The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-11
MiDIsoy SQUARE PREsBYaERIAy CHURCH..
Christ's JOy-Sermon by the Rev. DIR.
BlakeIy, of Edinbura.

ChrIst's J0y-Serm0n by the Rev. DIR.
BinLeIy, Of Edinbura.
Now that the extreme hot weather has set In In
earnest nearly all the churches of the metropolis are
almost entirely deserted upon the Sabbath and many
OF them are closed up for the season, the members
and those who usually attend them deeming them
selves quite good enough to dispense with the
church for at least three or four months out OF the
year, Not SO, however, with the Madison sluare
Presbyterian church. which, although It Is considered
quite as aristocratic church as there is anywhere
In the city and numbers among Its menber5 res
OF millionnaires, always has It's pews Wen filed
even during the hottest weather This was
particularly the yesterday forenoon, and
Notwithstanding the day was rather warm tie large
number of persons assembled within the beautiful
and deliberately frescoed walls OF this superb sruc-
ture found no to complain Of the heat so well
ventilated Is the building ana doubtless many. II
not all OF them, were far more comfortable there
than they would have been at home In their own
gorgeous parlOrs. There are, however, several
causes which operate to draw large congregations
to this church. In the first place IL is well and beau
tifuly situated In one OF the most fashionable and
aristocratic localities OF the metropolis with Mad
son square, containing It's wealth OF verdant foliage
and thousands Of carolling BIRDS Immediately 'front.'
ing it. In the second place 1t is as cool
and well ventilated as any building In
tor, and last, but by no means least has
o superb choir. without these things, the last In
particular this church would have no larger con-
Others. '''"'
Upon invitation Of the pastor. Rev. Dr. Adams DR..
Blakely, of EdInburg preached yesterday fore
noon. He selected MS text from John XIV, III,
"These things have spoken unto you that my Joy
might remain In you ana that your Joy might be
full.n To read and ponder these words he thought,
would siare many persons He referred 70 the
the common impression OF most men and women
that He was total stranger to joy; that He In
1t not O common sight TO see Him weeping and full
OF sorrow over the manifold sins OF mankind or over
the dead body OF. a Lazarus ? He certainly was a
man OF sorrows and griefS yet He had something,
and, in fact, great deal Joy within Him.
But what , was the cause. the nature OF this
very simple and truthful answer might be
given to this question, said Dr. Bakely by referring
unc0mpromsing hatred OF evil and wlckedness, and
ais 0verpowering love OF purity and goodness. The
In every hour OF His life was one great cause OF
this JOY. The conscious possession OF Gods love-
the exercise OF affection. and the glorious antcipa
ton OF the future enjoyment which awaited Him in
heaven with those He had loved and labored with
while upon earth were the chief causes of this love
which He speaks OF when He says "These things
have spoken unto you that Ny Joy might remain In
You" Jesus tells us also that He abode in the Father
could there be for JOY than thisS
often, however asarepresenatve Of sinners Christ
edy declared that this IS my Son, In whom am
well peaSed" and then, again, we hear Christ
exclaiming, my God my Cod why hast Thou for
saken me ~
But another source OF Christs Joy was the con-
seriousness OF having faithfully discharged the duty
which God had given him To do IL is utterly impos-
sibe for any one to be happy when they are con-
scious Of having neglected their duty-when their
conscience upbraids them for not having performed
their duties they should have done and II Is great
blessing that 10 il so in this world OF toil-that
we should leel joyful at having performed our
duty well. To have done his duty well, although
may not have attended him, Is great source
OF qualification to any good man. And so IL with
Christ. AS day by day rolled on he must have felt
something OF this great satisfaction for it never
partial duty that he performed, but his whole duty
to both God and man. IL was near the close OF HIS
Joy A few hours before his DEATH knowing full well
that his time near at hand, he declared that he
had finished the work God had given him to do.
DR.. Bakey continued upon this portion Of his
discourse NJ considerable length and with great clio.