National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-06-25
THE EpLs1oPAL CHURCH.
EXTRACT FROM AN ADDRESS BY THE
REV DIR. KELLER,

REV. DIR. keller.
Rev. DR.. Keller, formerly pastor of Trinity
church in this city, recently delivered q ser
mon before the Diocesan convention of Wilkes
barre, Pa, in which he discussed the theolog-
zeal question underlying the present crisis in
the Episcopal Church, from which the follow
ing is an abstract:
RITUALIsM IN NATURE.
You will perhaps be surprised to learn that
am ritualist; one by taste, temperament and
every quick susceptibility Of my nature. And
vet no man must dare to indulge personal
tastes In the performance of public worship,
which shall tend in the slightest degree TO
compromise or obscure the truth of God. With
this limitation and warning ever before me,
can feel the force and impressiyeness of the
form of public worship prescribed by our
Church as at once natural, healthful, simple
and sublime. How can be unaffected by rit-
ualism, when standing IN the great temple Of
creation witness In It all that I see and hear.
In the sad autumn time hear 1t IN the
Msersre of the winds, the Litany of the falling
leaves and the solemn duplication of the
waters. hear It in the awful diapason of tn
storm, the Magnitodt Of the thunder and the
De Profxndis of the sad, complaining sea. !
see It and hear 1t In the Jubilats Dec Of the
glad spring and summer time, in the blazing
of the orient, the golden flush of the sunset,
the drapery of the morning and evening
clouds, and In all the choral voices of the
birds and all the stars; and know that the
Grand High Priest of the universe, in robes Of
glory, is officiating pontihcally. God is great
est and grandest of ritualists.
HEART OF THE CHRISTIAN.
American genius and modern art have grouped
on canvass, in one glow of associated beauty,
the majesty of the mountains, the splendor Of
the skies, the rocks and streams, the verdure
and the flowers, the shade and the sunshine of
the luxurious tropics. The picture is named
the Heart Of the Andes" and its leading
thought is the abundance of tropical life. The
Great Artist can paint on the human heart a
picture far grander and truer than that. We're
l an artist would sketch 1t thus: Central in
the scene should arise Calvary for Chimbora-
20; in the background giant rock, from which
gushed limpid streams. l would call that rock
Christ and the stream salvation. Below should
glide Siloa's brook, that flowed by the oracles
of God. would have a tree in the picture,
like unto the Tree of Life that is in the midst
of the Paradise of my God. would have the
fruits of faith, the leaves of hope and the
flowers of Christian charity. And there should
need no sun of thetropics to shine on It BY day,
nor the moon by night; for the glory of God
should tighten 1t, and the Lamb should be the
light thereof. This would be the Heart of the
Christian, and its lesson the abundance OF
spiritual life.
ST. PAUL AT ATHENS.
I see him-''the foremost man of all the
Notwithstanding on Mars hill, amid those
linen of Athens" the eye of Greece sleeping
sweetly below him; the drowsy hum of the
Agora floating upward from the distance; whilst
above him the bronzed statue of Minerva crests
the Acropolis; and amid it all-in that marvel
GUS, sensuous land of fable, philosophy and
song, where every grove sheltered divinity,
where every temple enshrined a god-Paul
stretched forth the hand and preached, "Jesus
and the Resurrection"