New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-07
SOCIETY OF INQUIRY OF THE UNION
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.
sERMoN BY THE RnY. DR. FIsmER,

SERMON BY IHE Rbt. DH. ftSuLKs.
The annual sermon before this Society was delv-
cred lat night in tho Presbyterian Church corner Of
Fourteenth street and Second avenue by the Rev. Dr.
FISHER, President Of Hamilton University. Tho
church was well filed.
The seryces were opened with singing and PRAYER
Ly the Rev. Prof. HEsRY Is. SMITH OF the Union
Theological Seminary after which the Rev. Dr. ASA
D. SMITH pastor Of the Church. introduced the speak
Of the evening. -.t
Dr. FISHER hegan By stating that twenty-one years
ago bad been his privilege OF the nenbers to
address this society its first anniversary OCCASION
and two years subsequently, by request OF the Direc-
tore be again addressed the society," after which time,
though deeply interested in the objects for which the
society was formed, be had been called 10 give his
attention TO the new enterprise with which he was now
connected and bad lost sight to certain extent, OF the
socety IT, therefore, in the present address he should
place what right he regarded extIavsgan encomiums
upon this society, disregard would be explained by tho
trusm that
Time but the impression deeper makes,
As streams their channels deeper wear.
II was an obvious fact, in the conversion of man,
espe'aily in the setting at work of whole systems OF
agencies 10 that end that God selects special hstru
nenfs the truth of which indicated everywhere in
tie Bible and all along the history of the church, in
which We men reused up with peculiar qualifca-
tons to perform great works as much IN our own day
in tines past IL the law Of means being
adapted TO ends, the law which makes sharp sword
cut more effectively than dull one, wedge separate
IhIts OF DOCK OF WHICH mas assigned WiD9B 10
tic bird that il may rise easily and fly through the air;
the law which akes one word better adapted TO inspire
the bearer than another. Upon the application Of this
law to the missionary cause, he wished to geDeralize
some remarks.
How was il with the nations regarding the princi-
rle Of God shaping means TO ends From the time Of
Abraham to the time Of Christ the jew, for eighteen
centuries, was conservator Of the Word of God not
the propagator but the conservatory duty for which
his wonderful teDaety OF inpression above all other
nations in existence, lifted him. and against the per-
Torrance of which as the rock hardens around the
crystal and rartakes OF ts nature the baftleax OF
many centuries could not prevail. He woald not cite
tie history of Greece and of the Romans and the
development of government and law Of the Germans,
who disenthralled sleeping and a captive Church.
The single point upon which the speaker wished to
concentrate the thought of his hearers that the
Anglo-Saxon missionary This race, in
cudiDg ofcourse, the American fitted BY natural
constitution and educated by the Spirit of God to ex-
eeute great work in the history of the world. As in
men, so in nations q a sound mind in sound body
was natural requisite for the performance Of any
great work Inherting from other nations strong in
telectual, the Anglo-Saxon joins with this hardy,
persistent energetic nature; the child Of the tem-
perate zone, midway between the phlegmatic and
the passionatebetween the races of the North and of
the South. t'
He delights in action in clear decisive wills lays his
rans In the future and has torude that counts suffer
ing Observation-Disclosures which enable nation not
only to conquer 6ut to hod-bringng alike plenty and
peace to people, from the rigd 10 the torrld zones.
whom they may attain power. A race llke TINS
was destined for good in the history of the world.
He could find in it the finest qualities of half dozen
nations and il created, not for itself but Gods
instrument in the subseryience of truth The peculiar
training 70 which this subjected
considered at length The education of century Of
centuries might obliterate former qualities Of
character, BY neglect to cultivate them, and might
enlarge original endowments by giving stimulus TO
their cultivation.
The nsuIaT petition of the Anglo-Saxons had gradu-
ally led them 10 traverse all oceans and visit all shores,
becoming the carriers Of all nations gathering peaceful
tribute from all peoples, from the seas Of inhosptabe.
eternal ice, TO the swelering tropics This first effect
Hence the leland became workshop for the world of
can was the first and noblest offspring of the Anglo
Saxon not born by the greed empire which prompted
Rome to rlant colonies nor love of gold which led tho
Spaniard into South America nor overcrOwded p0pu-
lation, which caused Grecians 10 cclonizc.
The field of bis education was but enlarged; he
leaves the beaten track and instead Of carving marbles
and painting miniatures ne makes men, by promul-
eating the image Of Jesus Christ. He subdues the
continent and sends corn from the Atlantic slope of
the AlegbaEes 10 the Rocky Mountains, and scslters
from Hudsons Bay to the warm waters of the Gulf.
His political education, the sovereignty and freedom
Of the individual make him calculated to become the
missionary of the world He has been taught TO MI
CRATE from home to home mil be has favorite spot
as home, in order that he may regard his field as tho
world. He extends his conjuring power from ocean
TO ocean where be can touch, with one hand the mil
lions of China and with the other the etete eiyix-
alton of the Old World and the barharsn Of Africa.