The New York herald., 1873-11-03
BEDFORD AVENUE REFORMED CHURC

Twenty-Fourth Anniversary-Sermon by
the Rev. DR.. Porter-Intercsting Ser
vices.
The services at the Reformed church, on Bed
ford avenue, yesterday were unusually interesting,
the occasion being the twenty-fourth anniversary
OF the formation OF the society. The church was
tasteiuly adorned with the Sabbath school BAN
ner3, and in and around the chancel were choice
nowers. During the Introductory exercises DR..
Porter installed the elders and deacons who were
recently elected into office, after which he pro-
ceeded to deliver his twenty-lourth annual ser
mon, taking for his text the first verse of the
sixth chapter Of Observation-Disclosures leaving the
principles OF the doctrine Of Christ let US 60 ON
unto perfection" In introducing the theme, the
speaker asked what would be thought or builder
who should confne himself to putting down and
taking up foundation stones. BY such a process
would he ever rear goodly structure9 There
were teachers and preachers who were constantly
expending their main strength on the elementary
principles OF Christianity. They were mainly
occupied with the doctrine OF baptism, sacramen-
tai forms, and orders OF church government; yet
no one could fail to see that Jesus Christ and His
apostles taught few great, immutable truths.
When God laid the foundations OF the earth be
established the
Law OF GRAVITY,
which had not to be proved every week in the
tered unto us He put into the history Of the world
and into the life or humanity great fact. 1t was
in consistency with this line OF procedure that Paul
counselled those to whom he wrote to leave the
simple rudments OF the Gospel and go Oh unto
perfection. They we're to build themselves up on
the foundation that had been laid and to grow In
Christian knowledge, perecting their own per.
sonal characters. The physical earth was balanced
~. two ans tSe other reSenS SFSg
SO it was with human life and society
in all its various organizations One force drives
,nlytx "a fhn fnrVw nrd nun
rise the origin OF TWO parties, which confronted
each other in the political, social, religious and
Tne was th
other progressive. They balanced each other and
were mutually heIpdul we lived lived only in in th the
future, cutting loose from the past, we deprived
ourselves OF nutriment from soil which had
experiences. There should be such an ad-
justment OF hope and memory that the two
orbits. orbits The things to be remembered were % the
best hours OF our earthly course, and the things to
be forgotten those which hindered US in our up
ward progress toward perfection Of character.
We are to stretch every nerve that we may be like
Christ. There were some who remembered their
ancestors, and substituted such recOllections for
PERSONAL VIRTUE.
There were others laid up former deeds with
miserly care, supposing that their performance
would excuse them from continued service in
righteousness while others remembered, with ad-
miring eomplacency, what they had accomplished,
saying, "Behold the Babylon which built'' This
was an exhibition Of error, and want Of
knowledge of the first principles OF personal
growth. The man who said that as long
as there remained one single thing to know he
felt himself to be ignorant, comprehended the
condition OF all true growth. Forward, marchp'
was the command which an enlightened conscience
spoke out with trumpet-like force to all who
sought mind and soul culture. DR.. Porter went on
to speak OF the hindrances to true progress,
among which were physical laziness-which was
transmitted epidemic-the horrible spectre OF
difficulty and dstrust OF the promises OF God. The
gold ring which glittered on the finger was first
subjected to q hardening process, and no true man
could be found who had not met with and tr
umphed over difficulties.
SELF-INDUIGENCE
was the motto of the worldly man; self-denial the
motto OF the Christian. The teachers OF the daily
press were now telling US that what the CONNER
cial community wanted was confidence Money Is
just as plenty now as 1t was before the panic, but
people were afraid Of each other. He proceeded
TO urge his hearers to trust the promises OF God
ana to test the power of the Gospel in developing
a noble Christian manhood The close or the SER
mon was devoted TO a review of the work OF the
church during the year which, he said, was pros
porous one In every sense OF the word The
schools belonging TO the church met In the alter
noon, when the annual reports were presented and
appropriate addresses delivered. In the evening
the pastor preached discourse to tie Young
PEOPLES Association.