New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-06-21

IN lmlbdbiOu OF his living 6AdLupAbs
which seems to have been exhibited
by the apostles, and the churches
which they founded, toward men whom
they designated as children in the
faith. With an affection, fatherly in
its selicitude, for their welfare, and
undimmed by the lapse of years, Paul
watched over the churches, and by his
instruction fortified the young evan
gelist whom he had induced into his
holy toll. Supremacy anxious for the
glory of Christ, he suffers neither sick
ness nor favors to hinder his usefulness
and writes this epistle as an ambas-
sador in bonds. Already had he been
before the bar of Nero, and although
forsaken by recreant men, brethren,
the Lord stood by him and delivered
him out of the mouth of the lion; but
he is assured that all danger is not
over, and distinctly honored him with
the fOreshadowing of martyrdom.
But this occasions no pang. 1t will
be his introduction home. 1t will be
the fiery chariot in which he will, with
singing, cleave the sky.
How sublime his attitude as he
stands, Paul the aged, the young
blasphemer grown into the veteran
saint, and gazing down the vista of the
future the Apostolic hero stood in the
gates of death, and listening we seem
to hear him say: " | am now ready to
be offered, and the time of my depart
ure is at han nd" Departure for what
is death but moving from one room
into another, for " henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteous
ness, which the Lord, the righteous
Judge, shall give unto me-" Words
from such lips, at such time as this,
must have been especially valuable.
There was nothing from the coloring
of fancy that might tempt to an unripe
Judgment; the purpose has been
| formed from observation andrefectiOn,
his earlier Jewish prejudices have been
corrected, the false lights have waned,
the mind has clearer insight and a
stronger vision, because the death
hour projects the light ofthe invisible.
! We are bound, therefore, to rever-
emily ponder on the words which we
have read as the text, because
they are the expression OF
the apostles mature judgment as to
the value and sacred Importance OF
Christianity, for none was so well
qualified to give its Interpretation.
Its reasonable service had cured his
Incorporate zeal through his trials
he proved its transforming power, and
now he had special revelations Of its
grandeur that had proved it to be
lofty and divine. Through all circum-
stances of long life he had not varied
from his allegiance to it, and now it is
his souls strong refuge, when the
blasts of trouble are beating like a
storm against the wall. He gives us
his impressions of the Christianity he
had loved so we'll.
God has not given us the spirit OF
fear but of power. The great wants
of the world are the same, and in the
proportion as the Church has spiritual
force, is she sufficient to win it to
Christ. The same disposition must
be expressed that Christ presents to
US, not mere illusions nor morbid man
ifestations, but in the most lovely and
comely forms to the sight Of men.
propose to prove, or rather to
trace, What is necessary in order to
have the energetic expression Of
Christianity" and / think for ministry
and people, and all together, its con-
sideration will not be without its
present profit. The expression Of
Christianity, as it is brought before
us in the words of the text, is proof OF
its preciousness, its gentleness, and
intelligence. just take these three
things and you shall lind a whole gos-
pei in them. The Apostles negative
form and his first affirmative one are
really the same. For we have not the
spirit of fear, but of power, and of leve,
and of a sound mind. The main design
of my sermon is to give force to the ex.
hortation with which the Apostle APP
plies it: "Be not thou therefore
ashamed of the testimony of the Lord
nor of me his prisoner, but be thou
partaker of the Affections Of the gos-
pei" The remembrance of his ap.
pearance before the tribunal of Nero
or before confessors, or rods of lictors
or ak of the executioner, these did moi
deter him, but with calm reliance thai
draws from danger its own support, he
went forward. The worlds old idei
of power, both in classical and pagan
times,was indicated with physical dealt
or brute force. Thus in the day.
of chiyalry men were the slavel
of their own vices and pas
sions, and possessed Of the eourag,
which could be purchased for q shil
ling day. There is significant anl
humbling lesson of mournful feeblenes
in the fable of Hercules, in the nara
tive of Sampson on the lap Of Delilah
! know that mighty things can b
welded by mighty minds; know tina
the resolute will always find the obiec
to crush beneath their mighty viii
But know that Christianity is abroa
among the nations, molding them, an
: will continue TO mold until the mate
rial energy and the material will fin
: their place as the world grows older i
the knowledge of God. Men will fol
/ get the batteries of the high whe
] they viii turn in disgustfrom the cruz
! power Of the oppressor, when prid
3 shall be overthrow on its pedesta
1 and the libertine with his chants an
. songs will be PROSTATE, and with a
: their kindred wrongs will take thei
o place in the dust Then shall til
. declaration of Scripture be more full
4 realized, the righteous shall be had j
n. 4 = ~