The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-19
THE RUSSIAE-9REHK CHAPEL

| A Sermon by Father Nicholas Bjerring
ON the Sacramento of the Church.
| numerous audience was assembled yesterday
at the above church. The gorgeous ceremonial OF
the services has proved very attractive to large
number OF the weather. classes OF the city. With
the authorization OF the Synod in st. Petersburg
the hturgies OF ST. John Chrysostom and Basil
the Great have been translated into English and
set to music tor the OF the choir. Prayers
offered for the Emperor OF Russia, for the King
OF Greece and for the President or the United
States The Rev. Father Nicholas Bjerrlng
preached as follows:-
Although have had opportunity on former oc-
casions to explain the same doctrines, yet would
fulfil the wish OF some again to say few words in
regard to our veneration OF the mother Of God and
OF the SAINTS and at the same time to give q short
account of the other doctrines Of the Church; and
THIS 1 do SO much the more readily, because the
doctrine OF the veneratiOn OF the saints often
gives rise to misunderstanding on the part Of
those who are not well acquainted with our Church.
In rendering the Holy Virgin the honor due to her
as to the pure Virgin, who was chosen
to become the mother Of our Saviour,
the Protestant communities fear to lower
the majesty OF God, and, so to say,
to divide the devotion which it behooves a Chris
Whereas our Church, faithful to sacred tradition,
firmly believes the Holy Virgin Mary to be, not an
eject Dle9Seu
ment of God in the work OF our redemption. The
Church believes that she, who bore in her womb
the God Man. who wept tears OF motherly love and
at the loot OF the cross, in the solemn hour OF
the atonement for the sins OF mankind. and in
these sacred moments, received from the very Ups
love ana care, entrusting her to the guardian
ship Of His beloved disciple, and In bis
person conided US all to her motnerly love. The
Church believes that she, the mother OF our Lord
Is sacred to US above all women. and holds in the
kingdom OF her divine Son place high above all
no mi Int In a ~ ald
and power OF the holy and blessed spirit Of Mary
to pray tor us and with us-she in the resplendent
glory OF her heavenly abode before tue eternal
throne OF her Son and God, for US who belong to
His immortal Church.
election by divine grace then she Is equally SO by
divine justice. She Is raised high above all BY
election, because above all she appeared worthy OF
election by the qualities and inclinati0ns OF her
soul, and among other qualities BY the
purest vrginiiy, by which she has assembled like
sun, high above all the ancient and
certainly above all the future world Therefore is
the virgin mother Of Goa unto the Church the ex-
known, nay even despised among the Jews anx.
| iously awaiting through the birth OF the Messiah
the redemption Of human KIND. 1t was first under
solved to embrace life, beret OF every earthly tie,
that she might the more freely give her whole heart
crowned By divine maternity. she stands on
the brink s, Of the OLD and the New World as
| which bore unto heaven the fruit Of saliva
ton, which Is the new covenant of God with man.
| In ike manner as the CnurCn acknowledges the
honor due to the Mother OF the Lord, she believes
in the intercession OF the saints and ordans
ence towards them. Prayer addressed by us to the
saints TO obtain their intercession, or rather the
communion or their prayers proceeds Ia nowise
from a feeling OF doubt in the divine mercy or in
the saving nearness or God. But as we know that
prayer ought TO be fervent persevering and pure,
| and feel our own weakness. call upon the
| saints OF heaven, upon our brethren in Jesus
Christ, that they may lit up on the strong wings
OF their pure and ardent prayer our own imperfect
and cold ones; and this feeling mpairs not In the
| least the just and firm belief OF the Church that
| holy, in the absolute sense OF the WORD, Is God
alone and that the holiness OF the saints Is but q
| g1it OF HIS grace. Another consequence OF our
| faith Is the communion OF love and prayer between
! the Church upon earth and that Of heaven Is our
| hopeful prayer for the souls OF the departed.
| Father Berring then explained the Holy Liturgy
| and the ceremonies, also the sacramento
| and he said that the Greek Church accepts,
as the Roman Catholic Church, seven sacraments.
OF that body whose head Is Christ, and thereby he
is admitted to the Holy supper, Ia virtue OF his
own merits. but out OF the infinite mercy and love
of Him who has died for man Oh the cross. Faith
full to this humble belief, the Church grants the
Holy Eucharist to little children, without waiting
the time when they may understan or merit the
mystery OF grace before which the angels OF
heaven PROSTATE themselves and adore Without
compromising. The Lord said AZ the Holy supper,
and he repeats Il at every renewal OF tne
sacred act, This Is my body; this Is my ol0od:" :
A1d Wherever dwells the body and the blood OF the
Lord who Is crucified but is also risen up, there
also dwes His spirit aud His divinity.
sacrament OF OrdtnA tOn.-The creek CnuIcn