The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-13
ANNIVERSARIES.
Semi Centennial Celebration of tile
Church of the Ascension.
FOREIGN MISSION S
Rev. Howard Crosby's Address to the
Young Mems Association.


eleven O'Clock A. ". The spacious edihco at Fifth
avenue and Tenth street completely filed by the
congregation, ana the rector ASSISTED
In the services by three other clergymen.
After the regular morning prayer service OF the
Episcopal Church the rector DR.. John Cotton Smith,
assembled the pulpit ana delivered lengthy histori
cal sermon. The reverend gentleman first referred
TO the organization OF tho Church OF the Ascension
nfty years ago. AMI its dedication by Bishop hogan
on the 2Sth OF May, 1929. Tho congregation chose
for their rector the assistant minister OF Christ
Church, and after occupying their cdlace on Broad
way grew rapidly IN numbers AMI influence. On the
Both oil june 1889, the church was entirely de-
stroyed Ivy fire. and but little of the coptcuts were
saved. lbe baptsmal font, however, was preserved.
and stands To-day III the present edhcc. The congre-
cation, while looking for new site for their church,
held services in the Dutch Reform Church in Ninth
street, which had been kindly placed at their dis
posaL Some of the ycstry wcro III favor OF rebuild
ing on the burned site, but others thought it would
prove advantageous to move. Tho latter finally
ceeded in carrying their point aud the present site OF
cided upon. Tho new cnurcn was erected IN lS4l,
Bishop Ouderdonk officiating at the ceremonies. The
church was designed by Mr. Upjohn, architect OF
Trinity Church. The present rector was called TO the
church in December, 1859.
Dr. Smith proceeded to speag at length of the
Christian and Charitable work OF the Church In tho
past; OF tho establishment OF its missions and
chapals and OF the erection of q church in ONO He
referred with great feeling to the three rcctors who
had preceded INN the church, speaking more par
ticularly OF Drs. Eastman and Bedell, each OF whom
diocese one in MASSACHUSETTS, tho other IN OHIO.
the rector then alluded to the CHARITIES OF the church
aud the members OF the congregation who had Teen
most prominent in them. He contended that the
charities and benevolent INSTITUTIONS should not BIO
separated from the Church. tho course OF the
mon the reverend speaker spoke OF the lie and death
oil Captain Frederick Lahrbush, who died April 3,
1877, member Of Ascension Church, and aged Ill
years. The Captain was born March 9, 1906, en-.
tered the English Army at an early age. Ho knew
Butcher, Ney, Eugene, Victor, Lefevre and many
other prominent generals and statesmen Of those days.
a. hud fnu OH IN no Pen Wur n uad haan
also OF garrison OF ST. Helena while Napoleon
l. was imprisoned there. DR.. Smith thought that he
really Ill years old the time OF his DEATH al
though thore were those who argued that was not
PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS.
Tho exercises of anniversary week In the Presby-
tcran Church brought to close by the delivery
OF the annual sermon before the Board OF Foreign
Missions OF the Presbyterian Church by Dr. Herrick
johnson at DR.. John Hal's church at four p NJ. and
repeated in Dr. Cuyler's church In Brooklyn in tho
evening The reverend gentleman took for his text
the twenty-third and twenty-fourih verses OF the
first chapter Of l. Corinthians:-"But We preach
Christ cruclaed: unto the Jews q stumbling block,
and unto The Greks foollshnoss but unto them which
arc called, both jews and Greeks, Christ the power
Of God, and the wisdom OF God" He said:-
These are the words Of q foreign mission
airy to o mission church. Paul was this
missionary aud was on his third missionary
tour He was at Ephesus which was packed with
idolatcrs In Corintb the abandoned worship Of Aph.
rodte carried ON, and more than one thousand
pisstesscs attached to the temple OF that city.
The historical setting gives the text meaning.
The great thought linked with missionary idea.
This first foreign missionary was missionary tours
believed iuly IN the Gospel hs preached. Let
II the very wisdom Of God IS not embraced in tho
salvation Of mankind VIVA, were the dliicultes I'm
the wayY Cniohy two-a moral ruin ana q
broken law. How difficult to restore ruin or
any Kind Thoroughly destroy this beauti-
who can exactly restore II? With man tho ruin
what IL the difficulty II was grand thing 10 mako
man. The iroo agency oil will was almost terrible
thing to give, but u tree agent Is grander work
than machine. Can Gods nero power restore what
Gods viii crcatedY No. Motvo ana influence arc
the remedies, not powor. But what motive and IN
nucnce are to be successfully IL was easy 10 create
man, but redemption Is harder. word would
DO now. IL Is a far more difficult work now 10 DO
DONE But there was also broken law. Sin IS
pleads Tor the vndicaton OF that law. Justice
Is as dear 10 God as mercy. Not 10 punish stu
would be 10 abrogatc the law and impugn the wisdom
that enacted IT. But The means Of success show
Gods greatness as much as tho end aimed at.
Chrisps perfect suficency Is shown by his mysterious
personality. He was creator and created. All tho
iulness OF the Godhead bodily contained In tho cmpt
OF strong and weak, with contradictory at
tributes in ono person, he not only peases God, but
secures obcdencc and love from man. Tho influence
OF abstract truth Will not suffice. Men Will follow
evon their own interests II their affections lie tho
other way and mans affections ie the other way.
He is In love with sin. 1t was for this reason tho
ancient philosophers failed. They taught abstract
virtue but men did not follow II IL Is with Christ
as with The vaorous leader OF army. Ho inspires
His followers by HIS leading and com nancing.
Tho Rev. DR.. Irving read short statement, saying
that tho total receipts OF the Board tor the last fiscal
bar were $50. 3O7 loss than the preceding year. cx
Guiding the GIT OF Mrs John c. Green tor the pay
Id ent OF the debt There deficiency Of S47, 329
and tho Board had reluctantly resolved
thoir work. Inc Rev. DR.. Adams then made the con-
Guiding prayer.
WORK OF THE MISSIONARY.
Tho Broadway Tabernacle was largely filled In tho
evening, tho occasion being tho sixty eighth ami