The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-02-07
For THE GENITAL PRESBYTERIAN.
a Sabbath Morning in New York.

a Sabbath Morning in New York.
Having spent Sabbath recently in the great
City of New York, will give my ministerial
brethren in the country the benefit of some Of my
observations.
la the morning in company with lady friend l
went to hear DR.. John Hall, whose church is on
5th Avenue. At first it seemed doubtful if We
should be seated But, ayailing myself Of some
very favorable circumstances, made a polite
speech to the sexton, and was Immediately seated
about the centre of the large and handsome church.
The first thing that arrested our attention was
memorial slab placed on the wall to the left of the
pulpit, to DR.. James w. Alexander. On the right
was similar one to DR.. Romeyn.
Very soon the pews and aisles were well filed ;
the grand organ peeled; DR.. Hall emerged from
his room by door on the left of his pulpit, arrayed
in his black gown, assembled the pulpit and began
his services in most simple and quiet manner
with invocation. Ho gave out two old and pre-
cous hymns which were sung to old and familiar
tunes. After the organ played a brief and simple
prelude, precentor arose on the right of the pull
pit and at its base raised the tune and led the
snging-and oh such singing so simple, so grand
in volume, so sweet; and no wonder, for it seemed
to me that there was not one silent tongue In all
| that vast audience 1t was not loud, but wH5
grand in all the elements Of true sacred music
Stranger though 1 was, and not gifted by nature,
or skilled by cultivation in singing, could not be
| sient-I was insensibly infected as by contagion,
and | sang; l couldn't help it. Nor was the flow
of my soul interrupted By interudes every verse
Interludes were only occasional, and then very
Brief simple, and in strict harmony with the tune.
DR.. Hall is large, tall man, wholly unaffected,
aud felt as if should lot hesitate to speak to
him, if [ should ne him in the street. His
| manner was always a. 7cA ID the u0sV pathetic
parts of his sermon, bu. every word was slowly,
emphatically, and earnestly spoken. l should
| Judge that he was a man Of large warm heart, a
man of prayer, and fred by the Holy Ghost.
His text was Cor. xii: 10, especially the clos.
ing words for Christs sake"
Before beginning his sermon proper, he present
ed the nature and claims of his congregation mis-
sion work in the city. lie said they had several
schools and that the estimate for the next year S
expenses was $4,000, but that $4,000 would only
enable them to do it better. He called on his
people to raise the amount He said in connexion
with this cause his mind had been exercised dur
ing the week to find the strongest motive for
Christian action, and that ne thought he found it
in the words for Christ's sake" Many incidents
and passages in Scripture we're referred to in proof
of this opinion, all Of which were made memoriter.
The value of this motive, said he, depended upon
several particulars of which he mentioned four.
i. Christ's exalted personals Deity. This
point he orgued against Socinians, very pleasantly
and forcibly pursuing their doctrine and refuting
their objections to orthodoxy. He exposed the
fallacy of their arguments, and especially all that
class that grow out of distinctions between the
gospels and the epistes and the incorrect histori
cal statement that Christ exalted nature was not
doctrine till promulgated from Alexandria in the
second century.
3. Christ's exalted character. This he showed
by Scripture was taught and believed from the
first, and felt by the apostles and others, long be-
fore it was said to have been "trumped up" in
Alexandria.
3. Christ was ransom. Ideas are more i'm
portant than words. If Socinians object to the
word "atonement" he would not quarrel much
with them for it; but he must insist that they &C
cept the truth intended by the word Scriptures
teach that Christ died Tor u.s. as our High Priest
that as our Shepherd she gave his life for the
sheep" that He "was made sin for US, &C.;
and his blood cleanseth from all SIM" Isaiah
SD was freely used also Then Christ himself de-
cared that He gave his lie ransom for many"
He is then our Redeemer, our ransom,
4. The nearness Of Chr. to US gives value to
the motive The husband may draw near to the
bed Of his dying wife and lay his hand softly on
her brow the daughter may take the clammy hand
in hers and stroke it gently; the pastor may come
and kneeling by the bed, may commend the de-
parting spirit to God. But this is all they can
get no nearer, they can do no more. But Jesus is
nearer than they-He is in the heart that draws
nigh to DEATH fulfilling the promises Of the word
Fear thou not; for ara With thee be not dis.
mayed, for l am thy God will strengthen thee !;
yea, will help thee; yea, will uphold thee with
the right hand Of my righteousness. is. XII: 10.
"When thou passest through the waters, will be
with thee and through the rivers, they shall not
overflow thee: when thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burned neither shall the
fame kindle upon thee is xiii: 2.
He concluded by exalting this motive above all
Others good or evil it is far superior to patriotic,
municipal, neighborly, humane, Or any other; and
having appealed to every one to give literally to
the mission schools from motives inferior or supe-
rior he expressed the hope chat the Spirit of God
would lead from the lower to the higher motives,
and then closed his sermon.
A short prayer was offered, collection was made,
hymn sung TO ala cid familiar tune again, and the
congregation dismissed. The whole service was
one that any Christian would richly enjoy, and
everything was said and sung in as simple earnest
way as any of our country congregations are ac-
customed to- Whether the DR.. got $4,000 or
$4,000 | have not learned. ID.