The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-15
CavsCH Of the DIVINE PATERNITY
What Is Meant by the Kingdom Of Heaven
Sermon by Rev. DIR. Chaplin.

What Is Meant by the Kingdom Of Heaven
Sermon by Rev. DIR. Chaplin.
At the Church Of the Divine Paternity corner OF
Fifth avenue ana Forty-nfth street, Rev. Dr. Chaplin
preached from st. John xiv, 16-"Jesus saith unto
him, am the way, the truth and the life; no man
cometh unto the Father but by MEL One great
characteristic OF our Savours teaching was that his
utterances did not serve to crafty mere curiosity
but went straight to the point. This was strikingy
illustrated in the case OF N1codemus, whose specu-
latve Inquiries were all answered by Jesus in that
direct manner that left chance for mlsconstruction
or uncertainty. There was great ana mysterious
silence aud revelation and nature upon all subjects
whose investigation could only to crafty curl
Osity but IN the delineati0n OF the great truths Of
Christianity everything was as clear and expressive
possible. Christ answers the all-impOrtant ques-
ton Of the SOUL but to the questions constantly
arising respecting the ruture existence he ls as
silent as nature; and yet now with each decade
there are more attempts to locate and examine
with microscopic mlnuteness, the mysteries OF the
soul and OF eternity II well that this was so;
Tor, II we could be brought into intimate relations
with the future, the inspiration we derive from it
would be destroyed and man would be even more
regardless Of his destiny than now.
Our relations to God involved all our concerns on
earth. Christ was the only means of coming to God
and OF consumnating our relations with Divinity.
1t required no physical effort 10 come to God, but o
sincere ana earnest conservation OF the heart and
the practice OF pure and upright life. God comes
TO us In thousand ways-in the beauties OF nature
the blessings OF life, the influence oil HIS spirit and
the revelation Of Himself In the Gospel; ana it was
sad to reject that SO few had come to Him. How
little did the world appreciate Gods goodness
or apprehend His nearness to humanity There were
Him as the Creator and Ruler Of the universe: but
how very few came to Him as Father with all the
relationship Implied In that term. Some believed
that the Kingdom OF Heaven was in a particular
locality to which we might go after DEATH but that
was not the true meaning OF those words. The
Ktnui dam f rJp .InIth aI
III this world, and the resurrection not only applied
to that great event when time shall to be- but
to the new life into which our hearts must be born
here EARTH Christ had exhibited God as the
Father OF The whole universe, Implying the existence
OF the enderest relations between God and man. and
to eclipse the Father and regarded God as q DARK,
stern and relentless Deity. What mistaken con.
ceptlon Of God was this; what dissertation OF the
emotions and aspirations of the SOUL Christ was not
a shield and defence between and an angry God,
but the means OF bringing into the closes and ten
derest relationship with an ever-loving Father
IL was not tfle amount OF new truths That gave
splrilualizng OF them that rendered. them eilecve.
Truth was eternal and ALWAYS the same. whether
py % son e. n INC da t or
bOdment Of the truth: Himself the living, central
truth OF the Bible which we cannot avoid refute.
Some Christians were like dry, juceess and stony
fruit, whose religion was all stony and in their
petred hears only aspired to just enough OF right.
through the gates Of heaven, without ever feeling
one spark OF sympathy for mankind or making
single tHOTI 10 Spfedu dDTOau the IgLt ana lruJn
and love or God. Others depended on their preach
ers to point out the details OF Christianity. What
could the preacher know OF Christ more than is
given in his own life and teachingss Christ himself
was the truth, and beside him all things else sank
INTO lnsignfcance. What was the vastness and
beauty OF nature the mysteries OF the planets OF all
the wonders OF the universe compared with this
great truth OF Christ? Nothing but shell, beyond
which God existed and to whom man could only be
brought by Christ-by loving and following the one
and all important truth. Proceeding with an eabo-
rate discussion OF the influences OF truth upon man.
kind the speaker concluded with very eloquent
reference to the distinguished men who have passed
away during the last week in illustration OF what
life may be and the ability of earth to exer-
else an influence for extending the Kingdom OF God.