The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-11
ST. JOHNS METHODIST EPISCOPAL cHUaea.

Christian NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. by Rev. Dr.
Chapman.
The pastor OF the Bedford avenue Methodist Epla.
cOpal church, Rev. DR.. Chapman, preached yester-
day morning from Matthew, vii, 20-"Wh therefore, by
their fruits shall know Them" In his introduc-
tory remarks the preacher dwet upon the fact tnat
all things animate and inanimare yielded fruit ana
that nothing existed without a purpose. No man.
woman or child had ever lived without having to .
greater or less extent contributed to the aggregate
OF the worlds Advancement and possession. Th0
speaker enumerated the various calngs followed BY
who yielded fruit In their respective spheres We
might not be able to analyze the vast aggregate 81
work and trace each element to Its author but tho
leaders stood out in the worlds history and some
OF their fruits survived them. Christopher wren
lived in st. Pauls, Raphael In his Mad0nns,
Shakespeare in his immortal dramas, Bacon in his
"Novum Organum," Newton In his ''Prlncipia,n
Luther In emancipated Germany Wesley In tho
Methodist Church, and Christ In Christian civtliza-
tion. literature and religion, that is at once tho
wealth and the hope OF the world. Fruits were the
test OF the practically OF religion. Theortzer9
ab0unded In every community. In the nnanciaR
world their baseless projects were the pests Of al
business men and the ruin Of not few; in the
political world they kept that cauldron for.
ever boiling with their impracticable methodsD
and In the Church they were for
ever SpeculattnQ ABOUT the heavens ou0
the earth. prudent man would not accept new
invention or discovery from Its structure or nnis.
but would subject 1T to experiment. God mad acted
upon that principle In giving the world Christianity
He had not only clearly and plainly revealed tho
theory in doctrine and IN ethics. but ne reduced IL
10 practice in the character and life or His SOn-tno
worlds model. And In the propagation Of Chris
tianl!y God designed that theory and practice
the benighted heather and preached that the Cos.
pei was an uminatlon Was 70 prove i BY SHOWING
sensual and the imbruled a Gospel that enabled
man 10 triumph over HIS appettes and carnal ma
i Hs own apSeRss conform s truth 10 ~
q Gospel that could cleanse ' from SnA'I sin
character and life. Fruits were the tests Of char
acter 1t might be that botanist might tell by the
flower Its kind, but the fruits were the practical
test by which the people Judge OF It, SO with refer
were not to be judged Dy their pretensions names
but by their legitimate, normal results their CHAR
reference to Individual character. It was by tha
results Of o mans liie that one was to determine
classes-the sensual and the spiritual, the sinful
and the holy and the fruits OF those two classes
tho spirit were exhibited the very atmosphere In
which such person lived would be red0lent with
pety, while. on the other hand, person whose life
thistles OF the flesh, would exhae malaria morally
detrimental TO all who came within its Influences
practical questions to the congregation, such az
In what respect are you denying yourself and TAX
ing up your cross Are you following Christ Dy
cnerlshing His spirit and intoxicating His principles
by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked visiting
the SICK comforting the distressed, instruCting tho
ignorant and pointing the world to the Lamb or
God that takes away It's sins2 Are you C0nfessin0
Christ by lip, lie, hand, money. talent and inn1-
ence-in the family, In business and social AND re-
lgi0us cirCless Fruits were determined according
to their value. The Christian man that did the most
worth the most to God, the Church and tho
world, and not because OF his hlgh social position
wealth or mental endOwments. The man who
brought the most souls TO Christ and that brought
down the most Of heaven into the world was worth
the most, whether he lived IN palace or q howell.
Many poor men and women living in Obscurity ana
poverty visited by few and priced by less, was
essential to the Church's prosperity ana sue
cess than many others who were courted and nat
tered because they rolled IN luxury and wealth.
The Church could get along without material
wealth popularity, but 1t could not get along
without spirituality aud vital piety. Il was not tho
symmetry and beauty OF the tree, nor the verduro
OF its foliage the brlancy Of Its blossoms, but iS
was the richness. maturity and amount or the fruie
that determined It's value. God expected fruit &C
cording 10 ability, and that would measure the re-
WARDS in the future State These points were aptlv
elucfdated and enforced, and, In conclusion, Dr.
Chapman said that many man would 20 up Rom
O pulpit whose fame never crossed the lmils Of MD
parish to a crown flashing with Jewels as the D0sOm
OF the night flashes with The stars OF heaven, while
others would ascend from pupts that flashed with
stars as his ministry was OF the victories OF tho