The New York herald., 1873-12-08
The Pulpit ON the Ocean Disaster.

|
and the loss of two hundred human beings
thereby, received some attention from the
pulpit in this city and in Brooklyn yesterday.
This, like every other disaster by land and sea,
has its lessons for every one of us, to which
we do well to take heed. 1t demonstrates the
truth of Mr.. Hepworth' assertion 'that every
man holds his life by thread," and we know
not how soon nor how suddenly it may be
snapped asunder and we be launched into the
unknown land of joy or of woe. This calamity,
and the suddenness and certainty of death,
should convince us that this world is not our
abiding place. and, as Mr.. Hepworth re-
marked, ''any plan of life that embraces only
this world is a failure" No man should,
therefore, live without making provision for
| the future. We should not, however, always
| live as in the presence of death, and it was
the aim Of his discourse to lift the gloom and
to tighten the sorrow, as much as could be
done, from the hearts now stricken and bowed
down in our midst, by inspiring them with a
hope in Him who triumphed over death and
the grave and led captivity captive. In the
midst of such bereavement and sorrow only
Jesus can give comfort and peace to the
troubled soul.
Rev. John Parker, drawing lessons from
this disaster, combated the infdel idea that
the world is governed by chance or by natural
laws and blind forces without the interference
of personal Creator and Preserver. He also
denied the Universalist theory of punishment
partly inflicted here and partly hereafter on
the sinner, and presented in opposition to
these the Scriptural idea which recognizes the
| interference of God in the affairs of this
world and the power and necessity Of prayer.
This disaster warned every impenitent person
Of the danger of delay, and called him to i'm
mediate repentance; and this was the burden
of Mr.. Parker appeal.
| DR.. John Cotton Smith, whose congregation
has lost three members by this disaster,
| preached memorial sermon last evening.
| He admitted the Observation-Disclosures Of God $
ways and did not seek to give providential
reasons for the loss of the steamer, but urged
the living to initiate the virtues Of the dead.
Mr.. rockingham very briefly but touch
ingly and tenderly referred to the many homes
throughout our land made desolate by the loss
of the Vile du Havre, whose sudden destruc-
ton 'sshows us how feeble is our tenure Of
life," and should inspire our hearts with
gratitude for our happy homes. This refer
ence was only incidental. The great theme
of this minister was marriage and divorce.
And no more lax views of the solemn COM
pact of marriage have been uttered by any re-
spectacle public teacher for long time than
those which Mr.. rockingham has given utter
ance to. snake divorces free" he says, $50
that people will make life long courtship
from beginning to end.' But he does not
assure us that free divorce would do this
thing. Nor are we certain that such pro-
longed period of courtship in the home or out
of it would be profitable to either sex. Many
homes are not as happy as they should be;
but we do not agree with Mr.. rockingham
that this is caused by secularizing marriage.
The trouble arises from other sources, and can
be healed only by substituting the spiritual
passion called love for the animal passion
called by the same name and reliance upon
the Divine Mind to guide in the selection Of
partners for life.
Dr. Talmage made this disaster the theme
of his mornings discourse yesterday, and in
highly imaginative manner depicted the
scenes of the collision. The lessons which
seemed to him most legibly written by it are,
first, the responsibility Of those who hold the
lives or the property or the souls Of men in
their keeping. He thinks there was criminal
carelessness somewhere. The second lesson is
that when we part from our friends reunion is
uncertain. The third lesson is that elegant
surroundings are no security from the last
foe, and, fourth, this disaster shows
that some Christians are nearer to glory
than they think. When the Loch Earn
crashed in on one side of the steamer Mr..
Talmage supposes the Lord Jesus Christ
walked the water on the other side and those
men OF God on board went from one Evan
gelical Alliance to another And another les
son taught by this disaster is that 'the world
has not yet been persuaded of the nonsense of
prayer - and, finally, this catastrophe shows
the importance Of being always ready for
transition. His are pertinent lessons and
easily learned by us all, if we will only give
them moiety of the attention we bestow
upon less important subjects.
Dr. Wild referred to the disaster to condemn
the careessness that caused it or permitted it,
and to hold the companies responsible for the
loss Of life and property thereby.
Rev. Mr.. Chadwick, while passing no GEN.
sure upon the officers Of either vessel, declared
that such disasters seldom occur without care
lessness. Ignorance cuts short our lives. A
member of his congregation went down among
the number who found watery grave. lie
hope OF meeting her again.
1t may seem strange illustration to bring
in the loss of the Vile du Havre in treating of