National Republican., 1875-09-13

was trial to part with 50 many who had gone
forth to unite with other organizations, but 20
lose eight members In one year by death Drought
| SADNESS TO THEIR HEARTS.
Such was life, even in the Church Of Christ They
| knew not what an hour might bring forth, yet 1t
was this that made rich and precious the words OF
| Christ, that he had gone to prepare way. 1t
| was discipline that made the soldier and not the
uniform, and these sOrrows and grisfs that .,s ne
Fssssrs nouse nSsf time. WE'RE in n the % hands
form their duties TIL he sale. SEnOuGh; come up
| higher"
that was 70 glorify God. when other churches
had intimated to him that call TO their pastor.
ate could be obtained, as soon as ne had read
fife was In washington. They had seen that his
children. For thirty six years he had lived with
the words in his heart, ''My times are in thy
words to his Father and their Father n the great
ness divine wisdom their future wasin every case
concealed bat each could say with the confidence
hand.n Herce they worked on and on from day to
day: They need have no anxieties. He cordially
| times had been in the hands Of the Divine. In
the past thirty six years he had been remarkably
more preaching and pastoral duties than others
It was blessed privilege so to labor for Christ
Jesus H. and md them n IN any way and to any extent
used TO talk Of what might be in the future. He
thought that It would be better for him not to do
He could say that he should labor for them and
their children. He knew nothing Of the to-mor-
row-what should be-but this he did know, my
times are in thy hand" He urged bis hearers to
enter with him upon that thirty-sixth anniversary
into the covenant Of Christ. His days were but
as q hands breadth, span. my times are 10
thy hand"
New Independent N. 3. Church.
The cornerstone Of the new Independent NJ. E.
church was laid at Graysville, near Tennslly-
town, d. O., at O'Clock yesterday afternoon, by
the pastor of the church at that place, Rev. Jacob
Ross. assisted by Rev. J. A. d. Green, pastor Of
the First !. M. E. church In this city, and Rev.
A. NJ. Green of the same connection The church
is located upon most beautiful and eligible site
on the road leading from Tennsllytown to Seneca
Fails, and is better known as the Old River road
This section Of Montgomery county, Md, is
largely Inhabited by an industrious and enter
own their own homes, and from the appearance Of
their little garden spots and other domestic
forts look as though they were better prepared
for the hardness of the times and the prospective
severity OF the coming winter than many of our
| people in the city. One Of the leading spirits
among the men of color 10 this vicinity is Francis
Gray, local preacher of the 1. NJ. E. Church
He was Of the first settlers in this vicinity,
and had the honor of having the village "a large
part Of which ground is owned by him) called BY
There was quite large attendance of persons
present. both from the city and the surrounding
country, and all seemed to be very deeply i'm
pressed with the Importance and solemnity Of the
at II o'clock the service was conducted by Rev.
j. A. ID. Green, who preached an able sermon
from John Xv:5. After which there was prayer
and benediction, by Rev. James Nolan, Of zion
Wesley connection.
At 2 p. m. the cornerstone was laid with ap-
propriate ceremony, Rev. A. NJ Green preaching
the sermon from Heb. xI:Ss, 40: "And these ali
having obtained gooo report through faith re-
eeived not the promise, God having provided some
better thing for US, that they, without US should
not be made perfect At the close of the after
noon service a very liberal collection was given
assist erection Of a n
Rev. Jacob Ross. the pastor Of this church, has
q good prospect before him.
At st. Matthew'S Church.
Father DeWolf yesterday morning selected as
his text st. Matthew, xxii:s7: "Thou shalt love
the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and thy
whole soul and thy whole mind"
He said that God had enjoIned this upon man
as his first and great commandment; that It was
| given as a special commandment for the guidance
of his creatures, and therefore the first and high
| est duty of man was to love God. For what else
are We created-what is the object Of our being,
he asked, # not to. obey this divine injunction?
