The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-23
SEVENTH AVENUE METHODIST EPISCOPAL
UHURCH.

What DIR. Wild Thinks OF the Budding.
ton-StOrrs COuncil-His Views Upon tho
Temperance Movement.
Dr. Wild, of the seventh avenue Methodist church,
Brooklyn, preached yesterday morning from
III. Corinthians. ILL. 6-"WhO also hath made US
able ministers OF the new testament; not of the
letter, but OF the spirit; for the letter kuleth but
the spirit giveth life.n
The jewish constitution contained in itself ele.
ments OF self.destruction and clauses OF limitation
which forbid it ever becoming universal in appli-
cation or continual through all time, except
by INCORPORATION. AS the alphabet Is initiatOry
to good reading, and Is by the reader
carried forward, serving higher and nober pur-
pose, SO Judaism was introductory to Christianity.
and in the new dlspensation 1t is made TO answer
a more glorious purpose. 1t was only temporary
in design, being chiefly prophetic In character,
shadOwing forth something more permanent, uni
versal and better The Old dispensatIOn was one
OF death engraven in stones; the new dispensatiOn
Is one engraven on the neshy tables OF the heart.
one Of lie and mercy. The old gave knowledge
OF sin and penalty; the new not only points out
the wrong and the punishment, but shows us how
TO escape both. The work and province OF the let
ter Is good, but 1t Is not equal to the spirit Inc
former klleth but the latter DaKeth alive.
good and wise man passes through the letter ana
keeps tine law oa ana does right because 1t th Is
man who does IT from sense OF fear
only loses the charm and pleasure which come
from loving obedience. The very design OF the
Scriptures is to lead to Christ, and they who read
the same and find Him not fail to be cOmlOrted.
like the Jews with the love of God. Letter re-
ligion is something very embarrassing. 1t is what
written constitution Is to the State, and II we
had had no written constitution at 1irst we would
have been better OF. Look at the Congregational
council coming OF this week. MY hearts desire
Is that IL may be one excellent In wisdom and
mighty in peace. am not gong to say whether 1t
is right or wrong; but when you cleave 10 the
letter it is in the way. l will say this much. IL
there was man IN my church who wanted tC go
out would get him out without trial. never
saw a church trial that amounted 10 a row Of
pins. l never want any and l never mean
to have any. 1t Is the letter crOwdnR
the spirit and 1t Is In all our churcaes-the Epis
cOpallans, the Baptists and the Metnodists are all
cleavlnX too much to the letter and ignoring the
spirit. Let US while we know the letter not be
cOntented to rest there, but fasten on to that
which is in itself superior and higher. After the
sermon the Doctor had little interview with the
reporter concerning the temperance crusade. He
stated that although he would be glad to see In
temperance abolished he thought the present
method was wholly out of place. so long as the
laws OF the United States sanctioned the selling OF
liquor 1t was not the mission OF women to prohibit
what belonged to the Legislature to repress, and
their movement was only tolerated because they
were women. Men attempting such warfare
would be mObbed at once.