New-York tribune., 1882-03-13
DISCOURSES IN THE PULPIT.
THE SPIRIT AND FORMS OF TRUE WORSHIP
Tss Rec Dr. John me FYOh AUsnus Tresby,ertan


ChuTch
The true spiritual worship and the forms in
which II should be expressed formed the subject OF the
sermon yesterday by the Rev. Dr. John Hail. At the Fifth
Avenue Presbyterian Church. at Ffthave. aud Fifty.
nfh-st The church was we'll filed the diminished regular
attendance on account OF the cloudy weather being made
up by the number OF strangers who present DR..
Hall chose his text John, iv 23i But the hour
cOmeth aud now is, when the true worship
pers shall worship the Father IN spirit and
I'm truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
The lesson OF the interview between Jesus and the
woman OF samnria Mount Gerizim was made by tho
preacher the occasion for expressing h views as 20 the
forms and ceremonies Of Christian worship
The attitude Of the OF samara. said Or. Hail.
Han, entirely different from that taken by Jesus
with regard 10 divine worship. There were many
pecuarities about the mountain which gave II great
attraction to the samaritans. Around II clung many
traditions, Of them attractive some OF them
true and others false II the place where the six
tribes their stand in the renewal OF the covenant
According to Samaritan tradition. It was where tho
intended and willing sacrifice Of Isaac by Abraham was
aout 10 take place. Jesus speaks the for the
first time OF the true Worship 10 was TO tako place
neither on the mountain nor at Jerusalem, but men
were 20 worship the Father everywhere In spirit ana Ia
truth. God had been arranging In His providence Tor
the development OF that state Of affairs which would
produce this true worship all the world over Ihere
were three types of worship That OF the samartahs
had many divine elements In It It could claim grea'
antiquity and the greatest order ana regularity III the
priesthood The argument OF the Church OF Rome Ior
the purity Of ts apostolic succession Is far from equal 10
the similar argument which sustained the samaritan
system Secondly there the Jewish worship
which was IN form all that oughs
10 be- but into which certain corrupthS
traditions had been introduced. There was nothing 20
complain Of however in the peoples loyalty TO the VIII
ten word they were lacking in reverence for IT, ana
numerous safeguards had been provided against Its cor
foVpre tifnafe
ness to the Jews their careful preservation OF the
purity of Scripture. When Christ said salvation OF
the Jews" he put his fin al Endorsement upon their us
tory and worship mp TO that time
The third and highest form worship is that whcns
founded in the spirit and in truth Christ inrodneedl,
and IL il destined to spread the earth. IL Is nstnc'
with the Holy Ghost it was practically inauguraleu
when the Holy Spirit descended on Pentecos ana De
gan to assume visible form when Peter causeh lhe
baptism of those until that day had been Genes
but upon whom had descended the Holy Ghost UouH
providence and Gods grace move in parallel hhes'
been going on I'm the Jewish system
for the great change of the Christian dspensaoh III ho
Prophets we are with the frequent denuncaons
OF the priesthood, where they are accusedof OehS ch
and are charged with feeding themselves and not their
fcc The people also being prepared for the time
when the affairs should sink the dust and there
would be no altar but that of Calvary The land was
filed with the synagogues erected ana Inainalheu Wy
the people themselves in which Gods Nord was feau
and expounded and in which the officers "rIo
analogous 20 those preserved In the Christian
Church In tracing The development 0f tue
spiritual worship Of the Father after the death OIL
the Lord that Things began to insinuate the'
selves in disguise into the system AMI spirit OF the 'hS
ian Church. although they had been Tsscenh IN
elements Of both good and evil b9t nor iS" OF o
trlnes crept into the Church ana made ther nnur.c9
felt for evil SO with Paganisn which had beeh rJece
"a "A whole, an was eXecrated MaLy pI ~ e'5 5 @ IA
time grew into the custom OF the christian hutch
he lol d4y
ers 10 those who had held spiritual ONCE WIN JIa,
a. the narent OF the Church easily came that corrugne
elements from II introduced into Christianity hes
very facts Of the corruption o the 10 @ " roiS
Church full of significance 10 Ne nrnose o
be strong and effective IN work for the purpose VI
God we must make His word sole standard our one
A. To onT modes OF worship, Dr. Hall continued tht
Have they the sanction directly indirectly Of God.
