The New York herald., 1877-12-24

opposition which had thus been prophetcaly forctold
by the aged Simeon. Dr. Burchard rotated briefly the
story Of the good mans meeting with Mary, Joseph
and their inian child In the tempe how he took the
blessed Jesus In his arms. saying "Lord, now
iettcst thou thy servant depart In peace, according
TO thy word, for minc oyes have thy saliva
ton" Tho preacher then went on 70 say that the
language OF the text predicted that Christ's title
should be questioned by sceptics after but he
particularly desired TO call attention to doubts cast
upon the transcendent miraculous manifestation
which attended tho OF the Saviour. The argu-
ment OF tho speaker opened with bret declaration
human mind tor tho reception OF knowledge He de-
scroed the process MS progrcssivc that is 10 say,
the human intelligence enlarged daily--each to-nor-
row saw II more ample than Il was tho day before
10 tho ' mind i' Of man asne seemed incomprchen. @
sible unaccountable transcendcnt to-day
The e hss s
great central fact IN the history OF the world and Tor
tho nd Of Ss ~od or Tor @ D
BLrchard then ran over in detail the great and care
Ss Father had taken 20 the the
coming OF Him OF whom Moses and the prophets had
preachcd The very social aud political aspects OF tho
world had been settled and arranged Tor the Messiab's
advent. Tho several nations Of the oartn had been
eaveaed by conquest and the jews were possessed BY
resistess longing for the coming OF tho Shiloh Then
Il is tho discredi. OF tho physical phsnomcna
provo unfounded, said Dr. Burchard. In the hrst
place, many people declare that His abnormal con-
ccption was TOO absurd be worthy OF belief Yet
this theory OF conception without natural parentagc
was not new with Christianity II had appeared IN
pagan writings, IN the history Of miraculous women.
In mythology, in Tartary, in Indian story and among
the fables OF vesta virgins Therefore the vcry feature
not so trancendenta or novel as to bo Impossible Of
crcdenco. Such theory found favor with mankind
10 former ages and It surely Is 10 harmony Win an
Of controversy Is ound IN the miracles OF Christ during
HIS lifetime Sceptcs and indels ascrbc some OF them
pl ins thnVa IaA n
or magician David Hume, IN his philosophy. says
that all these arc against human experience Now,
tho limitations OF this arc changed daily. Human
experience has no boundary, and In answer 70 an
other theory of tho author Dr.. Burchard added
pericnce should ufacture alsity which
they adhered through obloquy aud death as aid tho
these men, then. said the preacher, nil that
mains for the sccpto to believe or think s that they
ali that neod be said here is that the achovements Of
modern science through the upholding providence OF
sacred revelation 10 have made man believe in former
ages Dr. Burchard then went on 10 show that science
changed water into wins nowadays, saved liic where
Il seemed TO have departed entirely, made tho
1saf S' % hss @ Ys. ' IL cSrs.s A day .hsse
things done by Him must be pronounced unworthy Of
crcdcnce 1t must have boon Chrlst's mode OF work.
ing them without the aid Of any secondary or auxl-
larry agency that made them remarkable and diff
cult OF belief There like the Savour's
restoration OF fo to the Widows son, the casting out
Of devils and others. STILL certainly cannot DO
difficult the faco OF results OF modern magnet
ISM mcsmersm and electricity for the human mind
TO believe In Christ's miracles Thorc have been
developments OF science that wo prepared 10
believe in almost any action OF Christ said tho
preacher Every decade Of years Is witnessing
world Has miracles. Humc's arguments
against them, therefore. arc simply nowhere.
In tho last place, tho discourse referred to the re-
jecton or the "aleged portents" In the Savour's
lie and death. Tnesc are tho appearance Of the star
IN the east, the chd's conversation In the temple,
tho transfguration tho meeting with the angels In
tho garden the gloom at the cruclxion the ascension
other incidents in HIS lie Tberc was no good
reason ior disboleving these, inasmuch the mind
OF man had always inclined to iath IN sucn super
s,bsr ru" o r. &
tho minds Of tho Messiah's contemporaries Tor His
coming In fnct God had been preparing me world
aspects phenomena ofChrst wero necessary to tho
salvation OF mankind. Thoy arc not beyond the pale
OF belief.
ST. MICHAEL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
ADVENT ORDINATION CEREMONIES YEsTERDAY-
DIR. PETERS SERMON.
The Advent ordination was held In St. Michael's
Church yesterday. Mr. Johnson ordained deacon
and tho Rev. John Peters, Ph. D., Of the rector
OF st. Mchaels, Greek tutor in Yalc College; y. I.
Ward, assistant minister In st. Michaels; Matthew
Bailey, NJ D., formerly practising physician In
Booniugdai and Mr.. Keller, assistant In
Christ Church, Fifth avenue, we're ordained priests.
Tho Rev. Dr. Seymour, dean of tho General The
illogical Seminary and Bishop-eec OF springfield, ILL.,
presented of the candidates. Dr. Peters present
ing ais own SOC and his assistant Professor Seymour
aud the Rev. Dr. $. 0sgood said morning
PEERS Peters from the ' text. asnow s'' 70 TO them
before the churches the proof OF your love-" The
preacher who has been Tor upward OF thirty years
part Of his assigned subject his aim being chiefly to
tell the people nc need there Tor cooperation on
be successful among men. He said that as God sont
His into the world toDe made man that men might
ehn llr nha1 nnIun J..
men not angels His ministers that through their
weakness men might be made strong. Ho exhorted
tho people, who had thus received Gods great gilt
through earthen vessels 10 deal tenceriy with those
eartnen vessels, and mans weaknesses should
work Of tho Church might be accomplished
by the united efforts Of both clergy and people.
Dra. Peters and ossood ASSISTING. Professor Oliver,
OF the Theological Seminary, and DR.. Adams, OF 81.
Marys Manhattanvillc were also present. and Joined
with tho other prcsbytcrs In laying ON their hands,
4 with the Bishop, Upon tho hoads OF those ordained
| priests
Tho church is small and OF wood, but handsomely
| decorated The choir Is composed OF fourteen boys
aud about as many volunteers from tho congregation
The choir presented to the church yesterday hand
somcy carved eagle lcctcrn, and have also prepared
for Christmas now and beautiful white altar hangings
rms parish, which is segcnty-nvc yours old, Is
full Of activity in nInistering TO tho poor Tho
church Is tree, aud several asyiams homes and hos
/ pitas are conncctcd with IL.
CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY.
l OlI TlNG SHEAkS ON 1AE HA1SlNt OF AZ II
pEBT--AN ANSWER TO MS CRITICS.
Afcr the regular service and before his sermon tho
Rev. Dr. Tying, Jr, spokc on the subject OF Mr Kun
balls efforts raise tho debt Of tho church When
large Is undertaken, he said, there is Of
! course, much misunderstanding. Tho press has becn
very kind giving tho details OF tho work, but In
| somo they have mado serious mistakes. Ono
or two OF those Important that feel 70 incum-
bent upon to correct them. II said that tho
dobt Is enormous one and implies mismanase-
ment; that It u bad example to the comm unity
1 and those people for whose bcncat II Is designed.
/ That would II the whole OF tho dcbt restod
upon the building; but the church and corporation
have been conioundcd. The actual debt Of $3.50, 900
consists OF liens upon the whole property Of the
poratou In lts va rtous relations Tho work