, 1873-01-06

The congregation Of tho Second Presbyterian
Church worshipped for tho first timo in the
locturo room Of their now edifoe, corner OF
Michigan avenue and Twentieth street, yeBter-
day morning. Nearly every scat WAS occupied,
the inclemenoy OF tho weather deterring very
few Of the congregation from boing present at
tho opening services. The lecture room ia sixty
feet long and forty feet wide, hand
somely httcd up and will accommodate
about 200 people, The wallis have not Yet been
calcimined. The church proper will not be
ready for occupancy for two or threo months.
Tho choir Of this church Ia considered by aomo
to ho the best in the city. It is composed Of
Mrs. Far vol, soprano; Miss Holden, contralto; !;
Mr. Hubbard, basso; and Mr. Howard, tenor.
Tho orf;aniat, D. N. Hood, uas not present yes
terday,. his place being taken BY Mr. Farwell.
The '4uhrtette rendered tho selected piecos
eupe':bly, and fully sustained their excollont
repu tation. After tho customary religious OK
orc Aes, the pastor, Rev. Dr.. Patterson, preached
an interesting sermon, taking as his text tho
thi I'd to seventh yersos Of the oighty-aeyonth
Pf talm. He said the Church was known In all
ayes, and her glory and joy nere tho saue now,
!, aHnentiM reapeota, rs when tho words OF tho
t o1t were first written. The glorious things
hat were then spoken Of Zion were true to-day.
guaranteed to His Spiritual Zion, Of which the
outward church and itn branches wero repre-
sentatives. It was favorite idea with many
people OF to-day that the religion Of tho Scrip
tu1es VAS essentially liko tho religions Of tho
| East t,-Buddihsm, Drahmanism, and Of tho old
Pernana. The origin Of all other religions was,
however, dim and NhRdowy. They carried with
them no specific information, as to whence ttoy
camo or under what circumstances thoY we're
| communicated. In this respect the religion Of
theChuroh challenged comparison with ali others
They were distinctly told that God WAS Its
| author. Time, place, and occasions were stated
to give definiteneHs to our knowledge Of tho d.
vino hand engaged in laying, its foundations.
tions contalned but few and indistinot intima-
tons Of their Divine inspiration, sAye tho record
| OF the Jews, to be found In the Old Testamont.
The nations which followed Duddha depended
God. God hid established His church by reyela-
tion, and done everything to confirm tho truth
| Of Els teachings. The elements OF the Church
were clearly taught. Thero Was some diversity,
seriptures, which the Church held to b.
OF Divine authority, were substantially agreed
forth. II There 4Ss wers dsae%ia.teas s sy rho 10
discarded tho doctrine Of tho Trinity, the atone.
dod, tbe paashment ot the vioio3 3 yst I'll hold il
fast to the Dbo and its sutloianoy II an infalli.
I bio standard Of faith and practioo. Tho Church
4 had history which would stand unahAkon; Hho
/ still uyed notwithstanding the efforts to over
i throw her wero stronger to-day than ever before
! Tho nceno OF tho conflos Was ever uhifting, and
tho shout OF victory had been raised by Its ono.
mica. Yet, when the smoke OF tho engagement
| cleared away, tho Church was found to be
mightlor than before. In spte Of tho asuor-
| tions OF learned men who confidently claim tc
have upheayed tho foundation Of tho Christian
| boliof, thern wore thousands Who nere not
ashamed to acknowledge that their faith had
suffered no change. The Church uldultimatol'
! embrace all tho nations Of tho world, Thapowel
Of the adversary must DO crushed and this oou1i
only be done by tho overthrow Of his dominionB
III America ut tho beginning Of tho present cen.
| tury, not more than one person In fifteen was
roooxnlzod as personally pIous; non, one In six
and this III spite Of the vast influx Of an intido
aud unoyangelloal population from abroad. Thlt
fact illustrated tho goneral character Of tht
spiritual advancement that may 10 looked TO!
until tho knowledge Of tho Lord should TIL tht
earth. Ohriatianity was gradually gaining
wider and deeper hold upon communities ant
families and every year efforts to regenorate thu
world were making with Increased mo
mentum. The partial revival Of unbollo
in aome oountrios would be but temporary, In
dicsting, a. 1t did, tho last throea Of Rebellion
against God, aud that Divine truth was being
prossed upon all hcarta with unusual energy
J The spiritual Church would lnntinna tQ main