The New York Herald Newspaper, August 24, 1874, Page 8

8 “PERSUASIVES 10 PIETY. Sermons by the Preachers Yester- day in the City and Neighborhood. DEEMS ON TILE POWER OF CHRIST A Philadelphia Pastor Describes a Good Shepherd, M W. H. Boole. OHURCE OF THE STRANGERS, “Nothing Done Without "Christ”—A Ser- mon by Rev. Dr. Deem: At unis church yesterday there was a iarge con- gregation. The text was announced as Jonn, xv., $—" Without me ye can do nothing.”” The cireum- stances under which Jesus uttered the words were described, He had had His last supper with His disciples, He was at the point of final desertion, betrayal and deat, It ts not quite certain whether 1t was in the upper chamber where the supper was had, orin the open air, that Jesus spoke the words in this chapter, Nature per- petually made suggestions to our Lord, jurnishing ‘he texts of His discourses. It may have been a vine climbing up and throwing some tendril into the window. Or, the group may bave veen on their way to Gethsemane, yet baving crossed the Kedron brook, but seeing ingly, pathetically vewutiful, said the rev- erend gentleman im pening hia discourse, And im the whole range of sacred litera:ure there | are no sweeter or more precious utterances than | are to be found in this parable and chapter from | which my text is taken, While thereiore the | discourse is pivoted on the verses read I prefer to | amplily them so as to comprehend the spirit of the | entire chapter, and which may be paraphrased | thnus:—Il am the Good Shepnerd; the Good | Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep; the sheep | hear the voice of the Good Shepherd; He calleth | His own sheep by name; { am the Good Shepherd, | ; am 1 know my sheep and am known of mine. | Jesus has the unquestioned right to the title Good Shepherd by buying it with the price of His blood in laying down His life for the sheep. Not | only is He our Shepherd, our guide, director and | protector; He is also our lamb that taketh away | the sins of the world, and ts likewise our sheep- | feld and the door leading thereto, To be called King would have been a more exalted title; yet | the name Shepherd implies as much, for He is not | | only a shepherd-king, but a singly shephera, He | . | 1s im faet the Good Shepherd—the only good | A Plain Gospel Sermon by Rev. Sr inlae sea pepe ale shepherd, | attributes—of the Lamb who redeemed us from abysses and corruption and wilderness of iniquity? To tell the story of His love for His sheep would be to rehearse the story of Mary, out of whom He Who can speak worthily of Him or His | iook to Him as your Saviour and lite and peice and blessedness are in your possession, Are you doing what you can lor’ yourselves and what you can for others’ the Chureh depends upon the eeenny of its members and how they work for their salvatton by bringmg others to it. “You come here as Christian men and Christian women to be instructed; not to learn the Gospel; you have | this already, but to be instructed as to the work | @nd service which Ke before you. Your business is to keep spreading abroad the Gospel of divine | grace. Whatever side you came from, your obliga- | Hon asa Christian is to imstruct others, bring- | img them with you, keeping them here when fou | get them once to enter the place, Working tor others, you will yourselves be wiser and more comiorted, You will then be shining lights and songs of thanks will be offered throughout eternity | for you who Jed the ignorant in the Way of peace. PLYMOUTH CHUROE, The Old Charch in Its New Dress—Ser- mon by Dr. Robinson on “The Over- coming Power of Faith in Jesus | Christ.” Plymouth church was reopened yesterday morn- ing aiter the painting and cleaning of the last three weeks. The services were conducted by Dr. | Robinson, who preacned a short sermon on “the power of faith” irom the following text:—-Who 1s he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God.” God saw that noth- ing but the giving of the life of His son would in. | Cast seven devils; ot Peter, who denied Him and | Sure victory over sin. Tne foes which He had to | Was aiterward heart-broken; of Suni, breathing threatenings and slaughters, was trans- | jormed into Paul, Whose Lmpassioned enthusiasm | found bent in the = prayer—"God that I should glory save in the cross of Christ.” The text naturally suggests three separate considera- | tons—the calling, the guarding and the gathering | Of His sheep. Of the gathering it may be briefly who once | contend with were very numerous, but are here summed up under the one head of “the world.” joroid | We must not suppose that the world 1s only an armed antagonist and nothing more, The world is in reality an enemy in the dark: it cnarms, al- ures, deceives and satisfies, and so stealthy said that it will be consummated on the other side | steals our affections and sympathies for itsel!, But of the dark river. ‘The phrase ‘He calis his sheep” | thero 18 a victory which overcomes this enemy, aud is aptly illustrated by the word vocation. Those | only one, and that is sound in the overcoming power that understand His call follow in His footsteps im the same way that a man pursues his occupation | take a bad, | Or pursuit, in a material seuse, to earn his bread. | It Was not merely occupation, but vocation--or that | | for which there is in hima bias and inclination— Sv to speak, a God-given motive for energy. man in an occupation where he has not his heart is not in bis vocation, and work to him is irksome. | of ihe mountain, eye | man is a painter because the for color is bornin him. Such a poet, we say, sings like a bird. The scu!ptor is impellea to cnisel forms in marble—forms that shall live, A | of iaith in the iove of Jesus Christ. Culture may worldly man and make bir appear as & periect gentleman, but the inner thoughts of his soul are untouched, so that really he is as wicked as ever, and, consequently, has no faith in himself, A | Wuat gives the umer such persevering courage but | faith in the treasure that lies bidden in the heart But we need not go tar ior illus- trations of faith; look at the Plymouth church, what has keptit and made it what it is all these months and years of calumny and slander but faith 1m God and iu the pastor, through whose lov- true mechanic is born, not made. This illustrates | ing euergy the peeple have been brought together the Divine calling. God says abide in thy calling | in union and fellowship. Men are strengthened the fires on the hill sides in which the dead | On earth, so that it may prove the best training | by the love of others for them. Many and many & for the heavenly. - As earthly parents scrutinize | man has b-en saved from the toils of the charmer Vine branches were burning and the offalof the Paschal sacrifice was being consumed according w law. Whatever it was, here was the theme for the great consolatory discourse. great root—truth suggested: Jesus is the Vine. Here is something planted in the world which is of immense consequence, Jesus Christ is to be the great spiritual life stock of the Christian world. Nothing has spiritual life which does Botderive that life from Him. No man, what- ever