The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-01
CHURCH OF THE STRANGERS
"ARE CHRISTIANS CRAzY?"-sERMoN BY REV

"ARE CHRISTIANS CRAzY?"-sERMoN BY REV.
DIR. DEEMS.
Yesterday morning the eloquent pastor OF the
above church preached remarkable sermon,
having for Its base the curious inquiry as to the
sanity OF Christians. The church was crowded,
aud pleasing feature OF the exercises the
singing OF song of welcome by choir OF boys
and girls in honor Of their pastors return alter
short absence. TO his pulpit. DR.. Deems selected
his text from H. Corinthians ", 13-"For.
whether We be beside ourselves, 1t Is
OF God; or whether we be sober. It is
for your cause" The preacher said In
every period OF the world the professors
who have been fullest OF religious enthusiasm have
been declared Dy the world crazed. IL began with
the beginning, continued through the centuries,
and Is now. When Noah commenced to build his
ark near no river, lake or sea. telling the people
the ship. was not 10 be launched. but would be
carried up and noated by q deluge which should
food the earth, he was called insane. When
David came eaping and singing into the presence
OF his wife, she as much as told him 'he was
fool.' which Is q hard name for any man to bear
from MS wife. and worse when the man Is king:
The same thing was SAID OF John the Baptist; and
is madi' And Of Paul, aHe is beside HIMSELF
There Is class OF Christians. however, and
s % be MADE Tnsy s9sn the co
monplace Ones VINO take the. holy
sacrament regularly pay their pew rents
promptly in advance, anu observe all the decen.
cles, outward at least OF religion. They are never
called insane. There are great many pleasant
topics IN the Biole TO preach ABOUT heaven Is
always good subject, good manners IS another
there IS passage ia the good book about that
and hope TO preach about 1t some day-and the
ministers who Will connue themselves pleasantly
to these pleasant subjects Will never De called
crazy. wny some years ago was IN a church in
hanover square. London, the same IN which one or
the Queens daughters was married; d0wager du-
chesses, dukes. lords and ladies' sat on every
At "A
'he wished TO be faithful 10 his trust, and that he
felt compelled to tell them they were creating Tor
themselves circumstances which would be found
TO be very disagreeaole to them hereafter" There
We were, continued DR.. Deems, an emlnently
respectable
CONGREGATION OF SINNERS
all acknowledging sin but none iainting at the
BILE preacher crazy. Now mark the difference.
In the streets OF London certain lord was
preaching he word OF God to whoever would
listen to hln-and the Bishop OF London favored
the plan-and IT was animated on every side
'that he was little weak" My friends, when
Christians are running the CHRISTIAN race they
against sin; they fight the good fight OF faith IKE
men, and 1t Is OF such men people say, "He IL
deranged." A Christian works Tor crown OF
eternal glory.
sense, when ne owns an opera house, couple Of
steamboats,, nifty horses and any number OF men
and women; but they don't call him crazy; vet I
have seen more crazy men between Trinity church
and the custom House, in Wall street, than ever
saw IN churches. DO YOU know any Christian in
Germany who has worked so hard for his saliva
ton as Prince Bismarck tor German ratification?
II So will venture 10 say he is called insane yet
the Prince has never had that title applied to
him.
Alter some very beautiful and touching illus
tratons as to the responsibility or the ministry
the eloquent divine closed his most practical and
admirable discourse.