The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-03
PARABLE OF THE LEAVEN,
Introductory Sermon Delivered by Rev
A. A. WtlIitts, ID. u, at the West Arch
Street Church, Sunday Morning.


Introductory Sermon Delivered by Rev
A. a, WilIitts, ID. u, at the West Arch
street Church, Sunday Morning.
Yesterday mornlng the West Arch Street
Church was crowded to excess. The announce
ment that the Rev. A. A. Willitts would deliver
his Introductory sermon, congregated one of the
largest assemblages that has yet convened in
this church edidCe. The aises were encroached
upon, and every seat had its occupant. After
the usual opening exercises, Rev. Mr.. Willitts
commenced his discourse, drawn from the para
bic of the leaven, and Throughout its delivery
the vast congregation was wrapt in profound
attention. We give the sermon below
'Ihe Kingdom OF fheaven Is ik unto leaven, which
woman took and hid in three measures OF meal,
till the whole was leavened. ."-Adthelo kill sa
One does not wonder that the people were
astonshed at our Lords teaching, aud that they
cried out with marvellous looks and voices,
whence hath this man this wisdom W
These parallels were so exquisitely beautiful
and st1iking-so simple-so practcal-every
clause so suggestive OF meaning-the instruction
conveyed SO important, that they must have
presented an amazing contrast, indeed to the
dull dry teachings of the Scribes and Pharisees,
with their conventional forms and dusty tradi-
tions. No wonder ''the common people heard
Him gladly, vie spake so freshly and illustrated
His truth so simply and so naturally.
The variety display ed in this group Of parallels,
strung like pearls on the thread of single dIs-
course, SHOWS now aumGaOly our LORD adapted
His discourses to the different classes Of His
hearers. |, The farmers have "The Sower and
the Tares." 2. The miners, the parable of THE
Hidden Treasure" B. The merchants, ''The
"The Net" s. The Scrlbes and learned men,
that of ''The householder bringing forth out OF
his treasure things new and old" g. The
women, this parable of ''The Leaven and the
| Mear-each class having the truth illustrated
| in a manner familiar TO them.
This parable of the leaven illustrates the
sr,Nn 4
secret, silent, yet powerful and progressive in
| huencs in the soul of man and the moral state
| OF society. The leaven was a substance intro
| duced by the woman into the very heart or
| centre of the mass of meal, and such was its
adaptation to the meal, and its influence over it,
that slowly and silently, and yet surely, its
power or influence spread from particle to parti-
Gle, until the whole mass was elevated, light
ened, leavened Such, says the great Teacher,
is the operation of my spiritual kingdom in this
world; so shall my truth and grace act upon
the soul of man and the moral state of human
society.
Now the first lesson we learn from this, my
friends, is this very important one, viz.-the
heart Of man and the social organization of
men, which we call society, are dependent for
their moral elevation upon the Introduction of
an influence or power extraneous or foreign to
themselves.
The meal would not rise ofitself; no amount of
kneading or moulding it would make it rise,
unless the lcaVen was first put into it.
So the human soul and human society have
no 1egenerating. qualities IN themselves With
out the quickening influence of Gods spirit and
word, the procllyity is downward and not
upward; the tendency is to sink, and not to
rise.
The sad and solemn record of history is, that
human science and philosophy, with all their
proud pretensions, have utterly failed, and
| always failed to improve the heart or morally
! elevate the race! Whatever the plausibility of
| their theories, or the pride of their promises
! their practice has been utterly detective their
! fruits, like the tabled apples OF Sodom, ashes
! and death II is well tor men in these days to
| be reminded Of certain facts in the past history
! of our race And would ask this question
! this morning:-"What was the moral state of
| the world when philosophy, science, and art
! were in their glory? When they had undis
| puted sway over the minds OF men, and when
they had no competitors in the ield?" Why,
| nay friends, certain eminent writer, who lived
IN the age to which we refer, in letter to the
Romans, describes the population OF the
| civilized world of that day as given up to the
| Yllest and most unnatural affections and pas
! slons filed with all unrighteousness aud de-
! grading wickedness Ito use his own words
! Full of envy, murder, deceit, malignity, dis
obeoient to parents, covenant breakers, without
! natural affection, implacabe, unmeI cIful-not
| only committing such things as are worthy Of
death, but having pleasure in them that did
Yes, my friends, such, according TO ST. Paul,
! were the polished Grecians and the sterner
Romans! Such the moral fruits of the Angus
tan age of literature - the age of Cicero,
| Horace, Ovid, and Virgil
! Yes, protesting themselves TO be wise, they
became fools, and changed the glory of the in
| corruItible God into an image made like to
| coIruphbe man, and to birds, and four-footed
! beasts, and creeping reptiles,
And what was the reputed moral character Of
heather divinities? The most abominable and
shamelessl And what the gods were said to be
in their lives, their worshippers were actually
in their service. at is a shamen saws Paul,
seven to speak of those things which were
done of themsn secret.n What must have been
the state OF public morals, my friends, when The
very gods were both patterns and patrons of
vice When their religious rites encouraged
the most bloody cruelty and the foulest obsce-
nifty Yes, their deities were entreated by costly
offerings, on splendid altars to favor the In.
dulgence of the most unnatural lusts and the
peIpetration of the most horrible crimesl
Seneca one of their own writers, eXclaims
'How great is now the madness of men
they lisp the most abominable prayers in the
ears OF the gods, and III man Is found listening
: they are found silent. What man ought moi
, 10 hear they do not blush to rehearse to God.n
b9t not only were they thus given up to al
, , uncleenness, but as ST. Paul declares, thel
l were also full Of "murder and malignity.
Scenes OF blood and slaughter were the public
: oNssfslons otthe people Witness the shows OF thu
Iaus,ors nlnS IN the crowded ampitheatres, wheI
" WVelePSaIe y birthday or crafty popular Whin