New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-24
RELIGIOUS THEMES.
VICTORY OVER THE WORLD.

VICTORY OVER THE WORLD.
The Rec Dr. Rob4ason Plymouth Church. Brooklys
The Plymouth congregation reassembled
Yesterday morning In Plymouth Church, which has been
closed for repairs during the past four weeks, although
the lecture room has been used. The attendance,
although large was not sufficient to all the church. and
the services conducted by the Rev. Dr. Robinson
OF Troy who road the lesson the eleventh and po
ton the twelfth chapters Of Paus Episte to the He
brews on the Power of Faith" During the prayer
which preceded the he said congregations and
Christians constantly being affected by external
influences. and prayed that both might be able through
faith to utter the petition "Thy will he DONE, with
full consciousness OF its great meaning He expressed
thankuness that they had not been overcome Dy the
apparent power of evil and that the wrath OF man had
instead been turned TO the praise OF His Holy Name;
that where Gods enemies had opposed His people
He had made all things bright In His own
good time. He prayed that the parental
love OF the Father might rest on the congregation OF
that church. strengthen the members In the fath com
fort who mourned, and give peace to all so tnat
In the future, Plymouth Church might be more glorious
than heretofore to the honor OF the Redeemer and TO
the glory of HIS name. He further prayed for that
dear and honored servant, the pastor OF the church,
that the spirit of might go with him to the hills and
give him peace, so that he might return home with
renewed strength, aud. while standing In ms accos
toned place, should be even more powerful In the
advocacy OF the truth, making his future work more
fruitful than the past in bringing souls to CHRIST he
gave thanks for the power OF Christian fellowship
having become emboldened by what he had seen TO be-
lieve that such feowships Christians become even
stronger in power for good.
The congregation then sang the 162d hymn, praise
We the Lord" after which Dr. Robinson selected tue IoE
lowing as his text: "who is he that Overcometh the
world but he that beeveth that Jesus Is the son OF
God" l. John. 1t useless the preacher said 10
DENY the existence Of spiritual enemies. 1t was not
haf no OF
tagonstc to Christ and that it necessary to strug
gle for the victory SO universal was the extent OF SIN
and its results that nothing but faith IN Coo couo
victory 1t necessary that man shou'o
pass through trails and struggles In order that he might
be trained to endure hardships The foes which the
Christian had to encounter had been variousy named
and vet they were all comprehended in the one word
| "world" That word stands for all that is
opposed to Christs kingdom. But the life outside
the man was not all that he had TO contend with;
for man had world within that could not be shut out
by monas,ic walls forest retreats. The will and de-
sire of mans heart remained, and time and place did
not change it, The inner world could make man find
heaven In hell. and cause hell 10 DE maze even OF
counter An open foe generally inspired enthusiasm
and persecution would only strengthen those VINO
be heard was not so much dreaded stealthy thief
who crep the house during the night The specous
wealth power. the pride of life, we're more danger
the Christian than open sins and were Only TO De
not The product of either education culture Both OF
those alitIes might used either for against the
truth, and they were no protection against vice.
They merely trained the powers OF the wicked
10 war against the righteous. The nature OF
tree could not be changed by prunlng; so culture
m ght take bad men, make item pleasant IN manners,
and them TO be perfect gentlemen although
sim leaving them inwardy bad Education also
gilt train the Dind ana yet eave tDe huueh sources
of untouched. Faith acted directly on the SOUL An
inventor I'D toll day aud night regardless OF the calls
for and Sleep having faith in the principle that he
could produce something that would bless the world and
give IN
LABOR by faith that In the heart OF the mountain lay
the hidden treasure which he seeking But there
was 10 need of looking further for Illustrations while
there a sublime nearer in Plymouth Church IL
Tue confidence of the members OF that chufch In
or their pastor, even while ne was suer-
lag under tho heavy lashings OF caluinny' lut,
nIshed all the Illustration OF worldly 1alth tha cOuu
he needed. How mach greater must TINS feeing De
when the object sJesusslove IL had Deen seen WITHIN
few how love for country would turn the stuoent
aud salesman INTO heroes, Inspiring them 10 per
form marvellous deeds. Many men had been saved from
ruin aud eternal death by the restraining love OF pure
woman, anu others through the trusting love OF child