The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-02
FIFTH AVENUE PREsBY TERRAIN CHURCH.

DIR. John Hall On the Duties and Re-
sponsibiiities OF the Ministry-The
Levites Of the Old Dispensation-Sa-
cerdotal Functions Among the Jews
Paupers and Poor Ministers Families.
DR.. John Hall preached yesterday in his church.
at the corner OF Fifth avenue and Nineteenth
street. upon the duties OF the Levites Of old. He
drew lessons from them TO apply to the ministers
OF the present day, the whole sermon being de-
signed to draw forth a good collection from the
congregation for the fund for the relief of clergy
mems widows and orphans, and there Is no doubt
OF its having had the desired ef1ect
DR.. Hall said that the Levites were appointed by
the Lord Jehovah to perform the functions around
the Tabernacle, not in a sacerd0tal sense like the
children Of Aaron, who himself was High Priest.
The Levltes performed no ceremony, and yet they
exercised more than mere functions. The TaDer
nacle was cumbrous ana was constantly
Tney maintained order around it. The
smallest family among the Israeiite tribes was
number. They did not perform priestiy functions
nor did they minister at the altar There are also
Levites IN the Christian dspens ation.
THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST
is typifed in the person OF the Lord Jesus Christ
ana the ministers OF the Word in subsection to
Him. Jesus Christ has been constituted High
Priest by His people. The truth coming rom Fim
may be proclaimed These men are gwen TO lin
wholly to carry out His great purposes Ihls is the
as enunciated in Exodus:-"I have taken the Le-
vites IRON among the children OF Israel to serve
God. Their bodies were sprlnked and an Offering
was presented by them. Aaron then made an
ton OF himself and the people. On that great oc-
casion when Moses entered the Temple and called
aloud, who is on the Lords sideY" when idoiatry
had become so rank that the whole people
was contaminated, the Leyltes came and
stood by his side, and they were told
to go through the people and smite the brother
and the father ii they were guilty, and they did
SO. Noses wished to strike decisive blow at this
great crime. And for this acton they cOnsecrated
themselves. We stand upon the same level, need
ing atonement and sanctitcation. We must learn
by this to purge ourselves rom iusts ambitions
and all evil passions. The ministers OF the New
Testament have the same mission. We have to
be called by the Lord Jesus Christ 0y His spirit
and the appreciation OF His people. There is some
THE AWFUL CONSIDERATION
Unless we love Him more than we do each other
we are not fit for salvation. Who is on the Lords
side Z? They must be willing to break with their
nearest and dearest, They must be willing 70 set
themselves at war with multitudes about them,
rebuking evn doors before all They must
have above all, morality, wrch Is their
me an shi Sas sonsh so
a body OF men together, so the Levites were
separated and were given eight and forty cities to
pie and some OF their places were cities OF refuge,
and they were compensated by being given the
TT Of the pe9p " a a9
how much jealous care the Lord took Of the
MAINTENANCE or RELIGION
among his people, and how He insisted on the OBJ
servance OF what may appear trivial ceremonies.
But they had all significance. There Is much
importance IN Keeping the people round the
Church. The increasing burdens OF pauperlsm
would be relieved II they we're III proper position
around churches and the churches were in places
where they could do most good. How important,
then are the priesty functions And yet 1t is slngu-
lar that tile great body OF those men who have had
nothing saved Tor this Crisis were people who
could earn their So SO day or say ST. 200 per year,
and who now want charity, while the mass OF min
listers seldom, in the country get more than 5000,
500 or $500 year. Many OF these die poor, ieav-
ing families without means Of support IL is Tor
this class appeal to-day.
Dr. Hall made further appeal, and the collection
was taken up l0r the purpose mentioned above.