his profession, has the grape blood of spir- itual vigor in him unless that man be part of Ghrist. The text teaches that outside of Christ, broken away irom such connection with Him as makes tie throbs ot His heart thrill through ours, and the current of His spiritual life circulate through all parts of our spiritual consti.ution, we “can do nothing.” The word “do,” suggests several things. in the first place it supposes life. Nothing that has no vital existence really does apytting. It may be the instrument in the hands Of another, but it is always a persou thatdoes, “It rains,” “the wind blows,” and phrases like that arecommov. They are elliptical. The air, by its own weight, rushes in to fill up a vacuum; the vacuum is produced by heat, the heat by a change of electric currents, and 80 you go back until you reach a person that “does.” We can have no spiritual life if not in closest sptritual communion There wasa | | the earthly gifts of their children to enable them — by the pure, spiritual love of his little chila, to discover | for, so Je criminates, by What is in them, how they best serve Him. “He calls them by name.” name 1s the distinguishing characteristic of aman. | There is a great deal ina name. | vice he was to perform. Simon He culled | signifying the “rock” on which He wonld | Wtimately build His Church. James and John were “sons of ‘Tbunder,’? dispel Opposing forces. And as iilustrating the | power that 1s sometimes crystallized in a name, there is at present a warm controversy going on between the friends of the late Abraham Lincoln | and Mr. Seward as to which of these distinguished | men originated the expression “irrepressibie con- flict.” Yet what is there in the two words? Much— @ whole concentrated history! They will forever | tell m two words the history of one hundred years | Of struggling between twoconaicting forms of gov- ernment. As applied to ourselves, we may not be called to work miracles; but we are called to make our own calling, vocation and election sure, and | We can best do this by helping others. As a mere | plece of machinery the loComotive would be mure annoying than ornamental—screaming ‘and put: | through the land; but when you at- a@ train of cars to it it becomes of universal human interest. Every Christian then | who loves Christ is like @ locomotive; he tries to | take a train of cars behind him to heaven. He tells others of the dear Saviour he has found, and | invites the weak and the doubting to come with him and share in his happiness, Have you a tender word? Speak it to the stricken and heart-sick ing tact The Bible is | soul, | supremely the book—the book of books. Often in | still it mevitavly makes him feel very unworthy | the Bible the name indicates to its owner the ser | meaning | the Father, thereby that they possessed the spirtt of fire to | Now, ‘hat pursuit they are the best adapted | when a man bears in his mind that God loves bim, calls His sheep by name, and so dis- | and has His name engraven on His heart, he has nail | operating within him the strongest possible power A | that he can the his | have given him, He feels tide of the love of Jesus rushing through and though it is a real blessing but by this very unworthmess will he try to rise up Peter, | and live in His likeness. There is, too, a respons- ive love, St. Paul in his prison was made happy by his joyful anticipation of heaven aud the love of Faith in Jesus is liberated and gives Us faith in the world. Aljl things are wine it {am Christ's, All things are ours that are beautiful and | enchanting if we ure Corist’s. Robertson says that | weare to have the world, and not let tne world have us. We must overcome or be overcome. It 48 easier to go down with the stream than to breast | up against it, put the battle 1s only ior a short | time, | there are saving wands held forth, if we will only | let them help us. Will you give up the struggie | and allow your immortal soul to be lost? It is | Strange that there is not something more in the | victory toallure men on to believe. THE ELM PLACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Dr. Porteous On the Glory of God and the Development of Christianity. Yesterday a large congregation awaited the eloquent ministration of the Rev. George D. Por- teons at the Eim place church, Brooklyn, The present building is unfortunately unequal to the requirements of the many anxious seekers for Vation 18 as your door and at your hands. Simmiy | All the way down the road to destruction | With Christ. Being near Him does not heip—we must be in Him, in the sense in which a branch is in the vine, A branch might be glued on to the vine, but that would do no good. !t must be part admission. Accordingly the trustees have deter- is saints, and does not act on the principle of bese Yet ee ar ear enh a Sr aints, joes no! o killing the sinner, but the sin. A man’s virtues | #¥1¢ to contain, at least, 2,000 worshippers. The of the organism. The fowing sap must be abie to | often become his’ vices, and vice versa. Gitts and | service in this church 1s curtailed and modified — through all the poms jo 7 80 as tO Vi- | sine een pnive bard “egg aged It is an old = | im accordance with the recent canons talize it. Church membership is ‘not enough. | true saying that where God erects a house oi Even eXternal imitation of the lve of Jesus will not | praver the devil bnilds a chapei; and anotuer say- | Of the Church of England, and Dr. Porteous avail, Nothing but organic spiritual union with | ing has it, that “sweetest wine makes sweetest | intends, it is understood, to avail himself of Jesu: Then oe true ini = pace OF the Me coal We all need pecan nines anerdana | the sull liberty of his privileges as a Church of Eng- Vine. hen esus represente: himse| as a | guidance, for we are surrounded by enemies and evil | r] shepuerd, He said, “Other sheep I have thatarenot | influences. He teaches us to be lowly and long. | }#0d clergyman? The choir is in thorough order of this told; them aiso | must bring.”” So He mignt | Suflering, te guard tongue and temper, to follow and fully up to the requirements of Episcopal say of the grapes, “Other bunches have I which | His glorious footsteps. It is the humbie living | chanting and anthem singing, and in every way, are not on the side of the vine which is named | temples of Christ in the sweetness of Ciristian | for a recently formed choir, very excellent in ton Christian,” but they are grapes, They may not | purity that willsave New York. Gorgeous edifices | !0 y Ridsatd cachdberstpeape know our name, they may hang over another side | und towering steeples will not do it. It is God's | aud voice. The service yesterday was conducted by Dr. Porteous, and he also preached, taking his text from L Corinthians, X., 31—“Whatsoever you Christianity | one. There are plenty such around you. Have | you the gilt of consolation? Exercise it. God loves ofthe fence, but if they have spiritual iiie they | saints that come out-of the garden of God with tne | hoid somehow to God as God is shown in Jesus. | fragrance of the roses of paradise that convert the | ast Sunday the sermon took in Paul's