The New York herald., 1873-11-24

Alter mass there was 0enedctlon OF the blessed
sacrament, and the sunday school cnildren-Doys
and glrs-wth lighted tapers came into the
church, and wnne standing in the aisles sung a
hymn 10 st Cecilia
CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH.
.The Terror or the L0rd''-Scrmon by
the Rev. Henry Powers.
The Rev. Henry Powers selected as the subject OF
his discourse yesterday morning sThe Terror of the
Lord" taking his text from H. Corinthians ", IL
"Knowing, therefore, the terror OF the Lord, we
persuade men"-tnat is, according to the popular
Interpretation, rather misinterpreation OF these
words, said the preacher, the apostle felt himself
urged by the vision OF the awful future which
awaits mankind to preach most strenuously the
Gospel which had been committed unto him.
In order that he might 'deliver them
from the wrath to come" The supposition is that
a constant and most feverish portrayal OF the ter
rors OF DEATH Judgment and he'll torment entered
into the New Testament preaching as its most Inn
portant element; and that, therefore, a large in
fusion OF this element OF the terrible ought to dis
tinguish the presen ation OF the Gospel in all times
and lands. Hence the fearful pictures OF the bot
tomless pit, the graphic portraitures OF an aveng-
ing God, and the agonH1ng exhortations to nee unto
''the Lamb OF God which taketh away the sins
OF the world" which have characterized the minis
so great portion OF its entire career The mean
ing, however, of tins and other similar passages.
when rightly read, bears in q widely different d.
rectiop. There nothing in it, nor in the Gospel,
about terror of God in the dark sense OF that word
and nothing, also, about
AN AWFUL FUTURE.
What the apostle really said in this place was:-
"Being conscious, therefore, OF the fear OF God
persuade men," And what he meant was that he
played doubtful or double part in making
himself an expense to the Corinthian church,
as had been charged against him by his
calumniators-some change which the apostle had
made IN his plans had been ascribed TO unworthy
motives 1t is evident from the touch OF bitter
sarcasm with which Paul replies to these charges
tnat his keenly sensitive heart had been wounded
by them to the very quick, and SO he makes this
appeal, like one who Is conscious OF the integ
rlty OF his motives ana has nothing to fear
unuer whose eye he had been working ali
the time and before whose Judgment bar
ne was ready to appear at any moment to give an
God before me,n he exclalms, ~ am Tree from all
otner lear or care; my heart is open to His gaze.
As one who Is conscious OF his accountability unto
God so preach the Gospel and SO conduct its al.
ialrs.u And this he SAID the persuasion
OF a man who can thus look up to the Judge OF
all the earth, and commend himself In the end and
IN spite OF all opposition to the good opinion OF
every honest heart
words to justify the use so commonly made OF
them. Men tell US that it is necessary 20 employ
fear which has IN 1t a large element OF torment,
in order 10 persuade the world from sin unto
righteousness; and preacher OF the Gospel who
does not present the terrors OF the hereafter very
strongly IS pronounced by the masses to be un-
faithful to the truth He sounds
THE ALARM TOO FREBLY,
il is urged and consequently the "blood of Souls
will be exacted OF him;'' Just as though the truly
fearful things which lie in mans pathway are fu-
ture things alone, and tnat, from the present. one
nIara md on hnfb aas1iv mia
in path OF sinful seflndulgence II he WILL, but
that some day. II he don't look out for himself he
will be confronted with dreadful realities, oil which,
until then, he had never dreamed. 1t Is taught very
generally that one may be seideluded, may walk in
vain show with easy mind and satisfied con-
science 10 the very last, but that when he passes
through the vale his ldelusion will be dissipated
and he will find that he has absolutely nothing be-
fore him but the bar OF Judgment and everlasting
torture. Therefore, frighten men Thoroughly II
you can. Overwhem them with sense OF their
danger and lead them shivering and covering
to the shadow OF the cross Tor safety and for life.
Now, there is nothing In this world which will
starte men so immediately aud 80 completely AZ
the sense OF sudden d anger. No wonder, therefore
that Jealous and misguided preachers OF the
Gospel who look to the outward conduct rather
than TO the state OF the heart, and who are anx-
ious TO produce an immediate and telling i'm
preston upon their felow-men, should freely use
this instrument and, Knowing the terror OF the
Lord, as they understand it. should endeayor 10
persuade them that His Judgment Is tDexorably
stern, that hell is horribly tormening and that life
Is aarmingly uncertain at the best The medi2val
ceeded upon this theory. The Roman Church
has adopted 1t deliberately and worked upon the
fears OF Its members 10 the very utmost. IL NAV
even be doubted whether there ever " as an image
known TO pagan religion so u OF ghastly and un-
utterable horror as those which have become
faIaar to the eyes and ears OF the disciples OF a
religion which declares that Its God Ia love- But,
then the Papa priesthood believes that 1t holds IN
its hands the power to mitigate these tortures and
so it dispenses indugences grants absolutions'
dwels upon the gentieness OF the Virgin and in
various ways
ASsULs THIS BRooDIsG TERROR.
The Protestant clergy, however, have kept and
increased the terror but have Tenounced the KEYS.
In the Calvinstic theology, no matter how Its
terms may be qualified there lays the dark back
ground OF uncompromIsing danger, and the
awakening evangelical preacher seeks, therefore,
to lead mennot TO God directly for He is TOO ter
rbe-not 70 Jesus Christ, for He IL too charitable
but to God, through Christ, who Is figured as an
infinite Offering TO HIS vengeance; and SO
sense OF dread has grown up In the
heart OF Professionalism, which is more
than all else the secret OF its failure convert
world unto God and good. But Is there then, you
inquire, no element In God, In life, in death and
In eternity, which may fairly be described as O
fear OF the Lord fear which the Lord himself
has put there ano which is to be Welded by HIS
messengers, as means OF awakening and
forming mankindS Most surely there is but 1t IL
the fear or SIM and not simply OF its consequences
savisn, fear OF God, which leads the soui TO stand
in awe OF life ITSELF OF present unseen power and
OF the eternal mystery OF love. Undoubtedly 1t IL
solemn thing TO love with human will, with sell
fsh, earthly soul, pressed by temptations on eyerv
Siuc ana ignorant OIteU OF the r1gnt. Indee0 bnlS
life is woiul to the man who has no higher power
to lean on, no light from above TO guide his steps,
no hope reaching beyond the vale to nerve and In
spire his heart. Every moment there are nfu-
ences pressing upon him which tend 10 make his
existence y burden aud
RESPONSIBILITY CURSE,
so long as thought and feeling endure. Yet never
theless, 1t is here and now that the burden must
be borne, the suffering experienced and the dev-
erance achieved "Learn TO live and then you
Will know now best TO dien was the preaching OF
the apostles. Save yourself from the sin that Ia
within and around you, and let healthy future
grow out OF a renovated and advancing present
Terror there was truly In. the Gospel sometimes,
Tor then, az now, there were some men who would
give heed 10 nothing else. Slumbering on the
edge OF precipice ana slipping slowly TO its very
verge, ne that would arouse them must cry aloud
and spare not. But we must not imagine that
there is anything healing or purifying In the fear
tnat was thus evoked. To tremble before the vision
OF the thongs OF the Furies, VINO are believed to
scourge the guilty soul through eternity, IL to be
the save OF the unseen power Is to become poor,
covering selhsn seeker after safety simply, in
stead OF free, manly. earnest upriQht and