The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-07
THIRTY-FOURTH STREET SYNA-
G0GUE.

The MOckery OF Lip Service to God
While the Heart is Far from Him
HOllOwness OF Social Life and Profess
siOns-Sermon by tho Rev. DIR. Vidaver.
DR.. Vldaver, having resumed preaching after his
vacation, a Fair congregation gathered In the
Synagogue in Thrty-fourt street yesterday. It
was clearly manifest. however, that a great many
members are still absent in the country. The Doc
tor gave those who were present plain, practical
discourse on their professions and practices before
God and the world. His text was Deuteronomy
xiii, 2a-'Thou shalt guard the words Of thy lips
and be not dened with Them" &c. The text, he
said, was divided into two parts, each OF which
contains a sublime precept and divine admoni-
ton. The first bids guard lips in our inter-
course with men, and the second admonishes US
to look well to our words In our in
tercourse with the Lord our God. And
in the faithful keeping OF these two
precepts and admonttions depend all the law and
the prophets. We must keep watch over the door
Of our lips and guard whatever cometh out OF our
mouths. The law Of God must appear to the eye Of
every true searcher after truth the foundation
upon which our material as well as our spiritual
interests must be placed, and we should be ever
ready to say. with the psalmist, "Oh, how love
thy law' For not only does this law teach us how
to grapple with the gigantic monsters OF evil all
around US, but 1t shows US alsO in its microscopic
mirror, the little sins and follies which we are not
very apt to think Of any great consequence, but
which, nevertheless gradually eat up the vitals Of
our souls Now the text admonishes us against
these little sins. We must
GUARD THE WORDS OF OUR LIPS.
Do you know anything more common in your
daily life and in your intercourse with men, the
Doctor asked than the words we speak with our
lipsS We are very careful OF our sanitary laws,
SO that nothing forbidden shall enter our lips or
dehle our bodies; but we take not the least care,
unholy proceeds out Of our mouths,
BY which others may be contaminated:
violating vows, contracts ana promises made with
and to our fellow men. No. 1t does not to those
words that are as daggers and that poison other
hood, whose appearance is not displeasng, because
they are sugar.coated with battery and syco-
against those sins that are practised every day In
the most cultivated and fashionable society. Every
%SIs snesnent our and sweet may be- is an abom
nation to God The Doctor here gave Illustrations
OF the fattery and inslncerity OF fashionable 30.
other. And he asked, how often we hear the most
sacred professions OF friendship and esteem made
in social relations, while In heart they are empty
and shallow There may no harm appear IN these
words in our own sight, but to God, who loves sim
certify and truth, they are
You hear them every DAY and IN every society;
nsd nov od BS how shall we remedy this
Education and culture will not DO IT. These merely
enable men and women 70 use sneir d tongues to
in contact with thieves and burglars and counter
letters; we guard against their entrance into our
stores and dwellings,, but we make no provision
whatever against those counterfeiters who iniest
our parlors every day. Let your tongues said the
Doctor be the mirror OF pure minds. ana whoever
will keep guard over his lips will be happy hero
The second part OF the text bids us be careful in
our intercourse with the Almighty. BE not in
haste to the Almighty, for God Is in heaven and thou
upon earth; Therefore let thy words be lew
Praying to God without devotion In the heart is
worse than idle. The Doctor here gave illustra-
lions, some OF which aptly fitted, not only his own.
but many other Jewish and Christian congrega-
lions in the city, where the prayers are hurried
through as II prize awaited the persons who
should finish them first. Then, again, compliment
tary kinds OF prayers, IN which men. seek by inter-
changeably compimenting themselves aud the
Almighty, to secure Ills blessing upon their en-.
terprises. Then, again, there are prayers made
with the lips While the neart Is away in the store
or the counting house or on the sea-anywhere in
fact, but where 1t pretends TO be communng with
God. such prayers are
DOWNRIGHT MoCKERy AND FALsEHooD
IN the eyes or God. Deep emotions, like deem
waters run silently. The Doctor cited the praying
Hannah IN the temple, who, because OF the depte
of her devotion did not see Eli the priesi nacn
up and down near her, and he, Tor the same reason
did not near her prayers The ancient rabies could
md no other word TO express prayer than which
signifies the services OF the heart. The Doctor re-.
ferred to the zeal OF Israetes about the holidava
and festivals, when they make promises to God hys
40 not KEEP them; ne urged his people. therefore,
generation he said, needs the admonitinn ~ the
text as much as any that has gone before IT, for n
Is more IKE tne generation to whom Micah prophe
deceit ior wnile they promise with their lips they
ne In tneir nearts Hence we need the admonI
lions OF the textfrst for our intercourse with on
God. "'''