The New York herald., 1871-07-31
FrTT.rBlaD STREET BAPTIST cnUR Oh.

CR.OpcratiOn of God and Man In Human Re-
observation-disclosures By Rev. Mr.. Ostcrheut.
In the absence OF the pastor. Rev. W. II. Pcnde-
on. the pulpit OF Fifty third Street Baptist church
was occupied yesterday by Rev. MI. OstcrnoIt, OF
Massachusetts,, Who preached an admirable dis
course from the text, Joshua vi, part OF verse co.
1.-The sword OF the Lord and OF Gldeon.n God, he
said, has a plan and purpose 10 accomplish in the
world 10 the work OF redemption and In the accom-.
phshment OF that plan find the principle OF al.
vine and human co operation recognized to the ut
most-nian and god linked together. And Christ
boldly animated this when He said to his disciples
'Greaer works than these shalt ye do because / 60
TO my Father" And the same truth Juts out here
IN the text-'fhe sword OF the Lord and OF Gideon-
one how and one sword. And though held In
human hands TIE bow and the sword are directed
BY God Himself, that IN striking they strike to
some purpose, and when lifted up IL Is the sword OF
the Lord and OF Gideon OF God ana HIS Church
In looking at the workings OF this great principle
We shall discover five important things-the first OF
which IS that God in carrying this plan of coope.
ration with His Churoh, chooses certain things as
instruments and certain individuals TO accomplish
His designs and TO do His work. And the first
Illustration he wonld adduce would be
THE PRINTING PRESS,
this mighty engine OF modern civilization which
God put into the hands OF the Church when it
was just awaking from its sleep OF centuries
LOOK at the printing press as an organ Of the
Church Of Christ To be sure, the world uses II ss
it uses everything else, for the furtherance OF its
own purposes. and there never was q good thing
given by God TO mankind that satan did not use or
try 10 use for himself. And think OF what q mighty
agent 1t la We owe this building In which we
worship this morning and the Intelligence and
Christian civilization OF our land 10 the printing
press
But take another illustration OF the Instruments
OF cooperation between God and man. There is the
sunday scnool, which the Master gave to the Church
when she needed Its influence most-when she was
bound In the
CHAINS or COLD roRxALIsx.
And mark how greatly God has blessed the Sun
day school And what has 1t not accomplished for
the Church and for the world? IL is the door by
which thousands upon Thousands, from heather as
we'll as Christian lands, have gone into the realms
Of bliss, and are now chanting hymns Of glory in
the better land.
Anu now consider in the second place. the char.
acter OF the individuals as well as OF the agencies
whom God chooses icr the accomplishment OF His
work. Look at Abraham. VINO could have done
father or the ChurcR must be man to whom the
ages can look DacS and say he was worthy. And
Sendent faisn. wn he llfted The knne eeo over the
neck Of his own con. Mr.. osterhout here drew
issac p'iS'' So familiar to ali p'' readers 9 Of IN.
Scriptures. In tnis act Abraham exhibited the char
acterisilc clements by which the Church Was 10
Ave end prosper. Another illustration was given
from tho history aud lie OF Moses, and also OF
Joshua, ana tnen the preacher passed on to Peter
ter 1ttcd TO preach that great sermon Pentecost
than heS Twice he had denied his Master but he
was stronger and poder that very day on that &C.
count How that denial bound him the closer to
Christ And when he got an opportunity 70 stand
MP for Jesus he promptly embraced H. Take Paul
Also-who wa. better fitted To DO his work than he
in the infancy OF the Christian Church Greek had 10
meet Greek and Jew 10 meet Jew, and here was
Saul of Tarsus, as learned In profaDe history IN
church history-as familiar with the writings OF the
Gentle world as he was with the Jewish. AMI he
was the man 10 gains say the sophstr1cs OF the one
or the supersitions of the other And pass On down
20 later times There was John Calvin IN SWltzer.
nLow uroS THE HEAD OF PorrHY.
which made IL stseger, ana from whicn u never n
formauoD. the forerunner OF Luther In the accom-.
plishment OF that great work. Luther man OF
robust frame OF cheerful disposition put nim aeteI
minatfon, was Just the man 10 complete this work,
and turn the bloody side OF the cross Toward Inc
world, and 70 show mankind the redemption tnere
is Ia Christ ics, Calvin ana Luther were as much
raised up by God Tor this purpose ne were the pro-
pnots and apostles for their work. The common
exercises OF lazy or unfsitlfu Christians In the
Church were then combatcd and the duty OF eacn
In his sphere was pointed out. or himself he said
he was Q minister OF CHRIST, not because 1T hap.
pened so,r but because there was IN his ministry
q fact winch linked him 70 the throne OF Cod
and ne felt that be was s much called TO
LIS work as Peter Paul were TO theirs. others
called % be sunday scnool sborer, snd others
trustees, &C, In His Church Every man can make
himself useful IN his place, and here he made ano.
tncr point--nanely, that God encourages those VINO
srek HIS strength when they are weak aud faint.
The story OF GIdcons call by God 10 be the general
who should Tree Israel from the bondage OF tue
Md antics was rcclied In Illustration.
cipEoS MADE VARIOUS kAltSEs 49,,
ss 10 ms royerfy his own littcness snd that OF ms
fathers house and the might OF the Oppicssors ot