New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-13

| ing "NeI against man In purely OutWdiu
character necessarily defective Its form nnayoio"o
temporary and its development historically conditioned
In the New Testament, Christianity Is represen'eu
the completion and AZ the time as the soIuuon Vi
Judaism; II Is the fulfllment OF tne Ola Ies'aon
ion In as far as the latter contained true go
conditional elements Of Gods revealed wi but ~
inc these Christianity abolished at the same Time ' ~
ond toonorary form which was assumed ny
t,or, what WAS life to the one was deatn !"
tba other At tho completion OF the Du'"Hs, ~"
soarJds are removed Thus 1t Is said on the Que n"
-, ltst q the end of the law (Romans K. a. ana on
ro o,ber hand II said by himself; "Thnk not 'hat
am come to destroy the law or tho prophets; aii NV
- 90 DESTROY but TO fu1ll." The body OF truth re-
| oolcd in the Old Testament Is Incorporated anu
! beautifully preserved in Christianity, Whe'c"S
| Tho dress in which IL was clothed is rent
-, twain The matter Is not lost, the form only Is
oneved tho one is permanent eternity Immortal as
Cod the other is transtory as time and evanescen Us
ono human race after another In Christianity the one
is shown 10 greater advantage and brought into full
efcacv the otner thrust into the back ground ana
forced to disappear wholly. Tho SUBJECT on wmen
have the privilege to speak-Christianiy as reforming
power-is full of meaning and Importance Christianity
supplies life with motives. We have the highest
motive 10 uberalty in our Lords conduct toward u.s.
giving Himself for us Christianity has not only directed
our attention for the first time TO humility asa virtue
but has also given q inducement TO be humble
Let this mind be in you which also in Christ Jesus
who being in the form OF Cod thought not robbery to
be equal with God, and took upon him the form of
servant, &C. Phil H., 7, g. Christianity has also exer'
cised reforming influence science. art and politics
But instead of entering these details, we shall call
your attention TO those principles which seem to us to
constitute quintessence OF the reforming power OF
Christianity ]. Iu the idea Of being perfect Us God'
Christianity has up absolute standard OF morality
This positive ideal which is TO be the end as well as
the reason OF all human effort.
H. In the consciousness Of being the of God, we
have real power given up finally to this high
standard Of morality set the Gospel and OF accom-
pshing those things which God in the New Testament
commands us to do The first is the ideal OF Christi
anity the second is the religious principle the real
power enabling TO carry out the principle or the
highest form Of religion in cur own life and conversa-
ton The moral principle which is to be the end as well
as the rule Of Chstan character and conduct is to be
perfect even as Father is This then, requires the
entire unconditional conversion OF the soul to God and
His service the undivided conservation OF the whole
man 10 God as the highest good the concentration OF
all faculties in one continuous effort with the view of
attaining that end-in short undividlng and unceasnG
love to God This again. as involving the entire devoted
ness OF the heart him, includes on the one hand all
love TO men created beings far as these are loved
for their own sake far they disturb the purity
and abolish the absOutenes of our love TO God In pro-
| norton es the human heart cliDgs too fondly and
unduly to other objects of affection than Cod
It converts them into idols and is actually guilty OF
idolatry God requires to love him 50 intensely as
If there were no other objects of affection in the whole
world But, on the other band, love to God includes
love 10 man. IN so far God is in man the Creator has
revealed himself IN the creature and as the finite Is III
right and proper suborddaton to tho infinite. forms
only his medium Of revelation and acts as willing In
! strument TO serve His purpose. BY bearing In mind
this double point Of view we shall be In position to
avoid extremes and understand rightly those remarka-
BILE forms Of expression in which superficial mode Of
thinking has discovered impractical rigorism and
ascetcism avoiding all contact with the world 4" II
any man come and hate not his father and mother
and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea,
and his own life also he cannot be my disciple.
xiv &C. "Sen that thou hast and give to the poor
! Matthew XIX q. "No man serve two masters."-
Matthew VII a. at thine eye offend thee, pluck it
ont Mathew xviii g. In all this have simply the
varied modes Of expressing the principle which may be
regarded as the characteristics Of the ethics Of the Cos
pe viz That God absolutely requires the whole heart
Love to our felowmen ought to be subservien TO the
great end of serving God more thoroughly and perfectly
Whenever any earthly possession would take away and
eapyate the heart interfering with its entire devoted
ness to Gods service rendering incapable TO
I'll for the sake of the Lord then should not hesitate
for a moment to our choice but take at once the al
tentative Of sacrificing the earthly for the sake Of the
heavenly and give the interest Of the world the
altar Of Gods Kingdom. But we are by no means TO
draw the wrong inference that earthly possessions In
themselves and under all circumstances and conditions
OF life unfit for yielding our heart entirely TO Him.
| This would pre-suppose an incOnceiyabe duality be-
tweenkGOd and the world the creator and the crea-
| ton. This again would be quite inconsistent
| with the saviors expressed confidence In the
alruling providence of God in the natural world,
! well as In the Spiritual universe Whoever expressed
such sympathy with the works Of creation and such APP
probation OF the beauties Of the material world
Lord and Savior Jesus Christi He was great student
OF nature and from this he borrowed his beautiful and
eminenty instructive parallels. He also partcu-
ary sociable enjoying the company Of friends Of
pubcans and sinners and in this respect Jesus differed
widely from John the Baptistthe preacher of repent
aucewith whose ascetcism he had little no sympa
thy There is deep impossible gulf found between
the gious and the worldly spheres of human life be-
tween life in God and life In the world. Christianity,
far from ignoring moral life in worldly spheres in the
state and family, civilization sanctes them to Its own
use making them all organs or instruments for
| the advancement of the Kingdom OF God. Religion
| has its own sphere, but still 1t Is like
mighty stream which does not always care to
couhne its waters within its own bed OF channel but lets
It overflow It's banks inundating enrlching and nour
| ishing the surrounding delds and meadows Even
| the worldly elements Of existence TO be well
| bedewed with the waters flowing from the foun-
tain OF life. 1t lie true, Christianity has its spe-
| cially sacred day, sacred places aud sacred meal,
still such its transforming power that 1t converts all
the days Of the week into Sunday or Sabbath, and
every place the canopy of Heaven into place
| OF worship, and every meal into a sacrament. The
whole earth duly consecrated by the Lord and Bishop
Of souls Religion is not 70 resemble the priests gown
OF surpce which is only worn on Sunday and left be-
hind in church until similar occasion woulda for its
USE History and experience bear ample testimony 10
the fact that genuine disciples Of Jesus have been found
in all conditions and Offices, in every kind Of human
occupation and that the spirit Of God does not con-
fine his operations to the halls and apartments
Of the Church. but is also working with silent influence
in the busy market curious studio Of the artist
in the silent chamber of the poet and philosopher that