The New York herald., 1870-08-01
AMERICAN FREE CHURCH.


tic Light--The sitantion Discussed from 81
Religious Point--sernon by the Rev.
Charles B. Smyth.
An interesting sermon wa preached last evening
by the Rev. G. b. Snyth at The American Free
Church, Masonic Hall. There was q large assemblage,
and the remarks OF the reverend gentleman were
listened 10 With devout attention. After the prem
mary services Mr. Smyth took his text from Matthew,
X, 34-"I came not 70 send peace on earth, but a
sword.n he sald:-Bullets are blessings. He was
benefactor 10 the human race who invented gun
powder; rifles ana revolvers make peace between
nations, and between individuals sometimes more
eAectually than any other means. When civil enact
ments are inadequate to secure the rights Of ndi-
vdual to punish for the wrongs he has sustained
pistol well directed, serves the purpose and who
SHAH say that under such circumstances one does
wrong TO fall back upon his natural rights and take
the law in his own hand? And wnen international
law Is deficient or imperative or when Insult Is
given or injury received, or misunderstanding ere
ated or wrong attempted among nations, an appeal
10 the sword, and thereby TO The Great Arbiter OF
nations settles the dispute. The bullet is won
derIu thing. Among private individuals 1t
stops the progress OF the libertine, and stills
the tongue OF the slanderer when all other
setl uDsettes dynasties; determines the limits
OF States ana empires; checks the ambition OF
princes, EuuIDlts bDS Oh ueSpoIS, trees
from bondage peoples long down-trodden and pant.
ing after liberty, and payes the way ior the arts OF
peace. The improvements OF civilization and the
benefcence OF the gospel. Hence, the
MINGLING or BLOODY JUDGMENTS
and loving kindness mentioned in the sublime pas
sage IN Isaiah lxlli., l-S-"Who is this tnat cometh
from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah this
that - glorious IN his apparel travelling in the
greatness OF his strength? l that speak
righteousncss, mighty to save. Wherefore art
thou red In thine apparel, and thy garments
like him that ireadeh in the wlneiats
laa hp win rA.pC "a af fha
people there was none with me; for viii tread
them IN my anger ana hample them In my fury;
and their blood shan be sprinkled upon my gar
ments ANA Wit stain al M rai!nent For tue day
oI vengeance IL IN nine heart and the year OF my
deemed Is come. And looked, and there was none
10 Relp; and wondered thaG there was none to up.
hold; therefore mine own arm brought salvation
unto me, ana my fury IL upheld me. And viii
tread down the people In mine anger and make
them drunk In my fury, ana viii bring down their
strength TO the earth. / VIII mention the !ovng
kinanesses OF the Lord and the praises OF the
Lord. according all that the LORD hath
BESTOWED on us, and the great goodness
toward the house Of Israel, which lie lie
merces, and according 10 the multitude of his
loving kin1nesses SO he was their Saviour.n
Hence the assertion OF Chrst III the ieXt y came not
to nd peace on earth, but sword The word
"swordo In this verse s employed metaphorIcally.
10 denote strife and bloodshed. The worlds which
result from the use Of q sword are
BY no MEANS PIgASAN
to the persons upon whom they inflicted yet,
like the rod In the hand OF q parent. It, in the
providence ofGod, though PAINFUL l. useful TO bring
about beneficial results; ana therefore Christ
hesltates not 10 speak about, 1t as part of
the benelcent economy OF His Kingdom
self. self Wy We are not to understand by lhIs
that Christ approves OF persecution but that He en-
dogses The doctrine that clv government Is an or.
dinance OF God; that il has It's appropriate place IN
the Christanzatlon OF mankind as wen as the Cos.
pei and that IN the exercise thereof conflicts viii
arse among nations OF a painful and sanguinary
nature. We are now arrived at u period In the
worlds history when we may look for much strife
and carnage among the naonS Of The Old
World. am not o. those VINO do or
dld at any time entertain the opinions conrern-
ing prophecy OF such men either Cummings
OF London. or Miller, or Snow OF America; yet
believe mat we are IN one OF he most even'lul eras
OF mankind. and such rs Is pointed out IN Scripture
full of conflict drawing nigh not 10 the nna Jndg-
ment ana destruction OF snblunary things, but to
period OF universal tranquility, when all men Will
nave renounced allegiance to all mere human poten-
tates, ecclesiastical and cyh, and submitted them
selves to tue civilization and the tneocratic, or
rather Christocgatic, principles which our Saviour
came to establish among men.
THE PRESENT FRANCo-PRUSsIAN WAR,
III tie ncipiency of which we now are, belongs in
senarably 10 this period When Constantine the
Great united Church and State he put the former in
u condition fo:elgn 10 its original consItution ana
when KING Pepln gave TO the Roman See certain es-
tates in italy lie Instituted great conflict between
the principles OF free and those or iettered
Church. which has continued ever since, with more
or less Jury TO rage az different times under various
forms-a conflict which win know no end until one
or the other OF the opposing forces shall be com
pletely subdued.
is not necessary to that the doctrine OF union
between Church and State Is doomed. Attention to
the published news OF events they have transpired
during recent years In Italy, Austria, Ireland and
elsewhere IS sufficient to convince us that sucn
uuion viii cease ere long in oil civilized lands. Tie
Established Church OF England IN Ireland Is gone;
tnat OF Scotland win follow; then that OF
England itsell. Meantime the temporal power
OF the Pope must come down. The present war
leads thereto The great strife which has been go
world during the last three hundred and fifty years
has really been one between the supremacy and
authority of God, on the one hand, and the seil-con-
sttuted !ordshp anu auhority OF man over the con.
science Of his elow3 the other. The former must
win victory after victory, until they shall triumph
nnay. and all the Kingdoms OF this world shall be-
come the kiagdoms OIL one GOD and Of his Christi
Tie subject which we announced is too extensive to
admit Of a full treatment IN one DISCOURSE; and there
iors, we shall be under the necessity Of laying
large part OF it over until next Sabbath morning.
W shall then prove to YOU that we are now arrived
al that age OF the world in Which the sixth aad
the seventh vial are IN process OF being poured ont;
and that somehow or other not france and Prussia
only, but other Powers OF Europe, and probably
some Of those IN Asia and Africa VIII be involved
and
REvOLUTIoSIZED IN THE GREAT STRUGGLE.
All hopes tnat no war Will take place vain. We
may look for Startling news every day. We may
anticipate the most desperate struggle the earth
has ever known, and The "bloodiest picture IN the
book OF llme" The Napoleonic dynasty and the
See of Rome are most deeply Interested III the strug
gle; anu we who reside on tins side OF the Atlantic
may congratulate ourselves that we are
three thousand miles away from the the
atre Of Ewar gas spectators. and not
participants. GOD preserve 'tle otars ana Stripes
from being dpped IN the sea of blood that viii de-
luge Europe. After some more remarks III the fore
going strain, the speaker closed with an
CXhOrtatou to his hearers to remember that
Christ eigns supreme above all nations, and tlat
every individual ana every nation that will not
submit to His authority peacefully shall be hlmbled
or destroyed by tile sword Of His power. "Be wise
now, therefore, We kings he instructed, ye judges
OF the earn. serve the Lord with lear anu rejoice
with trembling Kiss the Son lest lie he angry, and
We perish from the way when His wrath Is klnded
but lttle Bessed are all they that put their trust
IN Him. The nation and kingdom that VIII
moi serve Thee shall PERISH