Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-10
IL DAILY RECORD UNION.
MANHATTANISMS.
REDEMPTION OF FASHIONABLE CHURCH
FROM DEBT
The seawanahaka Disaster-A Big-Brained.
g-Hearted Preacher-The Origin
al Herald" Site-Etc.
NEW York. June 30. 1880.

good condition, and two of her owners, S.
L. NJ. Barlow and Charles A. Dana, were
on board. and had every faith in their
security. 1t is very singular that 40 neg.
lect TO provide for the safety of the
passengers has as yet been shown. The
cause may be that Barlow, being a very
prominent lawyer, may have had dread
of suits for damages in the event of acct
dent, and that Dana, being journalist,
had tried to guard against what in his
professional capacity he had SO often found
reason to condemn. At any rate the
seeming responsibility of any person or
persons connected with the vessel is very
remarkable. / doubt if the same thing
would have proved true of any other boat
plying in these waters I; for our vessels, of
all kinds, are as a rule mismanaged with
culpable carelessness.
REV. ROBERT CoLLYER,
Of the Church of the Messiah, preached
on Sunday the last sermon of his first
pastoral year, and has gone to Nantucket
for the summer All that the Trustees
and members of the Church hoped for from
ColIyer's ministrations have been realized.
He has, to use a secular phrase, made the
church pay, which was the great aim and
desire OF the congregation, and which, IN
deed, they did not try to disguise. They
had been unfortunate from the start with
the Messiah When it was built, some l6
years ago, and opened by the late Rev.
DIR. Samuel 0sgood, who had preached in
the old edifice in Broadway, opposite
Wayerly place, he seemed to have lost
much of his former popularity. Many OF
the pews remained unrented, and it was nee
essary that they should be rented, because
the church had cost a good deal of money,
and had been, as churches usually are,
built on credit. His inability to draw
wounded 0sgood's self-love, of which he
had a plentiful supply, and sorely troubled
the Messiahites, who regarded his drawing
as part of the implied contract. An un-
pleasant feeling grew up between congre-
CATION and pastor, and the feeling was in
creased by the pastors change of theolog-
zeal views. Although he had been for 30
years or more a Unitarian, he suddenly
adopted
TRINTTARIAN OPINIONS,
And these speedily divided the church.
Osgood could do nothing but resign, and he
carried number of the members with him.
He did not, however, have another church
built for him, as commonly happens, nor
was he permanently called to another
pulpit. He afterwards embraced Episco-
j IL /. l,
could afford, for his circumstances were
independent. The Messiah invited Rev.
HI. Hepworth of Boston to be its pastor,
and he accepted He proved to be rather
snowy, though artificial and monotonous,
and many people who liked him at first
soon grew tired of him. Under the cir
cumstances the pews continued vacant, and
Z 0 make bad worse Hepworth also under
-sgent an evangelical revolution. He found
hat his nature demanded something more
IAN Unitarianism, and after causing sort
az sehism in the church, and trying, as is
alleged, to capture the body, he went out,
leaving the society in worse financial
plight than ever He set up an independ-
emit organization called the Church of the
Disciples, from which he retired some time
ago because the church was so burdened
with debt. The Messiah did not know
where to turn after Hepworth's departure,
and for some months it
TRIED ONE PREACHER AFTER ANOTHER,
Without hitting upon anybody who, in
their judgment, would answer. Finally,
they summoned Rev. VIM. r. Alger of
Boston, well known as lecturer and au-
thor as we'll as preacher. He is scholarly
and has fine talents but he is pedantic
aud artificial, and does not wear. He did
5ot wear with his new congregation. After
d little while the house was often nearly
empty he was rendered most unhappy,
for he is very sensitive, by his want OF
success, and at the end of his second year
retired with the full approval of his parish
oners Again the church cast about for
an occupant of its pulpit, and was again
perplexed as to choice. They could get
plenty OF men, of course :. but those they
could get they did not want. Somebody
suggested that they should once more call
Rev. Robert Collyer, who had, the year
previous, declined very pressing invita-
ton from the Messiah. He gave the mat
ter much attention, and had nearly de-
cided to quit Chicago, but resolved at last
to stay with his old congregation, which
was greatly attached to him. The sugges-
ton was acted upon. He was called a
second time, and, after viewing the ques-
ton from all sides, he came. The Messiah
had presented every inducement they had
arranged for the liquidation of the debt, so
that he could start free they had promised
not to interfere with him In anything. No
doubt he had had for years a secret long
ing for New York, and when he was so
sweetly persuaded he could not easily re-
sist. He has succeeded as pastor of the
Messiah beyond all anticipations. he has
INSPIRED NEW SPIRIT INTO THE CHURCH
He has made it a harmonious, energetic,
hopeful, enthusiastic body; he has swept
away all the old doubt, distrust and luke
warmness he has established himself as a
vital force for liberal thought and active
good. Every Sunday the pews are full
strangers are continually going to hear
him, and he has grown TO be genuine
favorite in society. At many OF the cele-
brations, dinners and festivities he Is
prominent speaker, and he always speaks
we'll Everybody likes him; indeed, no.
body could dislike him, for he is simple,
natural, honest, genial, sympathetic, gifted,
eloquent man. He has no crotchets, no
angles, no offensive egotism. He is big
Drained and big hearted, and if all preach
ers were so genuine, SO human, so reason
able, so sweet-natured as he, they would
be differently regarded, and would exercise
better influence than they do now. But
Robert Collyer is not orthodox.
THE ORIGINAL "HERALp SITE.
Very few persons who pass the north.
west corner of Nassau and Wall streets,
where they are now reconstrueting the
marble building. remember, if they ever
knew, that it is the site of the original
Herald Office. From the basement Of 20
Wall street, forty-five years ago the 9th of
last month, was issued the first number Of
the Herald by James Gordon Bennett, who
had only $500 of cash capital, but any
amount of energy, enterprise, industry and
understanding OF the public need. He
was then the sole editor, and his editorial
desk consisted of board supported on two
barrels. His attempt was sublime
=, ;4e and anity for he entered into direct