The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-06
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.
Sermon by Rev. George Hcpworth ON
HerOfsm.

fkcpWOrJn
HerOfsm.
Mr. HepwOrth took his text yesterday morning
from st. Luke, kill. A-"Father forgive them, for
they know not what they do" He said-My friends
what text could better introduce a sermon on hero
isms 1t indicates an act which stands alone. The
whole sketch Of history from the very beginning OF
things does not present anything that can equal
IL. Christ dies for His enemies, and, even while
they ridicuie His mortal agony, He f0rgets Himself
and prays that they may be forgiven 1t Is some
thing quite ncOnceivabe to us. 1t towers far above
our conception OF possible things. Yet 1t Is that
very act which draws us all so closely to Christ
which makes US first wonder, then admire, and
then worship. Through 1t He takes HIS place upon
the throne OF our affections. and, with His mild
sceptre, rules our lives. Ever since that cloudy
Friday afternoon whom the Jews trembled because
THE EARTH SHOOK BENEATH
their feet and the veil of the Temple was rent In
twain, the Cross has been the symbol OF victory,
and not OF defeat. The dying kiss it with reverent
and yet with hopeful lips, while the Tempter fees
in dsmay when we hold 1t before his bold face.
Now, there are two very different kinds OF hero
ism. Let us look at them pretty sharply. First,
there Is kind, the impeliing or motive power OF
which Is selGshness Even this is SO admirable that
we often envy the p0ssessor. We take great pride
in the achievements OF human energy when, driven
by ambition, they strain themselves to the utmost
Who has not followed Alexander In his conquests,
dropping
A SYMPATHETIC TEAR
at every STEP and throwing our hats in Dir at every
victory He did so much more than we can or dare
to do that we instnctively pay him with our APP
plause. Who does not stand still with wonder when
dreams OF being the first In all the empire and then
follow him over bloody fields and high mountains
until he Is seated upon the throne his ambition
still unsatisfiedy Yet II you ask for the motive
which impeled these men to brave many dan
gers to undergo such hardshps, you will find 1t to
be as base and unworthy as that which throbs In
the bosom OF the pettest thief in this city. All
they cared for was the applause of the world, that
when the world was clapping It's hands they might
grasp whatever they wanted. no matter to whom 1t
belonged. But there Is another kind of heroism,
and one more elevated and worthy OF our admira-
tlon
1T IS so RARE
that we find 1t difficult to do justice to IL; appears
to forget SELF and, instead OF becoming great that
Others may look small, it becomes mean and hum
BILE that others may learn how to be great You say
this is incOncevable. Well 1t Is well nigh. You
say manly human being could cothe himself
with such motives or act In such fashion. Perhaps
not. But that was the herOisn of Christ, neverthe
less. What He did He did not for Himself but for
Others. Even what lie did 1t was for the benefit OF
Others And these were not His friends either
They were, on the one hand, utter strangers to
Him. or else, on the other hand, His Interest enc
miles,, SO Christ stands alone; and, as time goes
on, He stands there still alone, ike some monu
ment by which generations guide their steps
over the weary desert, untouched by time
unbroken by summer heats or wintry frosts.
But that same element OF heroism is in u.s. What
ever quality OF character rouses our envy or admi-
ration, that quality we ourselves possess. The
power to appreciate proves possession. We, too,
have the ability to endure, and yet be glad to go
through the darkness and to carry the light within
us.
LIFE is STERN FACT
There are rough experiences to pass through,
graves to be walked over, msfOrtunes and tempta-
tions to be met. Every one knows this, and has
thought about It, Now, in what way we to
act Are we to do as soldiers do in q panic-run
rom the field But wherever go, that is the
field. Are we to skuk behind fences and stone
walls, we to face the difficulty bravey and
find out how to overcome it The old stoics suf-
fered, and, biting their lips, uttered no word. We
can't do that. An atheist in the time Of Louis XVI
drank his jaer's health, made puns on the way to
the scaffold, and, tripping up the steps, put his
head under the fatal knife, without so much as say
ing gOodby. lie was fool.
Is THERE ANY SECRET
which we can learn Yes IT. you will listen ut the foot
of the you will hear it as 1t comes from those
divine lips. He says:-"I am the way out; am the
Truth about 1t am the Life of 1t ALL What does
he mean 2 Only this-that the truth He has taught
makes one brave Believe in your heavenly Father
Just as you believe in your earthly father; know
that His providence works In all things and over
rules all things; feel that you can be led through no
darker places than Christ hath Himself trodden,
and in so doing you cover yourself as with
panopy. Go into the battle of life, clothed upon
with these truths, and you have nothing to fear;
you can do soldiers work here and you shall 90
to the soldiers home in heaven.