The New York herald., 1872-12-16
CENTRAL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The Bible, It's Age, Perfection and Sta
bility-Sermon by Rev. Bishop Foster
Reopening OF New Chapel.
The rededication services OF the Methodist Epis
copal chapel in Seventh avenue, near Fourteenth
street, Rev. F. BottOme pastor, drew together O.
goody congregation yesterday morning, to whom
Bishop Foster preached on "The Bible" He
treated first Of the growth Of human knowledge
and the concretion OF that knowledge in book
forms, and then Of the age OF the Bible, which, he
contended, is the Oldest book in existence Then
to the subjects treated Of in the Bible-God, His
nature and attributes the creation Of matter,
the existence Of spiritual beings, the
origin OF man and his duplex nature,
the law by which he Is governed
and judged, and the destiny Of human souls after
they have passed out Of the body and many others.
of kindred character. These are the questions
that occupy this book and they are the most i'm.
portant that can be raised. Men have tried to-
fathom these questions and have failed, and yet
these questions are treated calmly In this book.
There is no evidence or weakness or doubt here,
but with the calmness and confidence Of child
singing its evening song 1t declares that 'in the
beginning God created the heavens and the earth,"
and then proceeds to tell the story OF the life OF
God from the beginning until now. The spiritual
ity OF man is nota hypothecated question in this
book, but is treated as a sublime fact. 1t shows.
that God has made man and tells what He intends
THE ONLY PERFECT BOOK EVER WRITTEN.
In demonstration of this proposition the Bishop
stated the law of existence OF human books, and
showed their imperfection in thought, so that they
rarely survive the generation in which they are
which they contain, and which more advanced
knowledge discovers. Hence they are pushed
aside by other books, and these again give place to-
others other 81 more advanced thought. But here is =
book that has come down along the ages OF 2, 600
years It was Written away among the mountains
times. 1t has stood the shock OF the ages, and
now challenges the world to convince
The Bishop next treated OF the scientific or natural
subjects referred to in the Bible, dwelling chiefly
upon and contrasting the geological evidence OF
the creation with the Mosaic record. The faith OF
many had been well nigh overthrown when geol-
ogsts asserted that the worlds age exceed Zee not
but even six millions OF years. But closer in
qury into both records-that OF the Bible and that
OF the rocks-clearly demonstrated that Moses did
not limit nor design to
LIMIT THE CREATION TO SIX THOUSAND YEARS. 4
used for lore epoch But, in looking back over these
records, O perfect correspondence was found l4
the order Of creation as given ey Moses m and as re-
is growing into the Bible and out OF every other
book. It Is leaving every other and every new in
brings us nearer to this book. And this is the
book we put into the hands Of our children. What
Bible Take 1t out or the world and there is not
solitary fragment to show that God has taken any
only utterance. He is a Father, and the
Bible brings Him home to our hearts
In all the beauty and loveliness OF His.
character as a Father. Take this book away
and there Is no book that tells Of mans immor-
tality. The Bishop could speak emphatically on
this subject, having read all the books that have
been written about It since the beginning OF the,
Christian era Jesus OF Nazareth alone Is the
resurrection and the life.
DEATH SWALLOWS UP OUR RACE
and not an echo comes back. 1t is the glory Of this
book that ii is the friend OF mankind, and what
ever Is Q foe to man finds . foe In the Bible.
everything that blesses. ennObles and lifts up man
Is in the Bible. 1t has scattered blessings the
race. 1t has gone into heathenism and broken.
into silence Its dlabolical business, and Christian
England and America are reclaimed from the deviY
worship OF the aborigines. The Bishop closed with
an apotheoss to the Bible.
The cost OF the new chapel has been S22 00O Of
which amount all but $4,000 is provided Tor. An
attempt was made yesterday morning to raise this
amount, but little more than $500 was tax en- up.
Sunday school celebration was held in the
afternoon at which Rev. George 8. Hare d. d.,
and Rev. A. LOngacre, former pastors OF Central
church, addressed the meeting, alter which Bishop
James, assisted by Dr. J. NJ. Reid, DR.. Samuel
Burchard, Presbyterian and s. ID. Brown, c0nse.
Grated the new edi6ce. DR.. Vincent, Secretary Of
the Methodist Episcopal sunday School Union,
preached In the evening Sunday School meetings
will be held there on Tuesday and Wednesday
evenings.