The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-23
FIFTH AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The Necessity OF Decision OF Character
and the Moral and Social Effect or In
consistcncy-Whnt Strong Human At
fiction Will Do-Sermon by Rev. DIR.
Hall.
An immense congregation was in attendance at
the Fifth avenue Presbyterian church, corner Of
Nineteenth street, to welcome back the Rev. Dr.
Hall, the pastor, who for two or three months has
been travelling across this Continent, preaching at
various cities. Upon the completion Of the usual
religious exercises the reverend Doctor selected
for his text Ruth l., 49, 17-'And Ruth said, entreat
me not to leave thee or to return from following
after thee for whittier thou goest I will 60, and
where thou lodgest will lodge thy people
shall be my people, and thy God my
God. Where thou diest will 1 die, and
there will be buried; the Lord do so to me, and
more also IL aught but death part thee and me-"
The preacher first proceeded to prove the intimate
relationship which existed between the Moabites
and the Israeites and referred to the discovery Of
THE MOABITE STONE
the inscriptions upon which had been declphered,
and which showed that the language used by the
Moabites was Hebrew dialect. The records upon
that stone also bore out much OF the Bible history
and this circumstance. he thought, ought to infiu-
ence Christians when they met with apparent in
congruties difficulties and obscurtles in the Bible,
to await with confidence for circumstances to be
developed to remove the obscurity and satisfy the
doubt He went on to give brief and interesting
biography OF Ruth, and maintained that her accom-
panying Naomi upon her return to the land of her
fathers was, in the first place. an Illustration Of
DECISION OF CHARACTER.
Ruth had more force OF character and greater de-
cislon than her sister, who returned In compliance
with the disinterested entreaties Of her motherin
law After having exhibited the difference between
inconstancy-which characteristic was greatly to
QeDreCateQ-dnu iQSinceritY. eXDlaiDeu
evils resulting socially and morally, from the want
OF decision OF Character 1t was possible for all
people not to make engagements and promises;
and again 1t was possible, having made these en-
gagements to keep them. Some would say incon-
duced weakness of character and induced an unde
sirable mode of thinking, feeling and acting which
were extended into business, religion and politics.
! Therefore lie urged his hearers to exhibit the de-
csion fImness and steadiness OF character which
belonged 70 RSs and to remain constant to EN-
character. In the second place, Ruth's determine
ton was an illustration OF
SANCTIFIED HUMAN AFFECTION
Ruth had grown to love her mOther-in-law, not
in her person only but In everything connected
with her Her ways, her habits, her spirit in fact,
was unwilling that they should be separated. One
person very frequently took liking to another
account OF some particular trait about him, and,
contrarywise, disliked him because there some
thing In his habits or surroundings which were not
ncient discrimination used Strong human affec-
ton was the great means OF turning character
ana Ol giving new DenJ TO the careers or men.
III was, consequently for us to make right use OF
our affections and employ them that they might be
sanctifed to God. The Doctor, in illustration Of
the beneficial e1ect of strong affection upon the
human Character, instanced the creeping plant,
| which would not Otherwise have been able to
rise from the ground, twining round wire and
thread which were held out for It's support. All
Christians ought to act as threads for the support
OF the affections Of the human heart, and in order
to this 1t was necessary to
MAKE RELIGION LOVELY,
and for Christians to be lovely themselves. Religion
a vi 11tA ba otnL
long TO 1T in the least degree Religion ought not to
be drawn into dispute or used when adj
| verse circumstances were encountered 1t was
not an umbrella, to be put up and made of upon
/ rainy day, but was the sunshine OF life. 1t was
vitality and 1t was life ITSELF In the third place, the
text was an illustration OF how souls might be won.
Ruth was In daily intercourse with Naomi and
must have perceived the benedcent influence OF
Christianity upon her mOther-in-law. The relation
ship OF the two women was one which generally
gave rise to dislike and jealousy; but in this in.
stance the affection was strong and complete, and
! the result most happy III was
| THE DUTY OF ALL MANKIND
! to endeavor by words and actions, to influence
their fellow creatures for good in similar manner
! He next warned his hearers against being drawn
from the path Of grace by ungody per-
! the amount of ungodliness. In the fourth
and last place he held that men never suffered in
| the end by choosing religion. Ruth carried out
her resolution with much determination, and did
not complain when hardships occurred to her. BY
and by, however, the Lord gave TO her home and
position, ana she consequently did not suffer in the
end by her choice. The reverend gentleman next
urged the congregation, II they had not made up
their minds as to their relationship with Christ to
| do so at once, and afterwards counselled them to
value their Christian friends and to value sancti-
| fed affections, and concluded by exhorting them
to be Christian to Others in order to do which on
a m wiz