The New York herald., 1871-05-15
CHURCH Or The PILGRIMS.


Spiritual Loneliness Wrestling with God md
Prevailing az a Princo-Sersnon by Rev. w.
NJ. Taylor.
The handsome and substantial Church Of the Pill
grims. in Henry street, was filled with attentive
audience, who yesterday listened to the " ords OF
Rev. william M. Taylor Of England, who, while on
a visit to this country, is Temporarily filing the pull
pit for Dr. Storrs who travelling In Europe The
church PROBABLY the most convenient in the coun-
try for public speaking Large 1t is, and capable
or seating two or three thousand persons. a whisper
in the pulpit can be distinctly heard at the door.
The Rev. Mr.. Tayor's sermon yesterday was based
on the narrative OF
JACOBS wREsrLE WITH THE ANGEL
at Ieniel on his return from Padan-aram. which is
found In Genesis xxxii 22.32. The immediate
words of the text are found In the twenty y-fourth
.verse-"And Jacob was. left alone ana there
wrested man with him until the breaking OF the
day."
Had he preached from this text twelve years ago,
he said he might have gone on TO speak OF the
spiritual lessons which It contains without waiting
the threshold. But in these days of insidious in
fidelity ana doubt regarding the historical authen-
ticity OF the Pentateuch one must stop and verify
the records. Those verses taken IN connection
with the few chapters preceding cannot be resolved
into myth fable In which some spiritual truth Is
enshrined. II you resolve this portion OF Genesis
into myth you cannot account for the historical
places, Names customs, &C., here men,
toned. Indeed it is hard to see how you can
retain anything whatever. You cannot keep the
kernel and threw away the shell, because both are
growing together. You must keep the historical
character OF the books and take the story literally.
lie, himself 80 accepted IT. and he had no difficulty
who wrestled with Jdcobf The patriarch himself
declares, 81 have seen the Lord face to lace" 1t
was no created angel, but the
ANGEL OF THE COVENANT GOD.
IL Is a prophecy OF the incarpation-one OF the
many which we have throughout the Scr piurcs.
While the form OF the wrestler was corporea the es-
spiritual. This wrestling was the agonzing
sons here taught:-First-The loneliness OF spiritual
distress. There Is loneliness about every man, a
skeleton in every house. something in every soul
which has never been revealed 10 others, and such
its power over us that II can draw us away IN mo-
ments OF silence TO talk with US Ia the secret cham
bers oil our hearts. 1t may be
MEMORIES OF GUILT, AS CAIN FELT,
or pangs of bereavement, as David experienced
wnen his son Absalom was slam or 1t may De times
OF temptation. such as the Lord Jesus Christ felt
when He withdrew into the wilderness TO contend
with the Prince OF Darkness or His great agony IN
the Garden OF Gethsemane; or, as in this case or
Jacob, guilt and suspense may have troubled the
heart. Jacob had robbed Esau OF his bjrtnright
pense as to how his brother should meet him. He
had taken every precaution to propitiate that
side, ana then he withdrew across the brook Jab.
box that he might
BE ALONE WITH GOD.
We know all about It, And as speak, said the
preacher, each one OF you has been feeling that
spring whlcn unlocks the secrets OF the SOUL
That act OF thougntlessncss-that herce temptation
which came sweeping everything before 1t; that
wound received in the most susceptible nature: that
cloud laden with dark ruin. or which even now
w fear to speak TO others; but when the children
are gone TO bed, when the household Is secured, ia
coblke we cross the lord and wrestle alone with
God. Is IT not so always in our spiritual distress
Ana no one comes to our help but He the divine
Saviour who went over the biow alone to tempta-
n,,hr .lnay xpktnf hnun Innkn
word OF sympathy to the sorrOwlDg nave we not
often felt that we were drawing bow at venture
revealed unto us. And like JOB, 1t had, IL were,
exclaimed 30. that you would
ALToGErHEa HOLD YOUR PEAcEp'
And how often has our loneliness been expressed
In those lines OF the "Ancient Marlner:'-
Alonel aionel all, all alone,
So lone /, is that God himself
Scarce seemed himself to be.
Jacob was left alone Second-Arising out OF tins
thought OF loneliness Is Glother-that our only re-
source in spiritual distress Is God incarnate. ia
cob's solitude was not OF long duration On this
mysterious One he threw himself In agony God
appeared to him in the iorm best adapted TO soothc
his sorrows, heal ilis wounds and drive away his
fears lie sees enc in human form To whom he
may speak, ana also Divine Eeing who can impart
the elements Of strength which lie needs. Had God
been driven back; but now he could wait ana wres-
tie even TILL The breaking ol the day. This was
foreshadowlng OF me incarnation winch took place
ages afterwards. And thus the Divine Man comes
10 US In all our times OF trial. As man lie shades
away the divinity and the glory or Cod, and as God
he lmparts to us strength ana courage. Look
at the difference between the Old and the
new economies. The old was an inspiration
of awe, the OF love. In HUmer's .'IlIdQn there
IS story OF the parting OF Hacar and Andromeda,
where the former ~ represented as appearing III
mask and arinor, ready for hight, and his little son
flees from him terrified and anrighfed; but ne re-
moves hls arnor and the child recognizes It's father.
with the tears yet ircking down Its cneeks II jumps
TO his arms and kisses him. 1t Is
JUST so WITH THE TWO DISpENSATioSS
the old aud the new Christ is man; we need
the 0mnipotent God we obtain strength, ana WIS
dom and courage which Is not IN ourselves NO
matter what the secret OF your sorrow ~ IT IS well
known TO Him, who sits beside you; 1t is well known
and strength: He Will garrison your soul. is 1t
a fear OF meeting an offended brothcr as In this
caseY Whatever 1t Is that has sent thee this morn
ing over the brook Jabb0tt Gail upon Him, as did
Israes king-''O, Lord, am oppressed; entreat for
me.n Thlrd-0ur first application may appear to
fail, but believing importantly VIII ultimately snc.
ceed The hour OF weakness ~ the hour or victory,
and prince you may prevail. ChTis.5 purpose Is
to bring our faith to the test, and
WHEN WE AXE WEAK THEN ARE WE STRONG.
And blessed is that weakness which inrows all its
weight on Christ. Jacob went over the brook Jab.
box thinking OF Esau, but III wrestling ne forgot all
about NJ. III was not SO much RECOMMENDATION ne
needed as the friendship VI God. he received new
name-lsrael prince. Has IL not oitcn Deen SO WIN
ourseiyesS In sorrow VIC 20 across the brook ana
ask Him. 10 may be, to spare the chiids lie, but
when there we ind there IL something more neeulul
than thar. When we ask for temporal DleSslnBs 6ou
does not always grant them until we nnd the need
OF spiritual, aud then He gives both t0gether . .
The fourth lesson to whlcn MI. laylOr calicd
attention briefly was that spiritual connlcts alWays
leave q mark behind and make memorable tnc
places OF conflict This point was illustrated ana
attention was called 10 the MAJ kcd contrast between