The New York herald., 1871-11-05


xxii.. land 1t came TO pass after these things,
that God did tempt Abraham. and said unto him.
Abraham. and he said. Here am l." There Is an
old legend concerning Abraham, said the Doctor
which states In effect that committee OF angels
waited on the Almighty ana asked MIN, "Wnat IS
man that Thou art mindful Of him, or the son OF
man that Thou visitest himy' And God pointed
trnmphanty to Abraham, saying that men
like him are the foundation upon which the
world stands; that he had sacrificed his
only son to the Lord. And men like Abraham. said
the Doctor, are the noblest specimens OF creation
Through their lives more than through all the mani
festations Of creation beside Is Gou glorhed. II the
rolling thuuders and the nashIng lightnings, the
sweeping tornado or the devastating nre the azure
sky aud the verdant fields speak OF God. it Is only
sucn men a. Abrahsm who can attune their ears to
hear the voice OF the Lord IN the thunder or the
hurricane, or in the still, small voice. And hearing
Him thus speaking in and through nature they
are ready to exclaim. Holy, holy holy, Lord
God OF hosts The Almighty once said that Dy those
who stand near him He should be gIorlHcd. And
who stand so near TO Him us tnoyf Who
shall ascend into the holy hill OF the
Lor0 he that hath clean hands and q pure
heart. responds the royal bard OF Israel. A pure
minded man alone can stand before God, and such
heather darkness and superstition to snow men the
true way OF faith. Last week, said DR.. vldayer we
worxs to-day we shall present him nanifestIng the
same faith under seyerest TRIALS lie exhibits faith
n ASaam aS We sha earS arSeS e o. d
trIumphs OF ialth. While It is true
,1ss good s1n, aSiiSns may and ,,,S ,nsy
nevertheless good deeds alone are not faith, and q
manly action however good aud noble cannot re.
Job. He.was rich and benevolent. but satan comes to
God and says:-'Stretch forth thine hand now, and
the latter curse God or deny Him Not at ALL He
had faith IN God that his bread should be given and
water should no sure And Is 1t any wonder that he
or that we cling to our religtons The OK knOwetn
his owner and the ass his masters crib and
that man possessed OF such raith should dispense
blessings all around him. And thus alone is true
tue and virtue is victory and victory implies and
REQUIRES connict and he who IN the conflict with
the title Of faithful. He alone nus the solid founda
ton when the storms beat mercilessy around hun,
and then only does the strength OF his foundation
appear, and the world that his faith is built
the Rock OF israel 1t Is not in prosperity. but in
adversely, that the trial OF our faith appears TO
greatest advantage. Abraham was sorely tried.
He Dr. w aid not like the translation 'tempted'
tried" being o much better word. The ancient
Rabies say that Abraham was tried ten times in
dinerent ways, and that he always stood the test
In his fathers house Abraham loved God, while
ms iasler was an Mo,nter t, anu Nv worsnppea, hre
nre. Terah worshipped an image, but Abraham
adored the true God. the former recognized mate
trolled and made the world. And because OF bis
faith and worship he was exposed to the attacks
and prosecutions OF heathensm in his own house.
He had to meet Its attacks also outside among the
populace, and tradition says that he was thrown
into furnace OF fire because he would bow
down to NmrOd's gods, but he came out thence un-
scathed. And afterward God called MIN to leave
go into strange land But In Canaan ne was
the object or persecution also Stili wherever he
went he. erected altars OF praise and gratitude
God And every great man who has since lived on
the earth has had To walk in Abraham's footsteps.
But, like the diamond, the more they are cut the
more they sparkle YOu ask why IT. is that righteous
men suffer. II Is only through suffering that the
trial OF their faith appears. The diamond sparkles
brightest In the darkness. The Lord trieth the
at all, and the man OF the world Is amazed
tnat the man OF faith can be joyful
under circumstances that would overwhelm
him. But ihe latter sees Gods hand in all hts
checkered scenes OF life, and the heaviest stroke
is tn him hut the outgoing OF divine love. If we I'M
dersi0od faith and had more OF it we should the
angels ascending and descending on Jacobs lad
der. David said that all the Lords waves and bill
lows passed over hlm. and ne merely bowed MS
them. Such is faith, as taught by the Bible ana by
judaism, and we know none other. Abraham had
a mission to proclaim 10 the world the true God,
and Israel has similar mission. Like prOgeni-
tor we have gone forth from our own land, and
amid Suerings anu trials have exalted The name OF
The true God. The treading down OF the Jew
the lifting up oil mankind. And now from every
mosque and tempe and church in the world the
truth is acknowledged thar from Zion The law has
gone forth. and the Word OF the Lord from Jcrusa-
lem. And the poor, despised Jew has carried both
with him.