The New York herald., 1875-10-18

THE MORAL or FoUR-HUNDRED- -YEAB-oLD
Observation-Disclosures DRAAA-TRUE UNuTA-
R1AN1sM-sERMoN BY REV. DIR. WILLIAM Z.
ALGER.
The Church or the Messiah, corner OF Thirty-fourth
street and Fourth avenue had pretty full attendance
yesterday morning An interesting and impressive
discourse was delivered by Rev DR.. william r. Alger
on The text Romans H., Good will render to every
man according his deeds - In the day OF Judgment
he began God will deal with men not on any principle Of
favortism according the inaexble rules of right
Paul did say believe this theological dogma and You
shall be saved but he taught the truth embodied in the
text The fashionable teaching was that the best way
TO be prepared for the day Of judgment repeat
tain words Of faith and 60 through certain formulas.
well spent life the only preparation that would
stand the test Every man would be judged by his
deeds Truth alone could stand. most important
lesson was enforced in the text. Here was the
BASIS on 4 rRUE THEOLOGY.
There was a dramatico- religious performance given
four hundred years ago the cathedras of the old tho
title Or the drama being "Everyman." DO would
present an eptomc Of this antique drama and show
It's appncability TO the present time Every
man is walking by himself thinking only OF
riches and his pleasures Death coming up to Every
man taps him on the shoulder and tells him that he has
forgotten his God and that he go with him God
and bring his books along and render up his accounts
Eyeryman asks for delay The grim messenger listens
to no such peadings but tells Everyman lie speed
away with him. Lyeryfnan offers thousand pounds
to be allowed to remain and first adjust his accounts
With grim smile Death tells him, If I'd accept bribes
the whole world would be gwen 70 me No, sir Icaro
not for gold jewels While Everyman starts
along with Death and is full Of lamentations and wish
ing that he had never been born he meets
Friendship and socits him to accompany him on his
long and perilous Journey Friendship refuses to 60
and Eyeryman applies TO Kindred, but with no better
success. Taxing his whole energies 10 think Of some
one who may be of service TO him he finally thinks Of
Riches He had loved Riches all his life But says
4 Riches, Il cannot accompany you. II IS because Of
your love Of me that you are covered with bots and
stainsn Then says Everyman Course on you, Riches,
4 l loved you greatly aud devoted all my time and
Il thoughts 70 you and you desert me. =
Il With uttering this anathema, Everyman in turn
calls on beauty, Strength, Sense and knowledge and
tells them Of the pteous strait he s in and beseeches
Y them to accompany him on his journey Neither Of
these will go. At last he thinks Of Good Deeds and
makes known 10 him his wishes Good Deees expresses
great pleasure in going with him. On the journey they
start together. Death at length sends dart to the
\ heart OF Everynan but Everyman clasps Good Deeds
IL his and dies happy DEATH and the portals Of
heaven open before him Having thus epitomiZed this
old drama the reverend speaker dwet at length upon
4 the moral underlying ia moral thus quantity
4 pressed Ia the drama
Ifwisdom, old and young would find
This moral let them always keep In mind
/ All other friends will Everyman forsakc,
Good deeds alone can he TO judgment take.
\ man may have doubts as TO obscure questions in
theology but Il he has lived good life, scattered bene
fits about him, lifted up the owly, helped tho poor in
their Affections and tie fullest and broadest sense
Of the word been of good deeds then be will
nothing for death, but look unlnchingly his APP
proach as tho welcome messenger TO convey him to
his God. This was the despised and neglected
UNITARIAN DOCTRINE.
He submitted that in the iace Of the glittering
multitudes about different views their doctrine
founded reason, in sense, in the Scriptures
and the truth Of God. In that tremendous picture Of
the day OF judgment drawn by Christ HIMSELF and which
had been the Of the world ever since II laid
down In unmstakabe terms that they who ministered
10 tho sick and sorrowiul who lived pure lives and
whose lives made UP Of good deeds would be the
accepted ones and that those who passed BY the
other side wrapped up in cold, selfish Indifference
would be condemned Very many deliberately set aside
the declarations failing from Christ's lips and
teach wholly foreign doctrine His word that II
you ministered TO suffering humanity you would be
saved The great majority teach that the judgment Of
God will be, ''Inasmuch you believed In my Godhead
and tho sacrca formulas Of the Church and its creed
and baptized you shall be saved" Absurd and
blasphemoug IL all this, wasting Of energy on
THEORETICAL REDEMPTION
The Unitarian doctrine directs attention away from
the dreams OF ciolstered past II is a devotion
much needed a. II is Questionable In this city There
should bo men enough In New York 70 support ra-
tona theology founded Christian truth IL was
grevOus the doctrines Of fasehood and fashion
81 widely taught Meanwhile they would only look
humby 10 God and remember that Il devovod on them
10 faithfully discharge their duty, come what may
knowing that In the end every would be rewarded
exactly according to his deserts