, 1874-01-05
The PULPIT.
rhe Reformed Episcopal Church
The Inaugural Sermon by Bishop
Cummins.
Sermon by Prof. Swing.
The First Services in The New Church.
The Free Religionists.
An Address by Their President,
Gen. Stiles.
REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHUECH.
r1rxt Service In New Torik.-ScrmOn by
Bishop Eummins.

rJrxt Service In New Eorik..ScrmOn by
Bishop Cummins.
spe.al Dispatch to TIE Chicago Tribune.
New YonE. Jan. 4.-The first regular services
rrder tie auspices OF the new Reformed Episco-
Nil Church we're held at Sleiuway Hall. in thie
ritz, this morning. the hall being crowded. The
,,rre attendance must have been gratifying to
The sdhercnts Of the nov faith. Bishop Cum
,n;ns conducted the service, assisted by the Rev.
n B. Leacock. OF the Church Of the Holy Trim
7tr and the Rev. A. 2. Feltwen- The revised
rn.yer-book WAS used. The sermon, which WAS
b7 Bishop Cummins, was OIL the new hurch,
and the various elements composing the founda-
tion On which 1t has been bnilded, or, rather, is
hnildinQ. Below arc the most interesting fea-
tarcs 10 the discourse:
Other founEation n1an lay than that II Lid,
ghich is Jesus Christ
This is the standard NC erect to-day as We te-
eia on. services in this city. On this first Sunday
q tho new year. we proclaim to I'LL men that in
tie strength OF the Lord We set up our banner,
ed inacnbe upon it one name on1y-a name
rhich is above every nama-not philosophy, nor
science, nor benevoence, nor Justice; not truth
e7en. abstractly considered; not Christ's
lolest servants, martyrs, or confessors; not
the blessed mother of His humanity; not His
mystical body, the Church but Himself,
Prophet, King, Teacher, Savior, and Friend.
Ne are laying no new foundation. We arc
building aloue upon the old. Wo have no new
gospel to preach. If there are any people in this
lind who expect We shall preach science: civilza~
tioa, OF philaathrophy. God undeceive them to-
dsy. Te have nothing but simple gospel
to preach-now and forever Jesus Christ. 1t
is the came gospel that Paul preached at Rome
and Peter ut Jerusalem We are not laying
foundations We are seeking to remove the un-
sound superstr11cture men have built upon. and
to elsnt ourselves upon the solid rock. It is
1el for tho honor Of Ch1ist's name which Las
inspired our work. We make no new departure.
It Is tue old departure begun eighteen bundl ed
years ago By the sea Of Galilee, restored aud pu-
l;dei b the reforms OF the sixteenth century.
sad sought to be established in this New World
by the patriots Of the American Revolution.
We are part Of the historic Church Of Christ.
Our faith, our ministry, our worship belong to
the old way-the good way of our fathers The
very prayer-book we use to-day for the t'1st time
Gince the lapse Of eighty-four years, was the
1eyision effected by men. some OF whom were
ngnegs Of the Declaration Of Independence. and
Ill associates and co-patriots Of George Wash-
ington,-a~ Hopknson, all Ogden, Duane,
and jay. There is not book in the world
winch compares with that book in the spirit OF
1at11otisnl =. Oh. Lord bless aud preserve theEe
tinted States, ,"-how that prayer foT the preser-
yation Of this country would have filed an
hearts if it could have been prayed during the
dteary var Of tile rebellion!
ITO tie Associated Prfss1
New yoRE, Jan. 4.-The inaugural services of
the Reformed Episcopal Church were held Il
6teinway Hall this morning. The congregation
was large With tile exception Of the adoption
Of the PRAYER Book Of 1855, there VAS little diff
ference from the ritual Of the Episcopal Church.
Bishop Cummins. who wole no vestments Of any
Kind. preacled from Corinthians, Ill, IL: "For
other foundations can no man lay than
that ia laid, which is Jesus Christ"
Tie said they inscribed On their banner only the
zane Jesus Christ; this was their cornerstone
laid in Zion. They built On the God-head Of
jesus. not on His divinity; they built also On
the humanity Ct Jesus. and on Him as one me-
d:&to1 between ,nau and God. They proclaimed
3sns the sole priest Of the Christian Chu1ch.
and when any man proclaimed himself priest
ho robbed the Son OF God Of lis prerogative.
They built on The truth Of Christie presence with
His people Dy His spirit; not in 3
MN can mike his God by conservation.
l. was the intention Of the Reformed Epiecopnl
Church to preach ou1y the Gospel. They eetab-
ished no new foundation. but, casting aside
assumptions which had grown into the Church,
rere returning to the old foundation. They had
10 il-teelings towards any one. In conclusion,
Bishop Cunmins appealed to the Throne Of God
to guard the Reformed Episcopal Church