The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-22
ST. JOHNS maTncDisnr CHURCH.
A Witnessing Church-Scrmon by Rev. DE-.
Chapman.

Witnessing Church-Scrmon by Rev. Dr.
Yesterday morning the Rev. Dr.. Chapman
preached In st. Johns Methodist Episcopal church.
Bedford avenue. from Isaiah K, 43:-"Ye arc my
witnesses" God demands belief, satd he only
upon sufficient evidence, and He always furnishes
evidence in harmony with the truth he wishes .
establish or to be accepted. OF His own
existence lie furnished the work OF His
hands, Of the Divinity of the Bible lie gave
us prophecy and miracles; Of tho Divinity OF HIS
Son. He gave HIS life and teachings, His deeds
resurrection and power In the generations OF human
history; and OF the truthfulness OF the Gospel H
gave testimony based upon experience Chris
tianity was pre.eminently system OF experience
and practice and Its Author furnished tile legir-
mate test by which TO try it:-"Ir any man VIII DO
His will, ne shall know OF the doctrine"
II men were to object to the Gospel becauso
they did not believe In the possibility Of miracles,
or who could not, alter patient study, compre-
bend IT, he tine speaker, would reply ''This Is MOI
the test by which gospel Is to be tried. 1t Is NOS
80 much theory as liie; 1t cannot be understoo0
by the head, but by experience. The grand question
was Docs 1t save from sinrn The life testimony
and death Of an humble faithful. happy, conslstens
disciple OF Christ furnished tho strongest and
most successful proof OF the truthfulness and
power OF Christianity that could be adduced.
And That was the kind OF testimony which
God called upon his people to giva
While the Investigations Of human learning In
respect to the technical evidences Of the Christian
system were not to De undervaucd, yet they were
not the most important proofs. II might be proved
that the history OF the Garden OF Eden was q
fiction, that the race did not spring from
Adam, that the cosmogony Of Moses was utterly
and yet while the reasoning might not be satisfac.
torly reiuied, the citadel Of tho Christians faith
ptl1 In mi In Epn N
that the Gospel saved him from sin, AFFORDED
strength for duty, comfort in sorrow and gave
no calm that the Gospel more distinctly made than
thls-that II bad power to thoroughly revolution
new creature IN Christ Jesus. God called upon the
Church e. testify by conscious experience that reli
soul. The world DOUBTED the feasibility OF
rergous life OF that high type amid the practical
saving that DID we'll enough for pous sunGas
meditation, but believing 1t TO be an imposslbity
10 reduce such hne.spun theories Of honesty, purity
and heavenly -mindeInesS TO practice IN the shop
in the market, IN politics AMI amid the rivalrlos,
competitions and corruptions OF the world. CHRIS
and nousekeepers tle possibility OF enjoying the
New Testament, standard Of piety. whue faith
Christianity Claimed to be system winch would
give perfect satisfaction to the wants and iongingo
ss aSa unhappy e and hey
happiness in every possible avenue. on Ia the
o. a wGray Kept
in state Of feverisn excitement nom morning TN
night History taught the truth that happt
ness was not to be found where men
sought It. ana IL would seem that the
rrand purpose for winch God raised up
Solomon was 10 prove that the riches and h0n0ra
Of this world could not satisfy the human soul.
Tbe Cospel claimed not only to be panacea fer
hmman woe but to provide absolute and perfect
hanpincss for the human soul. Religion claimed 60
hc abe 10 rob death OF It's terrors and the grave OF
its victory aud also TO pour into the heart Of
its possession so much Of heaven that -
small not only not fear death during life,
but shall feel death to he simply but q walt
through the shadowy valley TO tho hills OF
light ana blessednGss beyond. Nor should such tes-
tinony he regarded In the light OF Boosting, since
such an experience as he had mentioned was there
suit OF the uImented grace Of God: TINS point was
ampllned and enforced by appropriate Illustrations
II a man with sepulchral cough and an emaciated
and haggard body was vending some nostrum pro-
fessing 10 cure consumption II would pc natural 20
soy, ''Physcian, heal thyse." so IL the Cos
pei saved from sin the world expected
Its profcssed believers TO be n practiSX
demonstration Of It's truth, 1he men who did busl-
ness In w all street and made gold their goa thought
q nd.panned and labored 10y day and night to get
rich. Was the life OF the prolessed Chrstinn such
clear testimony TO the earncstness with which the
great object OF life ought 10 be pursuedt DO you,
ne inquired, prefer the Bible to the romance, the
place OF prayer to the lecture room or place OF
cial gathering FOR pleasuiabc amusement 1nere 10
fearful responsibility devolvint upon the witnesses
OF Christ aud the world upn right " Judge OF -