The New York herald., 1871-02-13
TIE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Sermon by DIR. Sunderland ON CODE Care Of
All His People In All Places.

Sermon by DIR. Sunderland ON CODE Care Of
ALI His People In All Places.
WASHINGTON, Feb IL, 1871.
Rev. Dr. sunderland, pastor OF the First Pres
byterian church. preached this morning from the
text That they might be called or righteous
ness the planting OF the Lord that He may be glol
fed"-isalah vi, 8. The reverend speaker said the
people or God are called
TREES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
because He has implanted their nature the prln.
cIple and lie of His own righteousness. Their soil
Is holy. Their culture, being ail OF God, is holy,
and their spiritual life and development will 10
holy. II Gods creatures became HIS children, and
combine In themselves every element OF come
llness, beauty, purity, dignity and moral grandeur,
their full exposition OF grace and power rebounds
to the glory Of God. When you fnd q true
Christian you may know God has been there, and
has planted, tended, watered. pruned and watched
him at oil seasons and, as trees lifted up above
smaller gr0wths Of vegetation so Is the true Chris
tian superior to and conspicuous among other cha
racters. The trees Of righteousness all full OF
spiritual charms. In all phases Of religious duty the
Christian realizes fidelity 70 the sublime law OF
spiritual life, while the
FLEETING PLEASURES OF EARTH,
together with their th0ugtlesS v0taries, are SWal-
lowed up and become the victims OF that law Or In
evitaole change. The true people OF God are the
insirumentally, s under Him, the hope of human
salvation. Their hopes and their inheritance
pertain not only 10 the life that nov Is, but TO that
which is to come. by faith they speak, though
dead. they shall shine like the stars They shall
stand like the tree OF liie transplanted into the
paradise OF God Like the various trees CHRISTIANS
have their various uses-sOme to su1er aliiction
some to bear
THE BURDEN AND HEAT or THE DAYS DUTY,
some to reap the fruit, to support the weaker
QrOwths, some to be musical with The gladueSS Of
angels. some TO represent the strength ana might Of
divine grace under all the forms OF Christian bene.
fcence for the improvement and salvation OF the
world; sOme represented by the weeping willow, TO
illustrate Tie humility and the ln0desty Of sane
titled aGliction; others, like the mighty oak,
battling with the storm OF life and bending not
as its great waves OF war go over them. AS God
plants these trees OF righteousness He plants them
when and where lie will-sone, percnancc. IN
LIES narrow gorges, with great rocky walls all
around, unknown by the world, but watched aud
cared for BY angels and by GOd and surely to be
transplanted at the appointed time into the paradise
but while the happiness OF and honors are theirs.
the glory and praise HIS only who set them
OF righteousness in His vineyard. Others, stl are
set the wild ledges Of giddy preciplces. rocked
by terrific blasts; bHt God nurses them, being
TREES OF HIS OWN PLANTING,
and they are gathering strength Tor nOber life
beyond the stars 50 God tries and pcrfects MS pe0
pie. lie watches them through all the winter VI
their desolatiOn, when, like man. Ii he have sorrows
himself, they seem as root out OF dry ground
having no FORM no cOmellncss. God keeps the se-
cret Of their NE still flowing by His bouniful grace
and anii all the storms drought and burning
he ats OF earth, the great Husbandman supplies All
needed strength, nourlshmen consolation and sup
port. He knows your varied Story ana has counted
the
sToRMs or ALL YOUR YEARS.
He reckOns upon the day OF your rpeness and
longs to ad0rn you with heavens eternal splendor.
He your keeper and friend and all the glory you
reflect in your life, in your death and in your exaa-
ton, shall be only HIS while ceaseless ages roll.