The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-27
CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION.

Sermon by the Rev. DIR. Flagg-Thc
Christian Church Founded on the
Stable Rock OF Perfect Faith.
The pretty little Church OF the Resurrection,
Madison avenue and FOrty-seventh street, was
well filed yesterday morning. The Rev. DIR. Flagg
conducted the services, and took the text for his
sermon from Matthew H., "a and 25-"Therefore
whosoever heareth these sayings OF Mine, and
doeth them, will lken him unto wise man
which built his house upon rock. And the rain
descended and the floods came, and the winds
blew and beat about that house, and 1t fell not,
for 1t was founded upon a rock"
It was with this beautiful figure that Saviour
concluded His Sermon on the Mount, and in 1t is
contained the whole system and theory OF the
Christian faith Mankind rears edidces in a moral
sense. The worldly man erects q lofty and
gorgeous palace, needless OF the insecurity of It's
foundation, and when the storms come 1t succumbs
to their fury; but the Christian rears
A CELESTIAL STRUCTURE,
severely plain and not pretentious, but 1t is
founded on the rock OF faith and stands steadiast
through the tempest that beats and breaks In vio
lence against IT, Christ says II am the vine; ye
the braDches.n BY this He means that there Is
q mystical spiritual interlacing Of faith by which
comes conception OF the sense OF being part and
parcel Of q wondrous whole-the soul OF the
Church, whose sheet anchor holds with such ten
acity that nothing can set II adrlt. SO by unseen
laws Is the Christian held through perils, threats
and tortures his Master, faith giving him endur-
| ance There is no other truth but that of God.
| Idoatry il being swept away, and the whole world
! Is beginning to recognize that there Ia
ONLY ONE WAY TO SALVATION;
that there is but one God, and He reigns supreme.
The alsity Of all other creeds and faiths has been
divulged by the light OF the Gospel. The Christian
! edfce cannot fall; being based upon the rock Of
truth it Is immutabe and will ultimately prevail.
IL needs prop for II Is sustained by truth alone.
| Faith In Jesus Is no common belief; 1t does not
grove In the senses, neither is 1t Utopia; yet 10
points the soul to aims above this world ncites to
| perfect manhood below and everlasting beatitude
| in the great hereafter Christianity lives not for
| ITSELF Love and sympathy are Its corner stones.
| II takes the widow and orphan by the hand and
| has no place for the wicked and selfish. The ser.
wants or the Church submit to trials, poverty and
prfyaton for love OF the Lord. and their motto Is
| 'sOthers 1rst; ourselves last" Who shall doubt
| that
| The sweep Of the tempest Is followed by holy
calm the sting OF pain neutralized by the sense
! OF pleasure on its removal. Having materla
| foundation In the spirit the Christian knows the
| ednce OF his body cannot be desolated; MS trust
| his faith all give him confidence. lie Is prisoner
| OF time waiting for the release OF eternity. Ht
| who lives for the body alone lives TOT tnc dal
alone-is little higher than dumb animals and TINT
! will show his error. He who lives III the sprl
lives In that shining light which VIII burn ior mn
In the eternal mansions OF the DleSt. -.
Man is too much governed by society. win in
simuations and deceits 1t is like smiling stream
whose bosom glimmers in the golden sunlight rs !
threads It's tOrtuOuS course tOWarus tnt
sea- but whose bottom ~ nlled WIN dan
perous stones OF sslnshness, rocks OF deceit
and tangled scdgcs OF duplicty and evil lh'
Christian river does not beam 50 brightly. aud lI'