The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-01
Mr.. HepwOrth Illustrates the Irresistible
Force Of Christianity.
HUMILITY AND HAPPINESS.
Mr.. rockingham on the Attempt to Set Priest
and King Over Conscience.
PROFIT AND LOSS OF GOODNESS.
A Movement Toward the Establishment OF
Catholic Canon Law.
+. CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.

CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.
THE TRIUMPHANT FORCE OF CHRISTIANITY
SERMON BY THE REV. GEORGE H. KxPwoRTH.
The b1d weather yesterday morning must have
deferred many devout church goers from attend
ing usual services Tor even at the Church oftne
Disciples at the corner OF FortyIourth street and
Madison avenue, the congregation that assembled
20 listen to the discourse OF the Rev. George II.
Hspworth appeared greatly thinned. The sub
ject chosen was 1.-THE Triumphant Force OF Chris
uanityn and 1t was handled With the usual skill
OF the reverend gentleman. Beginning with the
Scriptural ausion to the force and power OF truth
a. suggested by the query OF Ptlate he passed
ON to the consideration OF the vital elements OF
truth a. embodied IN the teachings Of Christianity
The sermon was ornate with rich imagery, more
especially in those parts In which the rare and
abiding value OF the Christian faith Is contrasred
win the specious and evanescens endurance Of
other religions, and was received with profound
attention.
The reverend gentleman took for his text
the thirty eighth verse OF tho eighteenth chapter
OF the Gospel according to st. John-"Pilate saith
pnio him, what Is trutnf' The interview be-
tween Plate, the seli-seeEer, and Jesus the self
forgotten, Is very notable one. Plate asked the
Master whether It was true that He presumed 10
be King of the Jews, whereupon Christ disclosed
part o. His plans ana introduced the listener to
force he had never recognized before and which
ne mad almost found 1t Impossible to conceive.
Christ said tnis fierce was the truth, and upon the
strength Of this force Christ based His kingship,
and prophesied that the time would come when
everybody under its sway would be HIS disciples.
The sentence OF the text was undoubtedly de-
livered with some pity at Ms self-deception.
Plate felt himself on higher level OF common
sense To man who was 80 foolish as TO claim
greater power than the physical one OF which be
(Piate) the representative he OF course deemed
himself superior. and he put the query. "what
Is TRUTH" Brethren, Plate lived at time wien
force was the ruling element OF she world might
was right, the only power that controlled was
that OF great army. Every nation struggled for
the supremacy OF the world until Rome absorbed
ali the nations OF the earth within Its own juris-
diction. When even Palmyra rose under the
Inspiration OF its beautiful queen Rome sent out
her cohorts, and no deed Of proves was lett un-
done until Palmyra bit the dust and until It's
beauteous ana famed zenobia was conquered and
rode captive through tee streets OF Rome.
ANOTHER AGE.
But after eighteen centuries have gone by we
learn how TO measure human affairs by different
standard. Where now Is tue GOLDEN sceptre
whose influence was ielt TO the iartnest limits oI
the north ana south and OF the east and oil the
west where now Is The civilization OF which
those Caesars and that Roman army were the
Vpes9 where Is the Pantheon Of Athens The
steady tramp VI the Centuries mas RAISED such q
dust Iuat the loltiest temple and highest pillar are
covered up. And now wnen men want 70 mud
their way 10 Tue Odd thrones II must be with the
picEaxe and by digging through the bowels OF the
earsn. All that 10 past. We have lea ned another
lesson. Our ances ors were iAoortng unaer tue
not by truth, which outlasted tue Rllded halls OF
Palmyra. The thing whicn Is tue most diffcuit Of
all TO Ia IL Iruta. And even II II be calned II Will
i've until its letters all away, and, we'd II VIII
start ON It's MISSION vi triumph through the world.
Truth never oles. 10 the oiden lime men buried Q
HANDFUL Of seed with mummy. Alter many CEN
yurles we unrvll Tie cotton ciOth and the nSnolul
seed in rlcu soil, ana inc sun ana warmth oring
forth beautiful piant, as iresn ana orignt - the
human eye has ever Dehed. so VITA fru D. IL may
be confined and still II Will lve until It mas suoJu-
gated mankind and Is acknowledged Dy tue word.
IDEAS FukCEs.
You and now recognize ne TACT that only fde ~,
principles, are the Iouhoativn stones upon winch
we Duiid our characters as individuals or As ma
sion. Look at some OF Inc illustrations OF history.
CAMEO was connned. bigoted cnurcn com
named him 10 deny mis- own discovery; but
after he mad PASSED away ,ne ne, s saa nsed
Q newer and better astronomy mad been INTRO
duced. so 1t WAS with Luther. HIS dlscip es
were compelled TO give up their very lives IN tue
defence III she lrutn but it nved ana grew ike the
avalanche whose force. wnen 1t mad once oeyun 10
swell, could not be stayed by any human power.
Yen can see illustrations OF this truth. dear
friends, not only IN religious bat also IN political
the Isct that IL truth once SHINES upon the world
NO powers OF darkness
CAS- ExTIsGUIsH IT.
now. Christianity SAL III Is not a truth, but the
truth. Almost every b ,dy admits tine hrst propo-
sitivn but tnat Das the authority OF The rehglvn
Only the Christian Will allow. And yetlis claim to
Shls disllnctlon can easily De established by the
teachings o, time. We nave seen systems OIL PAL
iosophy and systems OF religion rise fall. But
An AGE or two, q generation or two, mas raised
over them the pail OF oblivion, and they have
given way 70 others better lifted ior the times
IN
religions compared To Christianity, are IKE
cei Iain precious stones; one Is me emerald
the otDer tue sapphire, only the component OF one
OF the suns rays; the third Is the ruoy, red,
bright, ilcn; but Christianity u like the diamond,
which emoodies all the component parts OF the
suns rays and 10 therefore co0rless. Turn 1t
one way ana II V the ruby, turn It tne otner and
II ID the emerald; but look at II as wnoe, ana 1t
" ike the coorless, pure crystal
ANOTHER SMILE.
Some OF the looking glasses are cOncave. You
are distorted, elongated Ia them. others are con-
yex and you see yourself contracted; out Cnris-
fiaTity IS TO De standing before the Frencn-pIated
general progress OF the worio, from the low lands
IN which we were toward The MOUNTAINS we nave
been STRIVING TO attain, the great leaders are
those who have found Their way 10 tue
hill top, and have noted facts that others
world acts upoa the authority OF these giants, who
ACT a. the PICKET guard OF history, VINO may see
know mat the world Is constantly progressing
and a. The world advances so this picket guard
preceues ne crown. Win each century comes q
higher grade OF vision. Now this authority at
tacnes to every great philosopher snd scnolsr for
the nlQher he advances the more his VISION Ia en-
larged. But Is Curist only ono Of the herads that
have preceded the armyf That great WORK Is left
9epiuses we a1mire These men the MIL
top, VINO see what those IN the valley can only
dream or
BUT CHRIST, WHAT n HE
what IL there beyond the now-capped peal
which IA 10 the eternal heaven itseaiS CHRIS
stands lust there, TIE summit oil human
chievemenfs, and within HIS vision come eli I'M
trisls. AL the sorrowsoi men, All The ampluons
the soul and when lie speaks II 10 with IN
authority OF one who mas the power 70 contro