1t embodies the highest happiness Of this world
and the complete bliss Of the next. There would
be no object In giving man heart If its true func-
man does not love God his heart Will fix its az
fections upon worldly objects, to the neglect Of
God for himself He must W love him because he
hrst loved US. Does be not entail upon daily
the manifold blessings Of his love? Though We
turn IN our sin and error from the inestimsble
gifts Of his love and grace, still he stands ready
to receive those who are truly repsntant and who
| seek his forgiveness.
But this love which we profess for God must
must abide sincerely in the heart and % ind mani. %
festation In the acts of our daily lives. And we
must test this love by an observance of his COM
| mandments. II we have the true charity of God
| in us We must love him and follow his command
| ments, for charity ia dead in him who commits
Gin. There can be no true love of God in the
| m.
OF him who is the essence and source Of all purity
and goodness requires purity Of heart and mind,
| The true love Of God enriches more than all
else besides. 1t enables him to perform wonders
and to do miracles. 1t gives him the power TO
all its trials, disappontments and sorroWs, and
above all, 1t qualities him to serve God as he
to God by our love of him. Let US then see
| whether we have within that true and all
absorbing love described in the text. If We have
our hearts must offer Its nrst and deepest afec-
tions to the Lord, and to him whole minds
and souls must be devoted. Without this love
all our actions can avail nothing to obtain that
place which has been prepared for each OF US in
| heaven.
But how few. now a-days, think on this all i'm
but God, from whom we turn In the blind pursuit
Of earthly happiness. Parents place their whole
their hearts and minds to the perishable riches Of
this liie and the politician forgets his God in his
strife for power. How seldom we pause to reflect
| upon that one great commandment
Our hiehest duty is to promote the honor and
glory OF God. When the Saviour dismissed his |
apostles to ditfuse the Gospel among the nations
OF the earth their mission was exaIt the glory
and honor OF God, and ours is the same. Let us
consider seriously then, whether that true love
of God abides in our hearts, and whether our |
daily actions tend to promote his honor and glory.
Of our MINDS and souls and bodies are ct' not em.
ployed to offend rather than to honor him. Strive
10 love him for himself, for his goodness, and for
his love to man.
Navy-Yard Baptist Church.
At this church last evening the text was from
Acts, xxi:2s-" Almost thou persuadeth me to be
Christian" These words, said the preacher,
were from Agrippa, the ruler next to Cessr, the
great, the honored, the very learned King OF
Judea, to Paul, prisoner-a representative of q
small, despised sect. See the vanity of worldly
greatness. Agrippa seemed to have all that he
sSuld S1S d dssirs.fank. riches power and honor;
says: almost thou persuadeth me to be like |
thee" Wealth, rank, honor did not give to
what they most desired. Nothing profits man |
who loses his own soul.
pricks him. The spostis had SPOKEN To- FsstSs
of Righteousness, temperance and judgment to |
come, and Festus, like Agrippa, was moved. They |
prophets, Of danger, and Of q way for escape.
@ oa nj AspPa ~ Pa was az
him who sent nj the prisoner to him; but behold |
; the result Almost thou Persuadsst lest me to be
situation IN which IL would be SO difficult for any
man to say thisF Yet how many with no tempts.
tion the other way are saying the same: almost |
thou persuadest me to be Christlan?"
1t is the truth II is in Jesus that affects men,
1t was preached by Paul by Luther, by Whit |
field and men were not almost but thoroughly |
persuaded to be Christians. 1t is this truth that
must redeem men.
1t was much that Agrippa, king, should say |
that almost he was persuaded to be one Of a pro-
scribed sect; that the teachings of Paul were far
the grandest and most glorious he had ever |
heard:
Let us look into our own lives and see II many |
Of us, when it is comparatively easy to be Christ
ians, are not farther of than Agrtppa. Let those
who feel persuaded to become Christians take the
one further necessary step.
A specially attractive feature in this eloquent |
preachers discourse, but ore that makes any
thing less than full report tame and disappoint-
ing is the singularly full yet apt employment of |
illustrations Of the different points. These he |
draws with Q wonderful pertinency from all |
sources.
Y.M c. A. Services.