The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1868-03-26
SERMON
BY THE REV. D. III. HENKEL,
PASTOR OF THE ST. JOHN 5 EyANGELI-
CAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.

Z" Gc ye into al the world, and preach tie
gospel to every creature. - Mark XVI. 10.
This command our Savior gave to his apos
ties after his resurrection from the grave.
The design of this gospel then, evidently
is not mereley for portion of mankind
but for all, because the command is to go
with 1T INTO all the World. Progression,
advancement, increase and growth of
christianity is the design, the aim of
preaching the grospel to every creature.
But in the prosecution of this work, many
hindrances, and many Instructions are in
the way. not only from without but from
within the pale of the church. At first
view this would seem somewhat strange,
that Instructions to the progress of Chris
tianity should be met with by those pro-
Tossing to advance it. And, yet this is
nevertheless, true Preachers of the Cos
pei, most usually find fault with those
outside the church, hence, nearly all the
exhortations, the admonitions, and threat
enings, and denunciations of the law are
levelled at the poor non professor. Now,
/ if you please, to day for once at least, l
intend to level my discourse at the pro-
fessor of Christianity, proposing to show
j that, the distractions of the way of the
growth of Christianity are mainly to be
/ found in him.
But what are the results to be expected
from preaching the gospel? This is ex-
pected, that the world become christtin
zed and civilized that is, those who ac-
cept the gospel, make it their rule of ac-
ton, being subject to the world. And in
confirmation of this the Christian exhibits
life of humility, of obedience, spirit of
charity, of temperance, of honesty, of Ii
berality, spirit of forgiventess, and many
other graces, such as are not expected from
the unregeuerate heart.
You may now be ready to ask 'what OBJ
structions then, can protesting Chris
taisus throw in the way of the growth of
Christianity"
l. In that of equieocation and of Incon-
stdncy.
Christians believe in the existence Of a
God, in the divinity of Christ, in regen-
GRAFTON, and in happy Immortality
through the merit of Christ Now he
who firmly believes all this, how can he
hesitate to stand up for this faith, or to
be slack or inconstant in obedience
to God !? Yet we find protesting
Christians who to suit themselves to the
company they are in ready to express
themselves in cquivocating and doubtful
terms with repect to their faith in Christ
as the Savior Of the world. Thus leaving
the impression on the mind Of the non pro
fessor that, Christians themselves are not
certain as to the efficacy of the blood OF
Christ, aud the natural result is, in many
cases, this equivocation, this want of firm
ness in the faith of the protesting Chris
tian, throws the non professor far from
the thought of the genuineness of Chris
tianity. Not only this equivocation, but
SO this Inconsistency so manifest in their
conduct of many protesting Christians,
are great obstructions In the way of the
growth of Christianity. Constancy in
faith aud in pratice is expected from the
Christian, aud when he fails to exhibit
this, another obstruction is thrown in the
way of the growth of Christianity for
faithfulness and constancy to Him whom
the Christian processes to love aud to
serve, are expected as matter of course
The practice of many protesting Chris
tiaus is very injurious to the growth of
Christianity and that is, by falling in and
out of grace, in and out of church, to run
well and vigorously for while, and then
become weary and stop, and then resume
again and so on. This non professor
looks upon all this with suspicion and
asks sis this the spirit of Christianity
if so, | will not be a Christian" No, this
is not genuine Christianity-such a spirit
was not exhibited by the apostles, by the
martyrs, nor by Luther There was nc
equivcation in their words about their
faith in Christine Inconsistency in serv-
ing Him whom they loved, although per-
secution stared them in the face unto
death. And thus should it now be with
all protesting Christians
IL. There is another obstruction in the
way of the growth of Christianity, viz
mtrmhfalness.
E That community is truly cursed IL
which is found spirit of untruthflness
especially if found in protesting Chris
tians. The scriptural injunction is
"Let your conversation be yea yea, nay
nay" That is let there be no duplicit,
in your speech, whatever you declare lie
it be the truth, and the whole truth
Now when Christians word can no long
er be taken, or when it is not more re
garded than the non professors, it is tru
ly sad commentary upon the Christian
: character. Aud the obstruction thus
, thrown in the way of the growth o
Christianity is very plain. When fo
truthiulness, there is no Discrimination
! between the Christian and the unbeliever
or when perhaps discrimination is mad
in favor of the non professor for truthful
ness, because of the untruthful characte
/ of the protesting christian, then is Their
indeed, great obstruction thrown in tn
way of the growth of Christianity. An'
thot Suah i. nlfan ha aaSa "a nnlV tOl