The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-14
MADES0y AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.

Results of Adams Sin and Of Chrisrs Obc-
Gience-ScrsnOn by Rev. pr. Curry.
The Rev. J. Elder, pastor OF this church. Is SPEND
ing his vacation In the country, and yesterday his
pulpit was occupied by the Rev. Dr. Curry, formerly
member OF Congress from Alabama before the war,
and now the pastor or q Baptist church In Rich
mond, Va. who preached 10 goodly-szed congre-
CATION from the words contained in Genesis H., 10.
l7--"And the Lord God commanded the man, say
ing OF every OF the garden thou mayest freely
eat but OF the tree OF the knowledge OF good ana
evil thou shart not OF 1t: for In the day thou eat
est thereof thou shalt surely die" When the world
first came forth from the creative hand OF omnipo-
tence and love 1t must he SAID have been exceeding
glorious and beautiful. The Father looked upon 1t
and pronounced IL good, very good. There was an
adaptation in all lis parts to the purposes Of Its crea
ton. There was brightness In tue sky,
BEAUTY IN THE LANDSCAPE,
fragrance IN the flowers and Joy in everything
Man was made upright, blessed and happy also. His
eye was calm and his conscience easy; ne knew no
guilt he felt no shame; MS heart was pure and his
prospects good as his soul went out toward God.
Man was stranger to fear. His body was free
nom pain and disease he conversed with God and
communed with the Father. lie was as happy as
being could be. Yet this bright picture was soon to
be marred by sim Man was the highest Illustration
OF Gods great goodness power ana love, capable OF
the greatest degree OF happiness ne was cIeated
made little lower tlan the angels. lie was not
made like the material universe, governed by fixed
and uualteraDe laws ike the stones and the mowers
and the stars even, until the end OF time. Had he
been so created he could have made no progress and
been subject to moral and legal accountability. He
could neither learn, remember, hate or love.
But far otherwise Is IT with man. lie
bile OF the highest development. But with this pro-
gressive accountability special command was
given against the indulgence Of the appetites There
NO MORAL INTERNAL EVIL.
nothlnQ wrong he cOnteuded, in Adam eating
the forbidden Iruit. The prohibition was obligatory,
because GOD had commanded to abstain from 1t ana
thus abstentlon was TO be the test OF mans ooedi
what He iorbids Is His creatures evil. Unquestion-
ably mans highest perfection is attained by obeying
the divine Will ana command aud &c recognize those
things pertaining TO human progress IN obedience
and love. Tue test was therefore necessary to
mans progress, accountability ana happiness. Man
was made u living soul, spiritual Intelligence, with
perfect freedom OF VIII to choose and TO act
Mind and matter are controlled 10y very different
laws Man is governed by moral and intellectual
laws. You are here, the preacher remsyked TO the
congregation, voluntarily and with freedom 10
choose between the good ana The evil, to come Or
TINS Accountability in man is honored by God.
We cannot predicate good Or evil OF the stones and
the flowers or the sun or moon, but we can VI man,
and this provision OF our nature secures appropriate
results. Love cannot be cOnstralnel; coercion Is
not It's parent. We love God because He first loved
u. The bee constructs It's cell on mathematical
principles, nut 1t has made no progress and Is no
farther advanced to-day inan when the original bee
was made. TO our first parents The iiee choice was
nate to Gods. Sceptlcism often asks
WHY SHOULD GOD IMPOSE TESrY
The trial was Indispensable according to mans
moral instincts ana laws and government. lt was
indispensable 10 his progress IL was not iate OF
misfortune destiny, but the 1ree election O Aua
and Eve that brought upon tDem and tneir posterly
the evil. All criminal law Is founded on this Iree.
dom OF moral actlon. and yet many say tney are
IN Ter the necessity 10 sin. Rot TO be capaue OF
falling Is to take away from man the possibility VI
virtue. But III mercy God gave him TINS privilege neg,
Man Is not the victim OF circumstances. Ihey
may surround us, but they are not lnsuImountane.
Tnev may be overcome, or, IL we allow them, they
NAV overcome Men are not to cecome the BOND
slaves oil unhOly influences and passions, anu II we
nut our trust In God He Will make way for our
escape frOm them. And the young man can say,
GLOW shall do this great wicKedhess anu SIN
against God"
God said TO the people IN the garden CHOOSE YOU
between my Will ana yours, between my WISDOM
and yoursu DO you say, he as ed. wll not choose
Gods Will or way ! VIII follow my own devices
and Will not have God or Cnrist 10 reign Over
me. There are men to-day who say mat SIN ~
light and trivial, when the whole head IL SICK anu
the whole heart is corrupt. No sooner had our nrst
parents come ont OF nothing tnan iheY aspired 70
be, not merely IN the image ana likeness Oh Gou,
but 10 be as God. knowing good ana evil, and pos
sesscd OF power lie. the enemy nattersd tnelr am
pitioD. lust as he does ours now Tney uehleu uou
WISDOM veracy and love: anu "e oS Snow a se and
Eve acknowledged their guilt put sougnt 10 cover
II up or to shit the responsibility put there are
The Doctor then spoke briefly On tne necessity ior
the infliction Of penalty and OF the
REoOSCIIIATION PROVIDED
| nv and through Jesus Christ and the consequent
| obedience of mankind to the Divine Will through
| faith IN Jesus, and closed with lervent appeal ~
the lmpentent TO choose this day whom tney wouo
cept lie death. as set before them III tne uOspc
ana TO he attained through obedience ana ialtn;
missionary collection was then taken up aiter WHICH
| the congregation was dismissed.