The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-03
Religion: Positives anG Negatives Con
sidered-Vicws OF the Pulpfts Yester

Religion: Positives an6 Negatives Con-
sidered-Vicws OF the PuIpits Yester-
day.
Our budget of sermons to-day presents less
Of the sensational than sometimes falls to our
lot to report The discourses are, for the most
part, of doctrinal or practical character
The froth and flourish that occasionally adorn
Them are also, to some extent, missing, and
there were good many things said SO plain
That even a child can understand them.
Rev. Henry Powers talked about expert
mental religion, and showed how impossible it
Is for us to rightly understand the Scriptures
br to interpret them truly, since we cannot put
ourselves in fireplace of the writer's. Our pre-
possessions, our prejudices of nature, nation,
hge and particular school OF thought unfit us for
p correct understanding of the thoughts and
words of Oriental writer's. Mr.. Powers demon
Btrated that spiritual preparation is needed
for the discernment and appropriation of spir-
ftual truth. Mankind, in their relation to the
carnal, and it is the aim of the preaching of
The Gospel to win men from the last two to the
6rst of these classes
But the Gospel would be comparatively
powerless to affect human hearts did it not re-
veal to us divine Saviour. Hence it was the
PIN and purpose of Dr. Foss yesterday to pre-
sent the. proofs Of Christi divinity as collected
from the Scriptures and from contempt
raneous history. The growth of Christianity,
despite the prosecutions of the first three CEN
turtles Of the Christian era, is substantial evil
dence that it is of God, and there is no power
in infdelity to Withstand the strength of Chris
han argument. And Christianity is now and
has been for ages fguratively, if not literally
making collins, as the Doctor remarked, for its
enemies.
The very best argument that can be given
in favor of Christ and His religion as being
Divine are the consistent lives, the godly walk
pnd conversation of believers. Paul declared
that the Corinthian Christians were his epis-
lies, known and read of all men. And in elu-
cidating this idea Mr. Hepworth declared truly
That every man is book in himself, and the
whole world is but library There are men
whose lives are false and who are in the Book
bf Life as illustrations of selfshness or avarice
pr personal ambition. There are others whose
lives are pure and show plainly enough what
II is to possess Christ. The difference which
bxists between morality and true religion was
pointed out by Mr.. Hepworth, who also
Eamiliarly illustrated the oft unconscious near
ness to us of Gods spirit, whose help we need
10 take the step that shall bring us from dark
hess into light and from the power of Satan
hnto God.
While Christianity is universally adapted to
fhe race, it is peculiarly adapted to the indi-
Ridual SOUL There is personality in it which
every other form of religion lacks, and it was
The effort of Rev. Mr.. Ball yesterday to pre-
sent this personal idea so clearly that his con-
Eregation could apprehend it, each for him
Self. And, as Mr.. Ball declared, 1--WE cannot
appreciate the greatness of the mission Of the
Spirit unless we keep Christ in His personality
before our eyes, Just in proportion as we
exalt Christ and acknowledge Him as our Lord
hnd Master we realize the power and truth of
The Gospel" The neglect of this principle has
caused all the discussions and divisions which
have been the bane of the Christian Church.
Christ should always stand higher than sect or
Greed in the hearts of believers.
Is religion system of conventional distinc-
lions? DR.. Chaplin declared yesterday that it is.
It may be that but it is also very much more.
1t is the life and power of God in human souls,
either with or without conventional distinc-
kions And Christ came to bring this life and
power to the sinful rather than to the faithful
who lived in His time. To the Scribes and
Pharisees, therefore, in the days of His flesh,
His consorting with the sinful and the vile
was proof positive that He was no better than
they. Hence, the Doctor argued, 1--WE should
mot judge alone by actions, for it is intentions
That We are accountable for
Is death gain asked Mr.. Clark yesterday,
and applied himself to answer the question.
I'VE should say that to some it is but to others
At is dead loss. Paul declared that for him
10 die was gain, and others after him have felt
Something of the inspiration of his words, and
nave met the approach of the ''Elng OF
Nerrors" calmly and triumpantly. ''Chris-
hanity." MIR. Clarke remarked, sis a spiritual
chandelier, every lamp in its blazing galaxy
Vending its light to the brightness of all the
rest. The doctrine of immortality is based
on intuitions as ineradicable AZ human nature,
and scientific scepticism is neutralized by sci
entific revelations" Death is a gain in what
1t leads to, and in the restraints it throws
around us here, in the new sanctions it gives
10 right living and the props it puts behind
wavering will.
In the Catholic churches yesterday the feast
of the Qualification of the Blessed Virgin
was commemorated. The origin and position
Of this feast in the Church were fully and
clearly set forth by Rev Father Farrelly in