The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-25

The anniversary Of the most solemn event
which the Christian Church commentaries Ia
drawing near and the hearts of the friends Of
Jesus are touched afresh with the remembrance
OF His love and Of their obligations to Him.
And those, too, who have no conscious interest
in His salvation feel at such q season as this a
solemnity and thoughtfulness which they
cannot account for. The story of the Saviour's
bitter prosecutions. His ''agony and bloody
sweat" His triumphal entry into Jerusalem
amid the hosannas Of tho multitude and the
rejoicngs Of those who had 80 oft and 80
eagerly listened to His words was repeated yes
terday in many Christian temple and home in
this land. And it can never be read or heard
thoughtfully and alone without producing .
good effect upon the mind. In the Catholic
and Protestant Episcopal churches especially
the event was solemnly and appropriately
observed. DIR. Rylance, in st. Mark church,
pictured the scenes which transpired on the
road toward Jerusalem, and contrassed the
changeful temper of the people, who, at the
beginning of the week, had shouted no sauna
to the Son of David, the King of Israel, and
Barrabas, tho murderer, and for the cruciixon
OF Jesus. His whole course, as the Doctor
remarked showed unselfshness and meek
desire to bow to the will of the Father. The
Rev. Dr. Friel well said, in the Church of st.
Charles Borr0me0, that we cannot dwell upon
Christ's life and passion without giving our
hearts and souls to Him. The contemplation
Of His death must be the sure pledge of our love
to Him, which should never wither or decay,
but be always green. 1t has been the greatest
difficulty" said the reverend speaker, s'for
some to understand that there is future to
live fora higher reward to be attained by
man than the mere perishable things Of EARTH"
And yet men receive facts of smaller moment
upon far less evidence. In the New England
Congregational church, the Rev. Mr.. Wright,
of Boston, spoke touchingly about the manner
of Christs death, and the different stages Of
Christianity. He portrayed the spirit with
which the Saviour bore all the cruel
mockings and scourges, the insults and
indignities that were heaped upon Hin,
and added that 1T seems to be In
human nature to mock the unfortu-
nate" Whatever has been touched by Christ,
he said, has been sanctifed. The cross, until
Christ died on it, was an emblem of infamy,
now it is the pinnacle Of churches, the orna-
mcnt Of woman. 1900 years ago all the men
of learning Knocked Jesus; few women only
worshipped Him, and they were deemed the
maddest of the mad. Now whole continents
confess His glory, and kneel before His
throne.
Mr.. Beecher got Off some good things yester-
day in his treatment Of the use of the imagina.
ton in spiritual life and its relation to faith.
Faith, he said, makes noble natures stand out
populously in the heavenly land by awaken
ing the affections of the heart. The imagina-
ton enlarges the range of our being it gives
new power to mans thoughts, and by it We
open up new possibilities aud the imagination
In the real sense is sanctifed. Mr.. Beecher
Familiarity illustrated the drudgery Of daily
cally the contrast between, the present life
and the future and the faith and imagination
necessary to enable us to sendure as seeing
Him who is invisible" that his audience was
moved to tears and he himself almost broke
down. DR.. E. G.. Andrews encouraged st.
Johns Methodist Episcopal church, Brooklyn,
to practise Christian self-sacrifce by setting
before them the noble example of Jesus
Christ, whose utter self-abnegation stood out
in striking contrast with mans selfishness.
The Doctor illustrated from nature the neces-
sty for vicarious atonement An enlarged
civilization, he added, is the result Of the
sacrifices of pioneer life and the existence OF
nation where the principles of liberty are
conserved and enlarged, is the result of the
sacrifice of thousands who stood the shock Of
battle to preserve their native land. DR..
Andrews showed that such a life Of self
sacrifice conduced to the development of the
noblest type of Christian manhood.
The character of Moses--a prophet whom
the Lord knew face to face--was painted in
glowing colors by the Rev. Mr.. Backman for
the Seventh street Methodist Episcopal church.
He was man of colossal character, who
resisted all the corrupting influences arounds
him in the Egyptian court and maintained his
simplicity The prominent traits in his char
acter, as brought out by Mr.. Backman, were
his strong faith in God, his cheerful obe-
dience, and his profound devotion to bis work
and his people and his wonderful benevolen:e.
These traits were illustrated and elaborated.
Mr.. Hepworth had a. tender word to
saw about the refreshing and restrain
ing influences of home. In illustrating
the ideal home of the soul he presented an old
fashioned thanksgiving dinner in New Eng~
land home, and said that nothing showed tha
enduring power of home life more than such
dinner. But he thought that in these days wa
are too civilized to have such dinner. We
don't care to see our aged parents, with