The New York herald., 1872-12-09
)UTH THIRD STREET METHODIST CHURCH.

ngelic Study Of the Plan Of Redemp-
tion-Sermon by Rev. VILLA m stephens
son, or Canada.
The pulpit Of the South Third street Methodist
pisc0pal church (Rev. Mr.. Ware, pastor, was
coupled yesterday morning by Rev. William
ephenson. M. A., Of ottawa, who has the reputa-
on OF being one OF the most eloquent divines in
snada. The church was filed to repletion, and
ie reverend gentleman was listened to with un-
saried attention rom the beginning to the close
MS discourse. Mr.. stephenson's style Of oratory
nate and his utterance rapid, reminding one
mis- distinguished oratorical associate, William
Drley Punshon, but lacking that gentleman's
,nderful memorizing power.
fter the usual Introductory services, consisting
inging, reading the Scriptures and prayer were
formed, Mr.. Stephenson proceeded to deliver
Is sermen, the text being taken from parts Of the
egenth and twelfth verses Of the first epistle OF
% H. ana tas gery nst ss
,Ok ipto.n
gT1a9 preacher in his exordium remarked that
neither a. ssne---
THE ECONOMY OF HUMAN REDEMprIoN
'aS viewed In the source Of its origin the vast
ess 0f ITS bearings or in the incompatible gran
'earied research OF the highest as well as the
west grades OF created intelligences: He then
roceeded to dllate upon the nature and capacities
angels. observing that 1t was not matter Of
fonder that the scheme Of redemption by Christ
asus, SO repete with interest because so fraught
ngeftc sstonishment and claim angelic praise. in
lew Of Q scheme Of emancipation so great and
lorlous; Is was no matter o1 astonishment that
ngelS should strike their harps to tones Of deepest
aior@ed that this ineiraoy glorious project Of
|heme into which angels desire to investigate The
ngels Of God have ever been regarded as the
|rightests purest and most intelligent monuments
liz infinite wisdom and creative power They might
I've represented as pure spiritual substances, and
hat they have positive existence is clearly de-
hat they are possessed Of spiritual bodies such as
ae righteous win receive at the resurrection, when
s.EoUAL TO THE ANGELs.n
The thinking principle must be associated with
0me c0rporeal vehicle, through which It derives
s and through which 4 operates but
aent, however subtle and refined, is a ques-
% rely Silent Mr. ING stepSehson wens on
Q speak Of their appearance In various
orms and figures under the Ola Testament
trength. purity ana intellectually. They have
een increasingly engaged IN the study Of the works
e Of thought Ss
,eity must have passed before theml But, what
yer might be the grasp Of the intellectual power
slsion and penetratiye their force Of examination,
y however abundant their sources OF information,
mere was one mystery which staggered and con.
0unded them, and that was the mystery or
GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH.
a that Christ was God; that was what always had
,een, and must be- but In that He was man the
.ngels saw arrangement, displacement, humilia-
Ion and death. Here was the acme Of their amaze
nent; here they bowed, acknowledging, as did the
apostle, "Great Is the mystery OF gOdliness." The
hngs into which the angels desired to look were en-
oraced In the sunerngs OF Christ and the glory that
should follow. The reverend gentleman then de-
olcted in 1Orid style the sufrerings which Christ
endured from His incarnation to the agony upon
The cross. Human artists had recourse to the ex-
ornal paraphenalia OF woe in depicting the suffer:
ngs Of Jesus, and 1t was by the accumulation OF
She apparatus OF bodily torture that they worked
Up their picture OF "Ecce HO>no;' but there was
more In the expression Of 1.-THE sufferings OF
Christ" than the crayon ever produced though the
genius Of Raphael should guide its strokes. The
secret of His sufferings was found in the fact that
lie suffered for sin; that was the agony Of His
3Oul and the soul of His agony.
The concluding portion OF the sermon was de-
y0ted to the calculation OF the phrase, "the glory
shat should follow.n The resurrection Of Christ.
the descent Of the Holy Spirit, the unfolding of
ruth, the growth OF the Church and the final glor
acati0n OF the redeemed were the points elo-
luently elaborated.