New-York tribune., 1890-01-12
IN THE CHURCH PORCH.
DOINGs OF CLERGY AND LAITY.

Of Richmond delivered his celebrated sermon, De
sun Do Move.' for the 175th time last Sunday Mr..
Jasper was born in Virginia Of slave parents In 154O
he began TO preach although he could only spell the
simplest words. lie at once became famous and often
went on long preaching tours his master, for he was
then a slave, receiving from those engaging him the
sum OF 81 a day. when he became free at the close
of the war; he had just 10 cents and owed S42 lie
is now worth several thousand dollars. In 1867 he
organized his present church in little wooden slanty
with nine members. 1t has grown in strength and
numbers until it has membership OF 1000 and
a handsome church building. Mr.. Jasper is famous
baptzer, having once baptized 800 candidates In
all hour. He is very influential among the less IN
eigent colored people of Richmond and is an earnest
and devoted Christian.
Mr.. JaSper's sermon De sun Do Move" opens with
graphic description Of the ISraelites beginning with
Abraham. The ten plaques and the deliverance from
Egyptian bondage are Of course treated with great
clOquence they themes on which col0red
people love to dwell. Then, coming to the point the
reverend gentleman says: Philosophers say that the
sun does not move. | want to make a fire OF those
philosophers books today The Bible said the sun
stood still. Is anybody going to say that the sun
was standing still before Joshua told 1t TO stand still
DO you think Joshua would have asked God to stop
the sun if she had not been moyingl And yet
tho philosophers say the stands still and the
world revolves around it. Where in the name OF
God they get their authority from don't know.
II is nonsense to say that the sun does not move.
David in the ty-hfth Psalm, says Tho mighty
God even the Lord hath spoken and called the earth
from the rising Of the sun unto the going down
thereof Is 10 possible that this means that the
sun does not move? That who says the sun
does not move he does not read his Bibc.' Then
he proceed, to riddle the theory that the earth IS
round. bringing up the passage from the Apocalypse
And after these things saw four angels standing
on the four Of the earth. that the wind should
not blow the earth nor on the sea, nor any tree
Now If the earth is round trumphanty asks Mr. Jas
per- how could the angels stand the four corners
They tell n, that people living directly under u.s.
How in the name Of common sense can they walk,
unless they move like flies on WALL with their feet
inward 30 This Of course settles the matter for Mr..
Jaspcr's 1000 members. And l am bound TO add,
il ought to settle it for ALL If there are any such
nowadays who hold to the literal statements OF the
English Bible. Mr.. Jasper's Interpretation Of the
Bible is entirely logical from the literal point Of view
and much greater men than he in the church have
held precisely the same view. lie is simply
consistent conservative.
The late Bishop Tightfoot. OF Durham, was con
spicuous instance Of great man hidden ont OF
sight by Episcopal robes. For while no bishop worked
more faithfully he. his real reputation Will rest
on hi, scholastic work done before he became bishop
OF course IT is well to have able men as bishops but
Il i, pity to take a great thinker and an original
and more or les, ornamental work of an Anglican
prelate. It is a woful waste of good material
The Christian Union,T signalizes the new year
by an enlargement from thirty-two to thrty-siX
pages, And ii, home department is now
detached from the body of the paper 50 that the two
parts can be- read simultaneously This department re-
mains under the charge Of Mis. L. ". Belts, who
has done 50 mucl TO make it one Of the most De
sirablc features Of the paper. At no time has the
friendly rivalry between the great religious Journals
ever been more keen than it is now. l have too
much rc,ard for my peace Of mind TO say which Of
them lead, IN the race. But | can truthfuly say
that The Christian Union" has no reason to be
ashamed Of it, position in that race. And say II
the more chccrfully because | sometimes find myself
unable 10 agree with il. II IS emphaucaHy paper
edited by thinker, for thinkers; and If Nou 90 any
thinking yourself will disagree with such paper
quite as often a you agree with It, But you VIII
like 1t none the less on that account
Many people are wondering what will be the out
come Of Father Hunt ncon's attitude OF opposition %
vested interest, When first announced that TINS
earnest and enthusiastic young man had become an
d. Episcopal MONK il generally Thought that ne
would devote hi, life 10 the propagation oi the
rituali-tc cult. But it soon became apparent tha'
he was stirred by more important questions ta Ne'V
urut, or ritual lie began to crltici>e and condemn
many feature, Of social system, and to arralgh
Christianity for giving il, couutcnauce to them. lie
became a convert To Mr.. Henry "eorteS economic
theories, and a member Of the Anti Poverty society,
And ne ha, now become a recognized social aSltdtoT
d,uouncing with great power and cloquence many oi
the principc, of social and industrial order Whlch
All the churches accept true. Now Father HUNT
p-ton may be rsht and the churches may be wrong
That point won't discuss. But il seems 10 me that
h, can not always remain within the palc oi or5d%cu
christianity while denying what it believes. what
over MAY have been true of the Christianity of Chrlst
tb, Christianity OF To- day upholdS and approves ot
m, social system which produces rich men and poor
mon If uphold, the theory Of private ownership III
,ud and grants rich men many privileges anu
,,,'i,nitie, which il denies To poor men. IL j
,t,ry committed vested interests, ana must io" Nj
,,, .ny ,ifrfupi To -ubVcrt them. Ana II fathcr
I,ungton or any other rciOrlucr tAulh> llt' hc ,d
t ny,r thc Church in this respect. he VIII speedily
,t ,, bi. mistake When ne reaches a certain polut
thc church Will lay upon him the heavy mana ol l''
dl,plcasur
,vas falling with one Of the sisters OF ~ mary
t, "'u,I' thc other day. The members OF thlH SIS
i.n.d ar, All highly cultivated and refined women
. IL, I'm, trl,-t meaning of that word. nave VOL
,,,,u mn everything order To engage III Their
dn. nm East Forty sixth st.. another III Fcth>hI;
r. h,nifll for children in West IhlrtN iDurth ST. De
i,.- which they do A most important ~ork III NaFl'h
, ,,udrr fhr au~picc, of Trinity Parish There i
h,,ui,,I and A df>pcu-ary there Of Wllch thcy nave
n. hnrg. and the Na~O visit the sick ana the needy
h, m, low rr part Of the city said the sister WIN
,yhnm I talked We cannot possibly answer an thc
with work The same II true Of "th'r slsicrho,', III
,,.L IA. Of which atta' ihd -