The New York herald., 1872-07-08
CHURCH OF THE PILGRIMS.

ti0n Of Gods Blcssing-The Opportuni-
ties. or Lifc-A Page from the History
Of tho Nation-Thc DOxolOgy In Wall
Street.
There was slim attendance at the Church Of the
Pilgrims corner OF Rcmsen and Henry streets, yes
terday morning The summer hegira and the In
tense heat have largely decreased the attendance
during the past few Sabbaths
Previous to the sermon yesterday, DR.. Storrs an
nounced that in pursuance Of previous notice
collection would be taken up for the Brooklyn Chill
dren's Aid Society. He said that he need not COM
mend this institution to the sympathy and assist
ance of the congregation. Many OF that con-
gregation and Of all congregations represented
there that morning had in time past been
very liberal towards 1t, and he was sure that they
would gladly continue TO be SO In time to come.
The collection was then taken up after which DR..
St0rrs announced his text from the Episte of ST.
James ", 16, last clause-'The efrectual fervent
prayer OF righteous man availeth much"
The preacher said that q Sunday or two since
some OF his hearers would remember that he called
their attention to the nature of prayer and to the
reason why 1t is required by God as a condition OF
blessings which he designs to bestOw. The nature
of 1t is very simple and obvious. Prayer is de-
sire expressed to God with due recognition OF
the relations which exist between Him and our
selves II is a desire expressed to God with hu-
initiation, since we are finite and He is infinite; /;
with penltence, since we are sinful and unworthy
and He is holy; with
since He is wise rs well as mighty. That desire
is expressed to God through prayer, whether in
one form OF language or another. SO that we see
why 1t is that God requires such prayer as condi-
tiOn because prayer Is blessing TO him who offers
IL and 1t Is for his good that God requires it, for in
the Offering of such prayer the desire for which 1t
arises Is renewed. the sense Of dependence upon
God is refreshed and the sense OF gratitude for His
DR.. Storrs said that the noblest life upon earth
was the life Of prayer In which desire for blessings
so there was no life 50 perilous and poor as the
life OF ono who never prayed. Thus far he had
proceeded upon this subject the previous Sabbath,
and so to certain extent and in one direction he
erlng, he would ask the qucstion:-"now far may
tent may we go In our prayers for His blessings ?"
To this he would answer that We might 20 to that
cutics In the way of the flnlment of our requests.
The apostle urged large beGuests, but it would be
said tnat that was in the age OF miracles and that
the age or miracles was now ended. There were
NO MORE or THOSE DIVINE SURPRISES
breaking in upon the ordinary course Of human
affairs. They were for iound0tlOD nut now the
structure Of revealed Christianity had been raised
upon thcm The age Of miracles, continued the
preacher, was passed, and we were not to ask for
that which could only be accomplished by snch
miraculous interpOsition. God could touch the
minds Of men eq ana MAKE & Impressions mat would be
measure we can work upon the minds OF others by
our words, which would change the direction and
career. What we could do in this humble
way God could do upon q much larger plan
and with far III more oenehcens , lnsi effects s,G There
by touch OF the divine Spirit by which everything
that was before invisible was real and everything
before unimpOrtant became influential and I'M
| pressive. The traveller
AT GENEVA
looked ont from the hill OF that pleasant city south
and southeast in the direction OF Mont Blanc and
| saw nothing there but the dun gray sky Itseemed
impossible that there could be nything beyond his
ax~l,A lssnsv haNn OBJ ult,f
| on some brilliant, charming morning, or on some
| lustrOus, respondent evening, he went out upon
! the same hill, looked In the same direction and
there rose the mighty mountain--thc monarch OF
Misunderstanding in the morning light as II It
were hewn from marble. That was the difference
Dr. Storrs in allutipg to the opportunities of life
observed, that there were moments OF opportunity
himself Of would bring him on TO success. How
! often did we hear man say, II he rad known such
and such thing was to occur he would have
portunity.- IL passed by him In the darkness and
! he did not know it. Now, God knew every such
| moment OF opportunity.
PAGE FROM THE NATIONS HISTORY.
The preacher remembered during our late war
! there came period when the whole destiny OF the
war and the country turned upon pivot, as IL we're
| q few hours Of time IL was when the Merrmac,
built by national skill and from the national trea.
sury and afterwards panOplicd In iron came sailing
out from Hampton Roads and met the Monitor
| If that great ship had gone mp the Potomac to
Washington, taken the Navy Yard and the capital
and laid this city under contribution the govern
ment Of France would have recognized the con-
fcdcracy. England following in the train, the
whole history OF the war would have been greatly
| changed. What the result might have been we
cannot say Five honrs' difference In the arrival Of
that little antagonist OF The Merrimac would have
made great difference to the country No wonder
that they
SANG THE DoxoLoGy IN WALL STREET,
and when they stopped TO sing the DoxolOgy In
Wall street, In midday, was IL possible that the age
Of miracles had passed? |?
Dr. Storrs argued that the Church which had the
most power for good In II was not the weathcst
one, but the one In which the power of prayer was
most deeply felt and most constantly used. The
strongest state was the one In which there were
| praycrful mcn-in which prayer was prevalent. IN
concluding, he cxhortcd Nll TO feel that if they
asked God for blessings and lie did not give them
If they asked sincerely and He did not grant them,
| IL was because lie saw IL TO- be for their blessing
and the blessing Of Others that He should not. Then
! their duty was utter submission TO His will