The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-28

terest TO attend on these sultry Summer evenings
he should make them suitably brief-not over
thirty minutes to each lecture, and not over one
hour to the entire services. The Doctor kept his
word The service commenced precisely at eight,
and the audience was dismissed at nine.
THE SERMON.
He announced his text from Thessalo nians
H., 7-'For the mystery OF iniquity doth already
work." He said great errors and corruptions are
seldom sudden in their origin and birth. They
do not spring up all at once. Many OF the most
unscrptural doctrines and corrupt practices that
have deiaced Christianity may be traced back even
frequently alluded To, especially by the Apostles
Paul and john Some Of them were grated on
notions comparatively innocent, and the origi.
nators OF which had, probably no suspicion OF the
mammoth system Of superstition which would grow
up from these germs Of error. It Is truly observed
siasmn that each OF the great corruptons OF later
ages took Its rise in manner which, IL would be
harsh to say was deserving OF strong apprehension.
saints and the superstition Of relics were, at first,
only expansions Of the natural feelings or venera.
ton and affection cherished towards the memory
OF those who had suffered ana died for the truth.
Little did those early Christians who gathered
around the graves OF their martyred brethren to
weep over their mutllated remains, and perhaps to
carry away handful OF dust from the earth that
covered them, imagine that in these natural acts
foundation OF that supcrstructure of error and i'm
posture, reverence Tor relics and prayers to the
Sy se1
few centuries into iuturity and foreseen the shame.
less
TRAFFIC. IN DEAD MEMS BONES,
by which corrupt ana venal priesthood would
enrich themselves at the expense OF their ignorant
dupes, these early disciples would have shrunk
with Just IS much pous horror from the prospect
as any ono OF us shrlnks from the retrospect OF
these strong decisions and lying wonders.
Equally gradual and almost imperceptble was
on the part OF the protested ministers OF Christi
little destroyed the original independence
eauas tine s5 1e and ad
vanced, stop by sep. until 9 presumptucus
mortal dared to usurpsthe very throne OF Christ
self as Gods vicegerent upon earth. Alter stating
that he should in subsequent lectures dwell in de-
tail upon the instruction and warning furnished MS
continued 1t Is always difficult 70 trace impor-
tant error to its source, to uncover the secret and
hidden springs whence the bitter fountains OF cor
rupt doctrine or practice have sprung. II we were
asked, however, what, IN our Judgment. was the
first step in this progress of error In this onward
march to al ana tyranny
SPIRIT OF AMBITION AND FORMATION
among the professed ministers OF Christianity; the
rebuked by Christ himself, even among his own
disciples, when lie said. cone is your master, even
Christ and all We are brethren This was the spirit
which eventually led to the destruction OF the OFF,
cial parity OF the clergy and to the unscriptural
claim OF some to be not merely the bishop or over
OF the flock, but to claim to be bishop, or over
a bishop of bishops; pastor pastoral2G o shepherd
of shepherds, and not OF the mock. The reverend
speaker in concluding briefly mapped out his plan
for future lectures OF the course mentioning in adj
diton to this first step In error the destruction OF
the original Independence OF the churches and
especially in the time OF Constantine the union Of
the Church with the State and the claim made In
succeeding ages for tradition as OF coordinate
authority with the written word OF God.