The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-05

did his greeting not give them? "Peace be with
you.n II vas 20 them forgiveness OF their SINS
a cancellation Of an their shortcomings, and IL
gave them strength they had never known
before. Their hearts had been torn asunoer by
the separation they mad had TO undergo from
their Lord and Master, whom they felt they had
treated-some OF ihem-wlth such inRratItuue
Their grlel was OF supernatural order. lhey
were really Tepentant TOR their slns ann the real
proof or IL was aiterward demonstrated by their
sunerngs for Chrisrs sake and the purity OF their
through tnem and their successors, he addressed
70 US; and, IN order that we might nave Inc peace
abandon our Dad ways, be truly repentant Tor our
sins, and determine VITA GODS grace never more
TO give Him offence. II necessary we should
not hesitate 10 give up all Tor Colour
ambitions Tor worldly things, our attachments 70
them and even to give up those pleasures winch,
though innocent in themselves, might be 10 us
occasions Of SIN. IL was all very well TO win
great name IN the world, TO accumulate great
riches ana to be talked OF BY men, but all mat
would avail q man nothing with God II he neg
lected to serve Him faithfully. To De proud OF
one's position IN lfe TO be ambitious, was not In
Itself sin Tor pride aud ambition when properly
dlrectea could pc made 70 redouna 70 sne glory o.
God But u not properly directed they leu 70 SIN.
The peace God gave the soul that was faithful 10
HIS teachings surpassed an understanding, aud ne
VINO enjoyed IL could anord 70 nave contempt
Tor The things oil TINS world. salvation meant an
eternity OF happiness and Gods peace guaranteed
IL to the pure OF heart without regard TO his
standing Ia this world. The poor and the rlcn
were the same IN His sight What folly was IL
not then ior man 10 neglect ms eternal welfare
simply 10 gain something IN THIS world which
could not outlast his lie on earth.
The reverend father closed by earnestly exhorr-
ing his hearers TO live that they might alter
death enjoy IL OF eternal happiness IN heaven.
FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.
cHRIsrs APPEARANCE TO THE APOSTLE THOMAS
SERMON BY DIR. ARMITAGE.
DR.. Armitage, oil the Fifth avenue Baptist churcn
in continuance OF his series OF sermons during
Holy Week on the appearances OF our Saviour
IFg. lacr
evening upon ''Cnrst's Appearance to the Apostle
Thomas selecting mis- text from John, Xxx, 26-2o-
"And alter eight days again HIS disciples were
WITHIN and Thomas with them. Jesus comes, the
doors being shut ana stood In the midst and salo,
Peace be 10 you.' Alter tnat lie says to Thomas,
Reach nither thy finger and see my hands; and
reach thy hand and thrust 1t into my side and be
not iaitnless but believing Thomas answered
and said 10 Him, my Lord and my God.' Jesus
says TO him, Because thou hast seen,
thou hast believed. Happy they VINO saw
not and have believed" After referring
to the absolute disappearance OF Jesus
during the week which had interviewed since
He appeared among the ten. the reverend speaker
said Thomas holds a conspicuous place, such as
no other man holds, in the remarkable series or
evidences to Chrisrs resurrection. But, weighty
and conclusive as 1t is, 1t has Obtained Tor MIN
very unenviaule celebrity. AS II by almost
universal consent, whenever lnOUls' name Is
mentioned among Christians the epithet "unpe-
levinan is af1xed thereto; ne Is set forth under
great discount, If not positive ban, as compared
with bis brethren. Now 1t may be regarded as
very presumptuous 10 differ from the common
opinion but stll think tnat an honest attempt
TO rescue the character OF Thomas from
THE DISTINGUISHING AsPERsIoN
which has been cast upon IL. may not be unpar-
be IN those oil His followers. Now, If u perverted
view OF Scrlptural transaction obtains. the
peculiar nenedt winch it is designed TO con-
vey is either oDscured or lost, Dotn IN It's truth
and influence. | claim that TINS Is the case
10 a very marked degree IN this instance, ana
IN order to get IL a better Understand ny OF the
matter propose TO consider several things with
reference TO Thomas IN TINS transaction. And
first cannot, with any semoance OF either JUS
tice or truth, proceed 10 gauge Thomas from the
point Of view IN wnca we ao1n AZ rue
oil Christ to-day upon an entrey different order
OF evidence nom tnat which we insist u,on as all
then recIted all the testimony upon which ialtn IN
the resurrection OF the saviour Is founded In this
day, and continued:-l, III Tue absence OF all
these. you cannot put Thomas IN the same place
which you occupy, then put yourself In the same
place winch ne niled ana see now you would be
likely TO act under the same surroundings. The
political and religious education OF the times
among The Jews was such as 10 lead Thomas 10 be-
leve that the Messiah was 10 be q temporal
prince, and there was 10 be, according 20 MS idea
no sucn places In the geography OF the Kingdom or
God as &c nsemane aud calvary anu Joseph's tomb.
In second place Jesus Himself cast no such as
nersions upou Thomas as His followers eel perfect
IL Tree TO cast upon him. he grants Ihomas' rea-
sonaDie demand because he knew that he wanted
10 be honorable and upright IN MS convictions as
well intelligent; ne wanted 70 Deueye II he
could consistently. Our Lord was perfectly con-
versanL with the history and temperament or
Thomas, and treated MN accordingly. Dean Stan-
lev BEAUTIFULLY observes on TINS POINT. "All that we
know oil nlm derived from me Gospel OF Ct John,
and this amounts 10 three Lrdits-that OF man
slow TO beneve, seeing all the ciiiicullIes OF the
case, subject to despon1ency, viewing things on
the darker SIDE and yet 1ul o, ardent love lJr MS
Master.u Tue Lord recognized his faith, which DIS
crlmInateu in evidence. 1 cannot say that In tne
words III ppy are they VINO nave not seen aud
yet believer ne dId not intend
MILD REBUKE
OF Thomas for his lncredullty, out II he did, all
the otner apostles shared the reDuke WITH MIN.
Not a man Ot the wnoie company mad believed
without seeing all that Thomas nad. therefore,,
and IN the tnird place. Thomas believed upon the
same evidence alter AL which mad convinced his
brethren, the other apostles. After showing how
the otner disciples had refused 10 believe the
story Of the women and the others who nrst saw
the Lord, the speaker said Thomas demanded
only tie evidence winch had been iurnisned The
,tners beior they believed. The peculiar dlstinc-
ton OF believing without seeiug neither Thomas
nor the other apostles could claim, could OF
them lag CLAIM to the blessing winch follows
thereon A strong bond OF union was created be-
tween Thomas and the saviour, the rays Of whose
DIVINITY penetrated deeper IutO MS heart than
they did at that time mo the hearts OF the rest.
lie did not rush INTO ms proclamation OF Cnrlsts
resurrection lndlscrlminately, out he had an the
posltlveness 81 evidence and argument drawn
from personal knowledge. lie spoke what no
knew ana testified what nad seen IN all the