Morning journal and courier., 1883-12-17

nunitv where he finds oId-fashioned virtue fast fading out of the minds of the people, and lax state of morals unhappily succeed- ing-for the sake of the domestic and social relations and for the welfare of the young who have not yet been contaminated, it will be part of his duty to discourse often on the 7ecalogue and to show that no human being or human legislation can alter the eternal conditions of right and wrong or soften down the enormity of those crimes which God has soIemnly forbidden. If his lot be cast among doubters or scorners among those who are drifting along on sea of uncertainty with no knowledge of the shore they may reach at last really not caring so much to be guided by the light of revelation as by the light of science, then it will be his duty to proclaim cress is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God unto salvation"
 It is very true, and alas that we must say it, that there are indolent self-seekers in the church who appear to be ready to eat of the milk of the flock without feeding the flock, who start back at the view of discourage ments or quietly fold their hands and do nothing because they cannot find vineyard to work in which some one before them has planted on fruitful hill, and there are few who feed on vanity and work under no laws, who teach obedience to others but are net obedient themselves, who profess to have great charity but nevertheless forget s'to maintain and set forward as much as heth in them quietness, peace and love among all Christian people and especially among those that are or shall be committed to their charge" These are awful bIights upon the | fair name of religion, wretched drawbacks to 1 the influence of those ministers of Christ" l who are earnest, watchful, prayerful, self sacrificing and true to their ordination VOWS. Happily the great body of the clergy are not 1 indolent self-seekers, apostates from duty, ! x7io of ubnIn rT71aa nd 1 cipIes. Independently of those who, living much in the world, are seen and known, and whose general life 1 is irreproachable, there are very many orna- ments of the clerical profession whose virtues I unseen excepting by few In Sequestered spots, lead the true path to heaven to which I the doctrine points, who are in no wise in different to their vocation, but who, destined l te act within @ narrow sphere, confine their labors to the little hocks around them, un- able perhaps to control the vice which they abhor and doomed to lament in silence the progress of impiety. It should never be for gotten that the fame of many devoted cler- l gyman reaches but little way beyond the scene of his ministrations. He is unknown to the circles of the wealthy or the great.
 He treads his quiet path in unobserved yet momentous services and becomes the spiritual father of his parish, the 1 guardian of the poor, the instructor of the 1 ignorant, the protector of the injured and l the friend of all. His responsibility as 8 | teacher is just the same as if he dwelt in 8
 higher sphere. For the word of God spoken in humble village church is as sacred and solemn thing ss when spoken in 8 great
 cathedral. The character of the sermons may indeed differ, but it needs almost as much care and thought to interest the plainer
 people and sustain their attention as to meet I the requirements of highly cultivated oon- l gregation. John Keble knew this and had as |
 ability when he preached to the rustic yeo- manry in Hinsley as when he ascended the pulpit in the cathedral at Winchester or rose
 before the gownsmen of the university in St. MarJ's at Oxford.
 The City PuIp1ts.
 Rev. Dr. Todd preached two fine sermons
 at the Church of the Redeemer yesterday. The afternoon sermon was specially powerful
 and was from the words in Matthew; "Great will be the fall thereof" It enforced the
 thought that Christianity was the rock upon
 which to build and that other foundation than this is weak and vain and will not en- 1 dure.
 Rev. M. H. Houghton preached an excep
 tionally fine discourse yesterday morning al
 the Church of the Messiah. His subject was
 ''Great Sinners. i" The text was St. Matthew,
 sth chapter and 11th verse. 'sGo and Sin nc More."
 1 At the Howard avenue Congregational
 church last evening special religious service
 with music and an address by the pastor was
 held. There was large attendance.
 At Trinity church last evening Rev. Mr. | Nichols preached fine discourse from the
 words found in St. Matthew, 12th chapter 1 and 36th verse: 'tBut say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak they l shall give account thereof in the day of iudg.
 ment.'' Also the words in St. Matthew, 10th
 chapter and 42nd verse: s'And whosoever
 shall give to drink unto one of these little l children cup of cold water only in the nam
 of disciple, verify say unto you, he shall
 in no wise lose his reward" The sermon
 abounded in thought and rhetoric, and was
 greatly appreciated by the audience.