The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-05
THE NEW CHUR CH.

Services at Steinway HaIl-NIr. Hepw0rth's
Sermon on "The Perfect Day.o
There was large attendance OF the admirers of
Mr.. Hepworth al Steinwav Hall yesterday morning;
but the nclemency OF the weather had no dOuot It's
effect IN Keeping many away who otherwise would
have been present Mr. Hepworth charmed his au-
oience by sermon "Ine Perfect Day."
Mr.. Hepworth's text was taken from Proverbs w.,
1s-.'The SHINING light that shineth more and more
unto the perfect day." He said:-It Is a great CON-
Tort to feel that this world always has been Is now,
and always Will be, under the overruling Providence
OF GOD. II is His world and not ours. We also are
part OF the great plan, and ali we do anu say.
whether we VIII or no, is part OF the great
plan, and contributes Its mite towards the accom-
pllshment OF the end. Nothing Is mvre evident
than that the word has been educated 10 It's present
position by God-sent men. Schoolmasters have
Deen raised up, who have set US task and helped
us to solve our enigmas Some man says Why did
God reveal himself by degrees? Why have we had
q succession OF revelations, each new one a little
more full tnan the lastY Why did lie not show
Himself all AT onces The answer Is PLATA. Why do
you not teach your nve-year-old geometry!
Simply because his baDv mind cannot understand
you. You must begin at the very beginning and
you must teach him his letters as though that were
the only task ever to be learned. When he has
mastered this work then you Will take another
STEP WILL lead him into another department;
and so the work viii 90 and on by slow
degrees, the lesson being ntted always to his capa
city. Well, God has pursued just that plan In re-
vealing himself TO the soul OF man. he endowed
man with a religious craving, and then He satisfied
the appetite which He had Himself created. Man
has been a very duh and sluggish scholar. six
thousand years have rolled,away since the words
oil the NaZarene were spoken and His miracles per-
formed, and how little progress we nave made to-
wards the Ideai More tnan hity generations nave
come and gone since that wondrous time and yet
men are slaves. and yet wars are waged, and yet
crimes, Ike epidemics almost run over the lace OF
the earth. wonder at nothing so inucn as at the
patience OF the Almighty. His ioroearance IS
THE ONE GREAT MIRACLE,
We are able ~ obey MS commands fully able, but
our wiilul and perverse souls prefer 10 nave ther
own way. The Old Testament tells US OF a time
when God. in the quaint nguratve language OF the
time, repented Of having made man, aud deter.
mined TO destroy his work and begin the expert.
ment anew. The ark contained the seed corn OF
the new crop OF humanity TINS Is not na as
strange as the fact tDat the same thing does not
occur now. Not only seventy times seven has the
Lord forgiven our iniquty but the Times OF his Tor
esting 10 watch the gradual progress Ol the race IN
religious things In the first pace man was pagan
lie had che worship element IN him, and Tor lack OF
something better ne made hts prayers TO The sun,
" crocodile, or 10 STICK. or mass OF
stones. Those were pretty dark hours Ia the
religious history OF man, and vet they were not
wholly without promise. Better 10 worship the
Nile or swarm Of mosquitoes tnan 10 chill one
sell by denial OF the DIVINE presence Better De u
nevout worshpDer OF josh, and 10 DO your duty ac-
cordng 10 the lgnt that Is ia you, tnan 10 1--we III
Christian LAND aod TO worship only personal arnDi-
Egyptian, and bow down before u stuffed crocodile,
II the mlnd recognize mysterious something which
rules and governs, IMAM ~ be a New YORK mser,
VINO kneeis Lefore his bank book, and sees nothing
In the world or beyond IL except money. For thou.
sands OK years Inc world wandered about IN pagan
ISM. ana Coz taugnt II by The great seers, who,
the next stage In our progress was made in Tie
bebraic history. For generations the world be-