The New York herald., 1869-05-21
The Old and the New School Churches
In Separate Council.
INTERESTING PROCEEDINGS.
Overtures for Reunion Made by
Both Bodies.
THE OLD SCHOOL ASSEMBLY.

street, rev. Drs spring ana Murray pastoiS' Aoous
500 delegates were present, the edilce being CON-
fortably filled, large number OF non-delegate
diviues, lay members and ladies occupying seats in
the galleries and In the body ofthc church
At eleven O'Clock the organ peaed soporously
grand sacred overture to the proceedings about to
be fnaugurated.
The MODERATOR (Rev. Dr. George W. Musgrave,
OF Philadelphia) then offered up brief but impress
sive prayer, beseechng the divine guidance through
out the deliberations after which the first part OF
Ihe 135th Psalm was sung fine choir being assisted
in It's rendition by the Assembly.
Rev. DIR. SPRING next offered prayer, invoking
Gods care and guidance over the Church and His
direction over the deliberations OF this body.
Rev. M. W. JACoBUs, Of Allegheny City, Pa, then
read selections from the Old and New Iestaments,
which was followed by the singing OF the 1920
Psalm, commencing with the words:-
Arise, o King of Grace arise,
And enter TO Thy rest
The MODERATOR then advanced to the desk ana
delivered an elaborate sermon, taking as his text the
sixteenth verse OF the sixteenth chapter OF the Cos
pei according to St. Mark
He that beeveth baptized shall saved he that
beleveth not shall be damned
The reverend gentleman IN the course of his re-
marks, said:-These words are contained In the
commission which Lord gave to his apostles just
before his ascension heaven The divinity OF their
which they were uttered and the vast importance of
the matter itself should command our most profound
attention What appropriate text than the very
words Of our divine commlssionY Remember that
there s but one Gospel TO be preached to every
creature In all the word-that there is but way
Of salvation for clergy and aity. There are several
things which must precede and accompany the
ercise Of saving faith. There must be conviction
of guilt Without such conviction no one will seek
one Will desire salvation. How clearly did our
Lord Illustrate this truth h:-''The whole need not
physician, but they that are sick. came not to call
the righteous, but sinners to repentance There
must be also conviction or helplessness. So long
"a men think they can save themselves they Will
not apply to Jesus Christ for saivation. Like the
establish e risneosness @ 0u of S their sfyas own
and will not submit themselves unto the righteous
ness OF God, which Is by faith in Jesus Christ There
must be likewise some knowledge OF Christ, and q
persuasion Of his ability and disposition TO save
them: "How shall they beleve on Him OF whom
they have not heard Z" and how can they trust IN
Him tor salvation unless persuaded both OF His
ability and Willingness TO- save theinS o, when
Himself to penitent and believing souls, how great
their admiration and gratitude and JOY
When there Is proper conviction OF guilt
snf1ity and disposition TO save there will be neces
sarily an earnest and perseverng desire for saliva
hon. How Ia It possible Tor men thus TO realize
their sinfulncss ana danger, without an earnest
aeslre to obtain forgivenessf No wonder that the
and persistently, "Jasus thou son Of David, have
mercy on me; thou son OF David have mercy on
me ln And SO Will oil truly convicted sinners Cry
with earnestness for pardon, nor Will they desst
until they obtain the blessing. SO too the woman
sf Canaan humbly and earnestly persevered, and
drawing nearer to Hrs sacred person she reyerenty
w0rshipped HIM, saying, Lord, help me W These
convictions and exercises OF the mind vary as to
time and degree; in some cases tney are pro-
tracted and indescrlbaby pungent; In Others
they are short and comparatively light.
The duration and degree OF these preparatory
convictions are.n0t material. Their gracious design
Is to lead the soul TO Christ What are to under
stand by beevings 1t timples something more than
revealed In the Gospel concerning the person and
work OF Christ Thousands have q merely specuia-
tive belief, who have no practical or saving faith In
Christ AND yet we are not to undervaue the I'M
p0rtance OF intellectual conviction OF the truth;
Tor how IL 1t possible for men practically to embrace
she doctrines OF the Gospel without speculative
persuasion of their TRUTH We would that men pos
sessed more OF this intellectual convction-that they
would satisfy themselves more fully OF the evidences
of Christianity and of the truths revealed In the Cos
pei. The mere assent TO the truths OF revelation
can never save the SOUL Indeed, the highest de-
gree OF merely speculative faith may consist
with the deepest enmity against God ana the
most decided rejection, practically OF the gospel
plan and oner OF salvation Saving faith includes
not only the assent OF the understanding, but also
Ses, tneolosca U dennon, but think we may obtain
clear idea OF the true nature OF saving faith from
the Greek word from which It Is derived, one mean-
ing OF which Is, to persuade. Jesus SAYS, "Come
unto me, ali ye that are weary and heavy laden, and
will give you rest" The speculative believer re-
both able and willing TO give rest to the soul; but
then he never goes TO Him for this faith Is wholly
nnnnuennai ana ohrs. aa Is saia n,o 70
90 this truth, and believes that safety from the
avenging justice of the Almighty can only be found
IN Christ; and yet never step does he take to hide
himself beneath the covert of Hts cross. But the
true, the practical believer apprehensvc Of the
avenging wrath OF God nees 70 Christ for shelter,
and reoces in the truth that "there Is now no con-
demnation to them which are In Christ Jesus"
Once Christ IL said TO be the foundation upon
we tn a
tive believer says, assent to that Yet with all
his speculative faith aud prolessed admiration OF It,
earnestly desrous Of salvation, and knowing that
Otner foundations no man lay than that is laid
and wisely builds his house upon It,
win mercy add, without enlargng, that
repentance and followed by CONSCIENTIOUS obedience
70 the law of God. You perceive the essential dii-
ference between speculative and practical faith
latter s influential and productive Again, multi
tudes ask what connection is there between faith in
Oarist and salvations Could not the Almighty, In
the exercise Of his sovereignty, pardon and save
m n without requiring them 10 believe In Jesus
in the wilderness when bitten by the lying fiery
pents To loot TO brazen serpent for healing was too
absurd And they laughed y TO scorn xo cav wei might
the reasonableness OF this procedure or not, IL 10
the means appointed by God for your cure.
20 iook IN their incredulity, and perished. Now,
'as Moses lifted up the serpent IN the wilderness.
even must the Son OF Man be lifted up that VINO
soever belisyeth HIN might not perish, but hav
everlasting llfe." Multltudes, however, IN their
vain philosophy and pride OF intellect, refuse 10
look, aud demand n more rational method aud con.
diLion OF salvaton. You are free men; you can
refuse to Reeve, u You will; but then you will be
damned that's all. That q ali oh, dreadful alterna-
tivo--eternal damnaiioRt But 80 Il is But while
We insist upon u that the command and
promise OF the Almighty should themselves
sufice TO induce our acquiescence In this method
and term OF salvation, we do not mean to concede
that we cannot perceive their excellekce and moral
dtncaQ lnsiat that this pIan of aalvaton has
been devised by the highest intelligence, and thls
term required by Supreme authority, we ought
reverentiy to scQulesce and implicitly obey. who.
ever refuses or neglects, practically, 10 beleve the
gospel will be damned. Did you but truly believe
the word OF God you could not remain indifferent 10
or persist In q course OF sin which you know must
terminate In everlasting misery. Yea, but for your
yourselves before the throne OF grace and sue with
agony Tor mercy. II you are intellectually convinced
nGcured hY faiIh I'M aiona n yzlll moi