The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-10-12
CHURCH OF THE HEAVENLY REST.

Sermon by Bishop stevens, of Pennsyl-
vania, on .Aimost'' Christians.
The Church OF the Heavenly Rest, Fifth avenue,
above Forty-nitn street. was crowded yesterday
morning with q fashionable congregation
thoroughly representative Of the residents OF the
avenue. The Right Rev. w. Bacon stevens. d. D.,
Bishop OF Pennsylvania preached 10 the morning,
taking his text from the twenty-sixth chapter OF
Acts, twenty eighth verse-.Then Agrippa said
INTO Paul, almost thou persuadest me to be
Christian" The character OF St. Paul was morally
a sublime one. In both phases of mis- career he
was noted man. On the one hand as bitter,
untlring prosecutor, on the other as Q noble
preacher in the cause OF Christ. Wherever he was
and whenever he spoke he had but one theme
Jesus Christ and Him crucihed. There In the
midst OF royalty and power and wealth stood
Paul, the Jew prisoner. solitary and manacled.
sentinel keeping guard over him. He,
DISCIPLE OF THE DEsPIsED NAzARENE
stood there to speak for himself and Jesus, and
well did he perform this duty that his words
reused into action the torpid conscience or the
young monarch, and crying out IN the agony OF
uncertainty, almost thou persuadest me to be .
Christian" 1t was under these circumstances
that the words OF my text were first uttered.
who are almost s Cnrlstians. and thew are divided
into various classes The first that shall notice
is the intelligent. thoughtful portion OF the COM
munity VINO are theoretically believers. Religion
comes SO strongly fortified that only few Will
fully deluded men reject the scriptures. But alas!
the belief IN preceptS and the practice OF them
are too frequently dlsjointed. Is 1t not strange
that truths 80 vital TO the welfare OF the soul
should, II believed at all, be SO often unaCcOm-
panied by the practice OF ihemf IL is not the case
In regard to temporal affairs; then why should 1t
be SO In regard to spirltuaf II religion were
mere matter OF intellect these theoretical be-
levers would be saved. But IL Is not; It Is mat
ter OF the heart as well. We are saved not Ouoy
by belief in Christianity but by belief IN Christ
and by accepting Him as our personal
Saviour. Then we have that class VINO
who hesitate to connect themselves by any decided
act OF ialth. They attend divine service, lead
moral lives but they only skirt the margin OF the
eternal kingdom, and all to plant their leet upon
the Rock OF Ages. so long, then, as they Tall to
take this decisive nna step they are
ONLY ALMOST CHRISTIANS
Then we have the class VINO let some one thing
interfere with their SOUPS SALVATION like the young
man who had kept the law from his youth, but
when told by our Saviour to go and sell all he had
and take up his cross ne went away sOrrowlng, for
he was OF great possessions Then we have the
CLASS illustrated by tue parable OF the foolish vir-
GINS who allow the absence OF some grace or quail
Ivy TO interfere with this aliimp0rtant action. The
oil In the parable represents the renewal OF the
sacraments and the constant watchfulness neces-
sary in the inner life. The condition OF the almost
Christian is peculiarly dangerous and terrible,
God has said, unto wnOm much Is given much
viii be required" and the sinner Will be judged
and punished IN proportion to the light which has
been offered him. The Bishop concluded his dis
not to delay to take that prompt action and final
step necessary to insure salvation. In the eve
ming the pulpit was filled by the Right Rev. w. q.
DOane, ID. d., Bishop or Albany.