The New York herald., 1871-07-10
CENTRA. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Blessedness of Presenting Our Bodies Liv;ni
Sacrifices to God-Scrmon by Rev. j. r
swift.

Blessedness Of Preventing Our Bodies Living
Sacrifices to God-Sermon by Rev. j. r.
swift.
A warm day and slim congregation greeted the
senses OF the Rev. Mr. Swift, wlo the absence OF
the pastor occupied the pulpit or the Methodist
church In Seventh avenue, near Fourteenth street,
yesterday morning. Mr.. swift preached thor
oughy practical Sermon which we give in SUBSTANCE
from tho text, Romans, Xii, Id beseecn you,
therefore brcthren by The mercies OF Goa, that ye
present your bodies living sacrifice holy accepta-
BILE unto God, which Is your reasonable service"
The Jews he SAID had been familiar with sacrifices;
they had been educated this faith under the old dis
pensaton, and the Apostle now seeks TO teach them
what is the true intent aud meaning or sacrifices,
and TO show them how to life to the best advan-
tage under the Gospel The more intelligent Jews
were aware that there was efficacy in the sacri-
flee itsel, but that beyond it and back OF 1t there
lay the true idea, ald Pall shows
THE ROMAN CHURCH
that by the coming OF Christ the forms and typical
sacrifices were done away And as life was offered
up under the old dispensation 30 must the lie be
wholly offered to Christ under the new. The natural
life sacrificed, wholly given TO God viii beget q new
and inner liie which will dow forever and ever.
And hence the Apostle beseeches them to present
their bodies. living sacrifice. His idea evidently
IS that we should yield whole Of this life TO that
higher life which IL given unto us IN Jesus Christ.
This life, with all Its opportunities and talents and
capabilities and powers is given for this purpose.
There must be no waste VI productive capital In tie
Christian .ife II must be here 1t ls in business
a1airs-we must not be satisfied unless all ener-
gIes are bent iowa a me extension and enlargement
oi our Dus ness aud the increase Vi our wealth.
THE CHURCH IS SUFFERING TO-DAY
from unproductve capital-frCm talent lying idIe
wInin IT. more tnan from anything else. The true
business man uses AL the brains he mas and all the
means within hi. reach TO make his business pro-
aur N q 10 lnY
brings In a return. In the Church men should labor
for Christ as earnestly as hey labor Tor themselves.
real value, and tne energy which we iinpart 10 It
gives IL ITS strength and Oeauty. IL Is possible for
US to give only portion of our lives 10 Christ: but
Just far as we devote ourselves TO God have we
SATISFACTION AND JOY AND PEACE.
And the moment man begins TO yield all to
Christ he rises into a higher lie We can lully un-
derstnnd mat this life Is to be sacriiCed the
spiritual life is an ontgrowth or the natural The
moment That we realize tiat we are not com ng mp
To the standard OF Christianity we can readily per.
IN tue small things OF life where we might and
should nave doDe better, ana hen endeavor TO d
And until we reach tns poDt we are not dong all
we can ought for Christ. Christianity and every
power OF the CHRISTIAN lie Is III harmony win every
tnlng outside OF II, and when we begin to walk in
Chrlst's nfe dong whatever lie commanus then the
Christian he becomes TO u our natural lie. And
until get nto this we are III an unnatural state
Hence we are 10 sacriice lie talent lime awning
that would hinder our growth Ia grace into THIS
higher life. The law OF nature Is that whenever any
thing higher Is developed something
INFERIOR HAS BEEN SACRIFICED.
In the realm of heart the painter sacrlaced time
thought, labor, money every rover OF his mind aud
body. 10 produce those masterpieces which have
been the admiration ana wonder OF all ages. Ana IL
must be so In every experience Of life. When we
properly consider that the germ OF religion planted
here IN the human soul Is 10 grow uD TO a higher
Christian lie, not on here but also IN heaven, we
shall he more ready to sacrifice the present for the
inture the inferior life to the better. Men the
ana the desert, and sacrifice home and friends
anu every thing mat they may lay up treasures here
where Inotn aud rust doth corrupt ana where
tnIeyes break through ana steal When we under.
stand what these lives are and FOR wnat purpose
they were given we shall be ready 10 sacrifice much
and bear our burdens cheerfully. Indeed IN one
sense there are no burdens the Christian nIe
The man sacrifices $50, ,000 aud makes sl00, 900
by II does not consider II any sacrifice: neither
shall we when we sacrifice this lie TO the higher
liie Then, again,
OUR SACRIFICES ARE REALLY BLESSINGS
10 IL ~ the province OF the Holy Ghost TO make
our llyes productive. Look at tue end0w menis of
the mind and heart, and see how unproducnye they
are until tne power OF the Holy Gnost reforms,
changes and vIvlfies them. We see the barren
places OF the earth made beautiful and productive
by the hand vf man; the desert Is made 10 b ossom
as the Tose and the rock and the dry ground yield
an equraleDt for the LABOR bestowed upon them.
And even 80 Christ Is abe 10 make all our lives pro-
ducuye so that they shall bear rich frlit here and
richer rnl "a eternltv. The nniinuons OF fe often