The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-11-21
AMERICAN FREE CHURCH.

The Church of Christ and ssthc Synag0gue Of
satan''-Sccoad Death und the Crown OF
Lie-Grand Coutrast-Lecsure by tho Rev.
Charles ID. Smyth.
Another expostory lecture IN the course OF the
Cook OF Revelations was delivered yesterday by
Rev. G. b. Smyth, al the Masonic Hall, Thirteenth
street. Tho reverend gentleman, In commenting
upon the revcrses and dsappointments which every
dag beset mankind, and comparing the rich man
gong to heaven to a camel striding through the
eye OF needle, introduced some iorcible nlustra-
tons, which evidently made deep impression on
the congregation. Aftcr some preliminary observa
tons Mr.. Smyth selected his text from Revela-
tons H., S-l1:-"And unto the angel OF the
church at smyrna write: These things a.th the
first and the last, winch was dead, and is alive;
/ know thy works. and tribuation, and poverty
&c This passage constitutes the letter the chief
member of the seven churches OF Asia. Smyrna in
which the church was situated. was, as 1t now, an
important city Of Asia Minor. about forty miles from
Ephesus. The person represented as fpeaking Is
Christ The expression "the first and the last' de-
notes the eternity OF His Divine nature, and the
term (which was dead, ana IL alive" refers to
the human which had been cruc Ii q and afterwards
raised from the dead When 1t Is here SAID that
Christ as allyen much more is meant than that
lie ~ now
SOMEWHERE IN STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS
and activity. The words, death and lie, are COM
monty employed VITA reference TO TINS earth one
Is dcaa when lie leases to be interested In this
word by the separation 81 the spirit from the body
he is awe when he is interestei IN the affairs OF
the world; so Christ ls allye not only III the sense
OF HIS spirit having become reunited 10 dis body IN
His resurrection, but III that OF taking an active IN.
terest in the aAairs OF TINS NE he Is as much con-
cerred now in tie events which are taking place as
lie was when visible by his bodily presence among
the Jews. This sense OF the term Is very appropri-
ate IN view OF the next clauses iollowing:-"
know thy works. &C., - and ! know the blasphemy
OF them which say they are Jews ana are nsi ~ &c.
knowledge and life are Intimately connected. and
that a knowledge or
CURRENT EVENTS
No person Is truly and fully alive who Is not in
formed of the occurrences which are taking place
around MIN. or who does not take parI IN them as
one who is involved therein. In this enlightened
age, wnen facilities for acquiring knowledge are SO
numerous and the daily record OF transactions Is
within the reach OF ALL he must g dead In ignorance
and apathy who does not know the news OF current
events. And II Christ Is awe to these things why
should not Ills people be, who profess TO compre.
bend IN some degree the meaning OF His Kingdom
and the bearing OF passing events upon It's weliare9
After dwelling at some length on the Importance
OF being ike Christ alive to the transactions taking
place every day around us, and
AFFECTING HIS KINGDOM
las all movements do in greater or less degree),
the speaker drew line OF demarcation by which he
what church or sect any of them might belong, into
TWO grand classes. as indicated by the contrast pre-
sentcd in The text between the members OF the
| Church and those OF
TuE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN.
! The only distinction, he said, that will be recog-
| nized between men IN The day OF Judgment Will be
! between those who serve God and those who serve
Satan. No preference Will be shown then % the
members OF one church above those OF any other;
but every person VIII be Judged according
10 his works. The tenth verse represents Satan as
the great agent n bringing persecution and lrou-
lation upon the chiluren OF God: but he could not
prevail against them. In The closing clauses Of this
passage
DECIDED CONTRAST
Is exhibited he said between the future OF the faith
fu and that OF the unfaitnfu TO the former Christ
will give "a crown OF lile" but the latter Will be
subjected to 1.-THE second death.n
In referring 10 this last passage Mr.. Smyth called
forth all his energy and wOnted elOquence, and d.
lated at considerable length upon the inevitable
destruction Of those VINO wandered from the mar
row path and strayed into the wide walks OF sin
and vice. thereby deprlvlng themselves OF that
''crown Of lie" which had been promised them.