The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-08
LEE AVENUE REFORMED CHURCH.
The Pernicious Effect OF Unbelici-SermOn by
Rev. L. w. Bentley.


The PerniciOus Effect OF Unbelicf-SermOn by
Rev. L. w. Bentley.
The pnlpIt OF the Lee Avenue Reformed church
Vas occupied yesterday by Rev. E. w. Bentley, Of
Elenviile. He delivered a practical discourse IN
The morning upon the sin OF unbelief taking for his
text the twelfth verse Of the third chapter OF He-
brews-Take heed, brethren lest there be In any OF
you an evil heart Of unbelief in departing from the
living God" In his opening remarks the preacher
said that the heart Is the seat oil moral force,
and that 1t was noticeable that the Apostle did
not say, "Take heed lest there be found In you an
immoral llre or an irregular creed, or vicious
principle OF action, or an unworthy object OF pur
suiLn But lie went deeper than that, striking at
the heart which was the seat OF all Inspiration and
pr0pelling force In the characters and lives OF men,
Gods method In dealing with the religious nature
OF man was radical in the extreme, differing In this
particular from all creeds oil human device. Where
men SKINNED the surface God ploughed the depths;
where men Topped OF branches God plucked out
roots. Men protested to admire tnoroughness and
asked for 1t everywhere. They demanded strength
and stability in all enterprises, ana utterly desp1sed
quackery and sham. Men cursed shoddy, whether
they found 1t in brOadclOth coat, In railroad en-
bankment, in sermon or In Congressional speech.
And yet, In the matter Of religion men VIII put up
with almost every sham that Is foisted upon them.
In religion they ignored horoughness and accepted
anything That did not demand research or painful
e e.ta me route OF heaven, which pledged
shortest route, was crowded with passengers, and
they looked with sort OF contempt upon those VINO
preferred the old line, with Its slower gauge and lis
Old fashioned cars. Most men wanted to
60 10 heaven just as people in the country desired
TO get TO New lurk-to wait till the last train and
tnen take the lightning express. VITA sleeping car
attached. they wished to spend the whole day OF
when night came TO take an easy berth and wake
up ready Tor business IN the next world.
All schemes OF iaIth which lett the state OF mems
hearts out view were, from the necessity OF
case, snams and frauds. AS a man thinketn
IN his heart SO Is ne" everybody knew
heart and do another thing IN hts daily life.
man might be a thief In mis- neart ana vet never
steal IN actual lact lie might be q republican at
heart and vote democratic TICKET all ms lie, and
rice reTsd Gods scneme o1 laith was the OniV one
That recognized the distinction between the outer
and the inner lives OF men spurious Christianity
said, BE honest, kind and loving; Go not vioia.e
human laws, 40 not break the rules Oh soGen, uo
not traDsgress the proprietles OF good fellowship,
and you are good enough Chrlsllan." man
might come up to all those requirements ana YET DC
In MS heart reprobate, having no likeness
to Christ and no fear OF Cod But when God be-
comes entrenched In the Sinners heart wnicn Is
ike the capital OF nation He Is master VI tue sltu-
ZION. The conquered, outlying forces might create
disturbance but the WORK oil subJugation would go
steadily on TIL at length every outpost would sur
render and the whole man come under the DIVINE
sway. The speaker proceeded TO show that An ull-
believing heart was an evil one, especially IN lead.
Ing men to distrust the Bible and It's blessed
promises, which concerned mans highest interests.
The usefulness and happiness OF mankind here
ana their eternal blcssedness was dependent upon
their obedience to the instructions or Gods Word.
u was terrible to throw this life away, out II was
eyGa %as wa az Tng %a
n0lnR. In conclusion the reverend gentleman
awelt upon the tact that heart OF unneief led
men away from God, and enforced the truth by
beautiful and opposite illustration. Those whose
ev hearts OF unbeIef drifting them out OF the
sea were going further and further from Gods
mercy, patience and love. His hearers we're ex-
who would prepare them for HIs service mere and
Tor the indwelling OF His spirit