Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-12
! MON AND AMERICAN
REV. DR.. VANDYKE.

new UI' FANDIAc'
First Sermon in NashvfIIe-LarSe At
tendance at the First Presbyterian
Church.
Rev. DR.. VanDyke, who was recently
elected pastor of the First Presbyterian
Church in this city, delivered his first ser
mon in Nashville last Sunday morning.
The large church was densely crowded,
even the aisles being thrOnged to the en-
frances. The pulpit was occupied by DIR.
Wheeler, DIR. Summers, editor of the
CI.riStiGR AdUOcGte, and Rev. DR.. Van
dyke. We present synopsis of the Doc
tors opening sermon:
The text was taken from Malachi, Sd
chap, part of the 18th verse: And they
shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in
that day when l make up my jewels"
The Bible is full of exquisite snalOgies.
For example the bond that makes of twain
one flesh represents the unity Of the soul
with Christ. The mutual affections of
parents and children are types of the love
of our Father TO us, and the honor which
we should pay to him. The seed Of the
field is the Word of God. The flower is the
pictorial illustration ofdivine providence; the
branch and the vine the living image of
familiar objects by which we are surround
ed. The word Of God not only throws Ger
them net work of sacred associations but
evolves from them wealth of wisdom and
beauty which redeems them from vanity
and transmutes them into unsearchabe
riches IIenceforth they become current
coin of his Ki:lgdom, bearing the image and
superscriptiOn Of his work. The Lord con-
descends to sIeak af er the manner Of men,
and consecrating to heavenly uses a famil-
lar earthly thing, says TO his own dear peo-
Die: "They shall lie mine in that day when
Fmake up my Jewels" Gods people are
his chosen, his most precious treasures, from
which ne will never consent to part. They
may be called his jewels in view of the price
be paid for them, the care and skill be eX-
pended upon them, the beauty he developes
in them, the watchfulness he exercises over
them, and the display which he will make
of them in the last great day. Gods peO-
pie are his Jewels in view Of the price he
paid for them. The whole plan,
purpose and result Of the
gospel of salvation are summedup in Scrip
ture in one word, namely, Redemption.
Redemption IS the deliverauce Of any one
from captivity, from bondage or fro death
by payment of a stipulated ransom. Now
Gods people are redeemed from the bond
age of sin, from the power Of Satan, from
the condemnation and curse Of a broken
law, from spiritual and eternal death. What
is the price paid for the redemption of Gods
people? Let the Word of God answer; let
Scripture be its own interpretation: "The
Son of Man came TO give His life for the
ransom Of many" "He hath redeemed us
from the curse Of the law, being made a
curse for u.s." Eye were not redeemed
with corruptibe things such as silver and
gold, but with the precious blood of Christ
What father who loves his son would give
that sons life for all the gems in the dladem
of kingY But God spared not His only
begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all.
We cannot understand why He should make
such a sacrifice. Our redemption by the
blood of Christ is a mystery deep and I'M
fathomable. Indeed it is the mystery of
mysteries. There is nothing hard
to believe if We can arcept the
essential truth of the Gospel that God,
infinite. eternal and unchangeablr, became
man and laid down the life which He had
assumed to ransom man. Since He has
bought us at such an infinite expense we
can well believe the testimony of the Scrip
lures, thatEIe regards us His jewels. Pow
er is still expended on them after they are
His. They are designed ultimately to win
dictate the cost of their redemption. He
not only calls them His jewels, but he i'm
parts to them such excellence as will finally
prove them worthy of that name. In order
TO appreciate the beautiful accuracy Of the
expression, We should remember that jew
el is not merely precious stone, but pre-
cious stone that is cut and polished. The
most valuable Jewels do not sparkle in the
mine, as a poet says they do. When they
are first discovered there is nothing, to an
impractical eve, to distin- uish them from
common stones. They must be subjected
TO the skillful and patient handling Of the
lapidary before their beauty and value shall
appear. The process is often delicate, Of
tentimes protracted, requiring a clear eye, a
steady hand and the use Of powerful ma
chinery. Then when the lapidary has
finished Lis work the ieweer must give the
gem its appropriate setting, until at last it
shines like a star set in the midst of a con-
stellation. Now this whole process is only
illustrative of that special providence over
bis own people by which God carries on the
work of redemption. He does not leave his
precious ones in the defOrmiiy Of their nat
ural condition. He redeems them in order
TO sanctify them TO himself. o, if Gods
Jewels always understood and remembered
this, they would not 50 often complain of
the cutting ard polishing to which they are
subjected, but conscious. that they are His
workmanship they would lie passive in His
hands and know no viii but Ills. How
exceeding great and precious is that stir-
nation that ''all things work together Tor
good to them that love God, TO them that
He calls the work of His hands" No def
milton of Divine Providence ever can COM
mare in accuracy and fullness to that one
verse. Here is the universally Of Proyi-
dence. call things" Here is the energy OF
God. call things work" Here is the har-
mony of God, call things work together
Here is the end for which they are desi- med,
'good-eood to them that love God, and are
called the work of his hands" Gods work
mansh:p of His own people is not accom-
plished merely by grinding, cutting and pol.
ishing. The Affections of life are mingled
with sweet persuasion and gentle
influences. The marvellous lustre of the
precious stone, brought out under the Sc
we're but skilful hand Of the lapidary, IS but
a feeble image of the beauty that God sees
now in every one of His children, and which
He will exhibit to the admiring universe ii
the day de makes up His jewels. Theirs is
not merely seDsuOus beauly-the symme-
try of the physical form, the delicacy Of the
natural color, the harmony of the features
which dazzle and crafty the natural eye
Theirs is a spiritual beauty, the harmony
of pure heart.
Every true believer is the Lambs wife
Yes. penitent but trusting soul, however
humble YOU may be, however despis d
among men, thy Maker is thy husband
ami thy Redeemer thu holy one Of Israel