New-York tribune., 1874-05-18
THE CHRISTIANS DISCOVERY.
Bislop CAeuey al The FIRST RcorHed bp'soopas Chur0

Bisbop G. T.. Cheney of Chicago preached to
very large congregation in the First Reformed Episcopal
Church. at Madisonave. and Forty-seventhst. last
evening. The text was: And we have known and be-
neyei the love that God hath TO us" john iv" l6.
The sermon appears below in full
The Apostle John had made a grand discovery. The
text IL not cold annouucemeyt of the fact like the
formal document which inventor files in the archives
OF the Patent Office 1t is rather like shout OF triumph
like an ouhurst OF joy Into the streets OF ancient
Syracuse with bare head and flushed face ran Archim
edes philosopher, crying, have found 1T nave
found It," His not the mind to be swept away 10y
nood-tide OF excitement. No modern scientist
no Huxley or Tyndal or Darwin-eyer gorled more
than he in being cool and dispassionate observer
of he phenomena He dealt not with fances
but fac,s. lie reasoned not by guesses and suppos
tons but by Acknowledged principles OF mathematics
Yet he could not the enthusiasm OF the moment
when he felt that he a great discoyerer who had
wrested Natures grasp secret she had kept for
ages Something Of that feeling appears in the utter
apce which st. John has recorded in the text. The
Christian believers OF his day, for whom lie was speak
ing had discovered truth that filed their lives with
ioy-"We have known and believed tho love that God
hath ior Us" From that day down 10 this that prim
tive eXpelrnco has been repeated whenever soul mas
come to believe Jesus. For is new discovery to
each ind dual Every sinner who takes refuge at
the foot OF The finds there revelation of the love
OF God as fresh and real though other sinner in the
universe had ever been saved by grace. Years ago
read descriptions of the Yosemite Valley. stood en-
tranced before the wOndrous canvas on which the
pencil OF ersadt had portrayed its grandeur. col
Iected photographs that reflected like mirror
the features OF the giant gorge-and in the
sereOscOpc made stand out in such stauesque re-
lf, tnat Imagination could hardly suggest anything
which actual sight could add the impression of real
ity But when day stood upon hight 1000 feet
above the level Of the and looked upon the gap that
cleft the sierra rom its snowy summit down to the
rocky roots. II was discovery of GODS glory in
Creation 1t much revelation as if had never
been unyailed to human sight before. was as much
discOYcre- II mine were the first human footsteps to
break the solemn silence OF that stupendOus hight SO
with every soul brought by the spirit of God to
know the love OF God in Christ He has heard IT all be-
fore II has read il all before. IL has been the burden
Of preaching TO which he has listened. But when he
knows II in personal experience he enters a world as
new soul had ever crossed its boundaries before
lie is dscovcrer of that which the Psamst found when
he cried on taste and that the Lord is gracious"
one Sunday morning last Autumn 200 passengers
crowded the forward deck Of a steamship nearly at her
Journey end We sighted the Jersey coast with the
earliest break of day. The tall lighthouse Of Neversink
rose stately ancient castle the distant nights
We crossed the bar Sandy Hook. threaded the Mar
rows steamed swiftly up bay more beautiful than that
OF Naples 10 wanderers returning home, and as the
spires OF NowsYork sharply defined against the
frosty ar. the wharf, yet far away, crowded
with those who waited for our coming. Suddenly "a
marked difference perceptiblc among the passen-
gers. Il not in dress. Ii did not betray itself In
REGULARITY Of speech But class in that thrOng Of
passengers were distinguished from all the rest as
clearly a. though they had some badge to mark
them out For they had made a discovery. BY the aid
Of glass they had recognized their friends They knew
the faces and dgures OF VINO the dock awaited
them distinction Is that which this text attrD-
utcs to believers They have their Father, their
ffffo Will 1oyiu NVnIpO
have known and believed the love which COD hath TO
rs"
NATURE or TIE DISCOVERY.
Iask YOU to observe the nature Of the Christians
discovery what is IT tnit no has discOvereii In the
spotted egg on which the mother thrush sits broodng
there Is q bird which by and by shall soar upward
toward the roof OF Gods great temple and chant its
sweet Te But first its imprsoning shell must be
broken Off In that rough block OF stone is Michael
AngciO's David, the Greek Slave OF Hiram Powers.
But free. bt by bit the outer covering must be
clipped Oh SO, TO get at the precise nature OF the
Cnrstian's discovery, II may be well hrst to remove
some false ideas gard 10 H. To set this bird free
that may sing 10 bid this sweet truth stand revealed
IN woudrous beauty must take away that which ii
i. not For Christian has not discovered that God
loves him does not love other men. The reading of
Will has sometimes mace strange rtEe!atlOnts', "A
father has perhaps for yeats concealed his paruaty
10 one child, only TO make IL known after he was
cold IN death and when his last testament
leaves 10 his favOre everything his LIES labor had
acquired of the rest without farthingit is
others were disked. Let not dream that this IS the
tbat the difference between the Christian and the sinner
is in the fact God loves the believer and hates him
who does believe, but In the fact that while the un
believer las shut ms eyes 10 the love "4ch &Od has
toward nl Tqi} }d =, az iova r. is nor that COD
loves US alone but tnat "we have known and believed
discovery tie finding out how much he loves God Look
ing from the window OF pdlaceCdr travelling CON-
pa1ion pointed to highway that crossed track and
ssd Ihat is the boundary line between PENNSYLVANIA
and New York" might otherwise have crossed IL In
ignorance Of the fact Not often do thus the
lue
do souls pass from darkness TO light uncon-
sous OF the time when the great change took place
But because we are so liable TO mistake in
our own spiritual condition, because our hearts are
by no means iniaube men invent tests 10 decide their
DO YOU love God7" question often asked Of soul
fu1urng the peace But notice that II Is not the
test which John applies in the text. He does not ASK
"Do you know aud believe the love that you nave
toward God but, do you know and believe the love
that GOD bath toward you g. For dear friends nothing
suits satan better than have the whole attention OF
Just awakened turned to bis own love for Cod The
one way IN which every serious thoughtful, inqurng
soul here today is kept back from Jesus is by putting
something OF his own dong-his trying 10 love Cod his
between hi, sinful sOul and Jesus the Savior
s. the iuveterate tendency Of the human heart But il
my bandadug 10 is the fractured lmo that
lie wants. Tho more | value my own
10y own attempts surgery the less likely AIN 10 trust
myself wholly aud implicitly TO hun ana MS methods OF
relief Now, If can persuade myself that there Is a
good deal o love TO God in my heart shall be the less
wingtO give myself as POOR nlseIsee sinner 10 iis
mat the Christian has known and believed for his saliva
tinu an love toward hlm-uO love that is III him.
TSs il what discovered: that the solid ground of
neace with God Is nothing III his own Character but
Iv and only iu the love God bears toward him. The
strTy il told that when President Lincoln oyerDudened
one day by official cares and private gIlei had refused
"a rXc Audience 70 the highest IN the land, "A poor
S1oan with her baby in her arms came pleading to be
heard lie could not resist her piteons appeal. Inc
80 f1rIoru creature who mad Travelled from the
Eortb 10 stay Qf the Presidents healt might
f touehe the execution OF her husband 0T desert0n,
,Dent forh from the White House wan MS pardon
,n her possession For aught l know the man
,hrs sayed may be living yet; ana u INus'