The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-15
RICH MEN HEAR THE GOSPEL
THE REJ. DR. JOHN EILL PRE4 CHES
CONCERNTSC TIfE DEpIL.
Two Hundred Millions OF noiinrs are Gath
cred Toucthcr-ITuw satan Defeated his
Makers f'ians-The DcIuge ns - Medicine.

Attracted nv the sound Of silver bells,
nearly two thousand persons filled the Fifth
Avenue PRESBYTERIAN Churcn yesterday morn
ing. and listened to n peculiar discourse on
Gods enemies in general and Satan in partic-
ular.
Tho magnincence Of this PRESBYTERIAN church
cannot be easily exaggerated. Costing not far
from million Of golden dollars it stands on
the fashionable side OF Fifth avenue. n monu-
ment to the potency Of wealth. luxurious
symposium for the representatives Of not less
than s200.O0a.000.
Large as its dimensions are. its seating ca
pacity s in the neighhorhood Of eighteen hun
drcd only. for mon who can afford to pay for
hard wood scats polished to the verge Of satin.
cushioned in crimson. and bountifully sup
Piled with stuffed pillows for the weary back.
| do not like to he crowded while at their Sunday
exercises
Fronting the congregation is the pulpit on
the Jacdde Of which, carved in sturdy oak are
| the Angel. the Lion. the Bull. and the Eagle.
! types 81 the four Fvnnges. hut often taken 10y
/ uniformed Observers as types oi The Bulls and
! BNnrs Of Wall street. who So libprnlly contrib
| uird 60 pay for tho costly pile
The pulpit itself !. Ike q ilowory bed Of case.
/ Clrpttrd II is with the choicest fabric known
/ 10 the wpaNer's loom, thick aud soft. and Vied-
ing To- the feet of thos" who take hold on rghtn-
! ousnnes Three rlecnntlv-curved arm chnirs
| afford accommodation for the clergy. and a
table Of the same suite stands at the right Of tho
Above tho Speakers head bevelled sounding
| board imparis resonance to the voice. and over
| this Is the gorgeous organ front. with carvings
| and curngs designed by artists and executed
| byexperts. All about the udtorium are mag
| nifcpnt stained glass. diamond-cut windows,
| through which the rays OF the sun shine. mel
Precsely.at ii the clergyman entered. Al
though = Pros'yierion preacher Of tho older
| Of a capon-lined Abbot Of three centuries back.
| Moses In his meekesi mood was a raging lion to
| him, aud 81. John was rough in comparison.
| Sir Plausible himself lght have been his valet.
Clad IN snowy. gauzv bands n superb vest
ment Of black gros gra in TX. fitting likea glove
| the clergyman entered at the appropriate door,
| while mediocre organisi PLAYED "A dreary dirge
| ulon the instrument with tn" snowy front
| half a dozen little millionairpS one OF whom cN-
pressed his disnppro9ation Of the sacrament in
gra'e hy nurse Or. liall opened the regular
| service with PRAYER ol tur rshyterian kind
II is the custom of the people Ia sit and bend
the body durihg prayer, and nearlv all did So
| all but perhaps thirty men. who rose. like gar
don pillars OF the sanctuary. and aggregated in
| tneir representation the tremendous sum Of
| slO0. 900. IL not moro.
Tn" scene WAS n strange one.
Half dozen unconscious babes had heen
touched hy the clerical finger. dipped in Croton
water. and the Creatpro the universe WAS asked
to bless the same IN million dollar church, by
| and personal support OF these men, who con-
tro to-day the estinies and poiencies Of more
1t suggested u glance al the monetary position
OF the congregation. and It revealed the pres
ence of men whose names ara known in the
marts OF commerce the world around and who.
! combined. nm wirld u power greater than that
Of any equal number Of men in any church in
A few Of the most prominent are as follows:
Robert l.. stuart Robert Bonner, William
Henry G. De- Forest, James Frazer. John y.
Mortimer. William Sloane, Harvey Fisk. John
4. Stewart and-hut already we have exceeded
the aggregate of two hundred millions Of dol
lars. either owned or in the control OF the per
sons named. There are a scors oi utarrs whose
| combined figures cannot De less than ono hum
dred mn 'ons. and silil another s ore who con-
The prayer in behalf of tho golden babies
went on, until in the contemplation Of tho eror-
nous wealth th-reubouis prrsoninrd. Miss Kill
come reality and the thump % her metallic
limb beat IN unison with the measured cadcnce
OF the speakers voice.
