New-York tribune., 1875-03-08
RELIGIOUS THEMES.
SUNDAY UTTERANCES IN PROMINENT
CHURCHES.

STEPHEN II. TYING. JR., AND THE REV. DIX q. o.
RoBINsON-A PASTORAL LETTER FROM ARCH
BISHOP M'CLosKEY
Among the noteworthy discourses delivered yes
terday morning were those of the Rev. DR.. Marvin
r. Vincent in the Church Of the Covenant, OF the
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher in Plymouth Church, OF
the Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Tying, ir., in the Church OF
the Holy Trinity, and of the Rev. DR.. e. 5. ko0ln-
SON of the Presbyterian Memorial Church. The
Rev. DR.. Vincent preached concerning the ooserV-
ance of the Sabbath and argued in favor of its more
careful service as day of true rest and in favor OF
more general devotion of part of its hours to the
study of the Bible and TO rel gous instruction OF the
youth in place of overcrowdng the day with preach
. ing and other services in the chuIches' DR.
Beecher's sermon concerning progress IN splr-
;tual life and he devoted no short space to the
consideration of the changes in mar. the variable
ness il his nature. The Rev. DR.. Tying handled the
theme Of the Completeness of Life in Christ and
DR.. Robinson preached upon the Faith which Is
Living. In the Roman Catholic churches the
pastoral litter of Archbishop McCloskey concerning
the Plenary Indulgence offered by the Pope In this
Papal year of Jubilee read.
THE AMERICAN SABBATH IN THE CHURCHES.
T Rev. Dr. s Church Of nc CortHam rts
bvbrt1RI
The Rev. DR.. Marvin X. Vincent, pastor OF
hfbst preached yesterday morning upon the subject
of the American Sabbath in the Churches. His text
was Mark H. 81: And he said unto them the Sabbath
ives made for man. and not man for the Sabbath"
You all remember the occasion OF :hese words. They
are our lords reply to the Pharisees when they re-
huked the Disciples for pluckng 20 eat on the Sab
bath day The Pharsees rebuke represents the false
and hurtful view which the of the Jews had come
10 entertain of the Sabbath 1t idol. to which
the interests of humanity were TO be sacrificed The
Sabbath more than man. Man was sabbath
keep,ng being His convenience, his comfort, his pleas
ure very necessities to be subordnaied TO the
observance of this day. The books Of the Jewish doc
tors, and the cOnsciences of the people were aiKe
loaded down with ridiculous and arbitrary rules for
Sabbath-keeping. Christ announces no new truth on
subject In this single uterance he directs the peo
pie back the original principle of the institution OF
the Sabbath. Like every other provision OF the
moral CODE this was made for man; for
mans happiness, for mans comfort, for mans
efficiency, TO promote the leugth OF Lis days.
and his worldly, less than his spiritual pros
perty. Tie Sabbath Instituted to be his delight,
not burdeu be his rest not WEAKNESS ana irrta-
ton Of spirit. 10 TO expose him. on one day IN
seven wholly to the action of forces which
tend to foster manhood. religions man. 1t was to give
him leisure for deliberate worship and prolonged COM
munion with Heaven; for wholesome reflection and the
recalling of salutary husband and father
it was to give him up the companOnShp OF the dear
objects OF hottest affection. household priest ana
instructor 1t was afford him time to teach his chill
oren Lorl's statutes business man, IL was 10 re
lax energies and tit him by rest aud by diversion OF
mind for effective labor and for larger success
The Sabbath made Tor man.
This fundamental truth must be kept clearly in mind
the basis OF our discussion to-day am not now
gong to lead You INTO the mazes Of the contro-
versv between the Puritan Sabbath and tue Con
tinental Sabbath OF the question OF opening puolc
libraries pleasure grounds, or OF the running
Oi street car whether children ought TO be allowed 10
have their toys. wOrkngmen ana women 10 rambe
the public perks. do not propose, IN short 10 touch
the question il arises between he religious and the
secular world the question heiors us 70 DAY Is now
Christians, IN our church lie ana our nethOds
worship understand and practice the true theory OF
Sabbath observance originally given by God, and
interpreted by Jesus Christ III our text. Are we using
of IL all the blessing that God has lodged therein for
and feow-nen LIT us look at this question as
related to four poinS w: Ees CHRISTIAN 'usruo'0H'
Rest That was not first which is spiritual but that
which is natural afteTwdrd that whca spiritual.
Tue fundamental idea OF the Sabbath that of
rest Remember the Sabbath day TO keep G holy"
Inen as the fist comment upon ths-tne only comment
iudeeG-Ahstiuenee from labor is enioneI and enlarged
upon to degree somewhat unusdlln condensed code
like the commandments Take care OF the body, IL
10 say, the foundation on which the spiritual
and intellectual are to rise IL we are ever tempted 10
surprised the purely physical aspect OF tins com
mandmeu let us not forget what stress pa1l iSy' upon
bodily culture. Know ye not that your Oody Is the
temple OF Holy Ghost which is IN you. which ye
bought wIth a prico therefore gloriy God in your
BODY" There the exhortatOn stops. The words " aud
hand And the very fact that now and then
startled Dy the emphasis which Is laid by the Bible
gotten upon a wrong line Of though-:he of the
medieval theology which viewed the body not as Coos
trained and developed 10 DO His will, and to 6e the
minister of MUD and soul, but encumbrance, TO
as a tempter and seducer, 10 be kept down
by fasting aud maceIaton. We TOO readily fan
under obligation 70 gorlfy God with our spirit
we NAV 40 with body pretty much please.
And as OF that 1t will do us good TO
member, that Goa has wrought the. obligation TO our
bodies the. heart CT the moral law as well
into the GOspel Here I'm this fOnrth commandment, is
His solemn injunction 10 take care OF me body Now The
life ia large American cities New-Iork Chicago san
Francisco, curing six days IN the week Is continuous
physical strain, drai; upon nervous energy such as is
experienced nowhere Else III the world. oar climate is
exciting. business methods devised 10 DO The most
IN the shortest ue speed Is our chiel end III me- IL
only last week That prominent business man said
to me. do more in one hour IN New York than in
twelve on the other side the Atanuc I1sle Is an IN
lensity about both business and social ie which
you find nowhere else. There are Wall and BIoadsts.,
IN the There are the Offices with
tho steady click OF tue telegraph noung the
millions stdked aud eager eyes ever scanning aud
nerv0us fingers ever handing the long wme strip
which carries the nleroRlyphs 0f rum OF OF fortune.
There the Stock Exchange and the Gold ROOM with
their delirious eXcitements which spread IKE waves
into every eountingroOin IN the CITY Ihere are the
meals snatched IN crowded restaurants, where sOine
demon OF hurry seems 10 be goading every knife aud
spoon. Hurry, hurry! Is the very atmosphere we
breathe. Business and professional men alike are
whrled at top OF their speed and must ud or make
time in the intervals OF b1sDess FOR al Oi boards
and ecclesiastical, and charitable.
A good portion OF best meD, as soon as the warm
sesson commences will vary the not and Jury OF the
street by spending from two 10 four hours daily upon
arrng driving railway train. Men OF splendid literary
nowers are consuming the day IN making living, and
fgawng on the night the glorious BRAIN which
Is lust coming OF their life blood Tor the worlds use
right So ON thus 20 the eud of hour. We give
.eIyes little rest. We do know what 10 do with
holiday. The night substitutes tbe social Tor
,hen one drops auety out of the whr into an insane
ibste one goes down with epilepsy iu the fu swing OF
nd % a dt.tl