The New York herald., 1874-08-24
MADISON AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.


ssThe Course Of Every Man Prescribed
by God''-sermon by the Rev. Richard
Fuller, DID,, OF Baltimore, Md.
During the absence OF the regular PASTOR Rev.
Mr.. Elder, who Is now enjoying his summer va
cation in Philadelphia, the pulpit IN the Madison
avenue Baptist church, corner Tnirty-drst street
and Madison avenue. was occupied at the services
yesterday morning by the Rev. Richard Fuller.
DID,, Of Baltimore There Is no choir in this church,
and the congregational music Is conducted by y
precentor; but he sings so much faster than any
one else that the solemn narmoEiousness OF church
music is entirely lost. After delivering q
rather lengthy prayer-or it seemed lengthy
to those VINO had just come in and
we're waiting Tor seats-the Rev. Mr.. Fuller
commenced his discourse. He announced
subject. but said his text would be found in the
Acts OF the Apostles, xiii, 25-"And as John full
filed his course he said, Whom think ye tnat
am? am not he But, behold, there cOmetb one
after me, whose shoes OF his feet am not worthy
TO loose" Some men have been heard to say that
after all we are but the creatures OF circumstance
We are compelled to acknowledge tnat IN regard
to most persons THIS statement is true. We see
people all around us who are adopted into the
Church. Surely they are not the children OF chance.
No living religion can find its forms among the
ruins of dllapidated religion. This heresy has in
circumstance leads the life Of Jesus or the life
OF faith This heresy makes our spiritual
natures degraded. True manhood must stand
every day lace to lace with God and
duty. Eacn man has to follow course which God
Himself has prescribed Tor him, and, in order to
fulfil his duty. his conscience should be superior
10 the pressure Of any exterior circumstances.
John the Baptist was at once teacher O hero
ana martyr. They all nOcked to hear this child
OF the desert. Even the Jews, the Scribes and
the Phasisees, all gathered together that they
might and hear this wonderful preacher. The
Jewish nation knew that the Messiah was about to
come, and they were anxious to hear all they could
of Him. There was still severer trial for this
self-sacri1cing man. Wnen Jesus came and com.
menced TO baptlze the multitude lett John and fol-
lowed the Messiah How did John feel when he was
men would, but acknowledged at once the superi.
Ority OF Jesus: When you go home read the his
the selfsacri1ce OF John. met while reading in
English history lately passage which frightened
me- great many men are in the habit OF writing
things which are not intended Tor
THE PUBLIC EYE.
Modern ilustriOus men write what they do not
nounce the name Thomas Fuller, who said, 81 con-
Tess before God that somehow do not want the
o. to eSs at ne
that that, eve ever % lived ,,a and ,o, all their praise,
these men aside and reproved them for
their sins. He did what Jesus did after him. It
era way the state OF his mOrates from the pulpit,
but it would be esteemed almost a sin to mention
Jews the pharisees and the scrbes apart and ana told old
them where they were doing wrong. HerOd called
John good and dd al he could to please him. .St:
charged him boldly with his crimes. Although
this ruler Of the people had praised him and loaded
him with presents and favors, he dared to tell him
the unvarnlshed truth. We know now this good
man was subsequently, cast into prison and be-
us is immortal TIL he ulfls his course. Every
mans life is true life, provided religion to him Is
arealty There Is no such word as "perish" IN
the vocabulary OF true man to God. 1t teaches
us that II our lath is to be firm and active we
must be firm and active too. This course is what
but it must be wen done TO read this Scripturai
biography carefully and see how men with like
and ultimately conquered, is a great thing. All
my tears are laid aside n only remember Thee.
sue: 70 every man s1' Cod COD. appoints pSls his
@ which to iainI It. So to you and me, both, % God
prescribes q course. There Is no time to be
idle conrentment Lie is given % us 'Ia for grave
purpose and we must accomplish our work. The
great beauty is to nnish IN THIS world what Is al
lOtted to each OF US; not to spend our time In pic
finishing our course. We often hear
spoken Of. Without 1t, we read, no man can see
God nor commune with Him. There Is. perhaps,
word so little understood as that word holiness.
Its definition is, perfect harmony with Coo. This
holiness does not at all depend upon the
condition in which we are paced, whether
our years are all spring time or
all winter, whether our earthly possessions are
large or small, Some think n they were placed
differently they would lead molly lives. These are
dreams. We see spirit OF dscOntent aud even
unnappness every day. The prince Is unhappy,
the prosperous man Is unhappy, and even among
Christians this spirit prevails and overshadows.
The cause OF II IS the continual fighting between
classes.
Alter concluding his sermon the minister re.
marked that he did not know how Il was IN New
YORK, but IN Baltimore the sexton thought if ne
did not open The windows he would not have to
close them. In consequence OF this neglect