Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-05-21
Moral and Religious.
For the Spectator.
Extracts of Sermon delivered by Rev Mr..
Nesbit, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania.

CACracCS OF sermon QeuVered Dy Kew. Mr.
Nesbit, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania.
His text was part of the 9th verse of the
14th chapter of John. Peace l leave with
you, my peace | give unto you; not as the
world giveth, give unto you. The speaker
commenced his discourse by saying that the
word as in the verse refers to the kind of gift
as well as to the mode in bestowing it.
As criminals tried and found guilty and SEN
fenced to death, tenants of gloomy cell, vic
tins OF harassing and conflicting thoughts and
emotions know no peace until their punishment
Is commuted and pardon granted them-so do
we not until the Divine Lawgiver-having an
swered the penalties of the law and satisfied its
demands--takes from us the fear of its threat
enlngs and speaks peace to our souls
There are two senses In which the sinner is
not at peace: He is not at peace with God
and not at peace with his own conscience. Sur
reptltlously his soul is tossed hither and thither
in revolutionary condition. Christ gives peace
with God and conscience peace purchased by
his own blood-his sufferings and death, u
peace true, stable, solid and lasting-not like
the patchwork legislative peace, a country
sometimes has; but peace fitted to withstand
adverse circumstances, and to weather all
storms. The law thunders forth its penalties
with lnfiexlble sternness, but the believer pre-
serves his peace unbroken. The denuncations
and threatenings of the law have no terrors for
him. They are all neutralized by Sinai. Christ
gives peace not contrary to law, but established
upon and which promotes the ends of the law
The peace which the world gives is not to be
compared for a moment in value to the peace
which Christ gives-a peace which passeth all
understanding, pearl OF great price. Were /
the conqueror of worlds, mighty monarch
whose sceptre swayed the destinies Of millions
of subiects-did | abound in wealth and had /
al oil
sessed not the peace of Christ should be mis-
erably poor On the other hand, though ca
lamity after calamity befall me, though misfor-
tunes deprive me OF my property, and take
from me my friends until there be not one left
into whose willing ear may pour the story of
my sorrows-if have this one precious, peer
less gem, the peace of Christ, then am l rich
indeed and to be envied. Try, my friends, to
find this peace. Only when it is yours, can
you be shielded from the righteous indignation
which shall surely be visited upon those who
remain without it. The soul has capacities for
enjoyment which the world can never satisfy
We may nave faint recollection of a golden
era, in which, it was said that, the pleasures of
the world satisfied the thirsty longings of the
soul, but it is not included in the circle of our
experience. Like the boy who being told that
a treasure might be found where the rainbow
touched the ground-pursued earnestly and
he had reached one hill, the end seemed on the
one opposite, and when weary and breathless
he attained to that it seemed still on another
We too seem to see happiness just within our
reach, and what hold it takes of our minds,
with energy and activity we pursue it but the
phantom ever eludes our grasp. And in des-
pair we must turn away at last, feeling the at
Tempt how monstrous-the pursuit how vain
We can find peace and happiness only in God,
in the smiles of His favor in the light of His
countenance, in the embrace of His love-
Have you this peace? IF not, how misera-
BILE you are. What sight do you present;
such as over which angels must weep But
this pearl of inestimable value is still within
your reach. it is still attainable, seek it then
seek it earnestly and instantly, and you will find
that it gives joy now, and joy which reaching
forth unto the ocean of eternity opens out into
that fullness of joy and those pleasures that are
at the right hand of God forever more
LOCK HAVEN.
April 2S, 1867.
P. S.-The minister had so thoroughly stud
led his subject, and such is his power as an
orator that it is altogether impossible to give
correct report of his sermon, and we hope the
reader will not do him the injustice of suppo-
sing that it is done in the rambling extracts
above T. III