The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-23

Israel the Priesthood Of tho Race and the Gus
t0dians or Divine Truth-Sermon by Rev.

tOdians or Divine Truth-Serm0n by Rev.
DR.. Gutbein.
The Scripture lesson read yesterday by the Rev.
DR.. Gutheim to the congregation Temple Eman-
uel was part OF the prophecy OF Malachi from
which he subsequently discoursed. Malachi he
said, the last Of the prophets. and lived In the
time OF the second temple. The Mosaic service had
fallen into neglect and. after the seventy years.
captivity OF the people In Babylon, Joshua and the
other priests found It dificut to organize proper
form of worship, and the people In Malachis time
manifested great indifference and neglect OF the
temple services. They offered in sacrifice such
animals az were not 1T, ana which. onered
to the governor, would neither be pleasing nor &C
ceptabe. The blind and the lame and the sick were
offered thus; polluted bread was laid upon the altar,
and not one OF them would even kndle the altar
fires nor shut the doors for naught The name OF
the Lord was profaned his table polluted and the
fruit thereof, even his meat deemed contemplate.
They snufYed at his sacrifices and considered his
service WEAKNESS, and when reproved for such
conduct they CONTEMPORARY asked, ''Wherein have
we despised thy manner
WHEREIN HAVE WE POLLUTED rHEEp"
And the priests were guilty as the people in all
these things.
The prophet begins by reminding the people that
q son honoreth his father and servant his MASTER
and that they looked upon Jehovah as standing In
God be father, where his bOnor' and If master.
where Is his fearr This Is the character or the pro-
phecy, and Its design to secure proper render
ing Of the temple SERVICE both by priests and people,
Ezra the restorer OF the law, the second Noses In
sisted upon full and correct provision and execu-
ton Of all the services according to that which
appertalned to the old temple. But the sacrifices
not according to the spirit OF the age, because
culture and civilization advanced and people be-
came more sprituallZed, q spiritual service was
demanded The people were too much given to
sacrificing, that jeremiah, the prophet, accuses
them of sacrificing upon every high hill and under
every green tree idols But at this time of which
Malachi speaks reaction had taken place. ana this
ldolarr0us sacrifice had completely ceased The
priests had to stand IN the offices OF God and to per-
form duties which not limited to the mechanic
heads which should instruct and direct the people.
But they did not fulfill their high duties nor meet
nnce tSs nstona Ire scaw sv anG the
people Tell into internal dissenslOns, and finally were
swept away from the land of their inheritance and
scattered abroad, and the sacri1ces and temple W0r-
| ship ceased AS AarOns sons were chosen to pc
priests to Israel, even so was
ISRAEL CHOSEN TO BE PRIESTS TO THE WORLD;
| and when the temple was In ashes and the people
were dispersed abroad they had become the custo.
destruction OF the temple was an irrevocabe blow
to the national life Of Israel but only temporary to
vlduals everything must tend ana subservient TO
the general good. And thus the world has been
benefited by lsrael's dispersion. This Is the mis-.
sion OF Israel TO be the priesthood OF mankind and
the custodans Of divine truth, and this is what
Malachi declares should be the character OF the
ana the people Should seek the law s a. his MOUTH
for he is The messenger OF the Lord OF Hosts" The
should not be found In his lips. He should walk
| with God In peace and equity and turn many away
@ ~ Me Ses one 81 rs q re-
and which we should endeavOr to attain.
life was This the whole Of religion when
the people had offered their sacridcess No,
forms and ceremonies; 1T Is a spiritual essence
which permeates the whole life OF man. no matter
where we are nor under what circumstances. Con-
courage and faith and the fullment OF those duties
should be our highest ann. There can be no partial
state whatever for religion; we must follow God
wholly and perform our duty fully SO that not
RELIGION AND LIFE SHALL BE IN HARMONY
but the head and heart. the rejection and thought
shall all be at the same time engaged In the work Of
lie. But not alone in the belief which we express
nor In the feelings OF hearts but In good works,
must this religion be manifested The root oil false
Indeed, the more perfect and righteous we are in
life the farther shall we advance and the more use
In our lives, 1t cannot become this n It be either
ABOVE or below natures. 1t must therefore re-
shoW itself in an active fe Of DEVOTION
OF sefcOntrol OF selfabnegation and use
possessed by every man for himself 1t cannot be
Inherited by 4 son from lather, but what truth
In age Is truth In another, because truth itself
Is eternal. The idea OF spiritual selexstent God,
as taught BY Moses above the universe which lie
created and governing that universe endowed with
Will and power to do whatsoever He pleaseth.
this doctrine Is truth. not because 1t has been
transmitted to us, nor because 1t Is written In the
seriousness, and we hold fast to 1t one OF those
sELFEvIDENT TRUTHS WHICH CANNOT BE DISPUTED.
knowledge will secure to man the consciousness
OF the beng and reality or God If his mind seeks
the assurance OF the first cause OF things. Truth,
virtue and active love form the three fundamental
attributes OF religion, but the greatest OF the three
Is love. The result Of such life as has been ind
Gated will be inward peace and happiness, and to-
day all may enter upon the worship Of God and
ENJOY this peace; and We may hopefully look for
ward to the time when the earth shall be full of the
which shall lead to love and to good works, and
secure for US peace In this world and IN the word to
cOme.