New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-20

friends In peculiar relation so tna. w,
hut covered with scars. and his heart riddle eo
with many o wounds sbronr hs S Sns variety Of
SCENES reveals great law IN the pnioso.
ply OF lifo They come 70 MS one by Snen9f AZ AZ
us-but they finally amount to an aggregate when.
coming us after any other process thtn mat uy
install nen would have been hsupportdDie' over
whcming
We look back Only to be nspirited in springing for
ward. BrOOdng over the past Is weakness our dnty
with the present and future. My one wish this day
is TO encourage and cheer alespeciay those who have
the greater portion OF life in prospect TO more or fath
and hOpefulness in the Frightening Kingdom OF
our Lord Changes which have occurred a,rsaay
lead us nationally TO expect greater cnau teo1
for time TO 1t common for the young 10 ieeI
tlat those tnngs WIN when igy IA an nmbe1oas
term II denotes sometimes that continuous perio od
which belongs personal CONSCIOUSNESS HisnDea
by our own horizon But the things which arc seen aud
done in personal life and sphere are very ueiome
from those of former periods. Concerning tnese We
need the testimony of elders, the living INKS De-
tween the past and the present. ~,
our lot In life Is east in country ana IN an age
marked by changes rapid and great of which they can
have but little conception VINO i've aihu tnoSe lstu
tons OF the Old World with Adding cam ana strong or
deepaid foundations it wonl DC uiIncuit =" S I've
those Just entering upon lie any true impression OF tue
trv and t6ronghout the world within the
Forty years the upper frontier line OF the PresDy
pied by my beloved friend Erskine Mason me only
church Of any denomination further IN III the town az
that time was ST. Marks on seeond-aye and feminist
The whole OF the city now extending UPWARD rom Tue
points named with lite squares and avenues ana parks
lie buildings and hospitals and halls, has sprung into
existence within this limited period Tae church OF the
I'm Washin on-square are branches OF stock which
was then in Gardenst. known now us Exehange'pace'
Grace Church was then Ia broadway ana hecIoTs' De
low Trinity The First Presbyterian Church. now Dr. Pax
TOMS was then in Walsl. under the passionate OF Dr.
broadway TABERNACLE were then worshipng in Dey and
Chaham-sts. The Brick Church now on Murray HUI,
was in Beekmanst; in which street near the river was
ST. Georges Church with its yenerated pastor,
Dr. Minor now on stuyvesantsquare The
Mercer-st. Church. which has run through eyentfn
history Of five pastorates blending last with another
corporation. not then IN existence The church OF DE-
Hail now projecting its third removal with the church
OF Dr. Booth In University place. had their home IN Ce
dar-sl Ascension Church Canal ST. with the late
now OF Madisonaye. and OF Thiriy-nntlst were theh
IN Oliver Mulberry, and Gold,sts. with Cone anu
since has been so rapid and successful. had is
chief centers in Forsyth Aen John ara bsyc
some idea OF the peculiar diihcuitles ainld when
church work has been coniueed On the qGeKsanu r 5G
forced by the infusion or the Pearst Church IN 1879,
old name In FiftysiXth-st, and the other known Us
connlciSd and dedicated in 1884, ana here it
deserves special mention illustration OF the man
ner which churches are built IN this country 10 me
eminent aid This edifce was Built and paid FOR with
ont dollar Of incumOrance. entirely by the voluntary
Efforts OF "a few individuals. and at the outset by the
The original number Of those who constituted this
clrch m 1853 was Ii2; since added 2142 adding those
adutted during my pastOrae BgOOme-st., SIT, the
'otaI Is 3GO This includes those who have been adj
mitted AT our Mssion Chapel with s two departments.
