The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-09-12
ENGLISH LUTHERAN CHURCH OF ST. JAMES.
The Dignity Of Man-IntellectuaIity, Moral
ity, OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES by A. g. Wede.
kind, D.. ID.

Come, said Jesns' sacred voice,
Come and make my paths your choice,
will guide to your home
Weary pilgrim, hither come.
The congregation OF the English Lutheran Church
OF ST. James is not composed, as It's name would
suggest only OF English residents but also of Amer
lean and other nationalies, 1t is situated ON Fif-
teenth street. between Second and Third avenues
and Is built OF plain granite. Its inside decorations
are in keeping with, It's outside appearance being
solemn ana impressive in their character. The at
tendance yesterday was good and comprised many
welldressed ladies and gentlemen, the former being
in many cases, very stylshly attired-sOme In all
the rich magni1cence of fall costume; few In the
more simple and certainly the more charming robes
OF white, which remind one OF the departed season
that still fingers with rs, II loath to give up Its
sway to the changeabe autumn harbnger OF the
The pastor, Rev. A. G. wedeklnd, delivered very
able DISCOURSE taking for his text Psalm will, A.
"What Is man that Thou art mindful OF him and
the son Of man that Thou visltest hlmfn He sald
the psalmist David was full of respect and admira.
ton for God; and 1t was no wonder that he should
be, when he looked upon the vast universe and be-
held the sun In its transcendent glory and upon the
starry heavens. And then when he looked upon him.
self and saw the
FEEBLE FLESH AND FLEErING SPIRIT,
being that Is not master Of himself for the smallest
space OF time 1t Is no wonder that the psamist
should give expression to the words, "What is man
that Thou art mindful OF him? or the son Of man
lower than the angels and invested him with some
OF His own glory. Hence, the preacher said ne
would now speak or the dignity of man. Some
people believed too much in the orthodox view or
human Dature-that 1t was low and depraved, and
that any term was more aprOpO3 than that Of
dlgnined- But man Is dethrOned king, and Louis
NapOeon whese sceptre Is now broken, is no more
deposed monarch than Is man, for he was born to
power and to authority until Invested OF It by his
own SIM Man. therefore, was not born to shame,
but was destined to rule the universe. In speaking
OF mans dignity his Intellectual qualities first com
mand attention. 1t Is mans intellect that raises
him TO almost equality with the angels and c0nsti
tutes HIM
CREATIONS LORD AND CREATIONS MARVEL.
Nature would be q blank and the world chaos
without intellectual man. The lily knows not its
Wilderness; the rose iees not its delicate perfume;
the diamond sees not Its sparkling scntllaOns, but
man sees, feels, knows and admreS all these. lie
builds houses and temples and bridges, bands the
earth with electric wire aud brings the lightning
termines natures laws, fixes the distance of the
heavenly bodies and their relative positions. The
field Of mans intellect Is the universe. Nothing Is
too great for bis concepaon-nothing too
world required Omnipotence, but to create
intellectual man required something more.
Man as a moral being however, has higher claim
to dignity Is that sense OF morality In US which
acknowledges The power Of God, which gives lis the
feeling OF being full Of Him, Of being permeated by
Him. IL is III this
HUMANITY ELIMINATES,
and man reveals his true dignity and shows himself
little less than the angels. Mans intellect COM
mands our admiration; but 1t is his moral qualities
which make him esteemed. His intellect combined
with morality makes him dignifed and respected.
Without this philosopher would be a fool, and no
religion can be true that recognizes not morality
the only principle OF salvation. II Is mans immOr-
taty that makes the intrinsic value OF his soul im.
measurable, and makes him In that respect the
equal OF angels II man uses his intellectual and
moral qualitesln the service OF Christ his immortal
soul makes him being almost gOdlike, and is sure
to give him place In heaven little lower down than
that of the angels