There stood the calm. close-shavcn man, 20
whose executive ability the lnte A. I. stewart
,Ilpnbs ntlir0qibHd sFW pS bhy II lS wGTa5a2W n
this church. ana constant attendant on its
services. He ilway- stands IN prayer time, and
looks much more IKE a Calvln'sii' preacher
than one whose firm check s good for $4,000
600, and 10 whom an army OF clerks look Tor
daily direction and control.
There. too. was the editor and proprietor of
the famous weekly paper. who's" leaves are
scattered 10y the hundred thousands throughout
the land man whose very horses Hre better
housed than the President II The United States,
whose word is better than MS bond, and Whose
.,'iii ~'NA i'A Hitp sum At'tS NtA' VI
on the centre aisle stood q man with long
head and a sta wari frame. He represents over
30.0Oo0O0. Mr.. Henry 3. Hyde Of life insur-
ance note Is a young man of melancholy lo!k
Libbey and Mr. Robert Bonner. belongs to the
church. and is rarely absent from its -'ryl es.
Bank presidents. eNcutiy" officers Of Lreat
trust companies. railway directors. insurance
men, merchants, ani nanker- Oi Nart prr-
sona property and III III yasirr corp rais wcalih
stood silent while the preacher continued 10
UptitlOn the Heavenly Father a blessing on
They stood as he continued his prayer.which.
by customary grndatl0ns. assembled 10 the plane
Of personal representation and n 'knOwlcdg-
mont of the DIVINE goodness aud power
Then the Rev. Dr. John Hall ceased. and they
all sat down.
At this time the sun shone warm and strong.
and the auditorium WIS huthcd in a. gorgeous
glow q charming combination OF crimson and
gold. that soDthed and ralmed the t"nsrs. 1t
the round Doctor should rall forth "A hymn Of
praise, ana that the penIl" should softly sing,
as they d!d. 2 song in which was verse. two
lines ol which thus read:
Thy love cid all our waudor,ngs trace,
Aud brought To a wealthy place.
Under certain circumstances this would Of
necessity strike the irrryeren' as funny IN the
extreme, but there was SUCH delicious fitness
10 II that criticism WAS disnrmed, and we all
As thinker the Rev. DR.. John Hall does not
impress everybody As popular pastor he
leads the brethren, Yesterday morning he
preached. largely without rel"rrnco TO his notes.
"A sermon on ateXt which propncsicd the ulti-
mate triumph Of Christ over All his enemies
To Satan, us the chief enemy. he devoted tho
greater part Of his discourse, and leaving aside
for the time all natural doto,taton of the devil,
ii must be conceded that lle gave him notable
praise as being Of nge. intelligence. scope Of
VndeaVOr, power. and success. In pictured
him as created NJ the beginning, one Of Gods
grcaiest. wihrrt, ana most able creatures Ac-
rOrding to the speaker. Satan waS tempted and
fell, after which, being thrust from his position.
he organized intelligent and successful hostility
TO his Maker, whom he thNuried in every poss j.
bic and conceiyahi" WHY, upsrttng HIS plans.
and defeating His projects.
Alter awhile the Lord swept away tho wicked
OF the earth by dcuge, int ndlng thus to reno
Vate and clean the rucr.
But the Villain still pursued them.
Again Satan wrntto work, again he succeeded.
until to-day ne rciEns vi ON the earth, and II is
only by looking to the prophecy that tho people
of the Lord can find any hope of ilnal victory
This story and mucn more TO the same effect
the Doctor pleasantly placed before tho people
OF his church, and in an indirect way lombard
ed Satan safely tO the eud.
The acoustic properties of the church are the
best that could be- arranged Tor money The
sounding board Is made OF highly seasoned
timber. and the voice Of the pHstor rusily
reaches the remOtest corner OF the house. Com
fort and cosliness are the charm of the place.
There is not Il cheap book in the rack On the
little Oaknn table stood a pile OF hooks whose