New-York tribune., 1875-11-15
FAITH AND ITS REWARD.
sat Rec s D. Alsraadtr D. D., at te PhilIps PTesLyted
church.

gat Rec s D. Alexander D. D., at Zee Phiips PrestyertaH
church,
The Rev. DR.. Samuel ID. Alexander, ID. d.,
pastor Of the Philips Presbyterian Church. at Madison
ave and seventythid-st, preached yesterday morning
from Peter H. o. Receiving the end OF your faith, even
the salvation Of your souls"
The Apostle i'll the verses preceding the text the
preacher said, showed that salvation was no theme
presented 10 the world now for the first time,
hut the doctrine Of Christ was long before
spoken Of and foretod by holy men inspired oy God to
make the truth known Peter spoke also of the great
trials incident TO those who should he the heirs OF saliva
ton but he encouraged them by promising that the
final result would be receiving the end OF their faith
even the salvation of their souls There are two great
truths presented herefait1 and its reward Faith is
the effect. The first thing TO be settled is what
is faith II Is a difficult matter TO describe
The euiritual operation of the soul so as 10
make IL plain 10 one who has not experienced II.
Suppose man born Dido was TO ask you 10 ut TO
be 10 clothe in words the conception which you WISE 10
convey his mind IL is clear enough 10 YOU You see
it and il has left impression on your eye which you
can call up at Will; but To carry yOnr sensation 10
another through the ear is beyond your power That Is
lust the difficulty which meets us rs We enter upon a
description OF faith We are called upon TO convey the
idea OF emotion 10 another which we have received
through faculties the other does not possess or which
have never been exercised. And yet il is an act OF the
mind which Is performed by every one, hut under
different circumstances. ,
What IL tie peculiar onice OF faithf Perhaps the first
human help Faith Is absolute IN another. CON
1dcncc self andgOnlrlc 10 lbln HIS II uuc lpl
ODy in theory, but IN practice The greatest anu
Guilty which soul has 10 overcome in seeking salvation
ia this tendency cling 90 It's ability u do some
thing We seem 20 think that God expects something OF
us some sensible change iu emotional nature All
this will result from faith but cannot ecede IT, pCcu
liar office of faith is TO accept Gods pan OF salvation
Faith which is exercised only at the INST moment OF
the spiritual life, is abiding grace and growing one.
The prayer Of The Disciple was, Increase our iath IL
lives through tho Christian life, but there Is point
ceases ard that is at the end Of OuT nat
ural life. We live in this world with an lmpfuetFab!e
curtain between and the spiritual world The grandcst
eoTts OF cannot penetrate into the obscury We
walk by faith and not by sight Faith perces the cur
tain and reveals the soul the great OBJECT OF faith the
Lord Jesus Christ, and reality 70 the promises Of
God The salvation OF the soul is the end OF faith.
A ROMAN CATHOLICS CHANGE OF FAITH.
The Rev Dr. Valentni at ne church Of ST (Toedn
kDseopdp.
The Protestant Episcopal Church OF st. Am
brose at Prince and TlompsOnsts, s used for service
every Sunday afternoon by small congregation Of Ita
isns who for pastor tho Rev. O. stsnder formerly
a Roman Catholic priest, but now clergyman
q tAa Pretsstsna EpssooPs Church Yesterday aftex