The New York herald., 1871-12-11
ST. MARKS PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL
CHURCH.

The Second Advent Of tho Lord-Prcparing
for the First Coming-Sern,on by Rev. DIR.
RyIance.
~. Marks Protestant Episcopal church. located In
Stuyvesant street, has long been one OF the most
popular east side places OF worship. Each Sabbath
II IS well hlied by devout order OF worshlppers,
under the ministrations OF the pastor Rev. Dr. Ry-
lance. Yesterday the pastor took for his text
Isaiah x. s-"The voice OF crying In the wilder
ness, Prepare We the way OF the Lord; make
straight In the desert highway for our God' !"
This referred TO the advent OF Christ upon the
earth. The passage left US to conjecture whose
voice was to cry In the wilderness; but 1t referred
to Jonn the Baptist who came to herald the coming
OF the Lord among the people Of the world. John
was special messenger for this work. He was the
son OF Zacnariah and his birth was marked by Q
miracle that led the people to exclalm-
"wHAT MANNER OF A CHILD IS THIS 2"
His early Life was one of preparation Tor the holy
work to which he had been called; he sought the
wilderness and communed with God. and then
burst upon tho world and, arousing the Jewish
people, carried light into the darkest minds. John
fulfilled his high mission, directing the faith OF the
multitude from himself to one greater than he, even
the Lamb OF God, VINO taketn away the sins OF the
world. The minister then pointed out how infinite
wisdom had prepared the world Tor the
ADVENT OF THE LORD
during the years that elapsed between the fall OF
man and the coming OF the Saviour. Many inquire
why COD lett the human race to live on for ages In
darkness and doubt; but the best answer was, 1--WE
do not know" 1t Is not for men TO judge the
motives of the Almighty, who was working
ont His divine VIII. Men ought 70 IN.
quire their way cautiously through the
laoyrlnths OF divine mystery. God had the power
to reclaim the wanderer at once and restore him to
We should not question His motives. There may be
reasons for ueierrlns the redemption OF the OF
which VIC know nothing. There are reasons gath.
lfG nf that
oil Christ proved the necessity for the lntercessi0D OF
DIVINE REDEEMER.
Before man can be restored he must be brought TO
a sense OF his lost state. 1nls may have been the
desire OF God in HIS dealings with men and hence
his pOstpOnement OF the redemption Alter sketch
Ing the darkness, sin and Digotry that prevailed
from Adam TO Noah's tlme and even alter the icod,
the seeking oil fne heathen after the unknown God,
the toiling OF the spirit OF man ter the infinite. he
proceeded 10 consider the manner IN which God
sought 10 prepare the way by giving to the tribe OF
Lew tne RI III To perpetuate love or holy things.
God had evidently chosen
THE JEWS AS HIS INSTRUMENTS,
and all tile imposing ceremonies oI their worship
were symbolIcal OF events IN the life OF Christ. me
nl9n priest was SymbOllcal OF the Mediator, Jesus
CHRIST; the sacrifice OF the animals personled the
dca II VI CHRIST; the SdltctnHl sdnclOfa the heaven
INTO which Christ should enter to iptercede poor
lost man. Wnlle the world waited the Mediator
lastor III conclusion expressed his lears that many
CHRISTIANS weie not preparing FOR the LOrd's second
ADVENT upon eartn, tnat while they go through the
Iorms or religious devotion their hearts are not
prepared. Let US not depend, he advised, upon the
or,ns OF prayer, but pray earnestly ta the love OF
God VIII he the inspiration OF our daily life and
JOY. Let US ceave to Him daily with deeper trust,
and more chld.jike love. Let US look to Him who
Will be strength, and let stand oy faith LOOK
ing for another advent when Christ comes again 10
receive you W Himself