The New York herald., 1870-01-03
FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH

Annual Sermon To the Aged People by the
Nev. DIR. Armitage.
The Rev. DR.. Thomas w. Armitage preached his
twentieth annual sermon to aged people yesterday
morning at the Baptist church IN Fortysxtn street,
just west OF Fifth avenue. The attendance SLIM
owing to the dampness under foot, head and oil
around. The church. however, bore very impress
sive appearance, the solem nifty being increased BY
many aged persons scptuagenarians and octo
genarians. whose bowed forms and frosted heads
betokened o close proximity to the grave. There
was all the awe that simple and unosJenta tatious
arrangement OF the interior OF church can produce
The dim and almost darkened interior suggested the
bankness OF death. The impressive stiffness, the
heavy carving OF the chancel, the spotess purity
OF the cover overspreading the communion service
the dark color OF the uphostering and carpetng all
toned down the scene to religious mellowness, ana
rendered lifting place wherein to speak words or
wisdom 70 the aged. After the usual preliminary
and selected his text from Isaiah Xlvi., 4-"And
even to your old age am He and even to noar hairs
Will carry you. l have made and will bear; even
will carry, and will deliver you"
pastoral greeting and a happy new year to all,
with the wish that TO none may tails be the last On
text was suggested BY member OF the church. It
Is such O one the aged would mark IN tho Scrip
lures. IL ls full O emphatic mOnOsyIlableS, there
being thirty three Of this nature ana but six words
OF two syllables. Small words express large ideas.
Tne 6orms.he past have nav the future w the
Divine Beng. The past ls for the future to
lean upon; In the comparison ID the con-
1ras nens featares e Of ns text ne Gods % fasSini
to his children. In their white hairs In their
weakened frames, In their exhausted constitutions,
''Even l Will carry and will deliver yOu." Men
love to dwell Of the past to speak Of Oden times, OF
the statesmen, OF the games they used to play; OF
the music, OF the dance they used TO turn, and Of
the changes Of these degenerate times 1t Is their
delight to do to recall the scenes OF b0yh0od and
again partaKe Of the sports OF their distant youth
they 20 home, they may there sing again ''Old
Hundred" or repeat the time-honored D0xOl0gy,
To the old life Is seldom waste They embrace the
substantial as we'll as the spcculative and expert
latter comes home In memory with pleasure. He
who remembers not with interest his earlier Gays ID
q singular man. But age differs from youth. Age
,nat y sosS from mpass aa
less blossom and most fruit Romance works
little reason more. In age married pair who have
enjoyed union Of fty years love each other better
ut last than at first. There Is less Of passion ana
Imagination and less Of fraterna hre but more OF
human nature with the added force Of years. The
love Ii mutual aud fidelity obtains: With the child
he comes into strange world. lie roots, grows
wings, Is gwen to ambition and mutipes and wan
ders down into the Old man. who with stan in
hand sinks Into another world. But note his going
attracts less attention tnan his coming. He 10 nOur-
ished, developed, he ID IN his prime; he is In his
physical pride. Age begins its work; he declines,
his face becomes wrnkled his extrcmlties cold, mis-
arteries hard ana bony his blood diluted. HIS car
tliges cease TO support their burden his eye s fec
ble his voice falers, his step halts his hair whltens
and his ear Is deaf. Brother, when you withdraw
interest from the old, Jehovah will withdraw it
from you Experience az Bible reader shows
that the greatest apOstates from their religious
faith have been rlen OF advanced years. Solomon Is
an example; young solomon was saint: Old Solo
mon was a WretCnel saint