The New York herald., 1874-09-07
TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH.

The Three Gxeat Elements of Gospel
Power-sermon by Rev. j. b. Hnw-
thorne, ID. d., Of Louisville, Ky.
The Rev. J. B. Hawthorne, d. D., Oh Louisville,
KY, preached yesterday morning at the Taber.
nacle Baptist church in Second avenue, near
Eleventh street, to quite a large congregation,
Fl ON the crowd OF worshippers at the church 1t
was easy to tell that the summer vacation was to
great extent over. and that the good people Of
this city had returned from the sea bathing and
camp meetings and rusticating to the ordinary
pursuits of city life, with its regular round OF Sun
day sermons. The theme OF DR.. Hawthorne's dis
course was one pregnant with interest, and en-
titled ''The Three Great Elements OF Gospel
Power.u 1t was carefully and attentively listened
TO and favorably received.
The reverend preacher took his text from Paul's
Epistle to the Romans, T., 16-'I am not ashamed
of the Gospel OF Christ for 1t Is the power OF God
and salvation to everybody who Delleveth; to the
Jew first, and also to the Greek" AT first glance
this would seem very simple thing for Paul 10
say. or course not; who need be ashamed to
own 1t Certainly nothing was
MORE RESPECTABLE THAN cHRI.TIANITY.
The great nations OF the earth were Christian ma.
tions There was no civilization worth preserving
which was not essentially Christian in It's charac-
ter But the people among whom Paul lived were
OF very different nature, and they looked upon
Paul as "natelul Jew" There was a people
VINO were looked upon as the Brtons look upon
the HindoOs and to this despised, conquered race
paul belonged. Was 1t not yet 80 to some extent ?
Excluded es @ rom ali Respectable POSITIONS pos in the
world. At that period the Jews were particularly
odous among the Romans It wos
should be pioneered by detestable Jew. Add to
this tnat Paul was destitute OF outward graces !;
that he was represented as being baldheaded, cub
footed, with one eye. Paul's theme contained no
element when was fascinating TO the carnal sense
he came to unIIrl the standard OF u religion that
has no aesthetic element in 1t, and makes an ap-
TO THE SENSE OF THE BEAUTIFUL
IN man. Christ was unlike the old Hebrew
prophets, who were great poets and levers OF ma
ture. Tney were gathering all the time flowers
from hill to dale, and twining them round the
rugged edge OF truth. The religion or which Paul
was the apostle only promised the cross Of
ignominy, SO 1t was, indeed, heroism to stand up
and say boldly 81 am not ashamed OF the Gospel OF
Christ" And why was he not ashamed Of it9 His
reason was grand and conclusive. In the creation
OF the world God exhibited HIS physical power
and in redemption he manifested HIS spiritual
force. One secret Of the great influence OF christi
as an immortal being. If 1t was all life to live
and all OF death TO die, what more was the aborer
tined ee son and an ae ok ,Sr or the G9se
OF man He invested him with dignity which he
never before possessed. If they looked upon man
as a creature OF few years only, how could lie be
ABOVE THE BEAST OF BURDEN?
! But If man was put here to be transplanted to a
nooler and better sphere, where he was to grow
TO a greater manhood, 1t was GEAR that he be-
longed to superior scale OF beings. The Gospel
had great power, because it appealed to
man deathless creature. Whatever
kinded In man the hope OF future
lie was the only power which could transform
HIM into child of light, and this was the power
OF the Gospel Another power OF the Gospel was
exercised through tne conscience OF man. IL was
the faculty through which man apprehended the
power and majesty OF God, and through which
God held audience with man. consGencel Who
had not felt it7 II spoke and the cowardly assas-
Sin was arrested In his path ana was unnerved
before be struck the deadly blow. " was with
this faculty that the preacher had mainly TO do.
| HIS office was 10 bring ~ out IN its full power. II
he merely spoke 10 the passions or to the maglna-
/ tion the demagogue or the poet could outranS
| and constrained him to write his own condemna-
/ tiOu, Another. aud perhaps the cntet element oi