The New York herald., 1872-09-09
R RELIGIOUS.
Return of the Wanderers from the Places
ofPIeaSure to the Shrines Of the City.
The Congregations Crowding
the Churches.
Ceremonies and Services Commemorative Of the
Nativity Of the Virgin Mary.
The Bishop Of Tennessee
Fears Catholicism.
TALMAGE AT HIS TABERNACLE.
s'God Rules the Money Market and Has
Hook in the Nose Of the
Stock Gambler"
HOW TO "RUN" A CHURCH.
The Rev. Charles B. Snyth on
Theatrical AuditoriuIns.
THE PERILS OF THE SEA.
Rev. Fl. Fl. Garnett on the Burning
of the Bienville.
SnrmnrS Oud Gnryicec IL, tho Nstv
The Rev. Charles B. Snyth on
Theatrical Auditoriurns.
THE PERILS OF THE SEA.
Rev. Fl. II. Garnett on the Burning
of the Bienville.
Sermons and Services in the CITY
and Elsewhere.
wAvERLEY PLACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

What the Rev. Charles Il. Smyth
Thinks About Theatres nnd Churches--
The Latter Should be rKnde Like the
Former.
The Rev. Charles b. Smyth delivered the second
OF the new series Of Sunday evening popular free
lectures entitled "Lessons for the Clergy" last
evening to an increased, an intelligent and atten-
tive audience, at the American Presbyterian
church, 36 Waverley place, the particular theme
this occasion being Theatres vs. Churches and
Churches vs. Theatres" Having announced his
text from Exodus xiv, 15-'Spcak unto the chill
dren of Israel, that they go forward'-
he said there are, I believe, ten theatres
and five places for opera music and 329
churches and synagOgues In this city. It Is an un
c0ntr0verted fact that the former are much more
largely attended than the latter. Crowds fill those
at every performance whilst comparatively few
persons attend these. The crowds interested
swayed, and made to laugh and Or almost as the
performer Wills these sit listlessy think Of distant
subjects, make up for the fatigue of business
for hours Of lost sleep by comfortable doze while
Bome one in the pulpit Is reading uninterest-
Ing essay, msnamed sermon. There are some
exceptions; but is not this the state
OF the case generally, my brethren
For it there must be reasons which
can be found somewhere. What are theyf Two,
chiefly. First, the former are made known to the
public by appropriate means but the latter are
not. OF the number of theatres mentioned eight,
and OF the places for opera music foul there
Rb0uts, are advertised as in operation, are crti-
cised and praised or blamed as they may severally
deserve, but the
GREAT NUMBER OF CHURCHES
and synagogues only very few comparatively IA mere
fraction) have place among the advertisements
is made so attractive that when a person goes
once he desires to go again. Our sires know that,
and prohibit u.s. pastors and md rulers
do steal a march some times and even OCCASION
ally few Of the brigade Of the white cravat lay
aside their gowns for moment and slip into
back seat. Why is thisP The performance which
has been advertised is found to be interesting; and
smile at this. The same is true of every we'll
known church which is ministered to by an earnest
PSBear n 1 eS cnr rne
Brooklyn, or any other church IN the worlds Is 1t
not these two things-publicity thereof and inter-
and any church under heaven will be full. Let
either of them be wanting and You will soon have
the same old dull tale to tell Who is likely ever
to return to a church where the danger doom and
deep damnation OF departed souls, or the
|. oLADDENING GLoRlEs OF CELESTIAL SPIRITS
are read about before them with as much GOODNESS
as o college lecturer would manifest when rehears-
ing from his manuscript what he had written or
oPSss coeSeaes OF the or said
tinguished dignitary OF the Church Of England, to
Of
sions upon their audiences as they do, when we,
who teach the most solemn and sacred truths,
accomplish so little ?'' Because, said the player,
1--WE speak fiction as ifit were truth, but ye speak
truth as iii were felton," Besides deep earnest
ness in delivery there must be the wise selection
OF such subjects and the treating Of them in such
way as will attract and fix the attention OF the
hearers. 1t Is found to be universal fact that
those preachers OF any denomination are the
most successful whose great central theme
around which all their teachings clustre and circu-
late Is Christ Jesus crucihed for sinners. Oh, this
blessed theme, 'Glory to God in the highest, and
on earth peace; good will to men," IL is the an
and will constitute throughout eternity the grand
chorus OF the Church triumphant. ITO Him that
loved us, and washed US nom our sins In His own n
While the cross of Christ is made the great cardi.
nal object OF pulpit instruction every fact and
every passing vs event u taat interests 9
be seized and made subservient to the Illustrating
OF 1t, or the enforcing OF Christian morality. Whilst
looking over the reports of sermons tomorrow it
Will be interesting to observe how many OF the SER
mons contain allnsions to such occurrences as are
attracting the attention OF the public mind. The
preacher then proceeded to show that IL the Church
would outstrp the theatre it must be made more
attractive. more wholesale condemnation OF all
amusement. or places OF amusement, would not ac-
complsh that. There should be discrimination
exercised.
TRUE CHRISTIANITY Is JOYFUL
ana tends to make men cultivate whatever Is calcu
lated to make them innocently happy. He eXhOrted
that the clergy should lead the people forward by
making Christ crucided the prominent doctrine OF
all their preaching and urging as next In import.
ance, such doctrines as naturally cluster around IL
as @ great centre; that they should endeavor to
promote high degree OF Christian morality, espe
cialy that charity which covers multitude OF sins
Thus teaching their people to go forward, they need
have no lear OF them In regard TO the theatre or
anything else. The Christian character which will
thus be formed within them will lead them TO dis
evil