The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-03
BISHOP JAEGER.
Services in Philadelphia Conducted by
the New Prelate.
THE RITE OF CONFIRMATION.
Sermon on the Limit of
Our Duty

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, May q 1875.
The Right Rev. Thomas A. Jaeger, d. d., who.
on Wednesday last. was consecrated as Protestant
Episcopal Bisnop OF Southern ONO, oniciated this
morning in the Church OF the Holy Trinity, or
which he has been so long the beloved pastor 1t
was TO be one OF his last appearances among his
old pensioners before leaving for his field OF
labor and the large edihce was thronged. Be-
sides Bishop Jaeger there were also present the
Rev. Richard Gray OF Ohio; Rev. W. Q. Hopkins, OF
Illinois; Rev. q. M. Butler and Rev. U. Mail,
Df Philadelphia; Rev. D. H. Buell. OF North Caro-
lima; Rev. John Bayley, OF New York, and Rev. w.
I. Bull. the assistant OF the church The services
began with tue Litany. which was read by the
assistant pastor OF the church, after which fol-
lowed the feature OF the exercises OF the day
namely, the administration by the reverend
Bishop OF
THE RITE OF coNFIRMATIoN
20 class of tnirty-two persons, who had been
instructed ana fitted for taIs holy imitation by
she Btsnop himself during his passionate OF the
church. After this service Bishop Jaeger de-
hvered short address to those who had just been
connrmed advising and instructing them OF the
solemnity and importance OF the pledges which
shey had taken. 1t being the nrst Sunday IN the
month the rite OF holy communion was then adj
ministered by the Bishop. The communicates
who partook numbered ZOO.
At four O'Clock in the afternoon services were
held in holy Trinity chapel at which the Right
Rev. Bishop Jaeger was present, assisted by the
following:-Rev. r. A. Edwards, minister OF the
chapel; Rev. R A. Thomas, rector OF st. Matthew's
church: Rev. E. L. Murray. OF the Church OF the
Covenant; Rev. Newton Sanger. OF Ohio, and
the Rev. Richard Gray, President OF the Standing
Committee oil Southern Ohio A number OF young
ladies and gentlemen were confirmed, the Bishop
preaching
A SHORT SERMON
nom the text, "Lord, II 1t be thou"
from the story or Christ walking upon
the water and Peter calling TO him IN
the storm. After recIting vivdy The thrilling
story and pcturing the terror OF the disciples at
the raging sea and the roaring wind, added TO by
the sudden vision OF their Lord moving upon the
water, he described their feeling OF safety when
they felt that their Saviour with them. Yet
IN the first moment OF fear, he said, we know that
tbs Peters voice which first demands, 'Lord, IL
n be thou" We know he would be the last to be
moved by fear and the first to be treasured. s'lf
1t be thou, Did me Gomez He was not presump-
suous enough TO act without the Lords permls-
sion, but his dependency named into enthusiasm
when be recognized his Lords voice, and he would
dare all for him. When called by Him he ventured
upon the treacberous sea, and, having faith in
In Him. walked upon It as upon a solid pavement.
But as he leaves the SHIP and hears the waters
roar he forgets his Master, grows Dizzy aud be-
gins TO sink, and gives the despairing cry, "Lord,
save me, or perish ~ There Is more to admire
than 20 condemn In Peters conduct The knowl-
bdge that 10 Was Christ VINO called MADE him
strong. 1t was right for him TO III II be thou
bid me Gomez We should iasten our thoughts on
shat simple expression, "Lord, II IL be thou.n IL
n the single condition BY which all true rattn
regulates It's acts IL bids Us 10 fear nothing that
Christ commands. His words, at Is !, DO NOT
AFRAID" should be all We need. Like Peter, we
should bid defiance TO death itself II He calls The
unchrtstian win naturally shrink when they
behold toe burdens and duties or life
and the tsrrors OF death, but Christians need no
ether assurance than these words, ais 1t Cnrsts
Will that so forwardW We should ask ourselves,
and II We are assured IL Is, we should soy, ''rhy
grace Ii all sunicient for me.D and we should
bravely follow where Christ leads. True faith 10
not only fearless In spirit bot daring and prompt
In action. Living faith 10
NO PASSIVE PRINCIPLE
ts breaks away from all limitations which fear puts
around. IL 10 not what we wish to DO nor what we
feel able to do, but what Christ bids IA 40. Peter
ala not ASK more tnan--'1Lord, ~ 10 be Thou, BID
me come" There 10 q mistake that many
fan into Of thinking that because certain
things do not seem 20 be specifically
forbidden they are not wrong. We ought
20 test every such question ws may have in our
thing whicn is antagonistic TO this IL absolutely
forbidden. II is Just as wrong to measure our
autJ Dy our ability We see this disposition IN
many who do not quite become Christians, because
tney DO not quite feel strong enough. We see IL IN
the fancied incompeteney OF those VINO viii not
aid In religious work. The limit OF our duty Is
Chrisps WILL The strength comes as we ooey.
when we step upon the waves they hold us up.
We only sink when lose faith.
Peter only sunk when be began to doubt.
Faith follows where Christ leads. II
never holds pack when he seems 10 call. Peter
proved Christ oy trusting him. he did not say
HLet me come TO Thee ana prove It." BY believing
ne proved L. 'sThy mercy. o God, holds me up,n
10 might have said, with tue psAlmist.
We cannot understand Christ's power any more
nan we can the mystery OF life. We cannot rea-
on IL cut; we can only have faith; we can prove
Ris existence and His power as the spring plants
Rovs there 10 life in Gods creatlon-by trusting,
md growing until we bear iruit. We can prove
lin as friend proves friend, not by argumsnts By
sasonina, but By responsive fosnngE and sympa-
tAiss, By latin and trust.