The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-05
BEDFORD AVENUE REFORMED CHURCH.


Whnt Il Vital Christianity S-Sermon by Rev.
DR.. Porter.
The pastor OF the Bedford Avenue Reformed
church, Rev. E. S. Porter. D. D., preached yester.
day morning, taxing for his text Galatians H. 2O:-
81 am cruciled with Christ; nevertheless live;
yet not but Christ veth In me; and the life which
now live IN the flesh live by the faith OF the Son
OF God, who loved me and gave Himself for me-"
Paul was neither an ignorant fanatic nor crazed
enthusiast. Educated, he understood the mystic
ries OF philosophy, well as the letter OF written
Scripture Familiar with men and with AFFAIRS, he
illustrates &C every point OF MS public career tnat
knowledge which marked the practical man.
He gave abundant reasons for the faith that
fired his soul, so that there could not be discovered
In that faith the semblance or delusion He stated
clearly, frequently and fully the grounds or MS
deep convictions that he was sinner saved by
grace. The text was strong protest OF personal
experience against Journalism against everything
that took the outside shape OF religion remained
void Of It's internal power He spoke OF his faith
life interpcnetraed with the life OF Christ, drawing
motives from His great heart OF love, surused and
moulded by Him. ana taking principles from the
lips Of the infalliDle Teacher He 1.-THE speaker)
would speak OF vital Christianity as 1t was ex-
pressed in doctrine and In the persons OF believers
Piety was subject which needed to be understood,
and he who had any conception OF his own
nature as superior to the flesh wanted TO know how
that nature could partake OF the divine. None
ought to be satisfied with q dead religion,
for the Book Of absolute truth SAID thar many
had name to live, but were dead. Vital Chris
tlanty included the body OF truth which was OBJ
jectively presented for reception by faith; and II 1t
be the pure truth or the Gospel then 1t impaired life
as tue sun gave warmth or as the food which was
doctrine and practice was a vital connection. He
who believed lie would be under It's dominion,
no hn utnrl Ia
to argue against the heresy which taught that IL
matters not what q man believes provided he De
crime that would lie reported IN the napers on the
morrow Ii our courts OF Justice. corrupt as they
crlme then sincere thief fOrger or assassin would
be brought In vain before the tribunal OF JUS
tice. Was not Paul sincere when he prosecuted the
saints? Were not men whose names were brought
society, sincere their belle: that the end justified
the means Succeed, no matter how. was their
faith; and no crime was 100 revolving or no false
hood TOO damnlng for their USE provided they
achieved the end they had In view. But none need
err concerning the truth that saved the SOUL for
while there were things IN the Bible hard TO be un.
derstood, still the truth as it was in Jesus was SO
plain ana expressed In language simple and con-
else that man must TO brother 70 an idiot who
could not see the WAY OF savation through Jesus
sophie truth which the explorer Of the mysteries OF
mind might wish 10 know, but the truth It is In
truth which Christ nvej, which was mcarnate In
HIS person and exempllned IN HIS ministry.
n these latter days was the y fact that
tine preaching and the teaching confined
itself to the personality OF Christ and to Ills works OF
mercy and OF grace. The Church OF these days was
coming to where the apostles came-t0 the ieet OF
Him before whom Mary sat, that 1t may learn con-
corning the Goldman, and feel the power OF HIS
truth as brought to bear upon the hearts OF be-
levers by HIS Astounding love-
DR.. Porter then proceeded to define the nature of
the Christianity that lived in believers, and while
prOn0uncing the text to be an assemblage OF para
dOxes, gave clear and evangelical definition OF the
terms tie showed that there was an intimate rela-
ton existing between Christ and all true believers.
suffering OF Jesus Christ our Lord on the cross.
They were Identified with the purpose OF Hts cruct
nxlOn, which was to save people from their sins.
And though the Apostle declared that He was dead
unto SIM yet He lived; and there was no Christian
life except that which was gained beside
that rioled sensual enJoyments Decorate
It as you may and surround 1t with the
perfume or flowers the charm Of music and the en-
Chantments OF art, ana yet 1t was q life that was
dead. 1t was the form or life while within the
corruption that w0rketh to the lowest hell. But
where one vas cruched with Christ he felt the in
SEPARATION Of motives that came iIom the heart OF
Christ he saw that no LONGER he was an atom In
the vast universe OF God but sinner saved and
adopted he was made TO be partakcr OF an incor-
ruptl0le inheritance he felt that he was no longer
to Iret his way through the low m0rasses OF time.
but he was to run on In the clear sunshine, making
the very waters OF life his soul reflect the spendor
ence OF Christian love- he would say that there were
NO Joys like those which were derived from Christ,
as the believer leaned upon HIS bosom anu felt the
sympathy His grace. The Christian slife did not
terminate In the grave but the lie or Christ III the
soul Frightened to the perfect day.