The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-01-28

sxRMoN-The beautiful ediice Of the Monu-
mental Church, belonging to the Episcopal denomi-
nation was 6lled with devout and moss insellgent
congregation last Sunday morning After impres-
sive prayers and readings interspersed wth harno-
Nous and appropriate anthems Of praise, the Rev.
Mr.. woopBRIpGE, Pastor Of the Church, preached
most excellent discourse from the ID and Sd verses
of the eth chapter Of Matthew And behold there
came leper and worshipped Hin saying, Lord, if
thou wilt. thou canst make me clean And Jesus
put forth his hand, and touched him saying, will, be
thou clean And Immediately his leproey was
cleansed /"
In this instance the act of God, he remarked, was
made simple and comprehensive to all; as it was
when He said let there be light, and there was
light, 80 was it when Jesus said g wilP-inmedl-
ately the leprosy was cleansed The healing OF le-
prosy was one of the marks by which the Church
knew her God; one of the evidences given to the
Jews of the divine mission. The leprosy was su-
pernaura disease, and no medicine could effect Its
cure; those who were afflicted with it looked for
help only to God. In ancient times diseases were
made, to great extent the types of religion, and
Swallowed forth the evils of sin-the ignorance OF
the Jews making such striking illustrations requi-
site.
The preacher then proceeded to compare the
disease of lsprosy to sin, eontending that it
type made use of by God to exhibit the awful
hideousness of sin. Leprosy became deeply rooted
in the system before it discovered itself outwardy,
and rendered the whole body mass Of corruption.
When once contracted, it became hereditary, and
was transmitted through three or four genera
TONS The disease sometimes lasted twenty, thirty
and even forty years. and the tabernacle of flesh
thus literally crumbpg into dust before the eyes OF
man, srikingy illustrated the nature and effects of
sin. Under the influence of sin, it with the
leprosy the whole spiritual system sunk into dsor
der, and became amelancholy wreck. tLeprosy was
not attended by pain, but it made men hstless and
sad So with the victim of sin, he was ever sad,
seeking rest-but never finding it.
In its civil and religious disabilities leprosy was a
type of sim. As it was contagious, lepers were
separated from society; they were sent without the
tents of Israel They formed community to them
selves, where nought was heard but the weeping of
the leprous- They cut off also from the pres
ence of God-from worshipping Him in the sanctu-
airy. If this were the fate of the of unclean
flesh, how fearful must be the fate of the unclean
spirit No could the leper go before God or
in the temple or share the easts of the blessed and
he was, therefore, commanded to give every mani
festation of mourning, which command he of course
would obey, it being much in accordance with
his feelings. This type of the separation of
the sinner from God, and his weeping and gnashins
of teeth
As the disease typical of sin, so likewise the
method of recoverable methods described for
cleansing the leper, foreshadowed the gospel
Recovery was uniformly attributed to divine
power; and effected by the prayers to
the Almighty and intercession of the high
high priest in the temple, who dictated the various
cleansngs of theleper. With the sinner, Christ
his great high priest and intercessor. Long had the
eper to wait before granted audience with the high
priest whose time being occupied with other
things, prevented prompt attention to the leper's
CALL Not with Jesus He waits to be gracious
and his is never weary in listening to pleas
neither the employments or pleasures of Heaven
delay Him from coming to US.
The learned preacher concluded his remarks with
earnest exhOrtation to those afflicted with the
disease Of sin, to draw unto the great high
priest and mediator which Christ, and be
cleansed from their sins in the blood of the lamb
We simply add that the mode of heating lighting
and ventating adopted in this Church. together with
its spacious and tasteful accommodations, render it
excellent model in those characteristics to other
Churches and one which we trust will have Its due
influence in the construction of similar edices in
future in our midst