Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-06-05
8eli9iOus department.
Conducted ~ Rnv. Q. NJ. sourneArn.
CHARLES KINGSLEY AS A
PREACHER.

the "Westminster Sermons" we do not ind
the brilliant language aud vivid descriptions
Astounding in these other works, for he is too
reverential to think Of entertaining, when
he has solemn thoughts for waiting souls.
But the masters power is shown by putting
greatest truths into simplest language. The
mysti6cations Of philosophy and abstrusities
of science are held in perfect solution by this
clear medium, that he may lead us as little
children into the Kingdom. A thorough
student, grieved at the divorce between
science and religion, he says Of these ser.
mons that seven when they deal with what
is usually, and rightly, called vital aud Tex.
perimentaP religion, they are comments on,
and developments Of the idea that facts,
whether Of physical nature, or Of the hu-
man heart and reason, do not contradict, but
coincide with the doctrines aud formulas Of
the Church of England, as by law establish
ed" The church has good reason to COM
plain that some defenders Of the faith have
attacked the recent advances of science
much as the Inquisition met the discoveries
of Calico the more thankful should we be
that this preacher has so expressed his
hearty belief that one truth will always
throw light upon another truth, however
widely apart they may seem at FIRST. We
shall call in his help some other time when
speaking Of the relations of Science and
Christianity; at present, we quote some
passages which will directly further the de-
sign of these columns, to give spiritual food,
strong and sweet, to those who love it. A
passage in a striking sermon on the pronoun
l, gives us new apprehension Of psalm
we thought VIC understood
"Wouldst thou not be curse unto thy.
self2 Then cry with him who wrote the
10th Psalm--I am Thine. Oh save the
me, whom thou, o God, hast made.
For he who wrote that psalm had an in
tense conviction Of his own personality. l,
and me, are words forever in his mouth
but not in self.satis6ed conceit, nor in self
tormenting superstition, crying perpetually,
Shall be saved? shall l be lost2 No.
Faith in God delivers HIM from either Of these
tollies. He is forced to think of self. Sad,
prosecuted, seemingly friendless, he is alone
with self, yet not alone. For every moment
he is referring himself to his true place. in
the universe; to Cod Gods law, Gods
help. The burden of self-of mingled re.
| and =, -
bearing. 1t would be utterly past bearing,
if he could not cast it down, at least at mo-
ments at the foot Of the throne Of God, and
cry, am Thine. U save me-"
He discourses beautifully upon The Ce-
dars Of Lebanon :" we should love to give
you the whole Of it, but this must suffice
1t has happened to me--through the
bounty of God, for which shall be ever
grateful-to have spent days in prmeval
forests, as grand, and far stranger aud far
richer than that Of Lebanon and its cedars !;
amid trees beside which the hugest tree in
Britain would DO but a saplog; gorgeous
too with flowers, rich with fruits. timbers,
precious gums, aud all the yet unknown
wealth of tropic wilderness. And as |
looked up, awe-struck and bewildered, at
those minister's not made by hands, found
the words Of Scripture rising again and
again unawares TO my lips, and said-Yes !:
the Bible words are the best words, the only
words for such n sight as this. These too
are trees of God which are full of sap.
These, too, are trees, which God not man,
has planted. Mind, do not say that L
should have said so, if | had not learnt to
say so from the Bible. Without the Bible
| should have been, presume, either an
idolater or an atheist. And mind, also, that
| do not say that the Psalmist learnt to call
the cedars trees Of God by his own unassist.
cd reason. | believe the very opposite.
believe that no man can SEQ the truth of a
thing unless God shews it him that no man
can find out God, in earth or heaven, unless
God coDdescends to reveal Himself to that
man. But believe that God did reveal
Himself to the Psalmist did enlighten his
reason by the inspiration Of His Holy Spirit !;
did teach him, as We teach child what to
call those cedars; and, as it were, whispered
to him, though with no audible voice Thou
wishest TO know what name is most worthy
whereby TO call those mighty trees: then
call them trees OF God. Know that there
is but one God, Of whom are all things and
that they are His trees and that He plant
ed them, to shew forth his wisdom, His pow
or and His good will to man."
And do you fancy that because tho Jew
called the great cedars trees of God, that
therefore he thought. that the lentiscs and
olcanders, by tho brook outside, were not
Gods shrubs; or the lilies and anemones
upon the down below we're not Gods flow.
ers2 Some folk have fancied so.-It seems
to mo most unresonably. l should have
thought that here the rule stood true that
that which is greater contains the less that
if the Psalmist knew God to be mighty
enough to make and plant the cedars, be
would think Him also mighty enough to
mako and plant the smallest flower at his
feet. think so. For l know it was so
with me. My feeling that those enormous
trees over my head were Gods trees, did
not take away in the least from my feeling
Of Gods wisdom and powOr in the tiniost
herb at their feet. Nay rather it increased
my feeling that God was filling all things
with life and beauty till the whole forest,
if l may so speak in all humility, but 10
all honesty-from the highest to the lowest,
from the hugest to the smallest, and every
leaf and bud therein, seemed full of the
glory of God. Aud If 1 could feel that
being the thing | am-how much more must
the inspired Psalpist have felt III You see
by this very psalm that he did feel it. The
grass for the use Of cattle, and the green
herb for men. aud the corn and the wine arc
Gods gift The earth is "flled," ho says,
"with the fruit of Gods works" Filled :
not dotted over here and there with a few
grand and wonderful things which God
cares for, while He cares for nothing else
but filed. Let us take the words of Script.
ure honestly in their whole strength and