The New York herald., 1873-12-29
BISHOP oDENHEIMER ON OPEN DOORS.
Rev. O d. rockingham and Phil
osophioal Conundruns.
BEECHER ON PERFECT MANHOOD
Sermons BY DR.. Storrs, G. q. Hepworth,
Father Farrelly, DR.. Hall and
the Rev. q. Powers
CHURCH OF THE PILGRIMS


The Prophecy OF the Birth or Christi
The Divinity OF Christ-Ehe influence
OF Christ, Its Extent, It's Variety and
It's Permanence.
DR.. storrs' church was died yesterday morning
by a large congregation. Dr. Storrs commenced
his discourse by saying:-
The words OF Scripture TO which call your at
tention VIII be found In Isaiah, TX. q, third
clause-"And his name shall be called Wonder
ful.n prediction is shown to be u true predic-
tlOn by being realized III history. Here * the diff
ference between a fancy and q prophecy. fancy
Of what may come to pass and prophecy OF what
is sure to come to pass. Every one may throw
bis fancy into the future and prophesy what may
come to pass but fancy is certain not to 1T the
reality 1t is only true prediction Of a mind in
spired by God that can fit itself accurately to the
coming OF history, and the iurther into the
future 1t reaches the more clear becomes the
origin Of thai prediction in the mind OF the Most
High.
Here is prediction more that 1900 years old
prediction which was uttered 500 years before the
babe to whom 1t referred was born. Has it been
accomplished, or was 1t an imagination OF the
mind OF the prophet which events have contra.
dicted9 We might risk the whole Bible on the
answer to that question. 1t is as evident as the
earth to our senses that this prophecy has been
literally and gloriously realized. Even sceptics
will admit that Jesus Christ was wonderful per-
son. All mankind is constrained to admit more
and more that this babe, whose birth the prophet
was looking for, is swonderful-wonderiul In extent
OF his influence on earth. There have been great
men and there are great men. but what weight
nave they outside OF the places where they are
knoWnS here Is man who died so long ago,
whose name is honored in all the world, ana has
ooedient servants at this hour in every Land on
whlci the sun shines. The chld's heart glows
" u "
lustre ut the name OF Christ-a name honored and
Sdored by both sexes, by rich and poor, high born
and obscure.
Wonderful in the extent OF His influence, there is
no parallel TO II IN history great men fade out OF
The name OF Christ is ike star in the heaven Of
human sKlcs wie the name OF the greatest men
iade out jesus name sl:nes aiwars.
wonderful, too, In variety, it touches every de-
partment OF life; 1t touches literature. Great
thinkers are developed under the Influence of
''sns oi Nazareth; the telescope which searches
- anrings up under the touch OF the
noers of TINS Nan OF Nazaretn anfi IN, % the ~.
the fine arts ana industrial arts as well, He be-
slows His influence.
printing and the mariners compass, but Wiat use
did they make or them But when these d'scoy-
cries came to light IN Chrstehdom they were util-
ized.
the range OF Cnrisrs influence II becomes power
ful and fruitful, ana the line arts as wen. you go
through the galleries OF Italy. and you ask yourseH
where comes this aflluence OF artY And the ques
tion is not answered tail you the subjects. II
was the thought or Christ that touched the
Italian nature and made 1t bloom and mower
Everywhere the name Of Jesus is benizon and
baptism; Ills name shall be called Wonderful. And
the energy OF His influence Is great 1of IL results
In the reformation OF Character. Inink what a
work this is. Take some subject for experiment
from the streets and alleys. Now try, not only to
educate the mind, out to change the character TO
curb the passions, to inspire spirit OF CHARITY
towards men and OF reverence and love towards
God, instead OF rebellion. All you nave found
your match. You can cnange tine outward HE;
but when you try TO make new character you
might as well try TO crush the air around you into
marble.
Now Christ took slave false, thtevish, rbald
and licentious-and made him a Christian man,
consecrated to the Most High, whom he had not
seen. He took Paul and converted him into the
loving apostle and, later, he took Augustine and
changed him INTO great teacher oil the Gospel oil
Cod: and in our own times we have seen, by the
influence Of the Nan OF Nazareth, worldly men
made devout; we nave seen women OF fashion
changed into praying and devout women. TO deny
Els influence would be as II you were to deny ocu-
lar science, because now and then there Is IN eye
tia, t,cannot be cleared OF its cataracts
There men whose hearts have not been
touched through so years OF hearing the Word Of
Coo. surely human nature Is tough subject TO
work upon
scepticl 1t is admitted that they are exceptional
cases, who do not eel His influence; Remember
the extent OF His influence remember the vast
variety, remember the energy, and then say II IT
was not true word when the prophet SAID,
HIS NAME SHALL BE WONDERFUL;
and, finally, remember the permaneDce OF His infu-
ence. Only those have influence with Us wlo nave
linked their influence with the influence OF Jesus.
Luther influences Us yet, but no man has an infu-
Once on US who has been dead 100 years, except IT
is linked With the influence OF Christ.
His power IS as young to-day as when BE spoke
to John and Peter In the temple. 1t Is as young as
the sunshine which Is no older this morning than
when it frightened on the hills OF Judea. This
power OF Jesus Is the one force that links the
New World with the 0ld Remember the extent
OF this power over all this earth, the variety
OF II touching everything and the permanence OF IT.
and say If the prophet was not right when he said
His name shall be called Wonderful. MARVEL Gus it
Is. The prophecy Is fulfilled, the prediction shown
TO be not fancy, and, as | said in the beginning.
II you pivoted the whole Bible on this fancy II
would stand solid as rock.
But more than this Is shown First, 1t Is evil
qent that this being Is divine in His nature. Now,
submit IL TO the Judgment OF every man and wo-
lan whether it was possible Ior man OF
Nazareth a man trained In no school, whose pub
lie lie was brief and obscure, TO he able as man
10 reach human hearts through all ages and look
into the secret OF the heart. To be man merely
that has done all thisS Nothing Is Impossible to
God; but II IT was only man then explain TO NE
the
MIRACLE OF cHRIsTESDoa.
mas tne word gone crazy TO honor and love and
ebey tLis Jesus OF Nazareth, or Is IL indeed true
mat tie = power that every sane man must
.i admit ~ is m the power and spirit OF Cod made
manlfestun Ills son. Thirdly, II God has done 80
much, we know that lie viii DO ali that he has
promised in the lie TO come.
We are SO unworthy OF 1t ALL is Ii possible that
we shall enter the gates where there shall be holt.
ness and everlasting felicity Remember how lie
pas laid His hand on human hearts and stilcd
their passions and be comorteu blessed he Tis
name that II shah be wonderful throughout
eternity
LYRIC HALL.
Chrtat Away Behind Our Modern Re-
formcrs-The Figure He Would Have