The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-22
Yesterdays Pulpit Lessons.


day, besides the truths or the ictions that have
been uttered in the pulpits, is that lady has
led off and held forth to patient and attentive
Methodist congregation. Mrs Smith, of Phila-
delphia, the same lady whose sermon at the
Sea Cliff camp meeting few days ago threw
all the other pulpit productions in the shade,
was the gentle yet fearless expounder Of the
four Gospels. AS on the other occasion the
lady took the first six books Of the Bible, SO
also on this she chose the Gospels, and sought
to demonstrate their unity Of purpose and
design and to present to her congregation the
picture complete of Christ the temple, the
Saviour, the King the emancipation, the bur-
den bearer. These characteristics of Jesus
the man, the servant, the King, the God, were
illustrated in very simple and unaffected
manner, and without any flourish or noise the
truth was left to carry conviction by its own
inherent power to every mind.
Mankind is ever searching for smooth
path-an easy way through life. But the old
paths and the good way in which the soul
finds rest are, according to DIR. Clark, rugged
and thorny. They have none of the modern
conveniences- swift moving railroad trains,
no time tables The traveller who would
reach the celestial city to-day must 60 by the
same road that Moses, and Enoch, and Joseph,
and Elijah and others walked The faithful
prayer Of three thousand years ago is just as
available and as potent to-day. These old
paths run high above the ordinary course of
worldly men. They are entered and travelled
in only by faith. Philosophy and reason can
never lead the soul thither nor keep it in the
way. mhns
The near approach of Christs second
coming was made reason by DR.. Hodge for
enforcing purity and affection and prepare
ton by His bride, the Church, to receive Him.
The Church is human now, and consequently
imperfect. She has too much vain imagina-
ton at present, but by and by she will be
cleansed and fitted for her Lord. She is like
any other bride now-sick and faint and
weary sometimes, and requires consolation
and sympathy. There are divisions and mis-
understandings in the Church which must be
healed ere she can stand ready to greet her
Head. But union with Christ and perfection
in Him is an individual matter, and hence the
Doctor urged his promiscuous congregation to
seek those states for themselves.
Some of DR.. Dix's congregation yesterday
must have been surprised, if they listened
thoughtfully, to hear him-one Of the leaders
of ritualism in this city-say that symbolic
teachings are obscure and worldly symbols
are but the toys of childish minds" Why,
then, make so much of them2 Are we to
infer that High Church congregations are
but children mentality It would seem so.
"The Roman Church." says the Doctor,
processes to instruct her children in her
dogmas and her doctrines without o SEM
blance of error, yet do we not see many evil
dences Of its imperfection, Notwithstanding its
alleged unchangeableness? Do we not see its
dogmas change daily-a fact which attests
changer" And, still recognizing the falli-
bility and imperfections of the Roman
Catholic Church, the Doctor has given unmis-
taxable evidences that he Is steering Rome
ward as rapidly and as consistently as he can,
and seeking to carry others along with him.
And as he asserts that systems have arisen
from age to age, and one has invariably con-
tradicted the other, are we to gather that his
contradictory After reading Professor
Young's sketch and contrast of city and
country life we do not think the latter has
so much in its favor. It has less bad and less
good than the city, and it has fewer criminals
in proportion to its population; but we ques-
ton if very much of our city crime is not fed
and fostered by the vice and cupidity Of our
country cousins. The city is the necessary
product of civilization, and as such, Of course,
it follows that this civilization reacts upon the
country and makes country life what it is.
And with our present facilities of travel city
and country are becoming more and more
assimilated every year.
plain, practical discourse, good for every
day practice, was delivered in the Cathedral
yesterday by Father McNamee The theme
was Jesus weeping over Jerusalem, whose re-
lection of Him and His mission drew forth that
fearful prophecy, which has been so literally
fulfilled, that not one stone of it should be left
upon another. If their retributiOn was 30
terrible what must ours be, who have the in
creasing light of centuries to walk by, If we
neglect the salvation so freely offered to us
"God Furnishes the violation of his laws, said
the preacher Sin proportion to the extent Of
the sinners guilt" and that being 80 he
might very pertinently ask what should be the
measure of q Christians punishment for wilful
disobedience or violation of Gods lawp
A stranger who may have heard the superb
congregational singing in Mr.. Beecher's church
can hardly believe that en- audience in Ply
mouth church are absolutely dependent upon
their choir for their music. lust as are ordinary