The New York herald., 1873-11-17
ST. PAUL's METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Christian Charity-sIt is More Blessed
to Give Than to Receive'-Sermon by
/ Rev. Bishop Thomas Bowman.


to Give Than to Recefve''-Sermon by
Rev. Bishop Thomas Bowman.
The Rev. Bishop Thomas Bowman, ID. d. took
the text Tor his sermon at st. Paul's Methodist
Episcopal church, yesterday morning. from the
Acts of the Apostle, XXX SIT is more blessed to
give than TO recelve.n He remembered very well,
he said, that in the early part OF his Ministerial
career he thought there must be something wrong
in this sentence, it connicted strangely
with all the ordinary views and actions OF men.
He had turned again to the Gospel to see how he
could explain this seeming inconsistency. Now
did Paul use this passage, what application ought
they give 1t I The great truth which Paul
wanted to nculcate in the minds OF the people
was that every man ought 10 consecrate all his
means and all his power to his Lord and Redeemer.
Paul had reminded them that he had worked him
self with his own hands IN order TO relieve the
necessities OF the poor and needy.
The reverend preacher had known minister's
blessed with large means, VINO gave nothing for
the Church because they had "given themselves
But the apostle taught them that this excuse
would certainly not be valid. Christian business
men who gave their hundreds and thousands to
the Church or Christ frequently neglected TO use
their
LsDIvIDUAL MEANS OF GRACE.
II they had opportunities for personal sacrifice,
and il God had poured wealth into their hands, they
bring both 10 the altar OF Christ The apostle
here referred TO the broad Christian beneyolence
which was required OF every Christian, not only
giving Of money but giving OF sympathy, OF love-
OF kindness, OF smile perhaps. II was
more productive OF happiness and OF moral
and spiritual Improvement, and also OF the
divine blessing. to give than TO receive. This was
another meaning OF this sentiment. IL Was
blessed thing to receive Kindness and generosity
wants, il he might be allowed SO TO express him
self. Coo did warrant to the recipient o. favor
even one blessing 50 t0at receiving in itself was
Dot 80 very praiseworthy. Man wanted food
shelter rest, intellectual and spiritual gratidca-
tion There was so much in the soul hungering Tor
knowledge and longing Tor education. How many
Young people he mad known who had forfeited all
their physical wants TO the attainment OF this
know edge AID this power for usefulnessl When
TINS instruction was received when this intellec-
tual food was afforded,
WHAT A GREAT PLEASURE
il was And man had also his social wants. he
wanted TO be apprecia ted BY his fellow and to
meet sympat1, III the hours OF MS sorrow. When
1 death nrst TO his tine preacners) family
\ what pro ound Joy II gave nm when nis colleague
I pIay ed lor nun lie never was 50 thankful III MS
4 lie wnen he saw that he was dependent upon
\ some ones kin iness and sympathy, and this
Drought him still neal er TO the recognition OF HIM
| on whom IL was dependent for all he had. 1t was
\ certain that they must all feel that they were
linked Will humanity. and that their Joys and sor-
| rows depended perhaps, on the meanest man who
! walked the st. eets. Parents should give their
/ children some active employment, Which would
surely give them pleasure. 80 1t was with the IN
teIlect ii II knew that IL could grapple with deep
/ problems. 81 here was "A luxury in dong good, and
/ the mere employment OF tner moral nature must
4 give them pleasure much greater than could be
/ excited by receiving alone. In 80 cases out OF
i 100 1T did people a world OF good to the
/ joys they had Destoyed upon tnelr fellow men.
\ Some might insult him. Tor instance, but tneY
could not rob him OF the consciousness that he
HAD TRIED To BENEFIT THEN
/ by endeavorlng 10 teach them the Word OF christ.
| Let them ook at the ordinary relations OF life.
How they toiled all the year long 10 remember the
child on Christmas Day ana New Year with some
small token o anectionl Was the JOY with winch
they Witnessed their chiidrens enjoyment not
purer and more unsel6sh tnan that even OF the
little recipient Christian teachers must also ex-
perience pure and loty JOY, feeling, as they did
that they stamped the examples OF their minds
upon lresh aud innocent hearts. He tthe preacher
used ~ tnlnk lhat mere surely must oe one e&cep
ton TO this rule, that the penltent sinner receiv-
ing salvation must sincerely experience a greater
JOY than the DIVINE Gyer. But see how the DIVINE
Giyer oi salvation shouted with JOY tue accept
ance OF tins heavenly gilt. II they desired an en-
largement Of their hearts and their moral natures,
they must conceive 1t In these actions. II tney
cultivated these moral elements II would also
reason which should lead them to pray for their
enemies, In tue cultivation or their beneyolence
they also cultivated tneir whole moral and spiritual
| being. How dIncult IL was to educate children
IN THIS CHRISTIAN GENEROSITY
and Christian charity The preachers eldest son.
| he said, was like many young men OF commercial
| bent or mind. ooh, Just walt till | am worth
| $l0O0Ov this son had told him. "Ah, but you Will
| want more and more the more you viii have,r was
| his answer "and when you will have million you
| will be a poor, wretcned, wlthered soul" The
better land yonder was no place where they would
sit quietly singing psalms, but there they would
| find active employment. For aught he knew his
| employment there might be TO bear again messages
/ OF love and sympathy. They would require there
| TO exercise the spiritual and moral development
| which IL was In their power here TO acquire. The
| good voices which had led him on and cheered
him in this world came surely from MS dear ones
| In heaven.
| IL IL also more blessed TO give than TO receive,
| because giving had the promise Of Divine blessing,
the assurance OF special blessing for every act vi
| Kindness and love which they had bestowed upon
their fellow men IN the true Christian spirit. There