The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-16
YoaxvIttr pHrsByr TERRAIN CHURCH.

Sermon BY the Rev. John McNaughton.
Yesterday morning the services In the Yorkville
Presbyterian church were conducted by the pastor,
the Rev. John McNaughton. After the usual devo.
tional exercises which were greatly aided BY the
use Of powerful organ and q wen. selected choir
the reverend gentleman announced as the text
l. John ILL.,, 16, 17"Hereby perceive we the love OF
God, because He laid down His life for US, and we
ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" &C.
Nature, he SAID, Is the revelation iof Gods love.
There Is q sublimely benevolent purpose running
through the length and breadth Of Gods world dis.
coverable every where even In the commonest facts
which the daily movements Of nature bring before
u.s. Yet not 70 earth or sky, or air, but to the SIM
pie fact OF the cpsss does the apostle point Us for
the manifestation Of love. Godslove is seen this
that he lays down His life for The love Of God
is not natural belief instructive and universal.
Even Greece, with all LTD rennements ana culture
and philosophy never attained to this conviction.
ceived the moral love Of its votaries. The men Of
old gave tneir gods their wealth, their bodies, and
c1 Di p SaS theft gave tem s
wrought up to the highest pitch OF beauty.
other nations made offerings to their deities that
others conceive Of God who demanded their love.
Only In the Bible is this fact discovered and persist
emily and consistently maintained. And yet this
revelation has been welcomed by man as the only
fact that can meet and satisfy his need Man Graves
for q god the archotype OF himself There has ever
been latent In man the conviction that divinity is
but the ideal side Of humanity. Hence the philo-
sophtcal distractions OF heathendOm have never
satisfied the instincts OF mans nature. An omnlpo-
tence, an infallible eye, an agrasptng hand, an
infinite intellect nexorable fate, set up as the
god to whom men must bow, has ever been prOduc-
out o. VISIONS OF Infinite signs
sympathy. II God were Just that what wonld we
do with these human hearts' There would be
depths Of feeling nothing to meet them at their
points OF contract We want one who can come TO
u.s. who Is warm with emotion who can al ho our
That God Is such being may be seen IN the facb
that he has aid down his life for us. There ID no
pledge which all true love win be prepared TO give.
This Is Gods definition Of love. 1t s to be tested by
what 1t is ready to do and to suffer. love that
never rises above words ana promises 70 weak,
sentimental love. This IL not the character Of Gods
love. God did not send message Of words. "but
laid down his life for us.n God was in Christ"
tesufyng his own love. The sacrifice, that has re-
deemed the world 10 not something that God accepts
merely. He himself made the sacrdce and did SO
because ne loved. IL ID the expression ana manner
OF his love- This love was spontaneous and self
moved. Christ's death did not originate or win 1t.
Of az ove Of ma
I'VE ought TO lay down our lives for the bretnren;n
Gods love has found its Interpretation III IN
tst deri Of mans. There is no diiferspt
law Tor earth or heaven for man or God. Selfsacsi
Of our life ~ our life be true There Is nothing
heroic about It. Il ID simply our duty. over the
graves OF those three hundred who defended the
pass OF Thermopyg with their lives It was written,
'They died IN obedience TO the laws Of their coun-
try" They could say nothing loftier OF them than
that they did their duty. And as citizen 81 Cnrlsps
Kingdom our first question 10 not "Wnat are my
rights ~ but "What are my duties ~ Tor Chris.
tians duties are just his rights. phe fundamental
words I'VE ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren" And this law of sef-sacrihce Is not
alone for great occasions merely. That sense Of duty
tnat would lead man 10 q cross FOR his brethren
VIII md expression for itself In the commonest and
Simplest acts OF life. The man who gives OF his
goods 10 brother IN need Is really fulflling that
law TO which Christ bowed when he trod through
the garden TO the and died for the worlds
uemptlon, Selfsacrfce Is q law that applies alike
whole life.