New-York tribune., 1875-12-06
rHr KEYS nF HEAVEN.

T1e R " h. fqsr ~ ne Crh Of ne Messiah tCHitGrignl
At the Church Of the Messiah, at Park ave
aDd Thirty0urtA-st, yesterday morning. the Rev VIII
Liam L. Alger preached a True and Counter
felt Keys t0 the Kingdom Of Heaven" Tic text was
Matthew XVII 49, will give unto thee the keys OF the
kingdom OF heaven"
This nrnmsc has generally been construed with bOasted
iiberaty Catholics that it gives them the power
TO open aud shut the gates Of Paradise ami ptugatOry
st. Peter appears history the celestial doorkeePcr
The fervor OF this belief is atcsed by the forms ~
which 1t embodied IN art and literature IN the Middle
Ages This can be easily explained The early cOncop-
tions OF cod were drawn from what was
uost familiar 10 mems minds. But tAey failed nit
right analogios They did not -ee that the actions Oh
human rulers were unit to repre.ent the conduct Ot
Divine KIM. Gods gits not offered 70 seiee. few
@ @ T,,s ',t varT ewes Won vim he blind II vou study
tho truth yOu VIII become wise moan act Will
affect your soul. God rewards anu plishch men by tne
uaIr reactions OF thei. own actions. The lav Of retr4-
button IS nfOugnt into the laws Of being God is the
governing ind nteriurlhg ald governing thc universe
what are he counterfeit ana VIVA. the genuine keys
OF heayenf In order understand tiis question We
Qisc rinlu@te lhr real from tAc ileuus We must
Tauniate the artificial theology OF words aHd Ilsp
of substantial ve1ties Heaven is not definite locality
DE- auyvncre II distlnct'ycly no particular Or cX-
elusive place. Nor h. % fixed IN quantity quality. The
capaciICs OF subjects art variable. 10 ih tIe tAn'
hi he IL reelected iu different lights io different men. Tne
lower Ia degree; everywhere and forever
fhe sane-a peaceful fellowship and enjoyment Of
S5od Tbe iin,nost idea Of Heaven ia an
enjoyment OF Col "a the seui. EVIL s an nSOnlsin ~
Cod The essence Of hell Is dscul ilIi functions thc
essence of heaven ~ harmonHed functions. Even II
man does NOT bUlieSe in Goi, is o0usucl harnOu1rs
,tI GI.- eqri,.r bis l. h. .tfll q lrtyeuly life TLr
mole ID which God IL 90 Dee known dnd ciJOfcd De
pend. On our intellectual dCyeiopncnt 4 com
mon idea tlat lie VIII DE seen,
and angels Ia countless numbers VIII DO Hilu
honor Tie childsnucSs TINS view obvious 90
WHO remembers that God is Omuipieseut verify
The Laws Of God God himself u action He aIr
precuaiIe al time at guOhcr. lie can De- known
an,yhcrr by tAOsc who A.yc faculties 90 know HIM.
Ile /.
OF HIM The beauty OI tic Nhoir io the rcVcL
God. without tis tAcTc - no Goa 1Ai lunialloa
substitutes Tor tic Infinite spirit Ihe} are only inter-
prelatons OF tEi- primary revelation Of God. They
Heaven. then is the frLlJn harmony Nita Ood-tic
consciousness Of the creature acting ln unison Win the
operations o; the Creator
iFal,e KEYS nave been substituted fOr true ones by
ceremony doglna. anG work. Tie fOur false Keys
Heaven These. the evangelical sects, VIII unlock
the gates Of Heaven. 3ut they are external ana me
cuaacal TaeY might Il Coo wefr ruler sitting
por OF truth fhcze KEYS caInof open auF privilege oI
unasten any door. Heaven not adBittante TO Ger
tain place: "a the o. certain cAAeIencc
which is % be gained by substantial character
The first key healthy condition qua action or
the seven with which Nc are endowed Ihesc ttt
the lowest vehicles o the divine to human nature Cod
is iunite and begin al te outside, ~ the region Of
sense u know Him. The second key a AnOSeGsc-a fa-
ttnuaI INTERPRETATION Of what Ispcd Dg The Sfnsc
rhe bot4nst, astronomer, the nlacI1tean The ge-
ologsf, the chemist the historian eaSh Sir admission
20 scene OF intelligent design. Then creative imagine
tion opens a prOvince-tbe empire ol an, IicAci
than either of tue previous domains lbe st al inis
stoned idealty brngn absent lovene-s neal and sheds
t4ipeFnal lgnf thy pictures Tbs nnorf realb
of ue xesasbc richness. Tue naxf hey ~ love. Ad'-
Quates understood ioseIs ioyafJ 10 e u 'e De.''''"