New-York tribune., 1874-09-14
SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF MAN.

ioyously sing He only is my Rock and my saiyauon
SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF MAN.
1n< M Hamilton a. tie Scotch Presbyterian Church
The following verse from the seventeenth
Chapter OF Jeremiah was the subject Of the sermon of
tbe Rev Samuel NJ Hamilton at the Scotch Presbyterian
Church in Fourteenth ST.. between Fifth and Sixth
aves.
Jeremiah xviii g. "For he shall be as tree planted
by the waters and that spreadeh out her roots by the
ryer and shall not when heat cometh, but her lear
shall be greeu neither shall cease from yielding frult
We have been hearing lately said the preacher OF the
close resembances between animal aud vegetable ife
Naturasts lust Interested 10 the study OF what
they call carnvorus pants-curious plants, the leaves
of which, II you drop an insect or piece OF nesh upon
them. Immediately close up. absorbing and digesnng
the meat, seemingly in the same way that an animal
does Animal aud vegetable life are very dlHcrent, YET
in some respects the growth OF man-of Christian man
may be compared TO that OF tree. 10 orihg o ou.
snbiect is the condition OF the Cody man. and all
through the Bible his condition Is frequently
d SScs of all that the cody man is not
pared TO forest tree that has grown up IN wlid unen
tured negeence but 70 % TOT aasnn nf m III
drive through a virgin forest IL delightful we see ma
ture as she has been and Is Yet 10 make veeeeapo
growths more and more productive tue ART Oh man m
must exercised nature. What Is true OF growth ID
of the worlds Kingdoms is true OF growth IN an9ther
the mind and life OF man. Take man on Dls lhtei.
ecual and ethical side and you viii lind the ngre o
the text true The world never gave Eh h gny
OF savage believed that every child should
be left to itself follow its own bent. and work out
its character The parent sets himself TO mold the
mind and disposition OF his child restraining nm gen
II possible fOrciby needful. from many thhg tnat
is wrong He does not leave him TO pick up knowledge
he can, but sends him TO school He trains MN ior
social life he prepares him for business In the family
in school, in cur social relations we are IKE trees In
wellcutivated garden great deal ei time anu care care
Is spent on u.s. There is comparison between man
OF education and culture and the savage who II ne DC
strongchested and OF stawart arm Is really weak as
Take man on his religious side. and you will see again
how true is the figure OF the text There is religious
principle in us that needs to be deyeloped educated
satisfied Your belief In that ia not shaken by the men
who with trumpet tongue have lately proclaimed from
high places Of science that thero Is no spiritual eie-
mont In human nature that the desoating raw
ages OF death Admitting that there such an element
your children good scholars good business men, and
neglect to train them regiousy or try TO shrk your
leaving them to a teacher who may not be capa
BILE Of dong them gooi Too many parents do so pay
but giving not a solitary thought 10 his soul
and his hereafter Like s the tree r.oi the child
will follow the necessary bent Of his nature He vii,
habits We who are of righteousness in the garden
of the Lord have been cared for relgi0usy Ine spr
tua element in trained or We should never
OF The Church has helped to tram al OF US
members il goes after the wanderers and the sinners
speaks TO hem watches over them seeks 10 ara" the
ments, its meetings for prayer. its Christian fell
lowships, we and muttudes more owe 1t that we
are saved religious natures have been de-
yelOped Recognize your Responsibilities. Inc mighty
river of peace flows round aud round the garden put
Won a INSTRUMENTS OF God TO the channels aud
let flow through TO the roots OF the trees But
what more important st Co.. o LIS own Nv m oiTeSr @
faith has definite object sure ground OF oertaihy. M
inward working OF the spirit these are Wnat Gou mas
done for is doing our religious natures In your
not grown up by chance. You have been as trees
planted by the waters, trimmed ana pruned INTO FORM
Recognize Gods way of making men ana OF making
CHRISTIANS and learn what lie expects from you in the
training and development OF Others
caring long for tree, looks for growth and fruit so
God because directly and by human means m has done
produce certain fruit. Christian growth means the
mas put within us till it controls with more or less
stancy the thoughts and feelings aud activities The
truths the doctrines OF Gods word accepted and real
ized b the SOUL are the soil of which this life grows
aud from which 1t receives In part Its nourlshment
grow sS "Ah intellectually n IA % or morally, no man can
have any influence on society, unless he has definite
anG dSe1sI yoa w loyal to the teachings Of your
mother If will remember what she told you about
Christ loves you and will help you 10 do is noble IL
you ask him say, II you be true to your mothers
than il you were acquainted with ali the sciences while
behind your knowledge there were no true principles OF
conduct There is need Of denlte truths for the out
growth OF spiritual character-t1at Jesus Is the Son Of
God and our Savior; that divine grace Is ready for
and mighty in us always; that Jesus Is the Judge
of all, aud Heaven the prepared and promised
home OF the righteous, Definite creeds are cried down
now emotion enthusiasm, life declared essen
als of religion. Here there is truth mixed with
creed that does not issue in purity OF life and eleva
ton of feeling useless; but emotion that does not
spring from truth which the understanding has
grasped is evanescent and unreliable. Because He
has planted you by the waters OF grace God expects
YOU TO grow; but you cannot be growing Christians
earnest and constant in your religious feelings unless
there decided convictions, fixed principles In
heart out OF which You may view life What you
need to grasp with the understanding well as with
the heart the faith of the Gospel.
But supposing the soil be enough the growth
Of the tree Is slow In this respect too the Christian
resembles the tree in the garden The dOctrine OF
Immediate sancshcaton Is hurtfu 10 spiritual lie and
effort. You who have struggled against aby habit of
long standing know how slow was your progress, how
painful the efforts put forth, and how and hope
less you sometimes felt about the result That the ex-
perence OF the Christian In his sanctihcaon David
Paul Augustine, have left us their confessions The
growth spreads out Its roots, takes hrmer
OF the The longer the Christian grows he becomes
the surely rooted In the faith, his understanding
OF the doctrines which Il becomes clearer and
more explicit his lovei to It's fobiect IN intensity
and his active obedience to fod whose
he delights ln becomes reader and In the very holiness
OF submission he receives the consciousness OF his
dignity and freedom.
THE HEBREW NEW-YEAR.