The evening times., 1895-10-21
SERMONS ON SUNDAY.
Interesting Special Services and Dis
cOurSps in Various Churches

Interesting Special Services and Dis
courses in Various Churches.
A congregation which filled every avail
able inch OF space at ST. Patrick's Church
ssembied there yesterday morning to
hear the first sermon preached by the Rev.
D. j. Stafford, ID. D, after his European
trip, no having returned here about the
first OF October A notable presence In
the congregation was the Rev. DIR. Gilbert
and severaI other ministers OF the Protestant
faith.
Themass ung was Gounod's, before which
a provisional hymn was sung and after it
another hymn.
DR.. Staffori's discourse was on the sub
Ject, why man has always had u religion
and why he has always given to 1t outward
expression. From the pillars OF Hercules
to the pagodas of China, East. West, North
and South, to their uttermost bounds, the
earth is numbered with the works OF re-
ligion. Everywhere man is filled with
this knowledge, emotion fear, beauty, or
this something which is called religion;
and its outward expression is found in the
pyramids OF Egypt. the fanes of India, the
Doric and Ionic structures of Greece. the
temples Of Rome and the grand mediaeval
cathedrals. all of which further proclaim
the universally, the permanently, the in
destructibility of religion.
The Inauguration OF rally day" by the
Mount Vernon n. E. Church yesterday at
tracted an unusually large attendance at
the early morning service. The church
was beautifully decorated and an inter-
esting gandinsiructive programme ofexcrcises
had been arranged.
The exercises consisted OF songs and
recitations and short addresses by the pas
tor, Rev. DR.. Cantor. Supt- r. A. Stiles.
Mr.. W. W. Milan, teacher, and Master
BENJAMIN Martin. ir-: one Of the pupils, VIII"
At the IL O'Clock service the pulpit was
occupied by Rev. j. +. Spence, A. NJ. IL
D., chancellor of the American Temperance
University OF Tennessee.
Rev DR.. Spence took his text from John
The pulpit of All Souls Unitarian Church
was occupied yesterday morning by Rev.
Eugene X. Shipper. OF Boston, son of Rev.
r. X. Shippen, pastor of the church. An
unusually large congregation gave close
attention to a scholarly discourse by the
visiting minister on the Religions of
the World"
The speaker prefaced his remarks by
saying:
At the morning service at HamlIne
church yesterday the regular evangel-
istic services were given up entirely to
the old people. On the platform chairs
were arranged to accommodate the very
dHeu, Wulie tuc SIduCCi WSiC sCdtc
for ushers.
Mr.. Potter, who was in charge, opened
the services and then gave over the meeting
to the testimony and songs of the aged
The fifth annual celebration Of old folks
day at Trinity NJ. s. Church. Fourth street
southeast, between South Carolina avenue
and G street, was observed with appro-
pirate services yesterday morning and
afternoon. The morning meeting was
marked by a sermon by the pastor, Rev.
DR.. II. F. B. Rice. In the afternoon an old
fashioned love feast led by Rev. L. T..
Wiederman, pastor OF McKendree Church,
was held.
Palms and ferns, loaned by Florist Small,
with superabundance of cut flo wers, were
artistically used as decorations Cd the
rostrum and in every window. Before
the platform sat almost a score Of those
whose great age prevented their attend
ance at church services only on the rarest
occasions
Mrs. Elizabeth Wright. aged ninety-three,
was the Oldest of the list.