saying:— | world. Let not, therefore, spiritual coldness assail “Your life is hid with Christ in God,’? That can be | you. While the-sheep are marching on with the | do, do all for the glory of God.” said of the topmost and jurthermost bunch of grapes. Its le is not im itseli; it is not m the | darkn next branch; it 1s in the root—the hidden root. | pitfalls around thee! The root is the essential part of the vine. You may | carry the weak and erring ones in His arms. After destroy cach branch and all the visibie stock, and | the sermon the doxology was sung with the fervor there 1s enough life in the Root of David, the Vine, | of awakened zeai; and, with the benediction, the to spring up again and sustain thonsands of service tsrminated, bunches. Out of Him there can be no spiritual | aims WESTMINSTER CEURCH. Ife. In the next place the Doctor showed that | “doing” involved, beside life, the being of spirit. | ual beip to others. This ali Christians were; po) | Rev. George D. Matthews and the Prom- | the senses, In other words, it 1s an outcome of ise of Untversal Salwation—As We | and a response to the intuitions, emotions and Make Our Bed We Lie In It—A Dis- | movements o! the soul, Consequently it embraces in its mo one could be spiritually helpful who ha not spiritualconnections with Christ. We must do ion and guidance the whole of man’s in- tinct Promise Made to the Whole | ternal and active’ being, Ie ¢ World. someting as well as be something. The branches | do not bring \orth grapes for themselves only, bat | also for others. Men find those who can be spirit- ually helpful to them and will make drafts on such rsohs. Men do not gather thistles, but grapes. The Rev. George D. Matthews preached here yes- | correction. en do nov gather dead grapes, but living, juicy | terday morning ana evening, taking for his text | and professes to regulate his most material inter: in the morning the passage from Isaiah xliv., 22:— | ests and actions as well as his highest and suprem- “Look | est. Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the | the snetion of Christianity to conceive of it as | earth; for Jam God, and there is none else.” -The | relating to @ one-sided and arbitrary aspect of reverend gentleman saic here was a distinct prom- | man. Many have supposed, and do still suppose, that it concerns itsell with man’s spiritual nature only, Whereas in truth tt relates itself absolutely tl ens eae Peed | system of reasoning; nor is it a discursive piece of intellectual network. It is a life and ®@ process—a development of character and an | incarnation of moral principle, It was designed | to captivate and inspire the heart, and thence, | through it, to hold in allegiance tue intellect. | Primarily it meant to be the inspiration, liie and | substance of-the suul, and not a dramatic play for It overlooks notuing; greatest things come under its cognizance and its fruit. Year brother, who gets any good out of ‘rg ut of your life or your prayers’ UU spiritaal | ie be im us even our prayers wiil be powerful. ‘Whe Saviour said, “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my mame that will I do.” We cannot ask “in His mame” uniess we be part of Himself. The phrase | does not mean ~~ formal tacking of the name of | ise to all that s»lvation was not only possible to . r pra asi done for ts what would. be loge Tor Teg pave them, but ready for them, and that they might come | to ian in his twofold character and capacity—that says that then He Will do it, ‘The vine will respond | 20d partake ofit, In this work God alone moved _ 18 as to his spiritual and material obligations and throngh His son Jesus Christ, and He alone ix , uttes to law and Deity, it meets him in the ° sphere of the flesh and the plane of the spiritual, from its great sap-making root to the demand Made by the Smallest branch, because it is part of | was who brought the salvation. There was no | and makes the ilfe of duty es sacred and aivine in the lower round of life as in the higher. It the vine. We are vessels to hold the spiritual at juee and minister it to others. If we are not | Conjoming of labors. We ourselves occupy no — sh thus helpful Lo others let ms suspect that we have | position of independence in this matter, ana | 2Wards, Well poet Lge and faitnful Loaghy og been separated from the vine. Without Him we | oiidiy’ ts rs i He | Wqilia who in making the lowest work ot iife can do nothing. No genius, learning, wit, man- | we are simply Ss Servants to do as He reflects thereby the goodness and the glory of God. hers, eloquence, will make us heipiurit the ie of | Pleases to tell us to do. We are His | - Rooting miateonieny ris hg ar christ L, . The ‘a p a } rv a 5 Christ be not in our souls. Then it was shown | siaves, and. we have no right to our. God. The making ot a pin is as sacred as the com- | that men who are without Curist cannot be spir- | itually traitivl. A branch does three things: it | has lle; it produces grapes which are selves In any respect, and we must simply make | pounding of a pill; digging tor gold 1s as nonor- eaters, and it has seed to propagate itself, Soit | t ‘ | as sacred asa prayer. The dignity of labor 18 ac- ie with Ouristians, Every true Christian will pros | [Possible that it wonid be otherwise. We have | cording to the motive we put into work, for nand- duce more Christians, He will have spiritual chil- ‘Do individuality in this matter, for we are all un- | crait, headcratt and nearicraft are to us what we aren, He remembers the saying of Jesus:— | der the guidance of Him above. This phrase ad- | fe to them. doth duty that is made desea “Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much | dresses itself particularly to young men, to those | 200 every desire made boca is to the glory 0! fruit.” He could not vear to depart if He te!t that ’ 7 God. The common life of man was meant to show He left no one to propagate the Christianity that who are just about to set out in Mfe. Tney are | the common glory of God and uncommon hfe has asin Him. But we cando this only by being in | treading on a pathway they have never gone be- | Hever succeeded. The common sunlight, the com- Christ, No matter what you do for a branch it | fore, and going out in the world in which their | M2 beauty of flowers and lustre of stars and com- cannot live if you cut it off from the vine. | 7 | Mon iriendship of men are what keeps the world’s “Without me!’ The preacher dwelt on these words, | 72d May be a rocky one. The road may lie in heart warm and admiring. God himself does noth- Consider what follows being out of Christ. First | desert places, and there may be stumbling blocks ing very grand and nothing very hittie; He is very P ~ De . ven in works and wonders. He would show alls here, will be no pruning. Perliaps you | on every side, so that those who would walk in @ po nay Se ER a tds eR Piha pel knife of discipline. But that is ne sary, that we | straightpath cannot do it. In prospect, therelore lie how much He cares for the common things— produce more iruit. It is not administered to | of the uncertainties of life may it not be as weil to We Cell O! the plant being quite as important as = 3 a pl it, - Shose who bear no irnit. Sometimes we have @ | take with you that companion, that lantern. who . *0¢,Pulsations of a planet, and the quivering sen- roject in hand by which we hope to d ry sations ofa fy equal to the mighty throbs of a cd Wateoome wtasned’ tone ie. ‘sa: bee | can guide you in darkness, your Father. Your Jupiter or Saturn. Thus the Goa who cares for ex: scheme, {tis blasted. We are h lated, acuitade, order at ‘sth e inferior ngs Will say that we have failed. "Nota ai ithe, | SOU wil be rich and pure, and happy if you or the material world looketh for and onoreth the be in us. It will drive out into some growth some. | 0° "His and bave never failing, unfaitering trast im | jeast obedience, the humblest service of man in | where else, if the Lord's pruning kn trim Him; so that you may have an eternal abiding in | the work of this weary world, and he is great, honored and ennoblea, whatever his task or s:ation who works with single eye and does all be does to the glory of God. NEW ENGLAND CHURCH, But it vhe branch be severed from tne vine the husbandman can care for it no longer. Will men ? No, The last thing which follows is destruction. “Ifa man abide notin me he is cast forth as a braneb and 16 withered; and men gather ihem and cast them into the fire and they are burned.” That is what Jesus says. Do you khow how hard 1 is to burn a living vine branch? ‘ry at some time when y a your heavenly nome when this life is over and your work isdone, This salvation shows that we | must look at Him if we can pretend to expect it, | The meaning of the word “look” in this sense 1s | i | different trom what it is in the nsualsense. It | ne Importance of Conversion—The Chief seems to mean turning round and looking. It is | End of Man. a in the coun. * t «4 try. The green and jnicy life that is in it will pdeaeh bipro aru sathene in ger pec ort | A fair congregation was assembled in Thirty- keep it alive under a yreat Mame, You wil ing | Peat change of position, Paul, av Athens, in | sourin street church yesterday morning. The text it diMeult to kill it with or But dead, dry Wis great speech, told the peopie to turn from the selected was Psaims, lvil., 7—"My heart is Ox 0 branches need but a little Nume, and they make a gods they were worshipping to the living God, | ‘ane. ‘4 igor great fre. So with a Christian. Take a man wno | how Mi! 1 * | God; my heart is fixed, IT will sing and give 18 not a@true and living branch of the great an owing man’s Natural position to be one of turn- | praige.r it is a great thing to be converted, it is living Vine, and put bun inthe fires of trial, ing trom God and his telling us to turn to Him. | the grand epoch in the history of the immortal 2 Gea Venaa Casbeet (vhe Savione as ont are soul; but it is agreater thing to stay converted. $ L It is the same as whe h acead braneh barns! The Saviour Was not prob: | oi the Wenrthan Monten te te coer seu, when the mariner seems to be enveloped in ably’ eepere, specialty of Eps Seaeroorion of sin | e retricity and the compass therefore unequal. If | The religions life is a periect unit, and the condi- ers bi » ut 0 ery trials he ne mariners do not chan, the a 2 7 Without Hita we cannot bear life's burdeus, with- the compass marks the ship rill x0 astray: ag SD On waen we coer Ye aos Cotte our Hitt we cannot keep life's vigils, without Him change is necessary to go the right way. You | Wiliemabie us to retain it. Now, when a mind is We cannot fight life's batties, without llim we can have nutaral nothing for ourselves or for others, in life or death or eternity. Leb every soul search itself with the qnestion, “Am I abiding in Him?’ ‘the force of that word “abid privileg a but you are plinded, | fully made up, as the mind of the Psalmest appears our conscience y. Yournaturein regard | to be, and the deter to yoursell mast be changed and your thoughts re- | i. nals 4 “ay ae wit pair pba nani Study specting Him must undergo a change. Your | # Dalf fought and victory 1s certain, bur all men thoughts of Ohriat Hin in that character in which He reveals Himseit A to you, It was u part of Christe ilfe to furnish au me we can divide all into three classes; first, the SEVENTH meas METHODIST EPISOUPAL (idmpie ior pertection, bout into Him curist | decidedly wicked, who don’t intend to be any- CHURCH, | zeae sae pe yie ahd sinners, the comfort of usin | thing else, and in direct opposition is the class of The pulpit of this historical chnech was yester- | {deas of your own suflclency: mire uocelirogce | Aecidedly good, who are not ashamed to have tt ow occupied by tue Rev. Jona W. Jackson, of the | and torn to film onty ; when presenting yourself \ ier that they belong to Jesus, ‘Then comes the hiladeipnia Confere In consequence, prob- | ‘e Him come im. In the text it is aiso | third class, who are neither very ptous nor very 4 own ts that saivat ch | pad: ably, of the threatening morning tue attendance | pipsniy ek mks hee ~ poh ig seen | bad; they are like the morning dew, which passes was only moderate, ‘Tue text selectea by the away, like a ship without ballast, they are repre- books that the blessings of saivation were eloquent and servia preacher was the eleventa | OMY to the people of Israel; but the language | sented by the expressive language of the prophet in and twelfth verses of the tenth chapter of St. here is addressed to ail, to the whole world. John’s Gospel, and the prayer and hymns preced- What an encouragement for sinners, whatever | mg the discourse had especial reference to the eubliine and dominant theme—i am the Good | your condition of sin, jooking to Him, accepting 4 seems as if we can find that character in every from Him saivation in all its movements! Some- | churen, | times we see gradual changes on the part of indi- | viduals before they can enter tieaven. The Gos- | syria had placed certain men to occupy the land in Shepuerd: tbe Good Suepherd giveth nis iife sor | pel says nothing of gradual ns och pe Lag fF Possession of the ten tribes that those men the sheep.’ The exaited ana earnest piety of the | Stadual amendments it went salvation were idolaters and worshipped idols, and a Of not at ull, . Prayer and praise of the opening services are well | Yous" inane or vesiuices are placed across your | Hons came and destroyed them, and they supposed Mostrated in the following verse of the hymn, path. What an encouragement there is to draw | It Was because the gods of that iand were fended fnely rendered by the entire congregation im. Salvation! There are, to be sure, differences in | at their worsnipping idols, They sent word to the 1 Dereon eek bt whey a eimy to the auference | King,whosent a Jewish priest; and they presented peg dy oe fee ourselves ? bp ACT Re | the strange contrast of worshipping God because an saved, now certain ol fo! they were afraid of the lions, and of worshipping | those who seek it. He offers it. God's hely justice loved | Be ee ey fh haye | tvelr idols becanse they toved them. 1 Sqiusiye Jou and salvation js qnep to you all Sal | Now David was not of tus character, for, wm the anediately before the sermon: — ©, jet us take a softer mould, ‘Blended and gatherea vat) Thee ; Under one shepherd make one fol, Where ali is love and harmony. The .words of tbe text are suyiimely, touch: shepherd, oh, lamb, stay not thou behind. The | ig not a theory or speculation, or abstract | nothing escapes its notice; the least with tue | It deais with man in all his Dik ey | It has been a prevailing misconception of | ood for | Our humble acknowledgments of His power. It is | able as handling it in the mint, and plonghing is | must be different. Look at | have not the determination, and hence it seems to | reference to Ephraim, i phraim 1s acake not turned, | You recollect that when the King of As- | midst Of his great triumpns, we find him exclat give praise.” Now the object upon which we ought to be Oxed is the object from which we can derive the great- est good, and we have only to look jor & moment to find the object which bas the great- est claim, We are under obligations two God paramount to everyting else, Our first interes” 1s to piace our hearts on God, because He bas the highest calm and it is from service irom which we sna derive the great good. ence we say that the proper object tor us to be fixed upon 1s God, whether we study our duty or our interest, Christian mission stops not at modes ; it is exercised with but little regard to couse. quences; it asks not what will the claims of earth, but 1s specially anxious to know what are the claims Of heaven; 1018 not what lor the pres- eut seems safe and proper, but what is mgt, Ite maxiin is, Do right, though the heavens Jail, until he has the pleasant assurance that i he does night the heavens cannot lal, Look at its unportance—God requires it—they that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, tuerefore be ye steadfast and immovabie, It is important, m the first place as a matter of RELIGIOUS CONSISTENCY, Alexander tbe Great had a cowardly son, who dis- honored his pame, and the Senate voted that as that man did not sustain the character of bis jather he should not be permitted to bear his name. And every one Who has taken on the name of Christ, ought to adorn the doctrine or renounce it. Unristiau brethren, you huve sworn aliegiauce to Jesus of Nazareth, and What have you to do but obey your king, Regard every vuice that wouid turh you asive as a iure to the BLACKEST TREASON. It is important aiso as a satisfactory evidence of real Curistian character, There may ve a douvt couceruing those Who hesitate, There may be a doubt in the minds of the peo- | ple as to whether Benedict Arnola ever Was a true patriot; but there is no doubt as to George Wasnington, -fhe Saviour has made one thing plain—tiat there is no neutral ground to- wards iim. He that 1s not with me is against me, So that it is important, a8 an evidence, that a man 48 @ Christian. It is umportant, a8 @ matter of safety, and it has been proved that the only safe path is the rigut one; it 1s safest in this world, and there can be no doubt avout the world to come; our plans should be founded for the day of reckoning, and we shouid act in view of that time. Again, lremark itis important to our success that we be uecided, Men are never known prosper wituout decision and firmness. See Frank- iin eating bis loaf in the streets, and yet by bis energy and perseverance he rose trom this humole | station to govern men—to dictate terms to the roudest nation on tie earth, eaven!y Wisdum, We aye Coutending for princi- paliues and powers, and we must resist our 106 steadfastiy in the faith; we must fight the good fignt and have an inflexible devermination to do night, tt igs important as a qualification for emi- neat useluiness. God has work of the greatest im- portance to pe accomplished, and the Church 13 ‘His chosen instrument by Which itis to be done, ana 1s fearful of trusting it to us sometimes. On that the me may come when God, looking down from heaven, Suail be avle to say of us as he said of Abraham, “1 know him; he is good.’ ‘there Is such a thing as being saved by fire, and there ts such a thing as barely gaining entrance, and such a thing a8 an abundant entrauce. 1 think the aposule | Paul must nave thought, in using these tri- umphant words, of @ slip making & triumphant entrance into port. There can be no question as to the degrees in glory: a8 one star is different trom another so shai it be in the Kingdom oi glory, No one would suppose a dying thiel would share a reward equal to that-of Paul. My brethren, let us be anxious not only to get into heaven, but to have ab abundant entrance; let us lavor not only to have a crown, but 4 crown DECKED WiTH STARS, and the only way to accomplish it is by clinging firmly to the saviour, MADISON AVENUE BAPTIST CHUROH. “The Course of Every Man Prescribed by God”—Sermon by the Kev. Richard Faller, D.D., of Baltimore, Md. During the absence of the regular pastor, Rev. Mr. Elder, who 18 now enjoying his summer va- | Cation in Philadelphia, the pulpit im the Madison | avenue Baptist church, corner Tnirty-first street | and Madison avenue, was occupied at the services | yesterday morning by the Rev. Richard Fuller, | D.D., of Baitimore. There 1s no chdirin this church, | and the congregational music is conducted bya | precentor; but he sings so much faster than any one else that the solemn harmoniousness of church | music is entirely lost. After delivering a Trather lengthy prayer—or it seemed lengthy to those who had just come in and | Were waiting ‘or seats—the Rev. Mr. Fuller commenced his discourse. He announced | Bo subject, bat said his text would be found in the | Acts of the Apostles, xiil., 25—“And as John ful- | filled his course he said, Whom think ye tnat I | am? Jam nothe, But, behold, there cometh one | after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy | vo loose.’ Some men have been heard to say that after all we are but the creatures of circumstance. | We are compelled to acknowledge tnat in regard | to most persons this statement is true. We see | people all around us who are adopted into the | Church. Surely they are not the children of chance, | No living religion can find its forms among the ruins of a dilapidated religion. This heresy has in | itagreat deal. Was the life which a creature of | circumstance leads the life of Jesus or the life of faith? This heresy makes our spiritual | Datures degraded. True manhood must stand | every day Jace to ace with God and duty. Each man has to follow a course which God | Himself has prescribed for him, and, in order to | mifil tis duty, his conscience should be superior | to the pressure of any exterior circumstances. «John the Baptist was at once a teacher, a hero and @martyr. They all flocked to hear this child of the desert. Even the Jews, tne Scribes and the Pharisees, all gathered together that they might see and hear this wonderful preacher, The Jewish nation knew that the Messiah was about to | come, and they were anxious to hear ail they could of Him. There was sulla severer trial for this self-sacrificing man. When Jesus came and com- | menced to baptize the multitude lett John and fol- | lowed the Messtau. How did Jonn feel when he was