wordl Take for example the element Oh nuSlv ~ m n @ @
confined the impression It makes on the WorsnpPer
But main question Is: What does ehpess exp - tbe
reading Gods wordt is part OF sacred
word TO be read with reverence 5rir r. argued
sometimes the attention of the WorshpPeIs i ues
retained by responsive readings but II seems 70 me ths
that object best attained when ihe people accompany
the reading of the preacher Win tne[ bLoes Ue,oas W
them with the preaching There Is sucR a ahhx gas AS
preaching a reverent and worshpTgl spirit ana near
fng II reverently and wOrshipfuy You may thlhh aul
speaking OF comparatively small matters, Dlt lHe m ill.,
tudc these questions cannot DC eAasEeTae !" 5 5
| word God would speak TO the opening ear an ~,
| truth. We should carry This spirit oi re'sa'
]
ginning to end. How often do We hear the services oI
| praise and prayer spoken OF as pIenGlha1lS MY .,g
Opening services in way that woniu Imply i ,", M ~
were merely Introductory, bringing the worsHpptr 70
the preacher aud sermon as me most mpSIta 1,
Of te worship God forbid that shO aid ever fall into
I,,anI eITu man but 70 worship God Gnd Hin
spcaS as lie speaks to all Worship Hmm spir and
I'm truh. Every detail and arrinGemeht oI our strs
must be made srbseryient 10. e 'h9 o. true "o''n '
1t with public prayer as WIN ine pt p1n'r'g
The long" prayer which precedes the sermon, heNr
heard one that extended 10 thirty minutes time ana
| tweufy minutes prayer is most unusual rear INA.
this objection TO the length of prayer arises o a. a.
that persons have not come INTO Coz nouSS W. | nv
spirii prayer but ony 10 near tie f tr1 in
much discussion as 10 the ploPrle9 Oh hAeI Iou' ~
preston devotional feelings Of the peope mere
no balIierin the Presbyterian hlrth TO LIS '" n
and conscience Of tho people II is alleged that bArd
forms hold the attention OI ths p''p'o 'o
tInuiate N. ir devotion But take Great Butau a. an
example Of the truth or error OF this claim ~ % 20
southern part OF the Island IL Chuoh WIN r -
| favor IT. forms have held within the Church some
| turned away from the established system AID sought
their worship IN other ways Or compare inc atenu3lV
the churches In the principal eies ~ ,i SSSrp SSrr
| proportion OF church attendants In ,he
%ben % fhe period the Protestant
Episcopal Church ranked third among the denominations
where the communicates OF the Methodist BaPils aha
PreSoyteran Churches tGty are eoSea no US
falls below the Congregational, Win 'Ouo mFn
DcIs. These lACts snow thtt nAbu dO
cedence in OF worship for retaining the attention
and Of the people. Give 10 worship is hsbe
place your heart, with the praise the HayeF5 no
reading and the eXpOunding OF Gods holy WORD IeS.'
of God In spirit Of criticism OF he ssIinon
even ii it be that Of eulOgy; say only We nav pe
In the presence OF God we have praised BIN ana pohI
to HIN aud He has spoken to us lhus you m. .s
yourself rcsfu worship aboTe Tor he eeSsts Us
halltldlahs, the eternal communion win uou
spendor of holiness make the essence pi tho iu'o
| lie.
Two KINDS OF SORROW.
Tb, 6s, Dr. Cooke IN ST. B4rhoIOe'es Protestant EPeIie'