The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-07-11
Outline Of DIR. COx's Sermon ON the Death
of DIR. ChaImera. OF Scotland

Outline Of DIR. C0x's Sermon on the Death
of DIR. Chalmers, or Scotland
1t having been duly notified In several of the public
journals that the Rev Dr. Cox had been requested t.
repeat, last Sunday evening at Dr. Adamss church. in
Broome street. 1.-THE discourse which he had previously
delivered to his congregation in Brooklyn the
mournu occasion Of the decease of the late celebrated
DR. Chslmersth eminent theologian of Scotland and
of the most illustrious of modern diviness
rous and respectable assembly had convened some time
before the commencement of the ssrvice the desire
many being disappointed in not being able to obtain ad
mission in consequence Of the excessively crowded state
Of the church. attracted by event which had excited
deep and sympathetic sensation throughout the re-
ligous community both sides of the Atlantic. The
appointed time having arrived the doctor, after the
usual preminaries, announced the subject Of the
ming service taking for the basis of his discourse por
ton of the h of the 18th chapter Of Hebrews In
connection with the I'd verse of the sth chapter of
and the oath the LIST chapter Of Galatians Re-
member them who have the rule over you; who
have spoken to you the word Of God whose
faith follow, considering the end Of their CONVEX
sation. And devout carried Stephen to his burial
and made great amentation over him. And they gori-
fed God in me - Whatever may be the views enter
tanned by diverse commentators on the precise aiming
and design Of those passages Of holy writ which have
been selected for our present theme particularly the
last clause Of first II is my intention observed
the preacher to direct your especial attention to the
scope the end the ecbdss Of that lustrous individual
WHOSE we whose loss ID
severely felt and deeply lamented throughout all
Christendom. He could not idolixe any mortal man,
yet he would endeavor to accompany this eminent
saint beatied in heaven, not to the porch Of Zeno
but to the porico of celestial glory amidst the radia
ton of the immortal and realize in delightful
Presidents Edwards and Dwight, Robert Hall and DR..
Chalmers He felt Ii delicate position to speak of the
iustrious departed in connection with the nara
ton of his personal intercourse and the
correctness Of the information he had collected
and would impsrt In advance Of the biography which
hoo haA haov
ing on the present attempt to exhibit an intellectual
and moral portrait of this good and great man. In
stated among other anecdotes the following particulars
DR. Chalmers born st. Patrick's Day 18th March,
thirty miles from Edinburgh, and in early life had to
labor under the great disadvantages of obscure
and racy brogus Scottish dialect which frequently
exposed him to the dersion Of inferior minds but which
he had the sterling good sense to allow for
ment to disturb his repose or interfere with the ardor
OF his collegiate pursuits He always very strict
student and clustered himself in order to attain the
acquisitions of science and classical knowledge in which
laborous exercises he successful to obtain all
the prizes Of the University and never there
sUn Q, Mater and never was Alma
this devoted alumnus 1t is not generally
known that he composed with great difficulty, and Ella
the inspection of the public eye He entered upon
ministry early in life and when only about twenty two
the Iron Church Glasgow until he resigned his charge
to assume the duties attached to the chair of moral phi
losephy In the University Of st. Andrew's but which
he relinqushed when he conscentously seeded from
the Kirk and renowned the eccesiastica control of
Queen Victoria on becoming the leader the champion,
the OF the free church of Scotaud neverthe
less great the esteem with which he regard
ed that his opinion invariably received and acted
by the site committee Of the British Houses of Par
lament in granting locations which to erect chapels
for public worship those who deprived
of their conscientious scrupes from any fixed place being
gospel in the open air between the space of two
roads exposed to torrents of ran unshetered by
the scanty covering of umbrellas For many years dur
ing the earlier part of his ministerial course similar to
the experience of that celebrated commentator the Rev
Thos Scott he was entire stranger to the influence
of spiritual and experimental religion and on one occa
meal studies, that whilst the bell tong the voice
OF the sexton was summoning him to the Of
specimens. With much precipitation he fastened to
the church. having thrown the specimens into his hat
discovered by of his auditory upon the top of his
head creating such sensation that of his members
had step TO the pulpit to apprse him OF the fact
of which, he had remained altogether unconscious On
the projection of that valuable work, the Edin-
burgh Encyclopedias complimentary acknow-
Judgement of his extensive talents and literary
attainments, he invited to become Of
the contributors on the subject of christianity In
rejecting however upon the vastness and momentous
character OF the subject his mind became deeply i'm
pressed and affected with the prodigous design Of the
that he induced to seek the advice OF
devout member Of his church, to whom he unbosomed
his feelings and Of ncapacy and from whom he
had previously maintained some distance account of
his piety soliciting his opinion whether he ought not
to decline the proposition for that he felt himself
quail to the task and that the more he contemplated
the solennty of the matter, the greater became the
embarrassment of his mind This pious individual re-
monstrated with him onthe grevous restitution of all
spirituality in his pulpit minisrations and recommend
ed him to consult his Greek testament approach the
throne of grace, and the fountain Of all wisdom and
knowledge, if so he might obtain polished culver from
the armory Of divine truth-his singular position
being that Of ambassador, who, though he
had attended court and had been appointed to
transact the business of diplomacy was necessitated
to consult Pt6c notary to decipher the contents of
his commission From this suspicious moment, his
mind being enlightened and his heart affected with
the mysteries of the gospel of Christ, his discourse
ut once electrified Christendom Some said Chalmers
has gone mad" others that he had come to himself
to which the angels from above responded yes In mis-
vsedctory address to the congregation of Iron church.
he humbly and patheticaly declares that though he
had faithfully preached against vice and all sorts Of i'm
ties privileges hopes and bessedness of christianity he
not conscious that his mnstrations had produced
single conversion, and II solitary soul had been
verified and turned from the error Of his way 1t
alone cognizant to Of Omnscence" Under this
delightful change of heart and mind, he prepared the
essay for the Edinburgh Encyclopaedia on the truth
of christianity adopting the Baconian and New
tonian method Of inductive philosophy, and
produced composition which for depth of thought and
brancy Of maginati0n had certainly been equal
led laying PROSTATE the Aimsy sophstries of Hume Glib
bon and votaire putting to flight the entire hosts Of
fcient profundy and diversity of thought that hay
ing embraced idea he delighted to make the play
thing Of his exuberant imagination, presenting 1t in
multiplied forms and every variety Of aspect Few men,
indeed had the ability and fancy which he possessed to
exhaust subject strikngly exempifed In his extra
ordinary essay in the Edinburgh Encyclopedia already
referred to- Robert Hail. the Star Of England Chal
the Star Of Scotland and who addicted to
pass the most whitening criticism on some of his
brethren, asked his opinion Of Chalmers; he
sponded that he reminded him of door its
hinges, perpetual motion, but no advance" Being
censured for the injustice and illiberaty Of the
ply. he quickly changed the temper Of his figure
aud selected another metaphor, In which he compared
the northern light" Ito kaleidoscope which, with a
few insig fcant materials every turn, beauti
full brilliant combinations produced resplend-
ent with the glory and adorned with the coloring Of
heaven The Dr. John Mason ofthis city be-
ing reused from deep by lady whose guest
he by the enquiry what he thought Of her avorte
and popular pastor, DR.. Chalmers replied VI thought
very little of him. The reply astonshed his hostess
which Observing he exclaimed, she made me think SO
much of the evil of SIM of heaven of hell of the love
of Christ OF the mercy Of God and the mystery Of
demption, that could not think anything about the
man" On the same day, after having attended the
mnration offs popular and eloquent divine his opinion
being requested he exclaimed "how can | think of