being thus eclipsed * He did not act as some modern | men would, but acknowledged at once the superi- | ority of Jesus. When rea go home read the his- | tory of Eli and you will have almost a parallel with | the selr-sacrifice of John, I met while reading in | English history lately a passage which frightened | me, A great many men are in the habit of writing | things which are not intended tor THE PUBLIC EYE. Modern illustrious men write what they do not expect to be published. I trembie when I pro- nounce the name Thomas Fuller, who said, “I con- | tes belore God that somehow I do not want the | cause of Christ to prosper.” Look at John the | Baptist, He says, “He must increase; I must de- crease.” Join Was the most popular preacher that ever lived, and all their — praise could not flatter him, John took some of | these men aside and _ reproved them for | their sins. He did what Jesus did after him. It | Will sometimes do to tell a man in a sort ofa eral way the state of his morauties from the pulpit, but it Would be esteemed almost a sin to mention | So delicate a subject in the parlor. He took the | Jews, the Pharisees and the Scribes apart and told them where they were doing wrong. Herod called John good and did all he could to please him, «St. John looked steadily imto the King’s face and charged him boldiy with his crimes, Although this ruier of the people had praised him and loaded | him with presents and favors, he dared to tell him the unvarnished truth, We know how this good | man was subsequently cast into prison and be. | headed. John fulfilled his course, and each one of | Us 18 immortal tll he tulfils his course. Every | man’s life is a true life, provided religion to him 18 @reality. There 18 no such word as “perish’? in the vocabulary of a true man to od. It teaches us that if our faith is tobe firm and active we must be firm and active too. This course is what | We are called to do, and it may be only a little, | put it mast be well done. To read this Scriptural | biography carefully and see how men with like passions as ourselves fought, rallied, were defeaved | and ultimately conquered, is & great thing. All my fears are laid aside if 1 only remember Thee. | When we are informed that John fulfilled hi | course this great truth is indicated—that God | appoints to each man the ee he is to pur- sue. To every man 40d appoints his cou! and gives him a limitea time in which to fullll It. Soto yon and me, both, God | prescribes @ course, There is no time to be | Wasted in the following of foolish fancies or in idle contentment. Lie is given us for a grave | purpose and we must accomplish our work. The | great beauty is to Onish in this worla what is al- | lotted to each of us; not to spend our time in pic- | turing the romance of the future, but to be ever | finishing our course. We olten hear A LIFR OF HOLINESS spokenof. Without it, we read, no man can sce God nor commune with Him. There 1s, perhaps, bo word so littie understood as that word holiness, Its definition is, perfect harmony with God. This holiness does not at ail depend upon the condition in which we are Uae whether | our years are all spring time or winter, whether our earthly poss | large or small, Some think if they were placed diflerently tney would lead holy lives, These are | dreams, ‘We see @ spirit of discontent and even | Qoirappiness every day. The prince is unhappy, | the prosperous man is unhappy, and even among | Christians this spirit prevails and overshadows, The canse of it is the continual fighting between class his sermon the minister re- es, Alter concindiny j marked that he did not Know low it wasin New | York, bat {@ Baltumore the sexton thought if he | did not open she windows he would not have to | close them, Ip consequence of thig neglect ing, “My heart is fixed, O God; 1 will sing and | %*t0B, the churn is wy We are seeking lor | andi am afraid He finds us unfit for the work | NEW YOURK HERALD, MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 1874.—TRIPLE SHEET, ta) on the part of the ane ae eek eens . 4 CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION. The Rev. J. Robert Love, of Georgia, on the Mission of Christ. Yesterday the Charen of the Transfiguration, better known a8 “The Litue Church Arownd the Corner,” on Twenty-nineh street, near Madison avenue, seemed to be the great centre of attrac- ton for uptown chures goers. Thu wae owing to th tine’s Mission, Georgia, was to preach Une The Rev. Dr. George H. Houghton. rector of the churel, oMiciated, assisted by the Rev. Dr. George F. Sey more, of the General Theological Seminary. At the close of the morning prayer, the Mer Mr. Love ascended the puipit—the fret time |t bas ever been filed vy a colored clergy man. his text and spoxe as jollows:—"The blind receiv: their sight and we lame ik, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up oe poor have the Gospel preached unto them.’ Bue text, he said, 18 @ full and substantial reply fe one Ol the most important, if not absolutely the mort important, questions ever proposgded diroetly to our blessed Lord. The circamsiances Which gave rise to both question and answer are briedy these:—From the very eariiest lumes, a) along the tine of ages down through the Patriarchate, through the passage of the desert, the residence in Palestine, the Babylonish captivity aed the Who.e period of prophetic ration, predictions had been uttered concerning (he appearance and ile of one in Whom ali the families of the a were to be biessed, These prophetic rations, somewhat darkly made at at me more and more distiset as tine rolled on and as revolution Of attains brought ne: and nearer tee periect rull of these wonderial announcements, John, time of our Lora’s appearance, couftned in the prison of Machwrus because he had rebuked the wickedness of the incestuous Herod, He therefore despatched two of bis discipes to our Lord with tis question:—“Art thou he that should come, or do we look tor anotwer” Tap Irequently repeated assertions of the Baptist place bis own faith in the divine nature, character and ministry of Christ im the clearest light, It was in condescension to the ignorance | and infirmities of his disciples that he directed them to Make persoaal application to Curist, since by coming into immediate contact with Hoy One fimself these doubts woula b al beiore the ireiutabie evidence of which He Would produce, Just at the ime ween these messengers arrived Cnrist, according to au- clent prophecy, was engaged in His many works of love. At His bidding tniirmities were healed, plagues were arrested, evil spirits retired. What in the contemplation of ) this text strikes the mind most forcibly is The Chios Of persons for whose venelit the Saviour’s Wonder working power Was exerted, True 10 ills declata- tion that His Mission Was ‘to the lost sheep of the | house of Israel,’ while He avoided no man He Was | always attentive to both the temporal sud spiritual | Interests of the needy, The rich ane insuentul | gave comparatively little concera to Mim, the strong and lusty were not the objects of His | special care; the gay and lappy received from im no approving