In rela-
zion TO lie in the Churches and 10 the Chris
pan faith In It's largest form. In the nature
below own only the most mschevOuS was the
most solitary. The upas was not 80 deadly, but 1t
was stlll found only here and there In Ceyion, and
was III the whole world below that saw
agery and treacnery should growl and
nature rested itself in the Of hosts GIFTS Kind
and nestled IN friendly good fellowship. The soul
tary men are generally objects OF lear ana
plcion. me most solitary places were always con-
TRADITIONS OF MURDER,
and by surmise with ghosts. The monks and her.
lonely apple trees tnat oIAe belonged to an Old
homestead now deserted. Every sort OF creature
house were all down and the trees were as full OF
sores as Lazarus. They bore run, perhaps, but
MOI 90 gooa ana mac 1ena as %en p Were
whittier was hermit In his own way, and 1t would
be FAR better for Whittier and for us II he came more
among us. Yet no man IN America was more int-.
male win us In soul than he was Ii the young men
OF tins town away from nome would set out and
fnd church on sunday morning, instead OF remain
ing at nome smoking and
BRoopING OVER THEIR SOLITUDE,
they would be far better or because they would be
plunged into the company OF his Kind. Mr. Coll
yer's memory OF young man was that there
was that one or two Of your own
Wholesome s' social life gave strengtn IN the soul,
while TO be sGky and solitary was TO lose strength
and gain temptation. me men who did not like TO
DE WITH men would not like TO be with angels. Twas
The glory OF the CHRISTIAN Church TO gather ana
women as much as possible into great masses and
mutltuies TO profit them by It's spirit and quicken
them TO u higher life. A common and very erro-
neOus idea oil the Christian Church was that 1t was
something peculiarly separate not identical with
the common mutltudes and mighty social orders.
The Christian Church was
SPIRITUAL ARISTOCRACY,
as proud as anything on the earth. the real
Christian Churcn, Whatever be its name, knew no
isolation 1t could only be In the full sense all per-
vadg, lnvlncible through It's separateness, but
by identity with the masses. All great religious
movements originated with men who went among
the masses ami quickened them. 1t for the
Church 10 make Christian society," as Tar as possible,
society UhrStianlzed.
In concluding, Mr.. Collyer said that he was glad
TO see such an audience as this and TO near tnat
they have such In this city every sunday
night. II they came simply to sing and TO
hear some simple aspiration towards 'neaven
he woua be glad 10 hear OF IL, because
he knew that they would be greatly better OF IN a
great multitude than they would be isolated-conl-
Ing as they did TO hear manful ana serious talk
from men OF every church. He was vers sorry TO
hear, however, that
aforetime could not come because such men as
Chaplin and COllyer came But for such men TO
come as would come-strong-hearted, wide-eyed,
clear soued, truthful men-was one OF the grandest
and best things that coud be done. He trusted
that year In and year out s0ch multtudes would
continue TO gather there.