The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-06
A Church for the Masses.

To THE EDITOR OF TaE HERALD
No doubt our ecclesiastical bodies understand their
own business and know how to take care OF their
own interests; but a large number OF them, OF late
years. have seen ut to desert their ancient locali
ties the central and lower parts OF the island Tor
others further up town, where, II there is greater
wealth and fashion, the population is OF necessity
comparatively thin. In this enort to provide SUI
perabundantly lor the requirements OF the well-to-
do classes however, II Is possible that too little
thought has been given TO the religious needs OF
that great multitude who are pecuniarily unable TO
move up town and who are at the same time, too
personally Independent TO intrude upon even the
least offensive eXcluslveness OF our club churches.
Ol late there nave been several movements on foot
with a view to the correction ol this mistake, and
among those which seem TO promise good results
Is that OF the old Tabernacle Baptist church, now
on Second avenue, near Tenth street. This body has
decided, instead OF joining the uptown movement,
10 sell Its present property, buy In more central
location, not much above thirteenth street, II even
as high up, and erect q new and spacious edihce,
adapted 10 the modern conception of the Church AS
social as Wen as religious institution. They pro-
pose to accommodate about three thousand hearers,
and to throw open their house To all who Will
come. AS a beginning, moreover, they have called
an eloquent and capable minister, the Rev. Way
land Hoyt, late OF Brooklyn, as their pastor, and
ALREADY the rapid growth OF their sunday congrega-
tons has encouraged them TO transfer their even.
ing service TO Stenway Hall, where MIR. Hoyt VIII
preach, Tor the first time, on Sunday evening next
Hanging ms . Christian Punishment.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
The recent excitement in regard to capital pun
ishment has induced me to ofer the following for
publication, with the view Of stimulating proper
and immediate action upon this important sub.
ject-Th old Bible informs US that over three
thousand years since 1t was decreed that the
people should be governed by laws which are now
termed barbarous They consisted in the death
penalty for taking life for adultery man stealing.
cursing or striking father or mother and for pick
ing up sticks upon the sabbath; they also required
stripe for stripe, eye for eye tooth for tooth, bur
Ing lor burning, &c In that less enlightened age
OF the world they doubtless thought their laws
humane they were, probably, Well adapted to the
condition On things In those days. but, as the light
oil inspiration penetrated their minds, conditions
became changed, therefore that which had been
| considered humane became unrghteons; conse.
quenty they we're all annulled, with the exception
OF That OF life for liie,n which remains In force
throughout large portion O the world. IL Is now
CLAIMED by most OF those termed orthodox that
IL being a Biblical law we have no right TO abolish
~; put with what proprety The abolition or all
the others plainly proclams as they were decreed
under the same dispensaton. Again, the Great
Lawgver, over eighteen hundred years ago. said
said an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth, but
say unto you that We resist not evil; love your
enemies, bless them that curse you and do good to
| them that hate you.r Although these words came
from Him whom orthodoxy terms the righteous God
| man and saviour or the world, they trample upon
| his just and humane demands; for they claim that
! a compliance with his Aforesaid requirements
| which would abolish the death penalty, would be
| destructive to the weli-1eing Of humanity. They