The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-12
Bishop Cummins on the Unity
Of the Church.
RROTfISGHAM ON TIE WEEK OF PRAYER
Beecher on the Lordship
of Christ.
Sermons by Talmage, DR.. Wild, Rev.
Henry Powers, DR.. Harris, DR..
Hall and Dr. Chaplin.
FIFTH AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

FIFTH AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
DR.. Hall Upon the Dangers OF Secondary
TemptatiOn-The Demons Who Return
and Conquer-The Parable illustrated
by History-Life q stubborn Fight
The SubtIeties of Demoniacal Visita-
tion.
The Fifth avenue Presbyterian church was
crowded as usual yesterday morning by devout
and fashionable congregation. Not only were the
pews flied. but the aisle chairs also, and many
were standing up. It was vast congregation
and as attentive as it was devout. After the
singing OF two hymns by the united congregation
ono choir being employed herel aud short prayer
the reverend Doctor assembled the pulpit and
preached one Of his effective and .pungent dis
courses. DIR. Hall, 1t Is well known, is one Of the
most eloquent churchmen in the city, But he
possesses more than simple eloquence. He has the
gift Of convincing by the most hOmelike
and truthful simlles which touch the heart even
more than they appeal to the head, and which
leave more than mere momentary impression.
He uses concise but beautiful language, and his
felicity Of expression is most remarkable. 1t is not
wonderful that with all this DR.. Hall is one OF the
most popular ministers in the city.
DR.. Halls subject yesterday morning was the
hanger Of demons returning to take pos
session Of their Old tenement after they had
been exercised. He pictured the increased
dangers Of manifold temptations, and went into
history for Illustrations. The Jews had always
been turbulent people. and they were punished
sufficiently during the Babyonian captivity. They
returned, and commencing WE'LL at the time OF
Christ were in a frightful state Of degen-
eracy. They were torn by contending factions
and leaders. There were the Pharlsees claiming
ali the goodness Of The land, the Sadducees claiming
on n NH fipa1 Wi 10.
puers were endeavoring to bolster up the house OF
Herod, making compromise between Judaism and
heathenlsm, and taking any means to accomplish
their end. Wnat did all this result inf The de-
struct0n Of the nation; not TO come back as alter
over the lace OF the earth, Was not ther last
state worse than the first And this has its appi-
cation to human history. Look at the earliest days
Of Christianity, when heathenlsm owned the
Roman Empire and the apostles OF the new re-
hgion ovefran the world. The nations Gid not
embrace the faith nor reform until the Emperor
Constantine became an avOwed Christian and
Christianity became political power. Then was
set up Christian hierarchy against political
secular interest to belong to the old faith. Men
we're baptized BY thousands n5I., who hardly knew
doctrines OF the Church were ruthessly sacrificed
TO make way Tor sacerdotalism, and sacramental-
SPIRITUALITY died out, and all was in a most mean-
chOy STATE OF decay when MahOmetanism sprung
mp. Here you see the illustration. one demon
was driven out, but he came back and brought
with him other demons more wicked than ne.
TAKE a. n9 3Slngs example IN int
degenerated, and the result was the revolutionary
struggles OF the last century. The freedom ought
to have been used. but it was abused. 1t
became the worst type Of exaggerated tree
dom. Here the demon again brought back
other demons with him, and the last state
was worse than the first. When we conquered our
Independence here the demon OF despotism was
exercised But Instead OF VI h truth and love
We have swept and garnsned our aoode TOR the
demons to come back. Mormonism and Spiritual
losv. nfhn hpha nf sin IL.
midst. Even Communism seeks to shrine and find
q resting place in this vigorous nation. Let us
not our last positsn VIII be worse than the nrss.
We have just got RID OF great national
EVIL the pe9p se @eans ae d 1nak s
do it, but IL IS gone forever. But how much trick
cry and corruption in high places Is lett how little
blacks are freed we should do something to prevent
their going to evil. Indeed all will go to wrong,
and our last condition will be worse than our first
unless we take the lesson out OF history. The
principle IS tie same when applied to the indl-
viduai. Take drunkard reformed from all his
vices. Interest may have reformed him. The
man is turning over new leaf. Is he necessarily
q good man? The restless demon that mad posses
and reinvests the house. The man may no more
be q Grunkard, but he is worldly, Pharasaica, de-
the last condition is worse tnan the first. He was
dong what everybody recognized as being wrong.
Now ne is accomplishing his schemes and thriving
without God, and his last condition Is worse than
the first; Tor he Is now unassaiiaOe. God comes
With His darts and arrows, but does not pierce
him. He is not going on in the way Of inlqulty,
and he hopes all have forgotten his previous
lie. But this is no true repentance He IS
unassaabie by the Lord God. He is
conscious OF his goodness that he takes no lesson
to himself. Publlcans and harlots Will 60 to the
Kingdom before him. He has the opportunities, but
IT were better not to have known the way OF
righteousness than, knowing it, go against it. l
warn you against this deluslOn and snare. Living
without Gcd you die without Cod for in the grave
TO which we hasten the doom Of all remains, and
We are In everlasting silence and gloom. The only
salvation Is IN Jesus Christ. Cease to do evil
that IS good. DO well-that Is better. Don't be
wicked-tnat is good. Do the acts of righteousness
that Is better. Learn to love God aud one an
other. Jesus the goal, and those who enter
heaven must go IN BY That gate. man must not
be negatively g0Od-he must be positively so. He
has heen delivered out OF the Kingdom OF satan,
but he must be translated into the Kingdom OF
GOD. The Old man anc the new man combat to-
Jesus Christ for those who so unscathed through
the test OF trhulation II Is only through the Lord
Jesus that we can ever obtain a real and perman-
eEt victory.