The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-11-15

supreme Head OF the Church. Sd. The |
bible as the only rule Of faith and protection.
th. The unity aud equality Of all believers.
til. just hcatlon by faith. 9th. The ordi- |
'ances. 7th. Scriptural name ~ character
site Of tho ancient Church. On these re-
tored landmarks we have gathered, In less |
han flfty years, about seven hundred thou
and members. Such Is the result OF plan |
o plain, so simple aud so self-evidently
light.
FOUNDRY N. n. CHURCH.
The pastor, Rev. DR.. A. +. Gibson,
Preached from the text. "And II came to
lass that when the sun went down and II |
vas dark, behold smoking furnace ard q
turning lamp that passed between those |
pieces. "-Genesis, xv.l7.
The theme OF hls discourse was covenant
acrllce." The speaker commenced by Civ |
ng description Of the sacrifice OF Abra- |
IAN, where, In that grand hour OF his life,
lie through the blackness Of midnight evil
fenced his wonderful faith, his unfalterlng
rust In the promises Of God; overlooking all
pparent difficulties and impossibilitios whore
iod had explicitly promised. Though God
lad told him his children should be 10 bond
.ge for four hundred years, yet he looked
trough that dark forcboding picture with
he keen eye OF faith 10 the sweet fields Of
canaan. God had honored his sacrifice, be-
,ause he had honored God 10 preserving II
from defement, BY ratifying 1t with fire.
This event In the lie Of Abraham showst that
sacrifices are not always made on account Of
personal guilt. What Abraham saw by faith
through the Publications Of his sacrifices, we
realize In knowledge Of Its fulalmeut.
There Is vast difference between faith and
Of the power Of God-ve have
realized the result Of faith by knowledge
which takes tho place Of faith. Abraham
walked by faith, not by sight; bat when we
experience salvation, our faith IL lost In
sight-knowledge. As Abraham's sacrifice
was a pure sacrifice, and was accepted by
God, II teaches q lesson TO us; that we should
offer pure sacrifices, that we should lay our
selves and all that pertains to US on the altar
OF God. Unless we do this we will not DO
accepted.
The inducements God offers to mankind
Is adoption for heirshlp, and requires OF US
fidelity aud obedience; fidelity 10 preserving
the offering we have given to him undealed;
obedience In patiently waiting Gods own
cool will and time In ratifying 1t. Though
we may not comprehend the divine plan,
yet God VIII expound and demonstrate his
promises. It Is the duty OF man to covenant
with God, aud make willing sacrifice of
himself to the cause Of God; not In his own
strength, for In the trial OF his faith God
will endow him with supernatural power 10
do what God commands him to do. We NAV
not be pure when we offer ourselves; but
when we have, II our intentions are pure,
he Will change our sacrifice and make II
pure. The sacrifices OF the past are bot
typical Of that heart sacrifice; that broken,
contrite spirit which God will not despise.
God will not be trined with. II any one has
made obligations to God he must DO careful
to measure up to them; for profession with
out practice Is the rotten carcass on the altar
which Is a horrible stencil In the nostrils Of
God. The speaker Illustrated this point by
referring to the fraud Ananias and Sapphire
tried to practice upon the apostles.
II the Offering Of ourselves 10 God Ia the
bond and contract we entered upon with God,
how Is 1t we fitch from Him every minute Of
time, and do not serve God as We promised,
rendering to Him no more service than we
arc compelled tot When We have offered
ourselves to God We are His; we have no
right to take ourselves of that altar. The
speaker said he did not believe In the doc
trne of the final perseverance Of tho saints;
but he did believe after man has made
solemn obligation and kept hts sacrifice
pure from the dehements Of tho world, that
they never went back, very few II any. But
II we allow our offerings to become dealed
they will be obnoxious to God; and to be
consistent We must take 1t away; we must
not insult God, saying with our lips, Lord,
Lord, when our lives contradict our profess
sion. Though we may not reach up 10 the
test that God laid upon Abraham, vet we
may enter into covenant with God with
the same assurance that God will ratify his
plans with us, and honor us by sending the
Holy Ghost TO burn upon the altar Of our
hearts. The subject was further illustrated
by the sacrifice Of Elijah and that Of the
Baalitcs.
But these dispensatlons have passed, and
new eutered but the terms Of tho contract
Is the same. The same God yesterday, to-
day and forever. In the Abrahamic sacrifice
we have the type of the great sacrifice
OF Christ, which was ratified with such
power on the day Of Pentecost. II we would
have our sacrifice accepted we must be pure,
and guard ourselves against detlement; then
God Will ratify with fre-the Holy Ghost.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
At the First Congregational church the
pastor, Rev. J. Z. Rankin, preached In the
| morning from the words; "The wind bloweth
where II listeth," &c. The conclusion Of
the discourse, which was listened to by an
attentive audience, was that we are to &C,
upon the same principle In spiritual things
us In others; that we can no more give drec-
| ton to mind committed to our guidance
than to one Of the heavenly bodies. But
God has appointed to us our humble sphere,
In which, by his assistance, we can do ali
things. We can plant and we can water.
He Will as surely give the increase In spir-
itual things as In natural. God never exer-
cises his sovereignty In such way as to dis
appolut the reasonable expectations Of his
people. Keeping our heart with all diligence,
and doing what we do heartily, It Is our
duty, as well as our privilege, to leave results
to him. We may and should toll hopefully,
hatt pfr 4 .vt. tt. In
morning SOW thy seed, md 10 the evening
withhold not thy hands," &c., and ever pray !,
Ing, Some from the four winds, oh thou
divine breath and breathe upon these slain
tLat they may live
The pastor gave notice that he would
preach Thanksgiving sermon at II O'Clock,
a. ~, next Thursday, his subject being
"The New England Thanksgiving"
The evening discourse was especially ad.
dressed to young women, as the sermon OF
last sabbath evening was addressed to young
men. Without attempting to give the dis.
course In detail, we simply name the reasons
presented why young women should be al.
ways found on the side OF truth, virtue aud
religion. First, because this Is more In har-
mony with her original constitution. 1t Is
sometimes said with a sneer that the Chris
tlan churches are filled with women. 1t Is
so, and should be so. Women gathered
around the cross when the Saviour hung
therei and ever since the true woman has
been self.forgctful and heroic In her self
denial for the good Of others.
The second reason why woman should be
found on the side Of truth, virtue and re-
! lision Is because 1t is for her highest happi-
ness to be 80. In this connection the char
acteristlcs OF q true home were graphically
given. There Is no such thing as a home
without the conditions of a home.
The third reason given was that only BY
being friend Of truth, virtue, and religion
can women be happy. As the Saviour ''came
not to be minlstered unto, but to minister
to others, SO Is 1t especially true Of woman
her sphere Is to be found In the heroic duties
Of home. Iu conclusion, the Importance OF
the possession OF n genuine Christian char.
acter, by all young women, was urged In
most impressive terms. No young woman
can look forward to the responsibilities and
duties before her without feeling her need OF
superhuman aid.
Two types OF womanhood were then specl
fed, one that Is always planning for herself
who seeks to wear the crown Of womanhoot
with the cares of State, and who desires t,
live to be waited upon; the other lives self
sacrificing life, true sister of charity,
woman who does not neglect home duties
| Int who goes noiselekaly about In n n unnrr