Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-07-04
ARCHBISHOP HUGHES AT RALEIGH. y
"A CORRESPONDENT Of the Fayetteville IN. O. q

"A correspondent VI suo rey ossevMS AHS. ~ W
ARCHBISHOP HUeHEs' SERMON The inhabitants
of North Carolina form the most thoroughly Pro-.
testant community in the Uunited States-yet two
of their eleven Judges are Roman Catholics. OF the
436 students registered in the last Catalogue of the
University, not more than six of the Archbish-
ops faith When the Archbishop addressed the
crowd that filled every nook and corner of the Chap.
ell his words did not fall the reyerental ears of
more than twenty Of his own followers. Not one OF
the Senior Glass that invited him to address them
called himself by the Archbishops name. ~ Such
lberalty as this is very remarkable to say the least
of it. 1t forms an example which, whether it be
repeated here or initiated elsewhere, is not one
which Romanists have set nor is it one which they
will quickly follow. Mere curiosity may have had
much to do with the selection of the Preacher for
this time, yet it promptly gratiied and it is to
be hoped that the weighty words of truth and wis.,
dom that fell from Dr.. Hughes lips will not be
quickly forgotten.
The text he chose is to be found in Matthew xii,
$40, viz the reply of our Saviour to the tempta
ton of the lawyer. Concerning it, he remarked
that the injunction to love God implied that those
enjoined were in degraded, sinful condition. The
angels who never fell need no such command. 1t
implies that man has still free will whereby he
chooses or refuses Were he not Free he could not
receive commands either positive or negative, and
his obedience would excite only such admiration as
that which arises in contemplating the minute pre-
cson with which the planets revolve in their orbits
or the other laws of nature are fulfilled Such
obedience has no merit of reward. The love that
our Saviour demands for God is not mere mani
festation of natural Affection out5urst Of the SEN.
sbilities. 1t is calm and ever present principle OF
the soul that is based recognition of Gods most
excellent glory-of His relations to His creatures,
and of their responsibility to Him. Nor was it at all
inconsistent with dread Of Him as indicating the
majesty Of His law. On the contrary this fear must
be where authority is and it is necessary as slim
illus that may secure from man the proper love to
his fellow and lead him to all holy obedience On
ly he who loves God arIght can love the law, the
image of Gods character, Alright. So if one loves
not his neighbor whom he hath seen and whom God
loves he cannot love the invisible God nor keep
any other of His commandments. go.
Especially instructive was the Archbishop's de-
lineaton of Charity as being stream which SO far
from draining constantly, refreshed its own foun-
tain, and increased its volume, heing entire
ly unselfish in its origin and aims, and as being
simple and uncompounded, notwithstanding the d.
versty of its manifestations, like the dew drop
which s2arkles the grass, while it bushes on the
rose and blanches on the lilly Most earnestly then
did he counsel the graduating class to avoid the
teachings of intidelity which, disappearing our
God separated the soul from the source of its true
life, and dividing man from man, tended to reduce
our compact society to the disintegrated condition
of heathenis In striking contrast he set the glo-
ry and luxury of that love to God which, apprehend
ing the love and fear OF God restored the soul to
His image and that love to man which supports the
soul amid the Thousand schemes of an exhaustless
benevoence.
The clock told that the sermon was an hour and
three quarters long Yet it was listened to with the
closest attention till its end 1t contained nothing
that could have offended the most fastdious Protest
ant Indeed were i: not for his queer cassock, with
its Do: tors cape and long string Of red buttons
down the front, and the massive gold cross on his
breast, and the flashing Episcopal ring on his finger,
no one could have told whethsr the speaker was
Methodist, or Presbyterian, or Baptist.