National Republican., 1881-08-29
OUR AFFLICTION.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES YESTERDAY.
Eloquent Prayers in All the Churches OF Thankful.
ness and Hope for the Presidents Inn
prorement-Services by Rev. Mr..
Steele and Dr. Chester.

ton for its continuance that were sent up TO the
Throne of Grace from every pulpit.
Rev. A. Foridus steele, rector Of 81. Marks
protestant Episcopal) Church. preached an
eloquent discourse yesterday morning, taking
his text from II. Corinthians, fourth chapter, sew.
| onteenth and eighteenth verses" Our light
| atTliction, which is but for moment, workcth
for us fur more exceeding and eternal weight OF
| glory, while VIC look not at the things which are
seen but at the things which not seen, for the
things which are seen are temporal but the things
which are not seen are eternal" ST. Paul
who addressed the words of the text
TO his brethren at Corinlh, was an OK
example OF suffering almost beyond parallel.
Yet amid all these trials the apostle could
still compose himself and his brethren with the
cheering assurance Of the text. The reverend gen.
tleman then proceeded to analyze in what sense
such deep alictions could be called light IN what
sense they were momentary aud in what manner
they worked out the eternal weight Of glory in a
masterly manner, and finally applied the text to
the one subject nearest nll hearts follows These
thoughts appear TO me as particularly appropriate
w. IT'S ptasent time, when we are bowed down with
s-.tt sy.r the
suvFERtSGs OF oUR CHIEF MAGISTRATE,
md with fear that he may he taken from u.s.
SNstI rian, woman. aud child In the land who
h.: The least spark Of feeling is interested In the
announcements that from day to day, hour to hour
Ing and brave wife who sits by the bedside OF the
sick President All share in less or greater
measure her emotions; she is not alone. Methlnks
rs call before me the image of that woman that
she represents the whole Nation, and this is my
justification for making mention Of her In this
public manner. She, with her intense personal
feeling, embodies the best and truost and most
tender sediments OF the whole people. would
that we were all us noble and as deyout ns she.
would that we all had such faith. She believes,
even in this extremity, that God will hear her
prayer and answer 1t according TO her hope. And
yet cannot doubt there is mingled with her
prayers the refrain at least the spirit that says
Not my will, hut Thine, be done" Even IL our
Heavenly Father should deny that which seems
to her best, do you think that she would count
her prayers all in vain and would lose her faith
In God From what have learned Of her l can
answer Nay There would be mourning The
bcreaved heart would fall PROSTATE before its
Maker and utter its grief but would in time rise
mp again and say with chastened spirit, Thy will
Is best; Thy will be doner She would look at the
far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory
which this aflliction had worked
FoR HIN WHOM SHE LOVED AND FOR HERSELF
And indeed, whether he live or die, the trial will
work to the same end. Patience will have It's per-
feet work, God will be glorifed, and those souls
will be filter for the heavenly kingdom than ever
they could be made by earthly honor and ease
Brethren, have spoken of the wife of the Presi-
dent, but in so doing have spoken OF you also
and Of the whole country. To him we are welded
by political ties He Is our head in the state even
as the husband is head Of the wife in matrimony
He has now the respect and admiration of all par
ties by his honest and manly character and Divine
Providence has drawn out our hearts to him by his
sulerngs and Christian patience. Let us hope and
pray
so LONG AS HE BREATIEs
that his life may be spared to us. And, whether he
live or die, let us look for the blessing Of God
through this trial Do you not see alrca iy some
good coming out of it? While all eyes are turned
in direction, all breasts are penetrated by one
sorrow, and all lips are uttering one prayer, the
hearts Of oil have become rs the heart of one man,
The men Of all purs of the country have become
as brothers. They have been lifted up out of com.
mOn-place and selfish interests, they have been
soitened and refined, they have looked
beyond party lines they have both shown
and enlarged their love for their
country. Some, perhaps have prayed who never
prayed before, or they have at least felt we must
depend oil Almighty God above all physicians for
the healing Of the body and above all statesmen
for the safety Of the Republic Many are now
ready TO cOntrye reforms IN the public service in
order to save our executive officers from deggad-
ing labors, and to introduce further and defend
the principles OF truth, honor, and righteous deal
ing throughout our political system. These i'm
pulses, If carried out, will render our Government
more like the government Of that eternal kingdom
which exists partly on earth and partly in
the unseen world, whose ruler is Christ, and
whose subjects are all Christian believers
on earth and all saints and angels in Heaven.
For that Kingdom let us all prepare. We must
needs enter II through much trlbulation. Dis
cplnc Of the soul is necessary before we can par
take Of its high employments, its holy joys, and
its exceeding glory, Let us then bear our nfIliC.
tons patiently let us have faith in God and make
our prayers to Him TO sancty to us all the events
of life, while we look not at the things which
are seen, but at the things which are not seen and
are eternal.
| METROPOLITAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Rev. Dr. Chester, pastor ofthc Metropolitan Pres
! byterlan Church, took his text from Psalms, XXI,
! 10" Oh, how great Is thy goodness which thou
hast laid up for them that fear Thee" In the
philosophy of the mind there Is great power in Il
simple change Of the subject of thought This
principle the Bible recognizes ana It takes Off the
thoughts Of men from lower objects by presenting
the great truths connected with God. What Chris.
tian i'm the midst of trial but has experienced re-
| lief from thinking of his God. When President
Lincoln was assassinated his pastor, Rev. DR.. Cur
| ley was summoned DR.. Gurley found the Cabinet
| grouped with anxious faces around the sufferer
Turning to them, he faid: Gentlemen, this is not
the time to talk to man, but to God. Let us pray.
| So at this hour, when nation is standing with
anxious hearts around what many fear may be
the death.bed Of another President, the true
science Of its comfort is to turn its thoughts its
prayers, its service to God; and one thought In
connection with God which we naturally re-
vert to Is that expressed in the text-his goodness
DIR. Chester then proceeded to argue
THE GOODNESS OF GOD
from the evidences of design in nature which pre-.
sented not only q marvel of creative power bu
also of contriyunCe for mans happiness. He quoted
Socrates talk with his disciples on this point a.
showing how IL was apparent TO even the mind o
II heather. sCcOnd-Fr0m the marked proyi
dency in mans life Thlrd-From the plan of re-
demption. TO appreciate the goodness of God W.
must look at man in his true condiliOn-that of
sinner One mistake of the inndes of the presen
day is that they overlook this point and bam'
God with hRrshness to man in inilicting on hin
punishment, while overlooking the fact that Goo
has provided u way of escape from that punish
meut through the cross of Christ. No one gOe
down to hell in this land of Bible
without first rejecting Saviour. God is no
n murderer but the sinner commits suicide
DR.. Chester then showed the necessity of faitl
based on the fuct that Gods knowledge com
passed eternity Ms well as time. His plans for maj
could only be fully realized hereafter What " III
does we know not now, but We shall know here
AFTER" He concluded with urging his hearers
under all the trials Of life to hold fast to thei
faith In God; to realize that all their interest
were bound up in ubeying the good Father, be
lieying in the good Saviour, and yielding thei
hearts to the Influences of the Good Spirit.
-
A Sunday Spree on Capitol Hill.
A party of young white men were actin
in dIsorderly manner at the comero of Second an