The New York herald., 1870-05-16
TEE NORTHWEST REFORMED CHURCH.
Abraham Lincoln un Agent Of GOd--Sermo
by the Rev. IL. ID. Cause.

Abraham Lincoln nn Agent Of God-Sermon
by the Rev. II. ID. Cause.
numerous, gaudily tinted, butterfly but SEEM
ingly devout congregation of the above church met
yesterday In the hall Of the Young Mems Christian
Association, Twenty-thlrd street, to worship
The Rev. II. D. Cause, the pastor, commenced the
service with iervent eloquent and touching prayer,
which had a visible effect OF riveting the attention
OF the most unheedlng ana callous.minded parties
who frequently assemble at church more out of
curiosity and having nothing better to don
than with the intention Of parGakiDg OF The
religious rood provided. The reverend gentlemans
prayer chiefly consisted OF suppcaiions for
blessings on their own congregation and Sunday
school children, and after tnat Tor any strangers WHO
were present at the service, apparently exc luding
from thei: prayers any persons outside the pale Of
formed sa%NS' thiirn. ehSiiv '' ''1' '' -''s' e
The following verses were then sung by the con-
gregaton en- ntdSSe, with only little regard TO ma
sica harmony and showed considerable want OF
training the part of the psamsters but still very
laudabie, as botn young and old joined IN them with
all their stenorian powers:-
God s our sun--He makes our day;
God is our shed-He guards our way
From foes without S, and t foes foes within;
TO spend one day with .n thee g, on a,r,h earth
The pastor then preached from ihe following
text-li; Kings x l9-"Come with me mes ana see .,t my
ence exists as to peoples opinions OF what zeal for
the Lord is. Some parties imagine that 1t
Is distinguished by perSecuLln& ana Trying
to convert to their own views all persons
not cOincldng with them IN religious matters; Others,
that they are agents on earth for God, and laying
down the law OF Interpretation as to Gods wishes
and MAINTAINING that their views OF such matters
the only right ones and the only ones by which men
can live and die sometimes even going against the
very laws and doctrines written by inspired writer's,
and wanting either py persuasion or FORCE to make
persons concur in their falsely favored inter-
pretatlOns OF divine law. The preacher maintained
that every has perfect right to interpret the
Scriptures according 70 his IDEAS that each one
ls quite competent 20 form his own opinion or wnat
Is laid dawn IN the Bible; and, as
.'YHE BIBLE CANNOT BE THOROUGHLY UNDERSTOOD
BY ANY ONE,n
it therefore becomes duty to read it carefully
and act up to ideas OF lis meaning. In the plen
itude ana love OF power, kings queens ana emper-
0rs have been scOurges to humanity as power, par
lcuary when accompanied by religious zeal, Is in
capable OF sympathizlng with those whom IL OPP
presses and only lnfcts greater toftures at each
fresh cry OF anguish from It's victim.
There have been instances where men possessed
OF power have used IL beneIcally, an Instance Of
which was
'.ABRAuAM LINCOLN AS AGENT FOR GOD"
accomplished that great work for which his memory
will be ever dear and h0nored.
The preacher then related story OF a meek faced,
mild boy he had in his employment at one time,
whom he caught showing stfaWs into his horse y
eyes, also placing his cat on hot griddle showing
the love OF power in small matters not with the
tenton OF making pussy into q ch0wder.