The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-17
THE PULPIT IN ULSTER COUNTY.
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH, KINGSTON, N. Y.
'sTemptatton''-Sermon by the Rev. ID.
N. Vandeverc.

N. Vandevere.
KINGSTON, N. Y, June 16, 1872.
The several churches OF this city were well at.
tended this morning. At the First Reformed
church the Rev. d. N. Vandevere gave an able dis
course on 'Temptationn before large and fash
icnable audience, taking his text from Matthew
w., l-"Then was Jesus led up Of the Spirit into
the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil" Temp
taton, said, the reverend gentleman, Is no sign OF
desertion fort was the Holy Spirit who conducted
Messiah into the desert Temptation may be
pledge of love. No one gets to heaven without
going
THROUGH THE WILDERNESS;
like Christ led into temptation, like Him also de.
livered from the evil Temptation Is no evidence
OF sin. Preludes to sin do not constitute sin unless
they grow into open transgression. II is one
thing to fall into temptation; another thing to lie
supiney there. Temptation is no proof OF an evil
nature. Adam did not evolve evil from within; he
was tempted from without. Christ went through
the pollution OF the world like the beam Of light
which reveals 1t but suffers no faint from the con-
tact The temptation Of Christ proves his humanity
Only that which is less than infinite Is susceptible
to temptation. so Satan struck at the human side
OF Christ; not ono blow was lcvelled at the divine.
The Jordan is on the divine side; the wilderness
on the human.
THERE Is A RIVER IN HEAVEN,
but no wilderness The temptation qualified Christ
to sympathze. Experience proves the existence
Of temptation and the need Of higher than human
help. II man could stand alone then Adam would
have stood. sympathy comes from community or
experience. Christ suffered, and therefore can SYM
pathze.
may rush ercely over the pool as over the ocean,
but by it's greater volume, the sea Is more agitated
Christ was man, and the magnitude Of His manhood
made Him more exposed to SUFFERING, ana the
compass of His suiierings qualified Him to sym
..srace to help The temptation proves
His divinity. There is saintliness which, though
exalted, is not above the risk OF fracture. A man
may he tempted by $1,000; does not yield because
his problty overtops the proiier. Raise u TO nls
full moral measurement, and his manhood trem-
bes: raise 1t above it, and the man falls The
stature Of Jesus towers above
THE DEVILS LOF-TIEST OFFER;
so far up the shadow might travel, but the top OF
tho pinnacle was still flashing above. He could be
dslocated with pain, but not denied with impunity.
The temptation proves the existence OF the Devil;
probably spirit rather than an incarnate iiend.
DEVIL or FLESH AND BLOOD,
by revealing himself, would defeat himself Ordi-
nary virtue could resist him. it shows the poverty
of the Devils resources that no new or extraordi-
condescension OF Messiah that He did not
counter the uncommon and leave unexplored the
common. We meet the same trials. The first
Christ refused. He declined to work miracle for
the qualification OF the Devil; declined because 1t
would have shown dstrust 81 His fathers faithful
lite. Man must live. The daily struggle OF thou
sands is to live
EVE ATE THE APPLE
and ruined the world. There Is incidence Woe is
unto the man who gives his hands nothing to do.
Then temptation Is at hand. Samson was asleep
when shorn OF his NaZaritc strength and powers.
There Is passion. Like vapor, q tremendous power,
but unless under constant control blows everything
70 atoms In flash OF anger Cain Killed MS brotner;
second OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Temple. III
you are the son of God, jump and prove It," IL ID
addressed to the Spirit. There Is
LIMIT TO THE DEVILS INFLUENCE
He will coax men to the pinnacle-would push
tncm over II he dared. But he cannot destroy
without our permission; he pauscs, parleys, but
your own DESTROYER. Men incur unlawful risks
thinking that they only come up to the standard OF
faith. Tamper with health, character and destiny;
trust to their knowledge, resolutions even prayers
for protection against the sin they chaege. Only
q hairs breadth between faith and presumption
Satan resorts to his final strategem-proposes 10
Him, who had been announced as the king OF the
world universal sovereignty. lie knew that he
licd because he did not own q foot of the Garth
The thought OF paying
DEVIL WORSHIP
elected the mandate "begone." Prophecy was full
filed, the seed Of the woman bruised the serpentS
head the last temptation was an invention OF the
derstandng Literally the same ofYer has never since
been made to man; yet all the rewards OF SIN con-
stitute the world, and are material OF the third
temptation.
SATAN STRIVES TO MASTER THE WILL;
can do nothing without your consent; can
not give riches unless you are willing TO
accept gratuity from the Devil; an unholy com
promise Is worse than righteous defeat; excusng
little evil that good may come; using dupliciy 10
gain position on the plea that we can better serve
tod giving homage to Satan to win the world
for Christ solitude has its perils Then
THE TRAITOR, BURGLAR AND SUICIDE
mediate. When alone Eve beguiled; alone wnen
Lots wife was destroyed. The best men seem most
accessible. Satan weighs-does not remember men,
The'singular may be stronger than the plural; the
Is to enter Rome Temptations assaiicd Job David,
Peter and Christ The weapon OF defence In tho
sword Of the Spirit. With that no man can fil;