New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-11
SERMON BEFORE THE NETWORK BIBLE
SOCIETY,

BY THE REV. DIR. THOMPSON or BUFFALO
The Anniversary Sermon before the New-York
Bible Society preached last evening in Dr. Alex
apders church corner of Fifth and Nineteenth
street by the Rev. DIR. Thompson Of Buffalo, n. \.
The church was more than half filed
After the usual Introductory exercises including an
able PRAYER from Chancellor Ferris, and effective Con-
pregationa singing, DR.. Thompson announced as his
text Matthew xvii, ~, 20, II verses. RECOMMENDED
by asking his hearers to bear with him if instead OF
the practical and specific objects of Bible printing and
Bible giving he should speak subject equally per-
tinent to all earest Chrisans-the power OF faith
He followed with a concise summary ol Tie circum-
stances which led TO the conditional ikenng OF faith
TO grain Of musad seed, bringing up as coateratne
miracle ofthe fg-tree funder the denomination OF mir
aces We were include works which to all the falthess
appeared impossible as to curb the winds ana calm
the sea- then the age of miracles was not past UNDER
standing by miracles things which absolutely gu.
perhuman TO the unbee'ing, although they required
earthly means for their accomplishment. To faith
nothing vas mpossibe-to that undoubtlng faith which
could labor and wait This faith akin to the faith
spoken Of by the Roman poet:
"Possunt qua posse yid.ntur;"
but when II was faith in the divine will, ii was of
course higher and more powerful than when was the
mere Pagan faith in self. This faith required evil
dence. No man in state of moral sanity would at
tempt TO perform miracles as Christ did, by pro-
uouncng the word of power Il was Impossible for
men Nowadays to have that faith. Some
in these latter days had attempted it; but
they either deceived Others or themselves.
They would be insane If they could obtain such fslth
as the Apostles had: mountains could be removed
nowadays; men had actually performed works as
grand as these. But man would be insane II he
should attempt TO do it, The things were possible IN
themselves, but 20, under the circumstances; and
so he apprehended that Etna and Chnborazo
were quite safe. But if il were desirable TO do 1t,
the faith which built the pyramids could be evoked
again. Faith implied power and was in other things
At in swimming. More than 1900 years ago the COM
mand was given TO go out To all the world and preach
the Gospel 10 every creature. That had never been
done; but it possible if every protesting Chris.
ton should devote himself to il, heart, purse aud
soul TO accomplish il within this year of 1857 No
doubt it would be infinitely pleasing TO God but yet
the constitution of Chrstendom such 8t present
that II was not within the range OF possibilities
There was an immense amount OF latent power exist
ing in the world which lacked nothing but faith TO
bling il out. Especially this among protesting
Christians they magnited and multiplied the lions in
the way; they knew that they could not do anything
and it was true-or the only reason, however, that
they had not faith So lost our Lu;hers, our
Martins, Hariand Pages, and our Wi!berforces
Of the present day. The faith of De Witt
Clinton in the Enc Canal, aud of Fulton in
his steam vessel had been successful in our
midst Through faith our fathers triumphed in the
Revolution and Columbus crossed 81 ocean known
only to its power BY faith Hannibal forced his des-
peraie passage Of the Alps and Napoleon accom-
plshed the prodgies of his Italian campaigns. Mar
faith alone which had raised them to earthly mmor-
tally. The faith which laid hold on divine support
far elevated in it's character than that conf
dence in combinations, military and mechanical,
which were the support of Napoleon and Fulton Lu-
Their relied the force of the Scriptures Wiberforce
on the power Of God Lu.hers faith in the sword of
spirit equal 10 Napoeons in the sword OF steel.
But there a difference. The man whose
faith was in mortal means might ind him
self overpOwered by Russian SHOWS or greater
Saxon faith at Waterloo but he whose faith
in God could never fail He concluded by an
eAhortaon TO faith and to works Of faith, citing the
Of David and Goliath, the 300 in the valley of
Jezreel butchering their enemies the twelve Apostles
who sent 10 all the world and the passage OF the
Red Sea- Incidentally noticing the particular objects OF
the soceiy-to place Bible in the hands OF every
and woman in their respective dwellings. in the
forecsstle and cabin of every ship in our harbor,
TO send it into every prison cell, into every
den, and loft and crevce. Could they obtain the
grand inspiration of faith they would have power 10
cast out the devil of gold the devil of sloth and the
devil Of hatred money and labor would be at their
service. and opposition would be psralyzed.
The plates were passed around, and the gold was TO
limited extent cast out for the benefit of the Society
Prayer. doxolcgy and benediction concluded the
Anniversary.