The New York herald., 1871-01-09
F0RIY-SIxTH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.

Twenty-fourth Annual Address by DR.. Ar.
mitase to Young Men-The sPursuit Of
Huppiness'' Under the Constitution.
IL was great pity that greater number OF young
men did not attend the Baptist church on Forty-
second street last evening to hear DR.. Armitage's
twenty-fourtn annual address to their errinp
class. The wind-blown snow, perhaps, induced dn
idea that the pursuit of happlness-which was the
doctors theme-coud be more 1tly followed in
comfortable parior. Whatever the cause, the re-
spectacle munled-up, befurred congregation
exhibited but three or four zone darky) OF
that branch OF the genus homo albeit there
was not wanting rosy cheeks and cherry tipped
noses on young faces of the fairer sex. The text
from the l2sth Psalm-.sBlessed is every one
that feareth the Lord ana walketh in HIS ways For
thou shalt eat the labor Of thine hands. Happy
shalt tnou be, and 1t shall be well
with thee" 1t cannot be denied that men to
a ceriain degree are generally unhappy. Different
estimates may be formed OF the sum of human un-
happiness but we know that the spectacle OF
man perfectly happy has never been seen in the
world since the fall. Philosophy opposes to it
lofty superiority and treats 1t with a
studied scorn; philanthropy tries to lessen its ex.
tent The former. though succeeding in giving
hard fUrtlude, has never achieved complete insen
slbility to IT.; the latter has only amenorated It's
pressure upon some without diminishing Its entire
THE PURSUIT OF EVERY MAN.
Our happlest hours are disturbed by some un-
easiness some sorrow OF the past some fear OF the
future Weslt at the banquet or lfe with the sword
above our heads, and 1t would seem. as says
be blest.r We may say with the Athenian
sage that .the events Of human life are
uncertain, but we can say, with q greater than
Cresus and wiser than SoIon. II have seen ali
the works done under the Sun, and all is vanity and
vExATIoN or sPIRIT.D
1t becomes. then, an important question with
every young man, .'Can 1 be happy in this
life" wish to prove that he can. Now,
II we know that man cannot be entirely
assertion has been advanced that He has, A poet
has written that "Man was made to mourn;" but
this dispute BY the means OF reason and revela-
tl0n must we treat the case before US. Assuming,
then, tlat God, In his inhnitude, had the power
OF making man entirely happy. why did ne not do
SOP Mans happiness is circumstance worthy
OF HIS notice and It's bestowal cannot be derogatory
to God. What is there to make Him happy In
making yon unhappy There Is tue same reason for
thinking That he incllnes toward our happiness as
harmony and not discord; 10 virtue and not TO vice;
Tor happiness Is not only the antitne5s OF misery bur
IL superior to IT,
MISERY CREATES HATE
and feeling OF bondage. Were we created to the
latter we should have right to think such
ply indifferent to our happiness or misery we know
that nwar6ly he would lean towards our well being.
God Is benevolent, and what Is bencvolence but
well wislngY He Is called in the Bible the blissiul
God. and this, In plain Anglo-Saxon, means
THE HAPPY GOD.
God, who IL just, holy and wise as well, uses these
qualities 70 regulate The exercise OF His beDeNo,enCe,
and Goa must nave created man to perfect happl-
ness although II Is neyererneless true that misery
Is possible Tbe creation V happiness s told ~ the