National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-02-21
The Evening Service.

Inc Evening service.
When the services began at the Foundry church
last evening there was hardly standing room in
the great auditorium. Mr. Hammond was late
and the first half hour was taken up with sing
ing. The large choir which Mr.. Bentley has or.
organized filled the organ loft, and Mr.. Bentley
led them from the plstiorm.
When Mr.. Hammond did appear he stated that
q great many had been turned away but the
lectureroom below was open, and il any Chris
tians desired to 90 down there and hold good
meeting they could do so and let others have
their seats. He had had some difficulty in get
ting in himself and 1t reminded him Of an Incl.
dent in London, where DIR. Chalmers was going
10 preach, and arrived 30 late that he could not
gel in, and he finally had to get in the window by
means Of ladder.
Mr.. Bentley sang a solo with great effect
DR.. Gray invoked the holy spirit in fervent
prayer.
the doors, DIR. Cleveland announced that Dr.Gray
and Mr.. Wilson, the chorister OF the church,
would hold meeting below, and these gentle
men, with others, left the main meeting to go be-
Mr.. Hamnond's hymn, Jesus of Nazareth
passeth by" was sung the whole congregation
standing.
Mr.. Hammond then, taking his Bible in his
hand, read from Psalm xiii. He commented as
4 tsrrsd 1PO ~ me st.Tnoon meeties and Said that
many had been found rejoicing in God. He be-
lIeved in experiences, he said. A little boy, who
and Mr. Hammond asked him to tell how he came
to be o Christian, which the boy did.
Mr. Hammond offered a short prayer, and the
hymn, 'Christ offering pardon" was sung.
Dr. Cleveland announced the meetings for this
week. He also spoke OF the necessity Of workers
in the Inquiry meeting where the battle was to
be i0uR ht and won. He was in perfect accord
with MIR. Hammond in the aims for which the
| meetings were established, and he urged gener al
cooperation in the work Of saving sinners and
pressing the salvation OF Christ
Mr.. Bentley then sang NINETY and Nine" in
q very effective manner.
Mr.. Hammond then began his sermon, select
ing as his text Romans, XVIII: The kingdom Of
God is not meat and drink, but rig hteousness and
peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost"
He referred to the origin of the Church Of Rome,
which, In the beginning, had consisted OF con-
l verted Jews and converted Gentiies, and TO the
had written to Paul, and that was the reason that
Paul had written his lengthy Epistls to the Ro.
mans, mildly Gliding both parties which was all
the kingdom OF God was not outward ceremony,
l meat and drink, but righteousness and peace.
He made three divisions Of hs text, definition OF
Il the kingdom Of God; second, what 1t was not;
i and, third, what 1t was.
The words kingdom Of God was not meat and
Il drink; the kingdom OF God was another name for
true religion. the word religion was composed
Of two Latin words, me aning literally, to bind
again; The word relation was one Of the most
| God, In text, meant religion in the soul, that
/ which bound man 10 God. A man without re.
ision was ike planet broken loose from the
1 time to eloquently elaborate the figure and de-
scribed the earth dashing of away from It's orbit.
Such was the condition Of q man without a re.
ngion; his soul was freezing to death; there was
no summer in his soul, sons; II was all night.
Religion was one Of the most alarming words Of
the Bible. The verse said that " hen man got re.
iRion and reyolyed in orbit Of love- then he had
peace and Joy that he never had before Before
they could have that religion the Lord Jesus
Christ had 10 como down to this earth and die
for them on Calvary that they might have peace.
Jesus was butfeted and crowned with thorns In
Pilates ball that they might have religion.
The kingdom OF God was not meat and drink,
and did not consist in outward ceremonies. II
did not consist in joining the Church. The
Church was not the door to Christ, but Christ
was the door to the Church. He believed there
were many people In Washington who had bsen
> converted and who ought to join the Church,