New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-02-12
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a SERMON
ON The TRUE NATURE Of WORSHIP.
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churches is popularity termed the time Of divine
service. ! pray you, now to notice this expires
sion, because IT is one Of many tokens which tend
! 70 show how very narrow and false the prevailing
ideas Of mankind are respecting the service or
worship Of God By styling these forms which we
here observe, divine services, give it 10 be sup
posed that the Divinity can be served nowhere bat
here or at least nowhere 80 truly and 50 accept
ably Accordingly, the great mass Of men asso-
oate al their ideas OF sanctty and religion with this
day aud this place The Of God, which they here
repeat listen with at least show Of reverence
they elsewhere prosne without the slightest compunc
ton. And those, also who might be expected to be
more enlightened than the generality still restrict re-.
gOn, the worship Of God, divine service 70 the Sab
bath and the Church.
The TACT is, according % the popular apprehension
the supreme object OF worship s great king seated
/ throne and wOrshipcd chiefly by words add acts
of homage. u Is not considered that when style
God klng or the king Of kings we use mere figure
~ speech and very Inadequate figure and ~ tn pro
gress Of the world II showing false hgufe Kings
becoming obsolete, kngship lie not As mankind are
beginning 10 the highest state Of human greatness
aud the time seems 10 be approaching when Il will be
thought that the title Of king is scarcely honorable
enough ~ be applied 10 the Supreme Being But we
have not got ~ understand this yet Republicans We
and we glory In being and 40 we hope the whole
W0fl0 - becoming. We U.s. 'tJ4r Ut
speaking our religion and invest the object Of il with
the attributes and the insignia Of despot to whom
Ray day In seven using the rest Of the week
pretty much according 10 our pleasure.
Let as give heed, then, 70 the words Of Jesus
The hour cOeh and now H. when the true worshpers
shall worship the father 10 spirit and truth Tor The iahe
seekeh such worship him God IL spirit and they that
worship him worship him in spirf and IN Truth"
The true worshipers shall worship the father-the
Father my hearers, there is no name that eau ade
qustely represent God lie cannot be described IN
words He cannot be naged to the eye or u the mind
BY figure Of speech we may eDttie him hing and
Lord and there IL resemblance that 1sthes the title
But lords and kings passing away, and the hour
cOmeh, and now IL when men viii have higher ideas
of greatness than borrowed from regal splendOr
and kingly rank. by figure Of speech also we may
call God, Father. And this simiiiuie although II Is
90 ~ sniitude is the most worthy and the most o.
daring that Kings shall cease 10 exist, but
long the human continues to be- there will be
fathers. The kingly office is human device The pa
rental relation IL the Institution Oi Nature ana OF Zoo
and therefore Is II wOrhly employed To represent
the Deity In the parental heart in the tenderness aud
strength Of parental affection. ray of the Divine Love
10 reflected As the majesty Of God IL mirrOrcd 10 the
ocean, the midnight armament so the perfect good
of God beams upon through parental love. IL
under the name OF Father that Jesus most fire.
quenty spoke Of the Supreme. lie dwet on this little
earth, amid the uns,hOmable mysteries OF creation,
child encirced by the arms resting on the bosom,
of all wise Father. He cherished towards the Al
mighty the aiectiOnate confidence OF beloved son
He did not call God Father because others called him
So because he had been taught thus His own heart
with faith an love- prompted him thus 10 speak OF the
Most High your hearts have ever been touched with
Of the Infinite goodness Of the unknown Creator
of the Universe IT, in moments when you have ielt
yourselves best and happy, the tears OF gratitude have
gushed from your eyes aud thoughts OF b0undess love
have risen within you like living fountains then you
have felt the proprety Of thus addressing God As
father. Whoever chershes conviction OF the infinite
Love of God and feels how infinite Is the tendon care Of
the Almighty will have no hesitation IN adopting this
appeiatiOn
Regarding God in this light AS perfect father feeling
toward him the loving confidence 81 children you will
loarn-your own heart will teach you-whht his wor
ship s-hs service. You will not you cannot restrict
his service this day and to this place. They that
worship the Father must and Will worship IN spirit ana
In truth tina, s spiritually, truly really MOI IN orhs
not In words, but In fact Ana what no" IS the Iee
service of God 1t Is living service II is such service
the spirit the life that 10 In man prompts him 10 ren
der. Thus does all nature serve him not WIN stated
and formal ceremonies not with loud but mono" aece
nations of praise, but by its ceaseless harmonious %
nefcent Operations Thus earth, and air and wind and
fire. and water serve him by fulfilling his laws by their
agencies exerted in accordance with his will tie does
require that the stars should pause IN their oro
and rsse shout Of homage. They truly serve him oy
moving on steadily and silently In their courses mus
the earth worships God by being arreyed In er rooes
| of beauty. and laden with her fruits and wresihed
with her lowers Thus the bird building US nest and
nururne Its Young worshYs God By the exercise oil all
the powers Of action and enjoyment WITH welch II is
| endowed In ike manner, man serves God by hVing
as man is made 10 live by the exercise OF MS reason
by obednce 10 the sense of right by cult yatsg HE
powers and applying them 10 the daily hourly business
of life Whatever is innocent be II ever so(oyous u
part Of the Divine Servce-he service that reuuoieu
ia spirit aud Ia Truth. The chic, whtn IL leaps an
laughs ia the exhuoerancs of Its harmless mrthi j.