Tnglisb and German. This method Of conducting city
missions was originated by this church, soon after It's
own organzaon, representing two ideas-the work TO
he done not by proxy paid agents, but by the active
members of the parent church. and the results OF such
work gathered up and retained, looking to pernanenee
and growth. The cite has beeQ pTefaSed ana INC t9lS
subscribed for the erection Of a new church
| for the accommodation and enlargement OF
| this most successful and reproductive enterprise.
My chief design being to measure the rate or progress
| il progress there has BEEN in the Kingdom OF God,
| rolf
| these are not without Immediate relations to things
snrituai and divine Changes many and rapid have
occurred in country within the space OF time
now under review that many successive editions Oi
geography have been fascd and rendered worthless.
Thirteen new States have within this period been added
10 the UnOnsOme OF them related To historical events
the memory of which Will pass from the annals of
onr rare-bIicbigan Arkansas, Texas, Florida, Iowa,
Wisconsin, California. Minnesota, Oregon, Kansas West
Virs1nia, Nevada, Nebraska. with l6 embryo States
org3nizsd m territories, representing a domain suf-
hcent to welcome all the civilized Inhabitants of the
with the growth OF the national family there has been
formed a new sense OF american nationality: The sense
ton. How recent VIII be from the fact that my
subject OF the British before the Revolutionary
War That only the first swapping OF the liga
lures which bound us to the Old World the OF
dependence through memory aud ancestral association
in manifold relations still remained. BY little and little
from which We have so recently emerged whatever
forces OF promise or menace the fact implies our eman
nation we are destined 10 perform some conspicuous
part the great drama OF human history. Smultane
ousiy with this gradual development Inventions aud
achievements through physical science. have made
prodgous stride. Go back forty years and you blot out
Of existence may say tho whole web work Of railroads
which spreads itself all this continent. You
take away ali the steamships of the Western ocean the
graph the steam press the electroty ping process.
with the most obvious effect upon diplomacy and trade
and personal Affection and SO upon the peace and unity
What have been the changes which denote Improvement
and progress In Christian fel We have the authority OF
Scripture for saying that 1t not wise to think the for
mer times were better than these. When we consider
the rapid growth OF our country the increase of wealth.
for gain, the general prosperity breeding like tropical
summer those growths which tend to early cOrruptou
power Of the press in giving the quickest and widest
circulation to all the notions gendered by skeptcism and
love OF change carried over the continent like the down
Of the thistle ON the wings OF the wind when take
account this facility OF easy and high reading and
cOrreative habit OF superficial thinking, together with
all those local and national changes to which reference
has been made with their Inevitable effect life
ANA IL would be no small thing were he able TO
say that the Christian Church In this country had main
aned own keeping its former hold upon the faith in
the affections OF the people This, however, great as 1t
is is but small part Of the The number OF
Christian believers in this city and land was never so
great "a now. Notwithstanding all the OBJECTIONS which
have taken place. forms OF error which have attracted
to themselves public notice, and opposition OF all
kinds whether from natural science or vulgar material
ism, the proportion OF Intelligent, earnest Chris
tians to the eyer-growing population OF the
Recalling the condition OF affairs both IN Church and
State 40 years ago in thus country we must describe It
as one OF most bitter controversy The storm then
brewing in the air which few years after rent asunder
the Presbyterian Church. and still later threatened the
life OF the nation Many have sought TO create the I'M
preston that the disruption was owing to theological
differences The air full OF nyectiye and recrimi-
nations. IL difficult to express ones self, IN the
pulpit OF it, In the ordinary preaching OF the
Gospel, without being made offender for word, and
so classified belonging to this that school of the
oogy These attractions and repulslons affected the
whole OF social and church life. They were the visible
and acknowledged features OF the times. Men who ut
heart believed the same things and sought the same
great ends looked upon each other with suspicion and
distrust That these unhappy alterations had some
other origin than differences In doctrlna belief have
always hedan opinion justified by tho fact that when
the disruption came, OF precisely the theoog
cal faith and philosophy found themselves opposite
sides of the dividing line. IL were asked TO say
what was the cause OF that most unhappy