New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-10-23
SKETCHES or SERMONS. !
LOSS OF THE ARCTIC.
SERMON BIZ THE REV. DIR. CHEEyER.


The Rev. DR.. Cheever preached on the recent ca
amity Lost evening. His text was Genesis w. 9:
And the Lord said Cain. where Abel thy brother
And he said. know not Am my brothers keeper
The following Is an outline Of the sermon:
In the records Of the history Of the perhaps
there never was appalling and distressing
shpwreck than that of the Arctic Large and gal
liant ships have foundered at sea, and not
a soul escaped to tell the story; not frag-
ment appeared to indicate the fact but never
a nobler freight went down at once never stronger
vessel foundered a more impressive lesson was
taught ID teaches TO some extent our dependence
on one another our mutual responsibility, and the de-
pendence Of all on character. We may take as the
subject OF present consideration the necessity OF
rio character the foundations of right character,
and our responsibility for right character in others.
Presence Of mind ia an element of character. The
phrase is somewhat equvocal there may be 400 minds
present together but If there be not coOlne's, calm
ness in the midst OF danger there il presence Of
mind lin the highest sensel This may cOexist with in
tense sefshnees with the commission and concealnent
Of murder, as in the text. There was presence OF
mind in the bOatmeH and engineers 20 save them
selves regardless Of their duty to others. But do
not dignity such conduct with the name of true pres
Dce Of mind for this is eynced in courage for others
as well as OurseYes IL is noble quality, having
generous faith trust in God. Paul, shipwrecked IN
The Adriatc saw that the boatmen there had the
presence Of mind TO save themselves and leave the
rest to perish but he had the higher presence ofmind
10 see their sefshness and defeat II. Had the crew
of the Arctic been trained 20 the fear OF God to trust in
Christ Jesus TO the first lesson Of Christian duty Love
"otbers e. yourselves then might every individual
under Gods blessing have been saved. Ii may be
said IfSe must wait till we have Christian seamen
90 to 90 to sea, must wait till the millennium.
Where is the fault that sesmen want Christiin edu-
cation Society. The people who exclude the Bible
from their public schools.
The necessity Of Christian hope is also much shown
in this shipwreck. The man who cast himself
ali fbaFn m Cod nd |
" deeuer hveth," afford to hold life cheap IN
comparison with duty. think the noble eapt4n OF
the Inflated shp displayed berolsm almost unuyaed
In this age magnificent example ef fearless selffor
getting dsiuteresedness. Find another such instance
IN recent history if you can. IL there were dozen
mistakes, they become Insignificant In comparison.
in6delity sometimes casts in the teeth OF piety thst
good men fear to die ard are disposed 10 ENJOY lfe
Why not if in a Christian manner! The Gospel does
not teach TO despise but TO life. and to be willing
70 give il up at Gods pleasure. - Is not the Chris
tians duty TO meet trials or csath win apathy but 10
meet them as a b vel % Christian.
DR.. Cheever refeTTC1 az some length to the manner
in which Mr.. Woodruff on the raft with Capt Luce
AID others, sustained them by prayer until be was
lost. He concluded 20 the effect that Christian edu-
cation provided in the public schools Tor the humble
classes was the only safeguard Of society. he also
made the following observations All eIpedients that
might have been used 20 save the Arctic should rest
ultimately character. Want Of principle and sense
Of responsibility produce the deficiencies which are
followed by calamity. On each new disaster a. the
Romans ran to their sybilline books, men now run
10 Their temporary expedents forgetting the moral
law. Wer at our ALMOST Filibustering speed, and
when it results in calamity the community make
scapegoat Of the under whose direction the dis
esier occurred. though the true fault Is with our
selves Until Gods thuderbOlt fell on the Arctic any
captain who would have crept through fog Oh cspe
Race and thereby lost day his owners would nav
pronounced Incompetent; and even his p:sss.nfir,'
when landed would have cried on. againso' mi.
Were the lost ship emigrant vessel win TOOL at
ON board, would think nothing abou, H. ~ more
the argument foy fast sailing i2 fog eer-selves
easily ride down all we meek and .s,s and Ere
What Is this but the logic of the engn sonr csc ala
men in another shspei God Pss.V ,sths It,e yes,a
tioa 70 the hssr. With the iron pro" '''' -''