The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-24
THE WIDOW VAN COTT
REMARKABLE SERMON AT THE WARREN


Tho Warren street Methodist church yesterday morn
ing was filled by miscellaneous congregation at
tractcd by desire to hear the noted female preacher
Widow Van Colt. The lady has been preaching
throughout the United States during the past ten
years, and yesterday filled the pulpit again for Rev.
John Parker in whose classroom she began her more
active Christian work. 1t may be said without offence
that she nothing Of her remarkable power
the audiences she addresses what usually credited
to delicate and graceful form. Silent and away from
tho pulpit or platform she would be taken for
well rounded matron, whose only engrossing
had been the rearing of family respectfully. 1t
not until she had commenced to pray and read and
speak that her hearers to full comprehension OF
the fact that they in the presence OF Of
really extraordinary mental and physical power. While
simply reading the chapter in Genesis describing the
creation OF the world tho sun, the and the stars
she, by interspcrsed remarks concerning tho condi-
tons then described and the conditions existing at the
present day in the universe advocated the truthfuness
of the Bible against tho sceptcsms and SCOTS of
believers manner which drew loud declarations of
assent from the congregation. Then followed a
iorcibc prayer, in wnich she called upon
God Ia convince the Governor OF this the
President Of the United States that the eye OF tho
Omnipocnt Is upon them, searching their hearts aud
dvlnng their motives AL that they do. Then, alter
singing ny tho choir and congregation, and brief but
impressive prayer that her worus might prove effective
Tor the saving Of sinners, she selected text por-
ton OF the ninth verse OF the third chapter OF Jonn
The portion selected was the single word How" On
tits brief, but her hands remarkably suggestive
text she through the forms OF difficulties
experienced by tho dnrcdceEed, even when seemingly
dcsirous OF arriving at the nth OF the Bible
SAVING power of Christ In illustration OF her
sine referred to Nlcodemus who came to Jesus by
night and after listening 10 him, asked, ..How can
these things 7" Jesus responded, verify ray
thee that except man be born again he cannot en-
ter into the kingdom OF heaven" ''But how
man be born again when no Is old and iull
wnyn qucricd Nicodcnus. And CHRIST answered
that unless he he born OF the SPIRIT he
enter into The kingdom OF heaven Christ, she held
ana not enter into any exhaustive explanation with
Nicodcmus, who still incln. d to ask, -How these
tuings bcy' shc very 81 ongly believed that tne
difficulty by VIII CHI Nicodcmus tro- bled still
among the unre,leomed how the cruriiixon OF Christ
now near 1900 years ago could prove eicacious
the saving OF sinners to-day The response to that
doubt was that the Bible declaration was that whose
bceveth shall be saved On the word shall she
would have them rest thc.r foot, for in II there
nigh power, and thcy must have faitn that
declaration. Then developing somewhat the diilcu
ties IN the way Of entire iaitn IN Christ as compared
with rc.atons, she illustrated her
Point by telling that occasion, when dining with
friend, he forkcd over TO ncr
FINE MEALY POTATO.
When he did she sand 10 herself fought to say
10 nm that cannot cat that potato, because not
know in what soil II was grown, or how il was pos
matter, anywhere cl.cy' But no, she dbl do
ray anything Of tho kind She stuck FORK The
potato stripped of jacket and, being very hungry
found IT delicious, She sure she would, even
though she had that great big meaiy potato
before. she hau iaitu her own instincts
pearanccs, and she pronled by her faith Again, for
another illustration, she carried her hearers up tho
Hudson in the WINTER season, where one Of them said
he exceedingly thirsty. She picked up Tor him
snow, when, being for the first time in northern
cline, no said. II have asked Tor water and you have
not gwen Il 10 me; these crystals" But while he
doubted anu denied that lie had IN rcallty been gwen
what he needed 10 the ystas had changed water
which was dripping through hrs fingers while he re-
NAMED in DOUBT lie did not understand II, but he
ahrst aud he partook OF what remained in his
hand without stopping TO ask how J, came there
Aud Ets fnrIu liza Ni pLu f.pIf -
promises. We should have entire faith in them always
Tor II read Alright they were un'aling Again she gave
illustrations Of faith IN what seen, without knowledge
"how' IL comes 70 be SO by rccng camp meeting
incident during the last brother to her
SAVING that he desircd 10 have full faith In tho Bibles
declarations Of Gods promises, but found II exceed
ingly difficult TO succeed them. There was
terry ABBOTT the problem which he could not iniy
prchcnd, and he was therefore IN very grave doubt
She said to him. pointing 10 some trees near By, Wha
that there ~ aud said She then asked
10 another, and hc said a hickory And he was
right IN both cases She then asked him now II aas
that growing they did IN the SAME soil, an
oak aud the other hickory tree. lie SAID didn't
know but he know they different and had full
belief IN H. And the was true concerning the
variety anu beauty OF the colors OF oxcrs
We could believe in their production the handiwork
OF the Almighty without knowing aueht Of how they
produced Aud SIN, when tho God de-
clarcd Mat He would 90 Tor us, provided had iu
faith IA His promises, were ncd with doubts ana
unbclicf Bu, when ai,h and belief strong
they should be, tho Christian, she sad
icels tho same confidence in Gods promises
without knowing how hey To be fulfilled, as docs
tho Cnilu IN DTcau, Win tie mcthOd
which u knows nothing at all The child knows thai
It's mother knows anu the Christian knows that God
knows whereof He promises. As st another inter-
cstng evidence OF the faith that In us In merely
temporal things, she told that while she the far
West she received box by express. shc opened IT,
and found therein gown, OF which she very much
IN need Did she look al IL aud that GOULD
wear II because she did not know where
sIEEr ATE TnE
OF hch the gown NADER Certainly not she put
II right away and thanked God Tor II. And add
like pertinent illustration OF her main point, she said
that while dlscoursng with ono OF the unrcdccmcd,
they overlooking out upon held IN which there
feeding IRON the same grass COW, pig, sheep and
goose Her unrcdecmed friend finding II iinpos-
siblc 10 believe in Gods power 70 cnangc the
hearts OF men, simply because he could not
clearly understand hos II was done She called his
attention TO tue COW. the pig. tho sheep aud the
goose, all feeding from the same grass. and asked him
''How that feeding from precisely the
stance, hairs out upon the back o the COW, brses
the back Of tho pig wool on the back oil the sheep
and that oil the goose fcathersy" Tho
poor man said he didn't know how " came 10 be; hut
there was, certain She then showed him how
u none tho loss wonderful that Goi should. In
nj