The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-29

service yesterday, IN the M. Il. Church at the
corner OF Broad and Arch streets, the Rev.
Thomas M. Grflth, the newly appointed pastor,
announced the following TEXT
"No,C, He end Of uie commandment Is charfty out OF
pure hegrt a'.I ~ gqod conscience, and Of Jah t1i-
Referring to the period at which these words
were written, the speaker remarked that there
were then many who thought that religion con-
sisted in something else than right being and
right living. Such were the Pharisees and
Sadducees, who prided themselves upon having
Abraham for their father, unmlndful of the
admonition of John the Baptist, that God was
table of these stones to raise up children unto
Abraham Others appeared TO labor under the
deIusion that special devotions constituted them
children OF the Highest, while still Others needed
a change that they might cease to depend upon
fables aud endless genealogies, Such were the
men who caught at the tgneS tdtui of marshy
grounds while needing not charity, purity,
and faith unfeigned. The end of the command
mpnt. the substance of it all, is lOUe--not such
as selfish and unholy natures give, but the love
which, like puTllDg stream, flows from these
three crystal fountains-a pure heart, good
conscience, and faith uneigned.
Gathering first OF ALL about this fountain
whose pameI purity, we ind that TO be pure
in heart is TO be in sympathy and in harmony
with God so as to come into His immediate
presence unrebuked and uncOndemned. Like
the Irish patriot, Emmett we look for the good
time coming, when true worth will be exalted
and the meTetricioHs circumstances of rank and
fortune ignored. Then the history of the past
shall be written; then mankind will love what
of earth is most lovable and, casting their ewes
heavenWard, begin to love and adore the pure
and all-graCious One who is the very essence of
all that is lovely. pure heart is q realm of
beauty and delight There is q beauty and
ioy forever in that which is pure and lovely
The most degraded of mankind cannot
but feel that there Is something attrac
tive in goodness. When Columbus on his
second voyage discovered the island of Cuba, he
wrote to his sovereign that he was so much
mo q the epht Of sunh bnautU that hn
not how to describe it. "Hhe river, the palm
trees, the birds, the verdure of the plains, are
so wonderfully beautiful that this country
exCes all others. as far as the day surpasses
the night in splendor.n And that was high
praise coming from one who had gazed into the
the transparent skies Of Italy, and had trod the
sunny wales of Spain. But, oh could he have
had the spiritual eye to discern the beautiful
continents and enchanting isles that stretch
away before the vision in the realm of purified
SOUL he would have said, mot Italian skies,
nor Andalusian wales, nor even the charming
and varied scenery of the New World, where
tropical sun paints it in gorgeous RAINBOW hues,
can be compared with thisW
The soul that dwels in such a realm is like
the migratory bird that sings In the midst of
eternal spring,
Whose bower is ever green, whose sky is ever
clear,
That has no sorrow in her note, no winter in
her year,
for, though the night of aflliction ofttimes
closes IN upon the day of rejoicing, yet even then
the moon of Divine comfort and the stars of
heavenly promise beam down in kindly SYM
pathy.
Naiurallsts Inform us that there is flower
which grows on the most inaccessible cliffs of
the Tyrolese Mountains, where the chamois
dare hardly venture, and which the hunter,
tempted by its beauty and by his love (for it is
greatly priced by the Swiss maidens), climbs
the ellis TO gather, and is sometimes found dead
with the flower in his hand. 1t is called by a
name which signifies Noble Purity. 1t may be
that such flower grows on inaccessible cliffs
where Alpine mountains rear their snowy sum-
mlts, bleak and cold, and that he who would
win 1t imperils his life in climbing 10 its almost
unapproachable recesses, but not so, we trow,
with the principle of which it is the chosen
emblem, for though it Is the choicest flower that
ever Dloomed in the bowers OF human happiness
yet we believe there is not one, however loWly
and unworthy, in the ransomed Church oHGod,
put may look INTO Its eye OF beauty, wear it in
ms bosom, and be Tagaled by its fragrance.
True, this ls the highest and noblest gift which
Heaven, all lavish of strange gifts to man,
mas ever bestowed; just as the blossoms of GER
1Sln I trees are only found on the topmost twigs.
But why should we not have the ambition to
ann high and reach high, and through the help
ing hand OF grace to climb after the things that
are high and heavenly, as we'll as be ambitious
TO make earthly and perishable attainments
Nor must he who would win the blessed attain
ments of holiness be discouraged on account of
a few dithculues and depressing circumstances.
nut with lrrepressibe ambition press on ward
any any upward TO the prizes Of his persevering
Ialth. An eminent American, who was a great
lover OF nature, informs US that the wild annie
tree grows at first in the form of a little cIIImn
'or thtcket OF twigs, which the OK browses unon
and ieaVes almost level with the ground; but
not despairing, next year the tWIgs spront nm
again twice as numerous as the year before: sn
year after year the twigs are devoured. and as
often grow out again, multiplying both in num-
0ers and IN strength, till they form
little thOrnV al
and lmpenetrable as q rock, At lenDtb
after some twenty years of this persistent prowth
IN spite OF constant repression, the thicket he
comes SO oroaa and strong as to form its own
fence, SO tnat the cattle cannot reach Its centre
at all. Then some interior shoot safe from its
foes, and not forgetful of its high eaIIinG darts
upward with JOY; the other twIgs give 10 If ali
n IneT represseu. A.. energy, and in Giving it dsap-
mighty tree crowned with its dark-grean foE
age, and bearing its fruit in triumph What
sermon OF patient aspiration does the wild
apple-tree preach to US AS it has learned N
struggle with its bovine foes, still mountinS
upwards all the while as though determined ~
reach purer atmosphere, clinging to its lone,
cherished vision OF the time yet coming when IL
should hold Its leaty cups to the Vapors of tbe
sky; so let us learn to struggle and aspire in
spite of evil powers and heshly appetites that
browse upon the springng tendrils of our
desires; not only dreaming of the highest bles.
sedness, but mounting upwards, ever upwards
80 waving foliage and golden fruit.
But we should not only strive to reach the
nOblest purity for ourselves, but endcavor To
carry out our mission of purifying the world
we live in. We often hear the question, What
shall be done TO rescue the degraded from the
moral corruption into which they have sunk
Alas! it Is question at which the very heart
grows slck. But may we not turn from it to
CONSIDER the more practical question, What car
we uoF-yes, what can zoe do-not so much tC
rescue the tallen-thOugh that should by nc
means be left undone-as to save the comnara
lively yet untainted millions of the yonpo h
purity and to heaven? Begin where vice be