The New York herald., 1873-11-10
CHRIST CHURCH.

Moral Diseases Of the Henrt-Practfcal
Christianity In Feeding the Poor
Sermon by Rev. DIR. Partridge.
The services yesterday morning at Christ Pro-
testant Episcopal church, Bedford avenue, were
conducted by the rector, Rev. DIR. Partridge, who
preached an able discourse. Previous to the deliv
cry OF the sermon he made an earnest appeal
to the congregation to sustain the Young
Peoples Association, stating that all the moneys
received through that channel would be faithfully
applied to relieving the physical wants the poor
during the winter. The text was taken from the
fourth chapter OF Proverbs and the twenty third
verse "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out
OF 1t are the issues OF life.n In his Introductory
remarks the Doctor said that the heart was to the
body what the metropolis was to the kingdom.
The blood might be compared to merchandise col
lected from thousand dIrerent sources passing
through the highways OF the veins to the remOtest
territory Of the human frame. After describing
the functions of the heart In the physiological
structure and the important ONCE 1t held he pro-
ceeded TO say that that organ was q type OF the
affections, for as the heart was all important to
produce physical activity SO were the affections for
the heart with all diligence should be earnestly
s S harSsss as
insensible, until at last Il ceased TO perform
It's functions. such was the condition or many
sinners, whose hearts were once wax susceptible
and tender, and ready to receive spiritual impress
sions. There were times when such men groaned
under sense OF their spiritual danger and quailed
ut the thought Of death and the Judgment. The
worship OF the sanctuary once made deep Inn
preston upon their minds, but now they boasted
that they had no desire Tor heaven and no fear Of
hell. He urged his hearers to keep their hearts
more diligently than they did the body, and 70
pray that II might ever listen to the voice OF God
In the Gospel for II the heart became hard to Him
and His holy word, which alone gave light and
peace, II would become hard to wife and parents
and 10 the poor, for whom Christ died. Again, the
heart was liable to the disease OF softening. which
would produce nertness and desp0ndency, culm-
mating In mlsanthropy and dislike TO mankind.
lf they would have their affections Tree and invlg0
rated, they should imp0re God to create clean
hearts ana renew right spirits within them. The
heart was also subject 70 atr0phy, or wasting
away--a state caused by defective nourtshment
and living too long rich diet without due pro-
portion OF plainer and coarser food, which was
necessary to the enjoyment OF good health Chris
tian professors often suffered from this phase OF
heart disease. Some men and women confined their
Thoughts 10 certain dogmas and never partook
OF the palmer fare OF practical G0dlncss. They
lived year by year within circle, the result OF
which was that their energies became sapped and
their inteects circumscriDed. They had only
strength enough 10 quarrel over q dish which they
too often spoiled with their own foolish rarnish-
ING: whereas, n they would only feed In the rich
pastures OF God's Word, seeking the truth as IL IA
In Jesus, In order 10 practise It. they would grow
and thrive In the divine life and become indtlcg-
tial members Of the church. When win men,
women and chldreps asked the speakar. learn 20