The New York herald., 1873-05-25
LEXINGTON AVENUE SYNAGOGUE.

Xn0 OlM0V0mC0 n0GW60m WI anu QCoIIc
I'm RcligiOn-The Lords Help for His
People-scrmon by Row. DIR. Huebsch.
large and fashionable congregation gathered
in this synagogue yesterday and listened to an
able discourse by the eloquent rabbi the differ
ence between the desire and the will In respect to
religion His text was Ii. Kings vi, 16-"Fear not,
for those that be with us are more than they that
are with them" This was the answer OF Elisha to
his trembling and fearful servant when the latter
announced that the Syrian host had the city sur
rounded intent upon the capture Of the prophet
who had revealed their secrets to the King Of Israel
'Alas, master ~ said the servant, whar shall we
dor" The servant saw only the hosts Of the enemy,
but his eyes were blinded 80 that he could not
the celestial army who camped round about the
prophet and covered the hillside with their COM
panies. 1t seems from the narrative that the SER
want doubted the words of Elisha, for the prophet
had to pray that the Lord would open his eyes that
he might see the
HOSTS OF THE LORD cAMPED AROUND
him. The Doctor said he would not undertake to
explain the miraculous features OF this narrative.
All such efforts to reduce the miracles of the
Scriptures to the mere consequences OF natural
much more to our spiritual welfare to investigate
the sound moral kernel OF truth envel0ped in the
pthy saying Of the prophet-more are they that be
with US than they that be with them. All moral
defects under which we labor are the fruits OF
weakness and mental lncapacity to resist; and
opened to see only the strength Of the enemy that
we may have to combat. But as soon as our eyes
are opened to see the hosts which the Lerd has
commissioned to help us, the power OF resistance
is increased thousand-fod. The will is aroused
and we can only rely upon the force Of our moral
powers. The will is the test OF mans strength ana
worth. And yet nothing is more common than Tor
men to conf0und two widely different perceptions
THE WILL AND THE DESIRE.
There i6 as great distance between them as there
is between strength and weakness. The will takes
the inchoate wish and deeire ana moves them INTO
e. t
losing the substance. The desire is child Of the
heart, furnished with wings, with which
and building its castles In the air, while the win Is
the strong arm and the brave soul that is gradually
ns @ %a 'G 5s s fh ana
barrel with which the condemned tolls to drain
the ocean dry. The will Is the spade that digs until
derent as their natures are, So derent, also, are
their results 1t Is an old adage that no man has
the has ssd that GOD WIN u the
will OF those that fear Him, and will also hear their
prayer and save them. Topray and to will II the
70 his thou 10 W WIN lie and
awsen me you % sne
motion Of the SOUL 70 Tsn merely Is ss
And greater are they that be for us than those that
be against us. And yet large majority OF men
tive few cultivate the will power. And when they
become entangled in the enemy's snares they say,
as did the prophets servant.
ALAS WHAT SHALL WE DOf
Take the prophets answer and open your eyes to
the host that is on our side. Wherever i see
moral evil exaltng itself, said the Doctor, read
also the words OF the Prophet Elisha-.cMore are
they that be for us than against u.s." The hOary-
headed man plucKs from the struggles OF life
flower when he brings to the decline OF years viii
strong in faith and confidence In God. But too
many OF US trust to our eyes and not to our faith
and will and too often all of us fall into the error
OF the prophets servant. The Doctor made 1T
ting application Of the text to his congregation,
whom he urged not to walk SO much by sight and
so little by faith but to pray that their spiritual
eyes may be opened that they might see the help
that God has provided for every one OF us in doing
right