The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-27
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.

Why Mr.. Hepw0rth Believes In God.
A large congregation assembled at the Church
OF the Disciples yesterday morning to hear the
Rev. Mr.. Hepworth give his answer to the inquiry.
why do believe in q God 2" The reverend gen
tleman took Tor his text the first verse OF the four.
teenth PSALM "The fool hath said in his heart
there Is no Gou." One OF the most prominent
characteristics OF the Hebrew prophets
was their directness OF speech; they never
guessed at anything; they always d.
rected their remarks to the centre OF
the mark; they SPOKE with the golden authority Of
Jehovah himself, and their business was not 30
much to persuade as to command. In the history
OF the world there had appeared men OF learning
and brains who had tried to deny the existence Of
God, because they did not desire that their acts
should be controlled by His commandments. We
not left. intellectually, in any doubt as to the
existence OF God. and we acknowledge His super
intending providence
PROOF OF DESIGNER.
The wonderful and ingenious structure OF the
world and its Inhabitants must have had de-
signer. Could factory turning out Its beautiful
fabrics from the raw material, with It's intricate
machinery, be the result OF cnances We know IL
had q designer in man; 80 the human frame; SO
the innumerable worlds revolving in infinite space
which science had revealed to us. He believed In
God because every body has believed In Him since
the world began. In whatever part Of the world
he might travel he found religious culture, more
or less perfect, whether In lce-bound Iberia or IN
Central AFRICA, which that great man Livingstone
mad brought TO light The heatnen wOrsuiPped
their rudely carved Idols, but IN that worship was
contained religious sentiment. They believed IN
q God, because they recognized in Him some thing
better tnan themseIves-a great spirit, or great
tyrant, who is never seen, but OF whom they stand
in awe. Any man who looked up to an outside
power not atheist. There was no race OF
men out VINO had some rude conception oil God.
why he believed In God was that he could not help
Ii. There was one passion inherent in human
nature, and tnat was love. lie dld not
to live without loving something Or
had right to II himself. He could not tear 1t out
OF his nature and throw 1t away. 1t was original
or sold. Even II We mated everybody, our very
hate was love turned sour Hatred was our
original love turned upside down Hate was love
that had curdled He had an instructive belief OF
power over him. Common sense alone told MIN
there was something above him.
A few days since man said to him :-"Mr. Hep
WORTH have done praying, lor can't get any an
No man ever lived twenty.ionr hours wltnou:
praying In some way or other. Did they never
long for true friendsnlps That was prayer. Long
ing Tor anything was praying. People made ter
rible mistake when they thought the onlv prayers
they uttered were those said At the bedside or m
he mad prayed when he was thinking. No man
ever lived twenty.iour hours without praying. he
CONSCIOUS
II might not take q visible shape
GOD IN OUR HOMES.
Another proof TO him OF the existence OF Goa
was the necessity for Him In our homes. What
homes we should have without a God! We're lt
not Tor our trust In Him what confidence could wa
have IN the domestic circle How could q husband
trust his wife or parents their childrcns Home
confidence would fy of like tangent, tae little
community would be dlsinterested, and home home
from heaven. 1t was God III the heart that made
our homes reality. What, . difference
God was acknowledged and those where
lie was shut out Where there WAS
In denying the existence OF q God you do not rob
the minister Of his pew rents, but you ROB the en-
tire community the entire nation; o. me e,enon ont,
Ic opinion and which elevate Its influence. and
weaken the influence OF Christian public duty.
RoDespicrre wnen at the head OF the French ma
ton. declared That religion may be a falsehood but
that it was Impossible to rule the French people.
live without bowling head before the Controller
" OIL o'o1s'' MORE RESIDES BELIEF.
It was not enough to believe In God; 1t was nee
essaIy to know something about HIM. We need
not guess about 1t: Christ came into the world not
to satisfy cur guesses but to tell us the exact
truth. before that period communities talked
about religion: they prayed about y, but they did
ing to die for 1t. Christianity taught us that God
was not q despot nor king or dreadful being,
t nus nat He was our Father II established
q relationship between Him and us-petween tho
parent and the child.
OUR DUTIES
Every fact discovered involved O duty; the
higher our conceptions the deeper were our obli-
cations. The grander view we take or religious
matters the more welghty they ial Before tine
coming OF Christ nations right In their theory
OF Gods existence, and they offered Him sacrllceS
rom their nocks and herds; but when Christ came
He made God ''our Father,'i before whom we were
oil equal rich and poor, and born to be partakers
OF the Kingdom or heaven. Heaven was demo-
cratic; He who was the lowest in birth was the
most exalted. Christianity taught us that we were
all brethren, ana that we should help one another
IN sickness and IN trials.
FUTURE STATE.
After our work had been done we were told wo
should enjoy the sweetness and rcp0se Of
heavenly aDode-that we should be elevated into
an eternal lie. No man could know this feeling,
but must experience IT, Where the future state
was he could not tell 1t was enough to know that
IL existed for every one who died and that ne who
died lived, ann with Christ in his heart would Do
come citizen Of that celestial city where all tears
would be dried and all sadness changed into
smiles Let them, therefore, give their hearts 70