Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-05-16
CONGREGATIONAL Church.

A large audience assembled at the
CONGREGATIONAL church, on Sunday
morning, to listen to Rev. Norman Sea-
yer, D. D., Of Brooklyn, n. Y, former
pastor, who occupied the pulpit in ex-
change with Rev. Mr.. Johnson. This
gathering of friends and former parish
toner's must have been alike gratifying
to the preacher as it was to them to lis
ten once more to the familiar voice and
earnest words of one who, for several
years, went in and out before them as
their shepherd, and whose ministrations
ever received kindly recognition.
After the Introductory exercises and
a fervent and comprehensive prayer, DIR.
Seaver announced his text as follows:
And there were also two other male
factors led with Him to be put to death.
And when they were come to the
place which is called Calvary, there
they crucifed Him. and the malefactors;
one on the right hand, and the other on
the left. st. Luke 23:32-33.
The subject to which direct attention
man Suffering in its Relation to the
Cross" Suffering was the lot of all
human beings, none escaped from its
tolls, and its ministry was such as should
lead us to the consideration that Christ
died on the cross, not only for us, but
with us. The speaker had no sympathy
with the bright side view so often pre-
scented, for it did not compOrt with COM
mon sense. However much the individ-
ual may look upon the cheerful aspects
of human life, yet he was sufferer in
some form, either of body, or mind, or
by misplaced confidence in his fellows
The melancholy traits of the life of
Charles Lamb, whose writings charmed
Us with the cheerful, notwithstanding
the strong and happy effusions from the
pen of DR.. johnson, at times led us to
see the shadow that overcast his life,
and the hard features of Dickens, as
presented in his later portraits, told of
an inward sorrow of him who had made
all the world laugh, but never laughed
himself
We sometimes suffer from the sins of
others inherited, it may be, from ances-
tors generations back, or from every
day experience. Science nor human
invention have never, by all their discov-
cries, brought forth any panacea for
human suffering Christ suffered, and
all the race have suffered, and would
continue TO, and the doctrine of ''do
better and be better" experience has
shown, was equally opposed to common
sense, and as fallaciOus as was the bright
side theory. Christs sufferings were
those Of all the race, and there was no
antidOte for it save the end of life.
The good suffer as well as the bad. The
bad man never suffers as much as the
good man, for the latter is the victim of
the former. The corrupt judge the
shoddy contractor, and the tyrants of
the world are not the sufferers, but the
people to whom their acts are treachery.
and misdeeds affect, are the ones to
whom the suffering comes.
His application of the subject was
plain, practical and touching, and this
sermon will make an impression upon
the hearts and minds of his hearers.
such as few of his pulpit efforts have
ever done. His delivery was at once
earnest, hearty, and indicated a con-
seriousness of the message he was deliv-
ering and its Importance and relations
to human life. The sermon was deliy-
cred entirely without notes, and his
methods of speaking are improved and
more impressive. 1t was our pleasure
during the last years of DR.. Sewers
ministry here, to listen to very MANY
able and thrilling discourscs. but we
doubt If he ever pronounced from that
pulpit an ADLER, more logical or thrilling
discourse than that of yesterday morn
ing. The impress of its lessons will
remain for good upon all whose for
tune it was to listen.