New-York tribune., 1874-02-23
SCOPE OF DIVINE WORSHIP.

TA> Res. Dr. Robinson. n> TIbrrnaek Baptist church
The Rev. f. G. Robinson, ID. d., President Of
Brown University, supplied the pulpit OF the Tabernacle
Baptist Church. at second-ave and 1enthst yesterday
The text on which the morning discourse based was
from Luke iy., 81 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy
God, and Him only shalt thou serve
The requirement. said he, is without qualification. IL
is reiterated in many forms throughout the SCRIPTURES
II reinforced by the demands OF conscience. II Is
sustained by natural sequence Of moral law in tile
government of God. Thus shut up to the ineXor-
able necessity OF recognizing God as the Supreme Ruler
and Judge OF mankind. There Is alternative. What
right has God TO make this requirement. Who is He
that He confr0nts every human beng high and low,
and demands the highest penalty, that he shall re-
cognize and worship Hint VINO is He. and what right
has He's Ii is not rrevereut to ask this question be-
cause God is not only a reasonable being but He has
impaired to attributes OF 1t is not imperti
nen to ask it because reasoning being naturally asks
the why matter what the requstiOn is or who makes
the requsition The reasoning cannot suppress It,
IL will rise and must answered IL is not useless
question because the whole end OF law Is some clear
and worthy product-n produet which men eau ,charae-
cause YOU know it is the will Of God that you serve Hin
have nor reached H. Not ali are ready TO say at
Is the will OF God: will submit at once
TheIe a variety OF reasons assigned by the mind
is ground of claim for our service As parent he
child resting on its parents arms looks up confingy
aud my father 80 man In all MS greatness ana
wisdom. If bo is man. resting on the arm OF the
Almighty looks his Fathers face IN trust aud cout
But the Creator has gwen US attributes CORE
spending 10 his own. He has endowed with reason.
10 create a rational being He endows him with certain
rights OF reason, OF intelligence OF conscience God VIII
stOOp from throne respect those nights which He
has created and He implies thereby that He places us
where responsible for our acts some men say,
God is Sovereign, and has right TO determine every
mans position. No denies that right He gives him
place in family and surrounds him with certain iniu
ences. He also ondows hun with reason and makes
him responsible for his own actions We continually see
men rising up in the midst OF appareh,V hsafWonht
able obstacles and overcoming theul an lhdt rOu Is
our Creator however does not furnish the sole ground
claim Tor worship. He has made our own destiny
TO depend on choice aud viii.
There is another thing. God is no only our Creator
II is the source OF all power. M!ght never was the
ground Of right with God or men, Have you never read
m history of poor. feeble woman who has risen up in
There "a something stronger than power OF might
IL is that OF conscious ugnt Might continually confOnts
something stronger than itself When Moses led tho
children 0f israel through the Red Sea there man
ifes' On OF power. 10 the Of man II seemed rash
ness march into the sea, ont GOds power Delivered
them. and they were led through In safety. God had
viudicated His power.
There is another and higher reason why God claims
the worship Of bis creatures. He s benehcent as well
AZ mercul being. All this word Is Gods gie; all COM
lnerce, all gain all success IN he. he mas aways
these gifts OF His hand Ilgrhttude ~ Que OF the
bises OF sIns and the Scriptures record ts baseness
God docs not remind you OF His gifts for the sake of
placing under obligation To Him. IL u common
among honorable men 10 look with contempt upon one
who puts man under obligation that by ana by he may
use him II IA detestable and COD never SEEKS 10 be-
stow glfts upon us HAe lndl' lAtt arc dlhhlN iIeo
benehcent gifts.
Bnt there il something more than all this The
mi ghtiest OF all why God should receive our
willing constant service is that He centers all excel
Ience in Himself You respect that man who wrlis
great Influence When yOu confront man whose moral
character rises entirely above your own, whether you
will or not, you cannot help uncOyerng your head
his presence II there stands before you moral nature
higher than your own, you must respect 1t and be
elevated by IL. We constructed that wherever
we are 1t holds But the infinite God unites III Hun
self every conceivable excellence tnat the chief
ground why you must worship Him. Take all your
thou ghts character into Gods presence. and you
will have peace and rejoicing.
God a being in whom Is Infinite justice ar mercy.
I think may see how much Justice there Is III the
question which has been raised concerning the morality
OF the New Testament. John Stuart Mill said the
morality OF the New Testament low morality
that it strove TO influence by eternal orments and
eternal blessings with low forms and low hopes The
error IL that such thinkers overlook one thing. The
Bible COMES with motives diverse that they
reach every possible condition 10 which men can be
found No matter II the whole nature has been satu-
rated with tering vice 1t takes hold Of the soul
and raises up. 1t tells that eternal life Is his who
accepts it, When IL has taken the soul up TO IA high
pane OF Christian living II constantly shows, Sill
higher and gher planes which yet 10 be attained
You climb the ladder by the lowest rounds To begin
with but when you have reached the top yOu with
God Show us q morality OF seTeDer light than this.
TINS ia the morality OF tho New Testament Of Christ,
and of God Where do you get the realization OF this
morality but in the person OF Christ Christ is not
call you His Have you turned 10 this God Have you
known this Christ who has given US this religion In
sbutng God you shut ont all the light and all the
ioy OF the true glad day. Receive Him and His light.
and you will know what II u TO De with Cod ana christ
forever