The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-23
ST. LUKE'S METHODIST EPISCOPAL
CHURCH.

The Motto Of Pcrfccti0n-SermOu by tho Rev.
c. y. Narrower.
This place OF worship is presided by the Rev.
q. 8. Narrower, gentleman Of tne presence,
and evidently an earnest man and hard student,
over whose countenance CLEANS the 'pale cast OF
thought"
The services yesterday commenced with hymn
to the Holy Spirit, breathing peace love and purity
In singing which the whole congregation joined
with line enect. And then commenced his
sermon taking his text from Matthew xii,
ST. "Thou shalt love the Lord tiny God with
oil thy heart and all thy soul and al
thy mind.n He said these words described
the most absolute love OF CODA deem, profound,
absorbed love, in which all other love Is lost We
know our Saviour has sympathy for the inperfcct
but this is the motto OF perfection. There are many
considerations why we should seek for this absorb
Ing love. II Is the standard set up by Christ for our
aim, and the Bible selfis abundant In such appeals.
lt Is true other motives may lead to religious lie;
but this Is the perfect motive. There Is
TOO LITTLE yALoR AND DARING IN THE WORLD,
too much conservatism, TOO much hampered
up treasure IN heaven, form OF moral banking and
real estate. There are oil kinds OF loye-ioye OF
beauty love OF truth love OF goodness, love OF
humanity, all party TO Gods love TO man. but they
are net perfect love. Gods love prompts him
to touch us In our weakest spot at times,
just as man would do to save disspatei
or dssolute brother, by calling to his mind
his self interest his Ties OF kindred or his social
disgrace; but would you have all temperance aud
virtue resolved into business policy aud social am.
blton? Leave such teaching for the utilItaran phi
losophers. There Is . love OF virtue Tor itself: q
love o. God which content 1! all else slips tn oug
the fingers Let love begin the ground but let IL
rise UP TO dover IN the pure air, because we never
know
WHAT THERE Is IN GODS LOVE
TO satisfy the soul TIL we have reached perfection
Bota In the Catholic and Protestant churches the
virtue OF humility often becouis that or ia til. The
letter OF the Word hides the spirit too much There
are two ARABIAN prayers which might well serve as
models TO many Chrstians:--.'O God. let not rhv
power ald greatness suffer that one wDom
Thou protectest should perish: but If 1t be
Thy pleasure that ne SHOULD perish, behold
me reedy for whatever Thou mayest appoint. Every
chastsement which c0meth from Thee Shall be
sweet to me- excepting separation from Ihee.n The
second Is, Thou art 10 me all that desire; make
me to Thee what Thou desirest, o Thou. the most
merciu OF the mercirun He concluded his dis
course With the following lines from Moorc:-
The bird let loose In Eastern skies
Returning fopdly home,
Ee'er Stops 20 ear. wing flies
Where idler warblers roam;
But h!,h she shoots through air and light
Above all low delay,
Where nothing earthly bounds her fi.ht
Nor Shadow dins her way.
SO grant me, Lord, from every snare
OF sinful passion free
Alo.t through Faiths afr
To hold my tn Thee.
No sin to cloud no lure to stay
My soul, as home she sprnss;
Thy sunShine Joyful way,
Thy freedom In her wings.