The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-27

OF new IOrk.
The Spirit OF tho Pulpit.
Yesterday was the first Sunday we have had
thus far in 1874 that could really be accepted
as an expression of the spring. The terrible
rain of the day before had swept tho
city into unwonted tidiness, and the
day brought with it fresh airs from
mountain and sea and radiant, sunny
weather. There was so much oxygen and Life
in the air that we are not surprised to find it
reflected in the pulpit. Two things are quito
essential to due appreciation Of religious OBJ
servances--good health and good weather We
see glimpse of what Heaven may be in the
perfection of soul-inspiring spring day, and
Christianity assumes generous, manly,
real quality, as though this world
were something else than . vale Of
tears. Mr.. Hepworth was in harmony
with the season in his intrepid championship
Of belief in God. The very perfectness Of
formation. the wonder and ingenuity shown
in the structure of the world, prove that
no excuse for disbelief in God, because every
race has believed in Him since the world be-
gun. If the human heart was controlled BY
any one passion it was love, passion in
herent in our human nature. 1t was i'm
possible for man to live without loving some
thing or somebody, and the love Of God was
the highest, the most instructive expression
of love. We needed God in our hearts and in
our homes, for Gods presence made homo
reality. God was not despot. He was our
Father, and we could not exist as world OF
as people without believing in Him.
Mr.. rockingham celebrated the day by .
philosophical and scholarly analysis Of tho
modern battle now waging between good and
evil-a battle which was really the worlds
conflict with evil. Even before Christianity
there were usages customs, laws and institu-
tons, so that every man who was not fool
knew whether he was living in the dominion
of Ormuzd, the good spirit or of Ahriman.
the spirit Of evil. This belief was trans
mitted to Christendom and took palpable
Christian sects upon Catholicism, and by tho
earlier abohtionists upon slavery. But tho
reverend speaker did not inculcate any doc
trine of total depravity. It was . convenient
faith to men who were partisans and
felt it necessary to make war OF
proselytism. No such doctrine could b
preached now. God begins to live when man
begins to learn. We no longer regard the
world as place of exile and battle, but as
home and a resting place, full Of opportunities.
joys and boundless privileges But at tho
same time, under no theory were we absolved
from battling for the triumph Of good But
we no longer subdue-we teach. Take intem-
perance as an illustration. The old way TO
fight intemperance is to confne the war to in
temperance, and not against temperance as
we'll All that is necessary is for society to
make beginning. In the end the experiment
will succeed.
Mr.. Beecher began by announcing that Mrs
Everett would lecture in aneighboring church.
and although her address would be on the sub
Gospel preaching that should not be despised.
He also announced lecture by himself for .
charity, intimating to his hearers that he did
not care whether they came to hear him or not
SO they purchased tickets. After this hs
proceeded to preach about Christ and
the influence of Christ upon human
welfare. He inculcated the broadest Chris
tim charity. He had many friends in
Rome and the Pope WAS one Of them
He believed the old man to be good man.
and would willingly offer him his pulpit if he
came to Brooklyn, fer while there was much
rubbish in the Church of Rome there waa
a great deal that was good and pure. The
general tone of the other sermons was cheer
full, broad and humane. We are glad to note
an absence of bitterness and vituperation
among our clergymen. Religion seems to
have assembled to higher and purer level:
and it is cheering to note the generosity, can
dor and benevolence that seem to pervads
the pulpit.
Steam Lanes-Their Rationale.