worshiping God in spirit and atruth, In comparison
with which the gorgeous ceremonies OF ou cs'ueu
may be falsehood aud death The child is true to the
sp, of It's nature TO the truth OF nature Not iorma
not restricted In time and place is such worship OF
childhood II eXults in the enjoyment OF the lnthiie
Love and so il serves God spiritually aud truly ltei
Il II
spirit ana in truth, often times had almost SAID a.
ways when we least think OF serving MN Oten t'mes
we are nearest to God when we think ourselves iai
thest from the Church when, without thinking OF
God We are breathing his spirit the spirit of holiness
and love lust rs bresthe the air OF heaven uneon
sclOus of what we are doing.
The mischief OF WHIST we call our religious service
our Divine worship 10 that we either 20 through VIII
II 10 mere dead form and then lis downright siniu
OF time, and we had better be engaged 10 'ne
hardest manual labor though the Church Is the place
and the dRy 10 the Sabbath are so intensely sell
cQnscious-prone 10 conccit-thst We sre doing some
great and mertorious thing when are engaged I'D "hat
Is commonly understood 10 be Divine service Are our
hearts interested are we mOvedf We instantly be
come delighted with ourseves-vth our me sensiblh
ties-snd that spells the whole thing Instead OF serving
God have psmpered our own prde, ana tnls D lne'
a We fancy we have purchased eNempuoh
from the common obligations OF duty ana are AZ no
erty 10 do our own will Thus, even when We have
been interested in the formal worship OF GOD We nave
not worshiped him in spirit and IN truth do aotssy
that had better not hVtuu pNouS "NisHiF ~ 49,
although II very clear that II this is the way that We
use IT, il were far preferable that we should s'sy At
home and busy ourselves with the offices OF home But
would teach distinctly aud emphsncsy that the true
worship in spirit and in truth 10 The acuye service OF
the spirit the life the execution In lawful wsys, OF the
force tina, US The services Of the Church and the
sabbath no matter with what solemn and imposing
circumstances invested are, even when sincerely 90
served no better than the daily Offices OF HE Prayers
when true are only equivalent to acts OF CHARITY the
very least and lowest part of the worship OF Goa ihey
are absolute Interruptions 70 the true, sPlras p'lhe
Service If We make them mere formally OF an occa
sion of selfconceit When. as they may they nep u
enlarge our views OF duty and Snimste US 70 us per
formSnce when we come from them resolved 70 7.
strain and guard ourselves 10 employ our time ana IA
ents more faithfully, and 10 b somewhat tnen Oui
Divine services as We term them are Divine
Then 90 back 10 life with sense OF - sscredhes-
and regard our commOnest household employinshis
with new eyes and determine 20 live the worship OF
God But after all. he is the true worshiPer wofship
ing the Father in spirit and in truth who simply thnAs
of doing what is It's duty 10 do and who does without
delay and without, parade never dreaming OF dong
anything else When. without thought OF yourself
YOU are dscharging your obligations ~ others usins
your opportunities Of improvement, and happiness cu
tivatng your own nature, IN word, delightfully."- nhns
your plsce then are you serving God This Is the d
vine service to which If the forms OF worship here OBJ
served are auxiliary they vsusole and worthy our
~ fhar IN