The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-26
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH OF
KINGSTON.

tremes-Undue Severity and Unright-
eous Laxity.
KINGSTON. N. Y, May rs, 1879
The large and handsome edifce OF the First Re-
formed church OF this city was filed this morning
by a throng of earnest devotees who had assem-
bled to tender their tribute of praise to the
Almighty and to listen to an instructive and e,o-
quent discourse from the lips of their talented
young pastor, the Rev. d. N. Vandevere.
After the usual opening services the reverend
gentleman took his text from Romans ", s-"But
God commendeth his love toward us, in that while
we were yet sinners Christ died for us, and COM
menced his discourse by saying:-In the estimate
put upon sin society Is ever vibrating between
two polar extremes-undue severity and I'M
righteous laxity. In the days Of the Pilgrims vr.
tue had the Cromwelan quality. Law was sensi-
tive along every nerve; morality was painfully
severe; the statute book was streaked with blood.
But
SPIRIT OF ExPERIMENTALIsM
has arisen. We have drifted to the other extreme
OF public opinion. We call it eccentricty; dis
ease; natural but irresponsible tendency. We
sugar 1T over. There is no backbone in society;
grip to our civilization. There is q fabbiness In
popular virtue that renders it utterly useless.
THE DIVINITY OF THE SCRIPTURES
is seen In the straightforward above-board way In
which 1t deals with this terrible problem 1t does
not affect to be shocked or startled at the out
breakings OF evil; accepts 1t fixed fact In the
universe; calls men sinners without preamble or
apology; speaks of hell without making wry face:
regards these fral and truant hearts in real large
way; talks aboutsinners, and in the same breath
whispers of divine love.
CHRISTIANITY is PERFECTLY sPHERED.
The next generation, perhaps, will see the penduA
lum liAted within legitimate bounds. The Bible
flnao rnfo IN ob1 fys
sumes it. Mans ending is here Gods beginning.
There is no wisdom in trying to demosh sin with
a handful Of proof-teXts. Sin Is TACT that proves
itself-comes out in what man says and does You
get ne adequate conception by observing 1t in
society; ysu do not get the depth ola well BY
measuring the circumference OF the curb No
complete idea OF sin is derived from the statistics
Of the Penitentary
THE CONFESSIONS OF MuRDERERs
before they die. Garry the torch of investigation
into your own heart. Memory and conscience say
that there have been moments when ysu were
now. Every man has been tempted and, in the
tax That has been levied on his virtue and endur-
enemy He padded far enough into the stream to
feel the dip downward OF that Niagara which sinks
SOCIETY rs FULL OF MONSTERS
suggestive symbol would be pistol; generations
Remove the repressive force of law and education
and religion and into what hell OF wickedness
has pushed her triumphal chariot forward like q
regiment sweeping to the 'front.' in face OF blazing
batteries and showers OF Shells Evil has the might
OF secrecy accompanied by most patient magnity.
Eternity will disclose wicKedness more appalling
than the vindicatlon OF its penalty Now, there IL
creeping into society
PERNICIoUs PHILOSOPHY.
Men say that the Bible descriptions are exaggen
Of evl is eibowing aside the TACT of evl But that
must be o false philosophy that ignores the exist
e warrant N and msgsSrates chair ftes libel on
common sense to shackle man for an attack OF
insanity. Here Is our very peril to- day. lncom-
plete notions OF crime produce erroneous cencep-
tons of justice, and an imbecile government will
be overrnn by unruly subjects 1t Is not temple
to Justice, but an asylum for crme The real 10
more precious than the accidental; character than
condition. Manhood OvertOps all Its own attributes
and possibilities. The most valuable thing in man
Is man. 1t IS this that the heart loves; net INTEL
ligence nor beauty You often see love fastened On
those who are deficient in these. Parental affec-
ton deepens towards the idiot child, and this Is
THE SECRET OF DIVINE LOVE TO MAN.
Ii God should love man because Of his capacities,
then divine regard would fuctuate as one man was
more or less lovely-woud rise and iall as the same
man should be more or less efficient at different
times. What are Intelligence and skill to Him who
Is the full round orb OF all wisdom and p0werr
God does not love any man for his capacities; the
absence Of these does not exclude divine favor.
Here Is platform on which
sAvAGEs AND PAGANs
can stand. All distinctions vanish In the calm
you can understand the possibility OF Christ dying
for sinners. When He came into the world they
had nothing to add to the verbs saocn OF a,gnity
society-materia to be used In the wars. But
Christ saw outlined against his original glory;
saw the soul in its divine design and destinys
knew the
sYMPAyHrEs AWAKENED IN HEAVEN
and understood exertions put forth for his ran
SOM Such pure and generous and universal con-
ception OF humanity had never arisen from man.
II nroyed Christ to be divine, Where Is the evil
dence that Christ died for sinners In the New
Testament Yes and in experience Conversion
IL : fact in the world. Thousands have become
new creatures by practising those principles Of
which Christ was creator and example. Just here
ia the radical weakness Of sceptcism. That q
nameless stupidity that ignores the existence of
wind when the current Is pressing against the
cheek. That Is
FLABBY PHILOSOPHY
that denies the existence of what IL condemnA
Society Is supremacy selfish There Is q vulgar de-
mand for utility. The first question asked when .
man knocks at the door is, 'What can you do
What can yon give me How much can you con.
tribute to the bulk OF the worlds advantage ?" II
you can do nothing you are worth nothing--you ara
cipher, and nobody cares for ciphers This spirit
may be commercially right but 1t Is celestially
wrong. You must see man as Christ saw him-im.