The New York herald., 1871-02-27
DR.. Newman on the Conversion
of Paul.
A Congregation of Distinguished
People.
DIR. Mitchell on the Proper Mode
of Serving God.
The Wheeled Cherubinl and the
Visions Of Ezekiel.
METROPOLITAN METHODIST CHJRC Gil.
DR.. Newman on the Conversion of Paul.

DIR. Newman the Conversion of Paul.
WASHINGTON, Feb %, 1871.
Another immense congregation took possession
OF DR.. Newman's church this morning, filling the
pews and the alsles extending even to the outer
courts. President Grant and Miss Nellie came in
while Bishop Janes-who, with two other clergy
men, shared the pulpit with DR.. Newman-was
praying The President took his place in the crowd
and with his daughter, waited until the Bishop had
concluded. AS usual, there were many Senators
and Representatives among the congregation. DR..
Newman preached, by request, sermon on
THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL,
Taking his text from Paul's defence of Agrippa, in
the twenty sixth chapter OF Acts. Prelacing his
sermon with an account of Paul's life preceding his
conversion, his education and the sect TO which he
belonged, he passed to consider and describe the
occasion Of his powerful address before Agrlppa a
fragment OF which Is recorded in the Acts-just
enough to give us an idea not only of the mans
courage, OF his freedom OF speech. OF his logical
powers of the aluence Of his imagination but also
OF the grand doctrine he had taught the Jew
lsh nation. DR.. Newman then considered
the nature OF conversion, stating it as
a proposition that the conversion OF Paul was that
great moral change designated In the scriptures as
regeneration. Secondly, that the incidents OF the
event and the subsequent life or Paul furnish indu
btable evidence of the occurrence and genun eness
OF that change, the like OF WHICH we must all eXpe-
renee TO attain Heaven
THE DOCTRINE OF REGENERATION
il coupled with another doctrine. 1t rests upon the
great and alarming fact Of mans apostacy. With
out this fact IL Is myth. What are the clements
that enter into the ehangeY It is not physical trans
formation. physical word Is employed. We speak
OF change OF heart; but 1t Is metaphoric, though
there may be deeper meaning FOR the use OF this
physiological term In the fact that conversion has
10 do with the sensbllities, the conscience and the
affections rather than with the Intellect 1t Is not
merely q cnange OF purpose, though this IS involved
In It, 1t IS not merely reformanon-that Is, aban-
doning the drunkards cup, sabbath desecration
and the PROCLAMATION OF Gods holy name. CONVEX
element Nor Is 1t the performance OF religious
duties. You may be baptized with apostolic hands;
Commandments and the Lords Prayer and stlll be
WITHOUT HOPE IN THE WORLD.
n conversion not these what Is t9 1t Is the in
vesment of power it is the importation OF strength
to do the divine will; He would not argue with Win
haps our pastors have not been as explicit on that
subject they should have been, but II men are not
tion power, OF conscience power. man In the
hour OF his penitence feels his weakness. Re-
OF CHARACTER and takes o
tion mans moral nature, which cannot be
changed except by the power OF God Hence Christ is
Represented as the great Helper The planets are
bound to o common centre by centrpetal force.
Tnere is counter tendency to fy from that centre
of centrifugal force. Man out OF Christ is under
centrifugal power, tending to fly from common
centre. When converted he Is under the centrtpe.
m he
opposite vices. 1t Is not the determination OF all
sinful incinations. That belongs to wnat Is known
as entire sanctihcaton. Conversion Is the restora-
ton of man. moral nature TO its original condition
prior to the fall The state OF
SIN IS THE ABNORMAL CONDITION.;
the state Of grace is the normal condition. The
only man who is harmonized With God and harmo-
nized with nature Is the man who has been restored
by divine grace. This regeneration OF the soul Is
always In harmony with the 1dosyncracie3 OF
mans nature and his constitutional tendencies
never violate the constitutional law. When man
comes out OF the converting hand OF the Holy Ghost
lie comes out with his individuality undisturbed,
with all his personal inherent characteristics re-
naming the same. We have no. the power to effect
this change. The Ethiopian cannot change his
skim The moral leprosy cannot be- e1aced by
any human power. We have all sinned and come
short OF the glory OF God, the solemn, fearful tes
timony OF Scripture The speaker then followed
Paul in his journey from Jerusalem TO Damascus,
and described the wonderful character OF his con-
version, and showed the marvellous change that 1t
wrought in his subsequent life which was one OF
the best evidences OF the genuineness OF the change
Pauls conversion was NOT miraculous. lie was
converted as any other Christian Is. The light was
supernatural, but the process OF repentance and
conversion Is the same that through which ali
must pass who would attain heaven. Dr. Newman
closed with an earnest application OF the doctrine
to the necessities OF tue uncovered IN his audi
ence.