Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-10-14
BISHOP CHENEY.
His Discourse at the House of Hope Yester-
day Morning.

BISHOP CHENEY.
His Discourse at the House of Hope Yester-
day Morning.
There was not vacant seat at the House
of Hope yesterday morning every part of
the church was literally packed, and a more
earnest and attentive congregation never &C
cupied those seats at any service. And it is
safe to say that a congregation formed as it
was of people of many persuasions and
many creeds, never was more wholly absorbed
by any religi Jus services. And no wonder,
for a grander, more beautiful and touching
sermon could scarcely be imagined. The
liturgy of the Reformed Episcopal
church was used; and was read by the Rev.
Mr.. Neil and Bishop Cheney. The reading
of the latter was beautiful and impressive in
the extreme. His rich, full, mellow voice
artisticaiIy modulated and full of wonderful
feeling, seemed to give new beauty and fresh
import to the grand old prayers Of the
Episcopal liturgy. This was more especially
the case with the magnificent petitions of
the litany-that wonderful prayer which has
supplication for all SORTS and conditions of
men, for all seasons and all circumstances
The congregation seemed greatly moved
and Joined in the responses more heartily,
more devotionally than is the general custom
in churches, Wien the liturgy is always part
OF the service. Another remarkable fact for
st. Paul congregation-the whole mass
knelt and stood as the solemnity of the rit-
ual requires. There was no listless lolling
back in seats when the congregation should
stand, and no apethetic lounging when they
should kneel, aid no sitting when all
should stand to sing to the praise and
glory of God. The right reverend bishop
preached the sermon, but before giving out
the text he directed the attention of the con-
gregation to the creed which had been re-
peated. 81 believe in the Holy Catholic
church, tn \, communion of saints.' He
wished TO thank the pastor and the officers of
the church for their courtesy extended
tow 'rds him, not only for the permission to
occupy that pulpit, but for mark of Chris
tlan courtesy which touched him very much,
the right of holding the service according to
the manner practiced in his own church.
The bishop preached from the words:
81 Father forgive them, for they know not
what they do" Luke xiii ch.; 34v.
The sermon was one of the most vivid,
earnest and eloquent ever preached in the
city. Every sentence was beautifully round
ed and polished, the language was very pure
and the delivery was most effective, embeI-
lished as it was with all the refinement and
culture of the true pulpit orator. He COM
menced with the assertion that nature
was averse to accumulative power
of any kind. It was never intended to gath
or without using. He showed this in the
business man massing together wealth over
which his heirs fight like hungry dogs, in
stancing Vanderbilt; and the miserly old
man of Cincinnati who accumulated for
tune and died of starvation. He illustrated
the aversion of nature to unused accumula
lions by reference to the earthquake and
volcano. He then went on to show that
accumulatlve knowledge was dangerous.
knowledge is power" said Bacon, but
knowledge to be powerful and blessing de-
mands constant employment. Accumulated
unused knowledge is a curse-ssYe
knew your duty but ye did
it not'' will be the sentence
pronounced. He showed the danger of un-
used power by referring to Judas, whose accu-
mulated knowledge led him to betry his Mas
ter. For him the prayer was not uttered, s:For-
give them, or they know not what they do
This led him to consider sins of ignorance.
They knew not what they did, and yet they
needed forgiveness. Upon this one idea his
whole sermon was based-sins of ignorance
need pardon Quot ng from the litany,
''Forglve our sins, negligences and ig-
norances." he showed that the church
make special point of this. The sermon
was illustrat, throughout by most beautiful
and apt figures. Unlike many divines who
tell long anecdotes, and often improbable
sounding tales, and giving far-fetched illus
hn h1oha
the most graphic imagery so beautifully
applied that it spoke the most convincing
arguments to the listener. After showing
how willing men are to be misled- that
they believe what they wish to
be true, and that they know
not what the effects of their sin NAV be.
the learned bishop delivered most earnest
and eloquent appeal to those of his hearers
who had given their eternal welfare little !
more than passing thought. It was de-
pressing, he said, to minister, to know that
after the congregation leave the church thew
may perhaps just pass a eulogy upon the
preacher Or criticise his sermon, and give
it no more thought. But he entreated all
to bear in mind the vital Importance of
personal religion. It would not avail them
that on the whole they had lived exemplary
lives; that if they sinned they had good
hearts; that is the profigates, the drunk
ards, the blasphemers and the gamblers plea.
They could not even raise the plea of igno-
rance, and it was a solemn question for all.
Can thai prayer offered at that fearful mo-
ment npon the cross be ever again offered
for them: "Forgive them, for they know
not what they do.''
After the sermon the bishop offered an
earnest and eloquent extemporaneous prayer.
IN which he asked the divine blessing upon
the congregation and their absent pastor.