The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-08
ST. JoHNi's METHODIST CHURCH.

Human InstrumentaIity In ConversiOn-Ser.
mon by Rev. DIR. Chapman.
The pastor OF ST. Jonn's Methodist Episcopal
church, Rev. J. A. N. Chapman, ID. d., preached
yesterday from the twentieth OF the NTH chap
ter Of James-"Let him know that he who convert.
eth the sinner from thS error Of his way shall save
soul from death, and shall hide multitude Of
SINS" In hts opening remarks the preacher said
that upon the verses Of tho context were founded
two sacraments Of the Roman Church-extreme
JUNCTION, upon the declaration '.Is any sick among
your let him call for the elders Of the Church. and let
them pray over him, amounting him with oil In
the name Of the Lord;'' and aurlcular confession
on the exhortati0n, Confess your faults one to
other, and pray one for another, thai ye may be
healed" These dogmas, he asserted, were not sus-
tanned by those Scriptures The first Thought de-
human with the divine in the work Of human re.
demption. Christ took not on Him the nature Of
angels but the SEED OF Abraham, in order that ne
might have eolhmissionsd angels 70 nave announced
generations, as he did in its introduction,
but ne did not choose TO 90 go for
m1S Christian nuS saaces way
growth which was reached through exercise
dspline and education. and the militant
have been lacking In the clements Of power
the Christian found IN the fact that no was living
| exhibition OF It's adaptation and power to save the
human soul. Angels would also be lacking II an
and also In their inability to lead sinners to the
| cross because Of their ignorance OF tho way.
| No man could be successful IN leading sinner TO
! Christ unless he had walked the way from Sin to
holiness, from uubelief to Iatl Truth when re-
duced from the abstract to the concrete from theory
| to practice came with increased power and effect
Ihen. too. the power Of the Gospel was more evi-
| IDENTIFY seen to be OF God when uttered BY human
rather than by angelic beings for tho treasure was
seen 70 be in carthen vessels that the exceloncy OF
fishermen undertook TO convert tue world It was
| evident that they had supernuman power. 1t was
Gods plan to convert the world through
character and conduct the agent was, tie
| more efficient and successful he would be.
| converts born into church that was warm. vital,
corresponding type OF religious experle nee. Like
priests, like peOple.n Like churches like converts.
COD sometimes IN mercy did not send converts to
church that was cold, dead and formal. They
would die as soon as born-or at least they would
attain to scEly, feeble existence at the very best.
II is to be expected to have converts prepared TO
tan fI lives JRe church mus. come up to
warm and vigorous, 50 as 70 aid the young
convert amid the dinlcuues OF MS lnexperlence
The genuine Christian was man OF ono WORK. his
eye beiag fixed steadily upon one mark, and that
was the conversion OF sinners. IL was not his dim
80 much 10 build up sect as bring about the saliva
tion Of men. Among the means to be employed In
accomplishing That work DR.. Chapman dwclt elo-
quently upon the power OF q consistent Christian
life, the efficacy or PRAYER and personal appeal,
quoting several appropriate incidents to illustrate
and enforce those points. In conclusion, me
OF soul from eternal death and introducing It Into
the everlasting joys OF heaven.
After the sermon the ordinances or the Church
were administered, In which number OF ministers
assisted,