The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-17


ginning to tell upon the mental constitution
of our theologians, if we may judge from the
batch of sermons laid before our readers to
day. It may be the result of frequent and
long fasts and yigils, or it may be caused by
a lack of study or both; but certain it Is That.
from some cause or other. we present to-day
some of the sickliest trash it has ever been our
lot to read rs pulpit productions. To be sure.
the preachers may have said some passably
good things, but if they uttered nothing
grander, nobler OF more sublime than what now
lies before us there is scarcely thought in their
sermons worth remembering. They are the
veriest commonplace compositions of which
many a schoolboy would be ashamed. The
philosophical O. B, Rockingham is repre-
scented, for instance, rs uttering such
logic as this: Suppose there were no
world, there would be no God. Sup
pose there were no human love and
kindness, there would be no heavenly
love. If man suspends his efforts, so does
God" And more of the same sort. And all
this. too, in elucidation of the doctrine that
men are coworkers with God. This idea.
Mr.. rockingham thinks, has gradually lost
its force and is fading away from the human
mind; and he thinks it is due to the idle and
vain efforts men have made toward reform.
No one seems to need reform so much as re-
formers. We fully agree with the reverend
preacher in this statement and also
workers with God there is no evil
i'll the world that could not be rooted
out" But if men are to sit under the drop
pings of such logic as the above and be i'll
structed that they are the all-important and
God the least important copartner in this
firm, will they pot be more inclined to work
without God than to take Him into partner
ship? And is not this the very thing that
thousands are doing every day, not only to
their own detriment, but to the injury OF their
fellow men also? Let every man work. but
let every man labor together with God, and,
whether it be for material ends or for spiritual,
success may always be counted on al certain.
Rev. Mr.. Hepworth spent his time demon
strating the weakness of atheism, instead Of
taking it for granted and giving the people
the ahtidote. Atheism, by virtue of it's consti.
tuition, is nothing but weakness and folly
Like soap bubble, it may float about us for
while and reflect some of the rainbow colors
caused by the light which it affects to deny;
but the heat of the sun or the breath of the
Almighty will melt and scatter it SO that not
vestige will remain History has not been writ
ten for naught. 1t is full of instruction and has
ample Illustrations of the weakness of atheism.
If it be true that in this age there is but little
philosophical denial Of God, because the peo-
pie have too much common sense to encourages
such denial, is not this on additional reason
why the common sense of the people should
be trusted more and their faith encouraged BY
having the object of faith brought SO tangibly
before them that men and women can, as il
were not only touch the hem of His garment,
but take the hand of the Saviour?
DIR. Seymours logic in defence Of the min
istry was a little like MIR. Frothingham's in
importance without the ministry If the
Bible, he said were left merely written book
it would soon be forgotten or at least sighted.
But Bunyan's '-Pilgrim's Progress" ''Shak-
speare' and ''Mother Goose were left
written, but they have not been forgotten nor
sighted, and for a reason similar to that
which would mske the Bible precious without
the minister--namely, that they and it answer
felt wants of the human heart. Hence there
are freshness and power in Them and they will
never die so long as the heart of humanity:is
capable of emotion or aspiration in this life.
The record Of the Church of the Holy
Trinity is such as we should expect from tho
labors and ministrations of its rector. Starting
out with Christ in his heart and the Bible in.
his hand, Rev. s: H. Tying, Jr., has within
nine years gathesed parish now among tha
largest and wealthest in the city, where before
his advent, there was none He has baptized
1853 persons, buried 43S and married 212, and
has now church consisting of 1,30O com.
muncants and, Sunday school which.
numbers 1863 scholars But this is not ALL
The Church has very valuable pro-
perry and bank account of six hum
bred thousand dollars net, besides having
contributed for local and mission and other
church purposes $4,000 during those nine
years No wonder he chose the significant
text he did yesterday Iron Did SWIM
The impossible has been demonstrated posi-
BILE. for God has declared that all things are
possible to him that believeth
Mr. Kemble, in st. AIMS church, presented
the claims of the Indians of the Far West upon
their Episcopal brethren in the East for the
Word of Life
Rev. Mr. Sweetzer presented to his hesress
the Universalist idea of hell, which may be
summed up. in these two contradictory propo-
sitions:-Eirst, there is no such place as, he'll
and wherever the word occurs in the Bible it
means the grave; and secondly. the bell of
the Bible is an accusing conscience. which
| mes with the wicked into the other. world,