The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-17
WORSHIP IN WASHINGTON.

The Services I'm the Metropolitan MethO-
dist Episcopal Church Yesterday
Sermon by the Rev. DIR. Tiffany on the
Laws OF Spiritual a nd Natural Develop
ment.
WASHINGTON d. c., Feb. 16, 1873
Many visitors to the capital are attracted to this
beautiful edifce, and the congregation often, as
to-day, includes large crowd of strangers. Some
are interested because Of their personal relations
TO the church, since it was built by gifts from al
the States; some by the fact that President Grant
worships here, and some. perhaps, by the reputa-
ton and gifts OF the present pastor, the Rev. DIR.
Tiffany, who, in the morning service to-day,
preached from Galatians vi, 7-"Be not deceived;
God Is not Knocked: for whatsoever man soweth
that shall he also reap"
The object OF the discourse was to call attention
to the identity Of the laws which control develop
ment both In the natural and in the spiritual life,
tho preacher claiming that there was more than
analogy-there was direct resemblance and uni
fOrmity. He spoke OF the Importance of recognize
ing the general uniformity OF the operations OF ma
ture, and indicated how this recognition was the
basis OF all science as well as OF all physical CON-
fort and commercial prosperity. The laws con-
trolling
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
were asserted to be- when stripped Of technicali-
ties, In effect three: first that development always
occurred under given necessary conditions; sec
controlled in perfectness by certain qualities,
which were exhibited in becoming itself
and not in becoming something else Finding
himself here In direct antagOniSm to the physical
theory OF q modern philosophy the preacher en-
tered upon an examination of the theory, and, with
skill which indicated familiarity with his theme,
exhibited the relations OF the varied orders or
classes OF creation which, he contended, were each
separated by q creative or formative act which
neither in and of itself could perform, and which
and not developing out Of it, Organic matter is
not development out Of inorganic, but an addi-
ton to it, Vegetable life is not development from
or cut Of mineral existence, but an addition to 1t.
Animal life is not a growth out of vegetable life;
nor are the classes in either, however similar, de-
velopments out OF each other.
he declared to be realized when each became It's
true self, not when It became something else.
The laws controlling intellectual growth were
claimed as Identical with these, right education
making while detective education would mar the
character. And the moral sehsibilities also grow
keen or are bunted by use and manifest them
selves purity or in sin; but the good grow better
In the spiritual lie the law holds good; every
aspiration develops character, but the character
man develops his full sell when he realizes his alien
alton from God and finds in 1t cause for grief and
penitence. This was claimed as the full possibility
OF perlectness for mere human nature-sinful and
reaching ITS ultimate possibility In sell
abhOrrent consciousness Of its own /condi-
ton: Just here is the dividing line be;
life. God comes in with recreative act, and the
man is born again" regretted" and has now
are passed away; all things have become new"
This previous condition OF penitence necessary
for the succeeding state OF grace but this last
could never. by unvarying law, have come from it.
Having thus shown that conversion was no eXcep-
ton TO but an Illustration of
THE LAW OF UNIFORMITY,
the practical nferenceS were made first that
sowing to the flesh ultimate end must re-
suit In corruption, for where a man devotes time
to pleasure and talents to mere acquisition the
grave must end most Of that which gratiies In the
using, while that which remains undestroyed by
dying, as memory and conscience, must embtter,
while he who sows to the Spirit reaps life everlast-
ing giving his affections TO Cod and consecrating
substance and energies to Him. He enters
into sympathy with the strongest elements, laws
and forces Of the universe. AS a second inference
II was asserted that, by reason OF these laws God
In the hnal Judgment would rather recognize our
selfimposcd sentence than dictate an original
In character would be revelation or declaring
Of the righteous Judgment OIL God" and exhibit
Him as mo respeeter OF persons" AS third and
closing inference the
INCONSISTENCY
was shown OF those VINO depend here on the uni
formfty or naturalaws Tor wealth, health and pros
perity, and VINO complain of the occasional
disapp0intmcnts which attend our lives but who
IN order to reach heaven and blessedness, Will
require the reversing on the part OF an unchanging
God OF all the laws by which the worlds were made
and the universe is administered
The enect on the congregation was very marked
wnen, In closing, the preacher said, "Be not de-
ceived; God Is not mocked," however much YOU
yourselves may be- for he has planned that s.what-
soever man soweth that shall he also reap.r