New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-05

= G>ST "
THE REV DR. SAMUEL H. VIRGIN.
It's membership is over 7oo with sunday school
And industrial school Of between 200 and 500 meoerS
each. Its whole work IS thoroughly organized
Various societies call for the activities OF members
hut The Church is unit In sentiment ana huu'a'
Affection Its sympathiCs are broad. and many Hisu
tutions at home and abroad feel its helpiui 'ouc"
II ia loyal to Pilgrim traditions, contains "rso
fragment OF Plymouth Rock IN the face OF the pulpit
while a model OF the MayhOwer, carved from a' oaN
timber from Scrooby Manor House, hangs on us p'ior
walls II Is thoroughly congregational, athous'l
strong Dutch families have been connected wl'h IL
from the beginning. Its congregation is large hoIh
ing and evening" and there has not been communion
season fifteen years at which some 10" heHpeiS
have not been received lis Chinese and spanish
schools are attractive and successful On SUNDAY
afternoons services in the three languages are IN
progress al the same time under It's roof Its material
affairs are managed by Trustees J. NJ Horton MarshaH
Ayres Thomas H. Newman, J. J. Braden, George L.
Van Emburg and Richard i. sweezy. DR.. virgin nus
been the pastor for nearly twenty-five years George
C. Hall Is the superintendent of the sunday'schooi
and many well known families are found in the con
cregation Tie Church publishes monthly magazine
called "The Pilgrim" which contains a sermon OF
Dr. Virgin and reports from all the departments OF
work with many other items of interest
SKETCH OF THE PASTOR.
The maternal ancestors Of Dr. Virgin came to Bos
ton in 1884. and settled in Carver. Mass Ills
patcrnaI ancestors lived in Plymouth. Mass. so that
he is a genuine Pilgrim. and was born In North
Carver on August %, 1912. From three years OF
age Boston was bis home. He educated In the
Phillips school and IN the Boston Latin and nigh
schools Harvard College, class Of '66. and Andover
Theological Seminary. For two years he was prh-
cipaI OF LcOmnster High school, lie became Chris
tian In early boyhoOd and united with Plymouth
Mas IIa cd
by the North Suffolk Association OF Massachusetts In
1868 ordained pastor Of the Broadway Congregational
Church OF SOmervte, Mass, October -. loGo. AFTER
nearly three years, by failure OF heaIh de resigned
hut was invited 10 New-York. and has been
pastor OF Pilgrim Church since April. 1871 His MN
isry has marked by earnestness originality ana
conservatism. Ha was made Doctor OF Divinity by
the University OF New-York in 1886, and Doctor OF
Laws BY Iowa College in 1890.
Dr. Virgin is Il member OF the Manhattan Associa
ton OF Congregational Ministers, and one OF the
founders Of the Congregational Club Of New-iork
He Is the official board OF many benevolent and
religious societies, also member Of the Union League
Club. Harlem Club. New England Society," institute
OF Christian Philosophy, &c, and OF the Auxiliary
League Of the salvation Army. Besides his pastoral
present writes the notes on the sunday school lessons
for THE New-lork Observer" and took Dr.. Howard
Crosby'S place treasurer OF the Evangelical Church
of Italy. He is ardent Republican and has some
times drawn the fire Of hostile journals by the Ngor
BrooRlyn and OTHER parts Of the country notably to
the Park Street Church OF Ioston in $50. and The
He holds conservative faith and breaches practical
Gospel. lie married. Miss Isle F. Blodsett. OF Eoston
living the eide,t son Fred. o.. being member of The
sophomore class Of Columbia College
ERRORS REGARDING TRIALS FOR HERE:Y
DR.. Virgins text yesterday morning Paul's
words the TheSsalonianS: " Prove all things; hold
fast that which is good" and lie began thus:
There s a that Is
unmgated evil and evidence Of lapse OF plety In
the Christian Church 1t is felt that such trials belong in
the past and that they the product Of few
rowmnded and bgoted people opposed progress out Of
sympathy with ripe scholarship whose fingers for
instruments OF torture with which 70 aict those whose
views TO their own. 1t IS claimed that
good whatever from such trial OF honored
Christian scholar in whose personal piety all delight what
ever the final udcmen be. and propose this
ing a. show the Of such altitude Of mind.
After showing the importance Of scrntnizng all
newly presented doctrines. defining hcresy and dc
clarng that "if prejudice and the cOntumcy Of the
words hcresy and hcretic and hercsy trial could
be removed n hcresy tr-ai is fix thing to take
Mace among thoughtful people, among Christians OF
high spiritual character. as Brussels Monetary Con
ference" DR.. Virgin presented these accidental
benefits:
l. IL gives publicity to Christian truth Ordinarily
the profound researches OF Christian scholars stored
away in pondcrous volumes poured into the Of
students gathered IN ecture-room and are thus neglected
ly ;he common people. II abbreviated volumes
rared for genera! readers, scientific terms are used
thought is cast scholarly mods that the uncancd
che multitude soon 0; the reading turn from 1t
altogether Some pastors may @kc the trouble to pre-.
sent their laes: fruits their churches In such form
% meet their needs then only fragment OF the
community receive them the crowds Of humanity
In other matters Of greater interest them This is
misfortune. II the matter be political, II IS national
injury subject be religious the injury Is spiritual
and NAV be eternal. y political CAMPAIGN therefore,
have In toch.
nic,l language are explained language In the
car, OF oil people whcn the daily papers vic With each
other In making plain subtle questions OF finance and
kindred OF national Importance DecOe an educator
Of nestmable value.
So when inquiry into the results OF theological
study and biblical recaich takes the shape Of trial for
alleged departure commonly received views, tic pub
lie attention Is turned towards the truth and the debates
carried popular hearing and reported in the pab
lie press ordinary Of daily life. convey
these religious importance into the public
thought make them the subject OF general converse
ton. The fruits Of OF retired study become the
daily pabuurn OF people, Christian truth pushes out
az columns Of the stories Of crime or disputes
local useless business and presents the words
Of Thoughtful oymen and ministers in Interpretation Of the
conclusions OF eminent scholars topics OF ansccnden
interest the spiritual welfare Of the souls of men,
TRUTH MADE SIMPLE AND LUCID.
1t tends TO make such simpler and lucid
IN statement conscientious Christian has desire to
pfomuleate Nobody doubts the honesty OF those
whose views called in question The point at issue
the truths themselves. II. therefore, former utter
ance has been hazy former sentence has been In
yolyed, effort IS made 10 remove the mist and
take out the invout;on. IL the thought become
dreamy by the undue indulgence in tope and figure the
aerial chariot Is f0rsikcn for fCOtoth. Definitions
great solution OF difficulties, les0rtId and alb
struse words suppantcd by simple ones. denias OF
charges accompanied explanations length the
real content Of the thought. the Limitation Of the in
ference tho application OF the senehce and questions
HIGH MAJ have lesfln bry0
possible understanding obtain new attraction ia the
simpler forms in which they stated In the transparent
words by which they made known. Multitudes who
have interest in theology In Biblical criticism have
4 following OF