smile, it Was tue lame, not the whole; the deaf, bot those of acule bear- ing; the blind, not those biessed with tue powerd of vision; they that were sick, not they that were whole; the agdalene and the samaritan adui- teress, not the seli-satisfied Pharisee nor the rich recip‘ents of the great Benelactor’s mereiful dis- pensation. Among these dispensation, these im- faliibie evidences of the ministry Oo! the Son of mission from all the reigning systems of the day was that “the poor nad the Gospel preacned to them.” The faithiul in Christ must follow in the wake of their divine Master. They must, as His Witnesses, bear the image oi their pees Original. The evangelization ol the poor and the outcast, beimg the peculiar feature of the Christian re- ligion commenced by Christ Himself and constantl. inculcated by His precept and example, shoul be the high atm of every Uhristiam man so lung as there remains one’ wretched sinner unre- claimed from vice and error. Its teachings should be broad and general like the Gospel of Christ, not the utterances of some school of this cuangeful age, but comfortable words such as all dying men Might hear with gladness to their sou!’s health, To be like Him it must embody a religion to whicn no man’s Dame was ever fastened and which has more in it than any one brain or heart can hold; @ Teligion essentiaLy the same in any age, in the first, the tenth, the ninetecntn and the ninety- and-niath; a religion which can iast grand aod enduring not to be readily defaced and eviscer- ated by a Lutner, a Calvin or a Wesley, nor un- complainingly stuffed and padded with new dog- mas by a so-called infallible Pope, vut like the | Lord Himself “the sume yesterday, to-day and | Jorever.”” The religion which the Church of Christ in con- sistence with His spirit must prefer and practice is Ot @ Class religion, Dor school reiigion, nor sect re- ligion, but a wide, warm and all embraciag sys- tem; a religion for pilgrim man, the toiler, the sinuer who has a heart jor love, an ear for har- monies, a voice for prayer aud praise. OHUROH OF THE SCANDAL, JERSEY OITY, —-+—_— A Very Slim Congregation—Some Points im the Sermon for the Scandalized Mem: bers of the Church. There was something like desolation hanging over the Prospect avenue Presbyterian church— now known as the Churcn of the Scanda!—in Jer- sey City yesterday. The gloom that overspread the community during the past seven days seemed to radiate irom this spot. One week ago to-day Mary E. Pomeroy was in the throes of dissolution, Not a single member of the church imagined for a moment that the next Lord’s Day would dawn on @ mourning church and a scandalized congrega- tion. The events of that one week will indeed be ever memorable in the history of this church, precedent, it was disheartening. It proved, if Proof were wanting, that a very considerabie portion of the congregation have been so scan- dalized that RIR FAITH I8 UNDERMINED, One of the three men who vainly tried to offer @ plea for Glendenning, at the indignation meet ing on Saturday night, was there. The seat whieh poor Mary E. Pomeroy occupied so long at the organ was filled by Mr. Hellerman, postmaster of Hudson City. The young ladies of the choir stood around in a@ semicircle and sung their parts, but it was impossible to feel—it would be injustice to them te deciare so—that they sung with the same spirit as they did #1x months, ay, two months, ago, There was an overpowering consciousness that one of that interesting group had been stricken down, that ONE FACE WAS MISSING, Behind the pulpit was seated the oMciating clergyman, Rey. Or. Wiggins, of New York, an energetic and zealous minister and a pleasant and agreeable gentleman. He carried through the Prescribed form of worship as punctoally and earnestly, yet calmly, as if he had slept all through the terrible drama enacted during the few weeks past. There was something for @ recreant pastor as well asa disedified congregation to study in ne ~yonagaa which was preceded by the following ymin — All hail the power of J Let angels prostrate tal Bring forth the royal diadem And crown Him Lord of all. Ye chosen seed of Israel's r Hall tim who saved tan be Hig ‘nd crown Him Lord of all. | nn Sinners, whose 1 The Wormwood ani the gale Go, spread your trophies at His fect, And crown Him Lord of all. The last of these three verses was, however, omitted. The sermon was taken from Psaims, Ixviil., 11, 12—The Lord gave the word; great was the company Of those that published it. Kings of armies did flee apace ; and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.” ‘The first lesson to be derived trom this 18, that since man fell by man shall THE MESSAGE OF MERCY be proclaimed. By those who proclaim this mes- sage shall kings aud armies be conquered. Those ve) Perea Got peg fi ere the spotis, ey tarry at home. me often proclaimed by . een é MEN LEAST FITTED FOR THE WORK. * “Yod seems to have selected in many instances Lape emd for preaching the Word who have no ents for the work. Who denied his Lord but is” name! Simon Peter? Who persecuted the Charch like Saal of Tarsus? The message will never be delt times Gospel ministers are called in the Bi maidens to show they are weak themselves, "No sent by God. Whether by a classis or by a presby- tery or by a bishop if he be not sent by ne. ah A HIRELING THAT FLYETIC When he sees the wolf come. It will not be by Spirit. Unless the spirit come trom on high, he may as well preac! bones Melancthon were sent that the people of God might become enlightened, rtd 8" men, not to Rome, but to the cross on Calvary. At the sound of bia'voice monks fell, monasteries ered aright till the Lord gives the word, Some- one shall ever preach the megsage unless he is be as @ dumb dog, and as My might, saith the Lord, but by the power of My marble statues as to men. Trnet aad Calvin, and the superstition of ages and thi Miser e tumbled down and cisterns for holy water went dry. Whom were they to whom THE WORD WAS FIRST GIVEN? Not armed kings or princes, but poor fist hermen and tax gi itherers, men so poor that their Master had, on one occagion, to Work @ miracle in order ct that the Rev, J. Robert Love, of St. Augus | He selected | man of Samaria and Its Application— Is Religion Lost Because Its Professors reut ‘The services at the Methodist Episcopal church im Seventeenth street below Second avenue yes- terday Were of consideravie interest, and the morning sermon of the pastor, Kev. W. H. Boole, very eloquent, ‘The reverend gentleman selected the thirteenth and fourteenth verses of the ‘ourtn chapter of St. John for bis text, which are as tollows:—‘Jesus answered and said unto her, whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever craketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but ‘the water tnat I _ shall give Mm shail be in him a well of water gpringing up into rlasting fife.” Mr. Boole said he should turn aside from bis usual custom and discourse iM @ plain and familiar vein to his congregation. There is a depth of wisdom in the well Known verses, and because they are so familiar the essence of Gospel contained in them and their importance