, 1876-07-03
An Eloquent Sermon on the
Centennial by the Rev.
W. a. Bartlett.
The Significance Of independence
Day, by the Rev. Brooke
Herford.
Historical Sketch Of the Fifth
Presbyterian Church.


AAAA1 >AAAA+1e-' "eA
| CHENEY.
| Bishop Cheney preached an eloquent sermon
| yesterday morning at Christ Church, corner oi
! Michigan avenue and Twenty-fourth street, on
the death OF Bishop Cuu.:nins. The church
was heavily draped in mourning. On the COM
munion-table WAS floral cross, and above the
! rcrcdos, in white letters on black ground, was
the dying message Of the departed Bishop to
| his Church, "Tcll them to go forward.'
The preacher took for his text Psalms, cxvI.,
| Is: " Precious in the sight Of the Lord Is the
| death OF His saints" In loneliness he could
cry with Elisha on the translation Of Elijah,
"sIy fathcr, my fathcrl The chariot Of Israel,
| and the horseman thereof" Gods view OF
such partings was revealed in the text. The
| word "prccious - expressed the divine estimate
| OF the death Of such men. In this day OF soE-
row, when God had taken from the yet infant
| Church its founder and presiding Bishop, 1t was
sweet consolation to know how God looked upon
the death Of :: believer in His name. He could
not estimate what loss they had experienced
did he not begin with the thought how much
richer Heaven was to-day by their bereavement
The pulpit was DR.. Cumn,ns' Throne; there
he was king of men. The Protestant Episco-
pal Church had had many noble men in its
ranks; but from the hour Of its planting on
American soil to the dark hour when it wrote
"deposcd'' u next the name that they rcvcrent1y
honored it had had no such preacher as Dr..
Cunmins~ He was ali attractive preacher.
There was an Irresistible magnetism about him
which drew men to him.. Endowed By Nature
with A voice of power and sympathetic quail
II, lie never Tcaried his audience with its loud
est tones, and yet he never failed to penetrate
persuasive as a flute, it WAS triumphant
as trumpet, it was sad an Eolian
harp. He not only presented the
truth in his pulpit utteranees, but
was born orator, and had he not given him
self to Christ would hare moved men with his
eloqucnce either at the bar or in the Halls Of
Congress. But his attractiyencss in the pulpit
To preach the Gospel be considered more than
his duty or privilegc-it was absolutely passion
with him. He loved his work with spirit of
chiyalrous devotion, and inscribed the name Of
Christ upon every public act Of his ministry.
Early in life DR.. Cumn1ins was drawn towards
the Protestant Episcopal Church by the beauty
Of its liturgy. It was Bishop Culnmins, who,
ut tho close of their dark period after the Con-
vention OF 1871, wrote to the preacher Offering
70 present and STAND By his memorial II the
dared to have done that. TWAS not controversy
but Christ tlat inspired the dead Bishop In his
efforts in behalf Of the Reformed Church. The
Church was nothing to its founder except that
II EEtulu Uc Il HItHCS0 W LUC HUl1A u
the Savior. His testimony was complete, his
worl; was wrought. but like the widening circle
on the placid lake, his witness to the power of
the Sayior's love shall widen through the ages
till it touch the shore Of eternity. 1t WAS only
with delicacy and tenderness could he OR.
Cheney unfold to others what Bishop Cummtns
ever seemed to him. Nc WIS q man Of unfall-
ing cheerfulncss- His countenancc was that ct
Moses when he came down from the Mount It
slone with sweetness: 1t was impossible to re-
sist the infectious influence Of his faith in God
He had climbed to such an elevation OF absolute
truth and confidence in the word and love OF
God, that when other men were rnpt in the
thought-clouds, he lifted his head like noun
tain High into the sunshine Of unfailing Joy. No
difficulties oppressed him; no d;scouragement5
led him eTen temporarily to dcspond. He need
hardly allIde to Ills unselfshncss.. It seemed as
though the fires Of persecution and trial through
which God had led him had purified his soul
and left scarcely trace on his honest heart.
He WIS ever ready for labor OF for sacrifice. He
possessed remarkable quality Of courage
When an carly sermon, in which he expressed
ant Episcopal Church, was republished, he had
the courage to say: "Those were my views
when preached that sermon; but God opened
my eyes, anu to-day I admit was mistaken"
His gcntlencss and charity were equal to his
courage. No man ever heard from him one syl-
liable Of denunciation against the. men who
loaded him with obloquy. Even in oil the sa-
cred confidence OF his [the pTeacher's} intimate
association with him, ne never heard Bishop
Cunmns imputc Il bad motive to the men who
loaded him with every possible term Of re-
proach. He was ready to the last to fling his
arms of tender charity around the verymen who
wounded him with their s1anders and rcproach.
After giving a touching picture OF the DEATH
bed scene, Bishop Cheney concluded By saying:
ain the sacred conservation Of this sorroning
yet rejoicing hour, let us follow him, even as
he followed Christ. Let us pledge ourselves to
60 forward till victory crowns the glorious work
that he began.ss