New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-27
DIR. VIRGINS ANNIVERSARY.
CHANGES IN CHURCH LIFE SINCE HE CAME TO
THE CITY

THE CITY.
The anniversary services celebrating the compile
tion of twenty-five years OF pastoral work by the
Rev DR.. Samuel H. Virgin. at the Pilgrim Congre-
gational Church, One-hundred- nd-twenty -hrst-st
and Madison-ave were continued yesterday morning
with an anniversary sermon by the pastor He took
his text from Acts XVI. % Having therefore OBJ
tanned help Of God continue unto this day. Witness
ing both 10 small and great saying none other things
than those which the prophets and Moses did say
should come: That Christ should suffer. and that
He should be the first that should rise from tho
dead and should show light unto the people and to
the Gentiles" Dr. Virgin. after reviewing tho in
cidents OF his pastorate said:
"But few pastors remain in the city who were
active here quarter Of century ago. Some are
laboring elsewhere, more have entered upon their
everlasting rest and reward. One OF the first pas
tors 10 give me cordial welcome was DR.. Rogers Of
tho Reformed Church. This act OF kindly greeting
by an elder 10 younger brother. then but little
known in the great city, exhaled a fragrance that
has never been absorbed. He has long since passed
away I shall rejoice TO meet him In Heaven
Broadway Tabernacle had DR.. Thompson as pastor
when came here; DR.. Taylor followed with twenty
years and now DR.. Stimson closes his pastorate Of
three years Not Congregational secretary Is left
at any of the desks In the Bible House. Dr.
Streby and he Is secretary emeritus. From the
pulpits OF the Dutch Church have gone Drs. De-
Witt, vermilyea. Chambers and Ormlston; from the
PRESBYTERIAN Church Drs. Crosby. Paxton Hastings
Booth Stoddard and Hamilton DIR. John Hall alone
preserving his bow In its strength. DR.. Armitage
and Elder Anderson have gone from the Baptist
pulpit Drs. Tying. senior and junior; Bishop
Horatio Potter and John Cotton Smith were leaders
in the Episcopal Church In 1871; Dr. Bellows was
power In the Unitarian body and Mr.. Hepworth
at the Church of the Messiah; he afterward became
a Congregatonalist, established church. which has
utterly disappeared and he has turned aside to Sec
ular pursuits. The changes prominent In
Brooklyn and Dr. Storrs alone remains in the pasto-
rate In our Congregational churches there when
came TO you.
II have not been unmindful Of inattentve to the
changes In theological thought resultant from this
earnest discussions OF the last two decades The
presence Of new theology, dignfhed on eminent
as discoveries and advocates Of many strange theo-
rles in connection with II, has not been overlooked
nor dismissed intruder without careful inspec-
tion. But have found no cause for change In my
theological opinions. nor have ! changed the en-
phass Of early days nor the relations which the sub
lime truths OF revelation bear to each other. Man
is the same, sinful and lost without the atonIng
blasting and blighting the fair creation OF God:
Jesus Is the same loving and sacrcia Saviour: the
Bible Is the same unerrlng and inspired Word OF
God; judgment still awaits every child OF man on
judgment determine the eternal condition Of the
spirit. Egosm is still as important altruism:
there Is a sense In which man Is more important
TO himself than all the world beside. and the old
Gospel loses none of its power when II declares OF
Jesus Christ that there Is none other given
under Heaven among men whereby must be
ing fancies OF metaphysics. the authoritative dcta
of evolutionists the slowly retiring but still vocf
erous teaching OF German rationalism and mate
realistic ideas, sweeping away the supernatural from
miraculous In the whole range OF the Scriptures,
have no welcome In my mind"