The New York herald., 1879-03-03
THE FLOATING CHURCH.

BISHOP POTTER ADMINISTERS THE RITE OF
CONFIRMATION TO SAILORS.
Three bells sounded yesterday afternoon from the
Floating Church, foot Of Pike street. The waning
light streamed through stained glass upon nautical
congregation gathered to hear the rite of conrma-
ton performed by the venerable Bishop Potter.
There were mariners Of all ages and degrees in the
church-spruce captains bound their lads safe
through the ordeal; rough mates with bright golden
haired children pretty girls smuggling close to
their lovers just returned from o distant
voyage, and mothers come to pray for their
sons far away upon the They could scarcely be
called strictly religious and church going congre-
CATION for many Of them knelt when the Gospel was
being read. sat through the creed and hymns and
bowed with extraordinary veneration when prayers
we're offered for the President. But they made up
for these purely technical deficiencies by responding
in large numbers to the call Of the confirming
Rishop. An ancient mariner. toothless, gray-haired
and weather-beaten. was at first little confused
when clergyman met him on the gang
crandiiates candid S asked Il se had been % baptized. ed.
The old man hesitated for while and then said he
had been "most everything. Among other things.
he thought he had been still Roman Catholic
and was, therefore, disqualified Reassured on this
point. he allowed himself to be led to seat, mutter-
ing that he had never yet found successful remedy
for shipwreck and might just well try this.
Meanwhile the Bishop had taken up his position,
lads. and they advanced as timidiy to the altar
rail as though i were the quarter deck
hands on each and made them a short
speech. my lads" said he in effect "you have
mothers To-day you are cut adrift. The great
enemy is bearing down You and you must
clear % your decks for action Do your duty, boys.
down the aisle and returned to his seat Possibly
he thought himself safe from shipwreck. Pos
siby he understood the anthem which pealed from
the little organ the congregation left the church
"For He maketh the storm to cease, so that the
thereof are still, and He leadeth them to
the haven where they would be-
CHURCH OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.
THE RELIGIOUS CRIsrs-sERMoN BIZ REV. FA-
THEIR LAFFELY, OF PARIS.
Father LATELY. eloquent clergyman. only
Gently arrived in this country, preached the
'Relgious Crisis of Our Day in tho French Church
of St. Vincent de Paul. There was gravcr.
more pressing question. he. said. before mankind
than this re igious crisis. People might ask. why
discuss this matters nothing good can be effected
by it," Every age had its own weapons of attack
against religion. The voltaircs the Robcspicrres
and the Marats of their time had used their pc
cular weapons. and what laurels rested upon their
triumpbs, so-calledS SO also to-day would at
tack religion from the tribune. others the columns
of newspapers. while others. again. by force. would
close the doors OF the churches In times past the
faithful had been made martyrs Of and to-day in
some of the enlightened countries I'm the world
brave and good men were sent into exile for their
conscience sake. In fact there three forces
operating all at TO attack the Church and reg.
ion-false science, sarcasm and violence. Every
where one OF these is the watchword Of the hour.
In looking over the map Of Europe. whether in
France, III Germany, in Italy or in Russia, every
where there u combined attack against the
Church. It was a horrible. miserable, quietly con-
10
got important thing-that religion is the supe-
Flor life of state as well as of an Individual and
that the moment 1t enters upon war against rehg-
ion the State really enters upon the period OF its do
cadence
There was time when we In Europe. continued
the reverend speaker. pointed with pride upon the
United States of America, aud showed the of
Europe how great. how free how happy how pros
porous country might be ana still be religious
M" church Bmt The en;om;c Of roo y.
belief. the epidemic of skepticism, also
making rapid strides in these United states. And
yet when the of attack In the hands of the
Churchs enemies canvassed, what do find
but the same old. old weapons. Nothing Ever
and again that cry Of the non-exise of q
God. the denial Of Christs divinity. aud But
with this difference, that while in the past the hos
tile bands dared to attack only the wallis they now
| endeavor to undermine and overthrow the entire
| edihce Of God. Their ranks are being augmented
| day after day by new recruits On inspecting the
arms they for the attack they are found value
| less. They are worth nothing, indeed. After
thousand priests have been exiled and force bccn
applied religion continues to live. and the Church
holds it's head erect.
THE SOUL SANCTUARY"
The soul is the sanctuary, after ALL of mans ideas.
| and while force may for time subdue the move
ments OF the body containing that soul IL
IL never will. conquer mans conscience Belligerent
| ideas may even for time succeed i'm making man
lukewarm, but, after ALL there is fascination in the
| practice OF religion which sophsm nor sarcasm
can conquer. Hence there exists need of despair
| ing The good cause will triumph. The force OF
the past the tortures OF bygone ages have only made
martyrs of the faithful. These of destroy Ing
the Church and the religion IL breaches have not been