a8 revelation are sometimes overlooked. Let us not forget the surprise of the disciples when they saw the immaculate Saviqar— that impersonation of Deity—apparently turning aside from His high mission and communing with one of the defied of the earth. “Infinite cond seension,” they thought, “conversing with this wo- man oi Samaria,” and yet Carist soon taught them He was carrying to her @ message from ths Kingdom. While the Pharisees always spoke of the minor things of it He spoke of salvation and of love as di as a well without @ bottom, There are two things revealed in these contemplations—irst, the incomplete satisfaction of everything im ite, and, second, the entire sum- creney of Christ without anything else. To demon- strate this simply and clearly (ue pastor asked his congregauion to consider the pateat tact that in human €Xistence sia Never gives joy; ike a cup with boney im the top, When itis turued down worm- w is Sing | L Would have Wo use arguments to couvince thea young mau—it was these who were singled out as | if God, that which prominently distinguished His — that sip is bot Lappiness. Tuere are one thou- suud ald one modes sin, it is not necessary to go down into the deptus of in tw fad it, you can fed it waere awells apparent peace certainly plenty; Were men and wo- wen are arrayed im parpie and fine linen, but there is BO peace With ter hear 7 ameet jume brings @ poisonous breath to the soul, lik those beautiiul bouguers of wuich we ancients tell, the odor of which Was certain death. God has designed that man heart shail be ansat- ised WILL every tuing save imself, All the sacred things im lve, the iamily Circle, ireadships, even the holy marriage relation, dees not the human ‘soul witd utter satisiaction, for Gou gives nothing more than “grail Meas- ure;” whenever we heart is overfowtng witi joy some sorrow comes and levels | the measure, even as the merchant in i | | | | | | i \ expression of their lov man too busted to look life. Jesus Christ loves him for porrece | When he stood up sWeeps of the extra grain. In going to California i had the juxury of a Pullman Palace car, ae. cently upboistered and admirably a, ted for all creature comiorta, | had iriends around broke out in song from time to ume, and Joy. But aiter a time | pulied aside the curtain of Ty window and saw that | was passing through & desert. Not bird to be seeu, nothing but and brusu. The next day the saine—m but sage. 1 pulled the curtain sc oss the window and tried to enjoy my breakfast and dinner and the singing of my friends, bat I coud aot get rid of the desoiation without. Notaiug out sage, sky and So it is with the heart not by The oaty sree amid the acuon of Christ is Jesus Cart, If certain things which have just happened can coring us down Ww tne feet of the Kedeemer, so much tue better. Some cowardly peopie will say religion has suffered, #0 did such persons cry out when John fel! taut @ whole dispensation was blotted out, But was it? Do you think tis sterm will carry anybody down? Not iw youare in the t put if you Et i e the trouoled waters you wi may cut off every member of His religion must still live, CHURCH OP THE MEDIATOR The Kev. Dr. Thomas F. Cornell on th Life in the Flesh and the Life im th Son of God. The Church of the Mediator, corner of Jefferson street and Ormond place, Brookiyu, was ver largely attended yesterday by the usual congrega- tion and many strangers, attracted thither by the fame of the new rector, Rev. Dr. Thomas F. Core nell, who selected for his discourse part of the twentieth verse Of the second chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians—“The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the jaith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself jor me.”? St. Paul, the Doctor said, was the great philosopher of Christian doctrine. His chief idea of the subject was one that explained its principles, touched its deepest grounds and set forth in clear terms the nature, opere ations and effects of the Christian system. The oI The attendance yesterday was small beyond all j Stent tonches, of teat £0.88. Seem, Sas ue. Semen cal apostie 1s St. James. He shows the daily life of man. His epistles are not strifes about words, they are addresses to the devoted heart and con- science. Theretore these writings have ever beem neld as the grand life of Christian doctrine. Faith is explained both as to the object it apprenends and the manner of its workings; it is seen to act and move in the soul. If the Bible were netter known there would be less scepticism; one would not be so liable to be carried away with every vaim doctrine, or hold his own trust in God 80 cold ana lifeless # thing had he come into the wide experience of this the latest and greatest of the aposties. It was not a feitm about Christ, but Christ Himself that lived in the Apostle; this upheld lum amid all dificulties, dan gers and deaths, and this must be faith and fuel to us ere we can come into the new life to which wo are called—‘The life whicb I now live in the fesh.’* before Felix and Agrippa, wheu. he was a chained prisoner at Rome, when all hu- man aid bad forsaken him, this was the iife in the flesh he lived by the saith of the Son of God. When, he was the scoff of heathen mobs and Jewisn hatred, when he gave his body to the scourge at Philippi and was thrown into the inner prison, this was the life he lived and endured witn all long suifering, with joyiuiness, because he lived by the faith, or, as the original states it, in the faith. of the Son of God. Puui's whole course 1s a lessom, to mankind—tirst, because it had in it this mighty faitn in Jesus, and our lives fall so miserably below it that our faith touches only the outside of truth, and rest upon us but an outer garmen! Ll always about Christ. These wor may be for each and all of us if we will. They are but the indirect setting forth of the reason of our Blessed Lord's incarnation. As He lived by the Father 60 are we to live by Him. he took upom Him human life in its woe and weakness that wo mmight'go through it in His strength, to be | With om, bot tn. os Is this too great # to hope for’ it is not less than promises, Religion is @ least of whole life. It is not so muol — faculties towards God as yielding body, soul and spirit to Him; # transiol the whole man, not taking us out of the wi ut keeping us in 1} sae we may lead Christiy lives in our homes, al ures and our pains, in public highwi or [uel our lot may be to live by the God, “The life which 1 now live by the faith of the Son of God,” that holds the soul to that own 18 ag truly with them here as Him there. The hope of glory is the eternal life in the law in Christ and wi re. above is I ng judge but to bless, not to condemn but not to punish bat to pardon, The Gospel bait heard means this. NOT A SUICIDE, To THR EpiToR OF THR HekaLD:— . ‘The account copied from @ Say Franciaco about two weeks since of the death of W. B. Brown by suicide has sjnce been proved to be in- correct. I have received @ telegram my son, who is & nephew member and stating that a soon inquest had been held 16tb uses & Verdict of death dered. ‘i you the i “