The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-12-11
A,NOTEWORTHY DISCOURSE.
INITIAL SERMON OF THE NEW BISHOP
OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
The True Character Of Christian
Preaching-The Duty OF Toieration
Enf,re Words from the
Shepherd TO his Flock.

Enf,re ed-Earn.st Words from the
Shepherd TO his Flock.
1.-THE announcement Of a discourse from the
Right Rev. Bishop W. B. w. Howe, the sue,
cessor of the lameuted Bishop Davis, as the
chief pastor of the Protestant Episcopal do
cese of South Carolina, filed st. Philips
Church last evening with an unusually large
congrega ion. While the body of the church
including asles, galleries and doorways, wa:
crowded to its utmost capacity by the laily'
an imposing array Of the clergy, IN their
priestly robea, occupied the chancel. The ser
mon was one that will be full Of interest-to
Episcopal readers especially-throughout the
State. The bishop said:
We preach MT ourselves, but Christ Jesus inc
Lord. and ourselves, your servants, lor Jesus y
sake.-U Corinthianss 4th, 5ta. - : y - =
In these nervous words, the great Apostle
to the Gentiles exhibits to Inc Coll1,hlan lsl
Church characteristic feature OF the Chris
tian ministry, when 1t is animated oy the
Spirit OF Him who ordained it, and promised
to be with il unto the end Of the world. H
And this characteristic feature is iis self-re'
nouncement. wherein men learn, lhtough Inc
Grace of God, TO lose themselves IN the per
SON and work of tae Reieemer. Does any De-
lever s,y, for ins ance, Il am Of Paul, or am
of Apollos ?" Immediately such spiiit Is re-
ouksA by the counter challenge, WHO, then,
is Paul, and who Is Apollos, but ministers by
whom We believed, even as the Lord gave 20
every man ?" have planted, Apol'os wafer
ed. but God gave the increase. so, tnen,
neither is he that piantet, a9ysang nor ,Ss me Re
crease. Therefore, let no man glory In men;
for all things ara yours, Wnetner fau, OF
Anolloa. or Cephas, orthe world, or Me, or
death nr things present, or things to come;
ali are Yours, and We are Chrlst's and Christ
is Gods.
Let me, then, my brethren, on the present
occasion, invite you, ssIs. most meet, TO con
template my text under the aspect @nich has
been suggested, and as, exempined In
the persOH and experience Of he Apo5-
tie himself. I will not dwell on The
occasion OF st. Panl's writing this second let
ter to the church .iu Colinth, save merely to
remark that an Ssua Ss mnSr snd sSol II aet
of the first epislle. and spoke coutemptuousiy
of its author and his preaching. THIS minor
ity fonnd a leader inthe person Of an emls-
sary from Jerusalem. and whom st. Paul terms
a Isalse APOSTLE, and a a.sminister OF Satan, "
and whose confident andarrogant bearing was
ia striking contrast with the humility Of the
anostie. This fase apostle sought self in
npnnIar apnIanse. in preachipg for gain, and
in p pseetinpp p to secure. re- by most unworthy arts,
q large Foiiowi,o. hnt Inc true apostle renounc-
al ali Iheae thi5ys and counted them as the
vsrr vo % dnst ~ the earth. If onIy he could win
cbr;st and maTnifV Him In the ewes of Others.
with inns much premised. let us recur TO my
tsrt Iu ave nreaeh NOT our selves, but Christ
gesns the Lord and ourselyes. YOUR servants,
for Jesns's sake.n Let us first look and see
hnu, these words we're fulfilled in st. Paul
himself -
Two great classes OF men made up the
ancient Christian church-the Jews and the
Genrfies-and 10 have adjusted the Gospel
az as.to msEeIt subseryient TO the traditions
Of aI,her nj these great sections. would have
been not 70 preach Jesup. the Lord, but him.
se,f What did the anostle dos Look and see.
The lew said. sExcept yebe circumctsed, ye
cannot be sayed.n Bu; inch a, canons as this
plainly ot scured the cress, and the Infinite
sacrifice which had been offered thereon. In
such "a dilemma, the apostle never Fhesi-
ireS5of his scolntrymsii, by ahe distinct
annonnnement that only in the blood and
r,ohteonsnesgnt Christ. and mot by works of
ibs law co,,ld men. both jew and Gentle, be
instified and sanctifi.d. and at last glorited.
ItStand fast,n he writes to the Galatians "in
the liberty wherewith Christ has made us
free. and be not entaDgled again with the
IKE Of bondage. Behold I. Panl, say unto
&II. that five be circumcsed, Christ shall
nro1t Won nothing. For in Jesus Christ
neither circnmcisicn ayaileth ANYTHING, nor
nnc;rcnmcisIon. hut faith which workeIh by
hye.n And to the same effect he writes TO
The Corinthians: s.Circumci>ion is nothing, and
uncjrcumcision is nothing. And Just as he
never failed to cross and deneunce the no.
lions and traditions of his coubtrymen, when
those traditions contr addicted the truth OF the
Gusuef so in Hike manuer- ne never hesitated
n shoct tho vainglorg OF the philosopnic
GrsaL hv ins,stinS unon the facts OF our
7 80. ~, and.,hsir rs.i.I,ons To- humau re-
aS-nnftan and ~ reanir,nos tktsp, 10 he received
In ali fSe simnlIciiv of child-like faith. In
recommending the Gospel to mens' accept
ance the anostle renounced all that pompous
rhetoria whsrewitf, yery many of the teachers
OF That age were wont to catch the ear and
Sasten ten tbs attention Of muititndes who went
ron;n, Sso,n School N school. and from creed
N creed. do not mean that the apostle de-
snised a true philosophy, or that ne under
rsted the oraces of a noble literature, or that
ne WSs nnwiliinr 10 make Them pay tribute
to the advancement and spread OF the Gos pei;
hJs anist,es and ihe references In
them tn lireek fhonght and culture,
shon +no+ he AID not nnder-yalue them
in thoir nronar : nlaee-be would only
~ ro+ hay,a ,bppn overshadow. bnt sinnply fllus-
trota nos ~" tha trn,hs which he advocated. lest
ntharvise the tsnross az Christ should be made
oSnane efYectn NOT for worlds would he draw
away the thoughts OF his hearers from the
message itself to the manner in which it was
d. liyersd, or to the skill Of the messenger.