The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-02-08
FOURTH uNlysHsAlET CHURCH.
DR.. Chaplin "rhe Love Of God and Ones
Neighbour

DIR. Chaplin on "The Love Of God and Ones
Neighb0r.o
The twenty-sixth, twenty. seventh and twenty
eighth yer ses OF the tenth chapter OF St Lukes Cos
pei formed the text Of brilliant and deeply instruct
I've discourse by DR.. Chapin yesterday morning at
the Fourth Universast church. corner OF Fifth ave-
nue. and Fortyfth street. Taking the utterances Of
the lawyer who, in the words OF the Scriptures,
tempted Christ, saying lord, what shall do to be
savedf the preacher SAID that this question was
probably put in good faith. although. from the
answer given by the lawyer to the question OF our
Lord IL Is evident that the man was familiar with
the written law OF God We cannot but be impressed
with the manner ~ which our Lord makes
the lawyer answer his own question:-"Whatn
says Christ us written in the lawS Thou shalt.
love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, with
thy soul, with all thy strength and with all thy
mind, and thy neighbor as thyself.r This dob
adds our Lord. and thou shalt live- Then the
lawyer as seeking to Justify himself for being asked
question the answer TO which he 30 well knew him
SELL asks, VINO Is my n6ighbor ~ To this the story
OF the good Samaritan gives the most complete an
the word neighbor but gives practical ius tration
by which the term could be Understood In its true
meaning and In It's fullest sense. II Is thing to
know the law so a. merely to be able to answer glib
ly any difficulties that may arise; but the law must
not consist IN answering merely but In dong-in
Se world o q W Who e eosar ~, ere are very n
as 80 many moral truths. This passage" Love
God above all things, and thy neiehbor
Va
essence u religion, and after ALL religion Ii moral
ty-religion u simply morality and nothing more.
Ihey are partly right and partly wrong. Iney are
wrong IN not considering that for the fulniment or
the morality enjolned By religion close communion
with God and not mere spontaneous acts OF good
nature - necessary. IL Is easy TO say Glove the
Lord thy God above all things aud thy neighbor an
tnyseif;" but. II II Is easy In practice why are
there so many violations OF the lawY " cannot arise
RON ignorance. Tue law is quoted everywhere, II
~ recited 10 our churches, aud yet many OF those
very churches are tho heart OF intolerance and
Dlgotri places where sect h put above true religion.
Does Tue practice Of the divine law appear IN
our Legislative halls and In courts OF justice7 In
answer 10 the lawyer our Lord says-'"Ihis do, and
tnou shaltye.n Christ points 10 the practical action
Son ose wneieas we lawyer was trying 70 nnd out
Love makes ell duty It's own, and does not stop 70
PICK Out chosen task. IL Is remarkable how action
makes things real TO US. II Is one thing to look upon
life AZ q spectator ana another Il, m,ngle IN its
surRing realities Action, not meditation makes
,nnss real. y y one thing TO say Love your neigh
voi ~ yourseiI,' ana another thing TO do IL. Re
gion does not consist In knowledge OF the law but
IA acts VI love and IL based on the love OF God ~
ma msnliested through the works OF Christ. would
nov Uhse Ienglon on fear. though would have
man fear, n y will keep him from evil because IN
Time De may learn % do good from nobler motive.
a > "ouio nave ne criminal fear the law,
ana am thankful that In some Of our
courts during the past week there have
been FOUND Judges 1rm enough to vindicate out
raReu Jusucs 20 terr.y criminals, and 10 give some
security 70 human lie IN this great city. clear
apprehension OF Gods love towsrds us Constitutes
TIE real eement OF religion. Our doing "a the eyi-
dence that mat love Is In our hearts Does the sef.
indulgent man, who surrenders himself 10 the do.
minion OF his appetite know how 10 love himselfY
" ~ mistaken love Just as that love OF our
neighbor would ne which excuses his faults and
crimes Col loves souls and il il our neIghbors
soul that we must love. man does not live merely
In breathing. True life consists In the consciousness
OF higher reales not merely intellectually but from
the heart gym Dathy which prompts us 10 deeds OF
practical charity. Love consists in sef eacrlnce
and nc u the tiue Christian, whether he be called