The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-08
CHURCH OF TIE DIVINE PATERNITY.


Tho Great Lesson of the New Year-The
Christian and the Mnn Of the World Con.
trastcd-Look Out for the Present, and Let
ByGOnes be BygOues-SermOn by Rev. DIR.
Chaplin.
Giving grateful worship on the nrst sabbath OF
the new year was q large congregation at the SER
vices yesterday morning at the Church OF the Divine
Paternity, corner OF Fifth avenue ana Forty-ffth
street, over which tnat lllustri0us champion OF
pulpit oratory, Rev. Dr. u. Ii. Chaplin Officiates
as PASTOR An interesting and most attractive pre-
liminary feature, as usual, was the singing by the
magnificent choir. with the sweety attuned voice OF
Miss Abbott soprano.
Queen and enchantress
or the world OF song.
rising INTO q melody almost divine, clear and
distinct above the other voices. The 0rganist
here, moreover, MIR. Holden. plays with rarely
exquisite skill. Pulpit el0quence goes good
way, but there con be no doubt that the higher
culture attained and shown In church music the
larger will he the attendance. Among tho select
pieces sung was "Leavenly Dwellings," an adapta.
ton from Schubert, In which The compass and
sweetness OF Miss AobOtrs voice was most cnarm-
ingly displayed. The subject OF DR.. Chapns discourse
was 1.-THE Great Lesson or the New Year." and the
text, Philippians. ILL.,, 10 and l4-"Brehren, count
not myself to have apprenended; but this one thing
do, forgetting those things which are behind. and
reaching forth unto those things which are before.
lpress toward the marx lot the prize Of the hign
calling o. Goa In CHRIST Jesus"
This illustration was not q mere figure OF speech,
but the soldity of TACT All absorbing earnestness
was illustrated-the earnestaess characterfzng
the foot racers IN the old Grecian games. Paul here
portrayed LIS own earnestness In
THE CHRISTIAN RACE.
With oil the obstacles he had to meet ne stlll
curious i'm immortality. thus he urged it should be
with all Christians the same earnest supreme en-.
deav0r should characterize ALL Foremost IN Paul
Uva 1af rnt
The ideal Christian life TO Pau, that OF Christ
| himself Religion Is not one thing; 1t Is not like
must devote Sundays aud special times Religion
! should be the great thing OF llle Everything else
thing ana vet DO many things. The CHRISTIAN lite is
the most rich ana varied IL Is In every noble deed
great movements OF the world nave been carried
forward by men burning with one strong. intense
desire. Let map start IN NE win determine
| II he determines To become rich he will become so;
II to achieve iame he Will acheveit. lie works for
this one end. OF al wretcned men, he Is most
| AiMLEss LIFE.
| There is no worse murder Than killing time. The
| man OF one purpose keeps that purpose perpetualy
In view. II iliis MS waking thoughts II ills his
point he reverted to previous fGousht~lhe vanity
OF the Christian life. Buns and peasant he stated
BY way Of Illustration, once essayed match at
ana so have beaten you.n 1t was 50
/
supreme. lie carries them with him into
all the duties Of life. Ampllylng this point at el0
quent length, ne drew q f0rcibe contrast between
the MAJ Of the world and the Christian, and then
urged 1t Is duty to
FORGET THE PAST.
When we have slnned, By Gods grace let us forget
1t. Look not m0urnuly into the past 1t cometh
not back again. The only way was to improve
wisely the present and press forward 10 still wiser
Improvement IN the future. We must Keep the mark
In vlew Spiritual perfection tells the whole thing
growth OF sOu The more We gam the more there
IS to be gained This Is the prize OF the high
calling; the acne Is heaven. What Is heaven ?
Think you heaven Is what the good and pious old
lady Thought "a place where she could always sit
| wearing clean white apron. Is heaven place
where occupants Will occupy themselves eternally
singing psalms? Heaven Is spiritual PERFECTION
this and nothing more. Having described IN strain
OF impassi0ned eOqucnce this spiritual perfection
he IN conclusion, applied the lessons OF the Ia
the coming In the New Year, This, he urg ~i was
| tho time OF all times for new resolves,
for ,.,. new yiaor IN lighting the battle
By the very highest lights OF pulpit eloquence and
1t Is unnecessary to say that the sermon was lis
tened 10 by the vast assembl lge present with the
most earnest and undivided Alteration.
| After singing q hymn. In which az the congre.
CATION n.ted, OF which the following IS verse;
| As the winged arrow files
| Speedily the to lind,
Al the light hing from the skies
| Darts and leaves trace behind,
Bear us down life's rapid stream.
| Upward Lor 4, our spirits raise;
| All below IL but dream.
Mr. Chaplin invited all present 10 i0n them IN the
communion service, which terminated The religious
| EXERCISES.
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