The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-10-24
Sermon by Bishop Atkinson, or North
Carolina.

The newly consecrated Bishop of North Carolina Dr.
Atkinson, delivered interesting discourse last evening"
At st. John the Evangelists Church. Bleecker street.
taking for his text the words Come and see lst chap
46th verse;
One striking peculiarly that distinguishes the inspired
writings is the calm and dispassionate in which
they narrate events They simply tell what men did
and leave to infer their characters from their actions
There is not single attempt at elaborate description
there of those endeavors to portray the doyn
craces of individuals which mark the writings of
lar authors-t is enough for those men to whom the
sacred task entrusted that they narrate crcumstan
alone consider this to be most striking evidence
OF the divine origin OF the Scriptures. They speak of
events and persons we'll known TO them and we would
naturally expect that their sentiments whether OF
indignation or admiration, would appear; but no, they
assume the tone of the calmest witnesses That
tone, that manner OF narration was derived from
q more than human source. How candid is
their avowal Of the faults of saints and The doubts
in which reflected the themselves as they
are, not they ought to be- It is not an enemy who
tells that man after Gods own heart in moment OF
temptation slew his FRIEND after corrupne that friends
wife; it enemy who informs that disciple
of Christ betrayed him. and that another refused to BE-
eve in his resurrection until compelled by ocular evil
dence. He invited to 'Come and see and he saw
and became convinced. This invitation is no less apph-
cable in day, and to ourselves when rightly ap
piled The main evidence of the t. nth OF the Gospel Is
personal experience The seeker after truth
must come and see.' 1t is the great remedy against
doubt ana most thoroughly persuaded tnut no
imbued with the Christian spirit without per-
sonaly experiencing the Divine workings of the Holy
Ghost in his individual True the outward evi
dences of the gospel by to be oyerooked
but the earnest convictions that Jesus Christ Is the only
Saviour do not altogether depend upon it, We know
this only by putting ourselves in personal with
Christ. let learn to do this and we shall have
constantly accommodating of evidence that will grow
into perfect conviction that he is our only hope NO
understand the scriptures rightly until he has
himself experienced the divine influence. In the early
days of the Christian church it the lower classes OF
society-peasants slaves, artsans-Sho first embraced
the truth These stood foremost in the ranks Of BATTLE
and there any epoch in the history OF the
Christian church that has witnessed such elfdenying
devotion to the Of Christ these days fprnshea
aseenS to IN that fiery was tnmpaa
one TO them with entire faith and confidence in
the promises of God And yet these were the recipients
s His truth mainly through personal experience They
sat skilled in the oi ic OF the schools In all ages OF
the world, have only had two grcnds OF beef-the
authority, the other experience Authority Is useful,
nay Indispensable but 1t is not in ITSELF conclusive
is personal experience which the tru tn must always
depend. In the hour of ailction is this especially
exemplifed There is human being who is not
born to suffer at period OF his existence.
In old age the pleasures of youth pail upon the senses
and when, by the resourse es OF this life fail
whittier turn? All! there is but one unfaing
fountain to which apply but one which is never
consolation from which St. Athanasius in the midst of
peril and tribuation, obtained comfort and in which
Henry Maryn, not unworthy to be named in the same
connection found present help in the hour of need
When that faithful servant of God ut his post amid
the arid plains of Persia remembering with fondness the
pleasures of the home he had left - hearing in his
dreams the pash of the brook which by his home
seadrecallng all the deac recolleclons OF native land
and riends-what supported him in tho hour Of trial
but that close communion with that Master whom ht
loved, and for whom he about to die? Bishop Atkin
enlarged at length upon the words of his text
and closed his remarks with eloquent appeal TO th'
uuConyelted,