The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-04-04 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY SERMON AT OLD.

SWINFORD. _ _ _
TUE RECTOR JUSTIFYING HIS SECOND

MARRIAGE.

A great deal of goesip has taken place in Stourbr:dge
and district through the Rev. C. H. Craufurd, Rector of
Oldswinford Church, recently marrying one of his do-
mestic servants; noise condemning him, others saying
that he had a right ti do as he thought proper. How-
ever, placards were issuel and extensively circulated, an-
nouncing that on the 29th of March the Itector rif Old•
swinford would preach a sermon on his second marriage,
anti that next day it would be published by Mr. Broom-
ball. Is consequence of this anneuueemeut a great deal
of curiosity was excited, as the subject was a very un-
common one, and, as early an bill-past nine o'clock, per-
HMIS could be seen wending their way towards the
church, and by half-past ten every available seat was oc.
eluded. the aisles, upstairs and down, being literally
crammed, hundreds being unable to gain admission.
Prayer: having been read by the Curate,
The Rector took as his text, tat Cor., 4th chapter, 3rd
verse, " With me it is a very small thing that I should be
judged of you or of mass judgment." It was clear
from the context that when St. Paul declared his disre-
gard of men's judgment lie spoke of such judgment with
reference to his couduct in his ministerial car icity. But
it woo the privilege and duty of all Christiana to avoid as
for as might he not only all evil, but all appearance of
evil ; to give no unnecessary offence even to the preju-
diced or weak. It is our duty, not because we ought
to desire Emmen applause, or to dread human censure;
but only because we are bound as Christians, no less
than, if we are Christieno in anything but name, we are
prompted by I chug and affection, to avoid putting a
! stumbling-block is the way of the weak, (as says the
Apostle, "If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat
no flesh while the world staudeth, lest I make my brother
to offend ;") and we areas lean bound as Christians, no
less prompted by feeling and affection, to avoid lessening
the iulluence of our Christian example by conduct which
may appear unbecoming, or unchristian.
But, as concerns ourselves, and our own happiness or
comfort, small indeed is the weight to which bunion
judgments are entitled. For, in the first place, unless
when our conduct is clearly and unmistakeably wiong—
in which ease the censure of the world is important only
because it anticipates the sentence of a higher tribunal
—private individuals have no right to judge so. Servant.
of God, to our Great Ma.ter alone we stand or fall—an-
thorlty to judge on Coo be derived from Rim oely, Re
has given no such authority. Furthermore, human judg•
meets are unentitled to regard because they are, for the
most part, erroneous. For, first, they are formed by re-
ference to an erroneous standard. All must be aware
how different is the code of morals prevailing in the
world from that which is written either on the pages of
revelation or oath, tablets of an enlightened conscience.
Secondly, the opinion of our conduct formed by the