The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-02
CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH.
The Sin of COntcmpt--scrmOn by the

The Sin of Contcmpt--scrmon by the
Rev. IL. s. Taft.
The sermon at the Church OF the Messiah was
preached by the Rev. H. s. Taft yesterday morn
ing. He took his text from Matthew Kill, %. The
great teacher, he said in his teachings always
dealt with the spirit Of things The Sabbath was
made Tor man, not man for the Sabbath. He said
judge not from appearances. In order to worship
God in the right spirit it was necessary to bear
this truth in mind. Jesus specified several SINS
Whosoever Is angry at his brother, whatsoever will
speak in rdicule Of his brother, and whatsoever
says, 'Thou art fool" All these are In danger OF
the judgment.
Let them regard this sin In Its relation to
those against whom 1t was committed. This feel
ing was an unmitigated crime. He who enter
tanned thorough contempt for his fellow man was
prepared to commit against him any conceivable
crime. To hold man in contempt was to mold God
in contempt. II they treated the supreme effort Of
an artist with contempt they treated the artist
himself with contempt. Man was
THE NOBLEsT WORK OF GOD,
marred by many sins though he was.
Should a man OF Judgment purchase piece OF
land in region OF great mineral wealth II would
be apparent that he paid ~ great a price Tor so
small strip OF land because he knew OF the vast
wealth hidden under the ground. God loved tn 9
earth so much that he gave 1t His only Degottcn
son and let Him die for the redemption Of human
1ty.
This spirit ofcontempt saw nothing to reverence.
1t believed IN no exalted virtue and had no saints
and no heroes; II was spirit of gloom and had no
gardens of sweet fruit. 1t incapable OF love, OF
goodness or beauty 1t stood ever the deadly
antagonist OF all that was good and noble in life.
This contempt OF ones fellow man made the latter
an outcast. The truly wise are tolerant they know
what allowances to make Tor others, for they know
their own ialngs. Such were humble, and kind,
ana charitable No one had this grand quality so
mucn as He the great teacher. When compliment
ed on his attalnments. He said lie resembed a
child gathering pebbles on the shore while beyond
Him lay the great vast ocean OF knowledge. The
Sayour's teachings were ncomprehensble to the
Pnarlsees They were offended because He smiled
at the outcast.
The man who said to his fellow man Chou art a
lool' showed this spirit OF contempt The contempt
for criminals was
SOMETHING OUTRAGEOUS IN FORMER TINES
Contempt Tor man was the crying sin OF rulers;
1t was the heart and soul OF war. The man who
plunged nation into war used men only as the
Instruments OF his vanity ano his sinful ambition.
Would man who recognized the divine qualities
OF the human soul be ever corrupt or sensual?
Death TO public safety, death to all the interests OF
the statethese were the results OF this crying sin.
Contempt was the deadliest spirit of anti-Chrlst.
lie poured Its direst wrath upon christ. could
any good thing come out OF NAZARETH" they asked.
When they put Him to death ii was not enough
TO crown Him with thorns, to smte Him. to let Him
die on the cross-no He must be crucifed between
two thieves. This story OF the cross could never
lose its interest for the liberal Christian Did not
Jesus say that the man who hated his brother was
murderer Contempt called down upon those
punishment was n natural result of the Migrant
violation OF the laws governing their moral and
spiritual nature. Corrupt from head to foot. that
was the stigma OF the perpetrator. The fires OF
hell were
LIT UP IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE
who held man IN contempt. They hardly compre-
hended the pathway in which contempt would lead
them. All the usefulness all the peace and JOY OF
man were destroyed by the spirit OF contempt.
Seek to see in man the heir OF God the blossom OF
which Christ was the perfected fruit. With this
thought, how gentle and kind would parents be
towards their children, brothers towards their sis
tcrs, husbands towards their wives, neghDors tow
ards their friends The world needed amsgivng
no. so much as 1t needed the recognition OF this
glorious spirit. 1t was the spirit OF contempt that
carried with 10 the rejection OF all the tender
thoughts and charities OF the human soul.
David, in his highest spiritual thoughts, longed
for this state or perfection. Should they not re-
Joce that Christ had gone before them to show as
q beacon upon their way and lead them to this
GLORIOUS WORK OF LOVE AND CHARITY
That life IS failure that Is not In harmony with the
remembrance Of the life OF the saviour. Where they
found one who had cherished all the sweet, tender
missions OF man they found one who came nearest
TO the heart OF the Divine Redeemer. In one sense
the Cross OF Calvary opened the gates OF Paradise,
but II the gates would open at all they would open
by the cross they bore on their own shoulders. The
Divine mercy was equal to all the claims upon 1t.
Let them seek the spirit OF remuneration, or charity
and humility.