The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-03


Sermon ON the Divinity of Christ-IIe is
Both God and Mnn-Authcnticity of
His Greatness Recorded by Tacitus
and the Younger Piiny-Whom the
Galilean Made and Still Makes Collins
For.
A goodly number OF apparently devout worship
pers assembled yesterday morning within the
above church. corner OF Twenty-secOnd street and
Fourth avenue, to listen to the piOus words of the
Rev. c. d. FOss. After the recital of an appropriate
prayer and the singing of the 1O5th psalm the rev.
erend preacher chose the text of his subsequent
discourse from ii. Peter:-"For we have not
followed cunningly devised fables when we made
known unto you the power and coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses Of His
majesty"
The reverend doctor said 1t was not his inten.
tion nor did 1t come within his sphere, nor was 1t
necessary to draw new portrait OF the
Saviour and place it before his congre-
cation. He would rather refer them to those
already drawn and recommend them for contem.
pation. They had frequently felt the whisperings
of grace and were eye-witnesses to the spirit
OF Jesus They followed not artificial fables, since
they relied upon the testimony Of historians as well
as OF the evangeists which went to prove
THE GREATNESS OF CHRIST.
The unvarnished story Of tradition as well as the
golden pages of history confirmed His goodness.
His greatness and His power. Christ was some
thing more than man. He was God. This Is fact
no reasonable man can contradict. He was the
whom the patriarchs spoke OF, whom the prophets
foretoid and whom all generations expected. He
came upon earth humble; but by his miracles,
which none could initiate save through
Him, and which all the rationalism Of this world
cannot dlsprOve, He showed.himself 10 be God. His
name and the fame OF HIS works were known to
q All
temporary with Him, but not one ventured to con-
tradiet the record OF His works even when Chris
great pagan Roman empire. The reverend
preacher here read one or tive
EXTRACTS FROM TACITUS,
the prince OF historians, where, In his annals he
makes mention Of aw-abding sect calling them
selves Christians, alter great and good leader
named Christ. He then referred TO the writings OF
Pliny the Younger, where he asks the apostate
Julian, who was then waging a fierce war against
the Christian religion and for the revival OF pagan
ism, how the Christians were to be dealt with.
Thus it seemed that all were eye-witnesses OF the
vast progress Of Christian teaching. Hence the
earth; not the rise and fall OF the Roman Empire;
not the discovery OF America; but
WHO cHaIsTIANIzED THE woRLDG
The first three centuries OF the Christian era
were crmsoned with the blood OF persecution.
The Church had to grappe with tyranny and
moteS apd rvers o bo6 de ond rem, Were sse
bosom before the trembling nations bowed to her
yoke and protested her faith. Then she stood forth
agus were mute before the tent-maker Of Tar
sus and the fishermen Of Galilee. The cross OF
Christ was reared in every village and hamlet and
gllttered in the diadem OF the CRsars. All this
could not have been the work OF man. but OF q
God or infinite power. Christ frequently declares
himself 1.-THE Son of God equal to the Father In all
things st. Peter. answering Him, says "Inon
art Christ the son OF the living God" Speaking
TO His apostles Of His divine commission, he says,
"As the Father sent me also send you;" Jean
Jacaue Rousseau speaking Of His death, says,
III Socrates died like sage Christ died like
I'D"
IN Withstand the strength OF Christian argument.
The apostate Julian asked Christian whom an,h ne
now Yt,-meaning Christ. The Christian answered,
Making collins" and Julian was shortly after en-
closed In one. Voltaire once said, "a glorious
change will soon take place''-hoping for the tri-
umph OF his principlcs-but France was soon after
rid of him and his followers. Thus Christ makes
collins for many unawares who labor to destroy
His works by which He has made Himself an eye
witness to all. The reverend doctor then concluded
his discourse by short prayer after which the
sacr ament OF the Lord's supper was administered.