New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-04
OLD YEAR LESSONS FOR HOPE.


A sermon was preached yesterday morning
by the Rev. Dr. Macarthur at the Calvary Baptist Church,
IN Twenty thirdst of which he IL pastor upon the es
sons Of Christian hope to from the old year
largo congregation listened atentyey TO the discourse
The text follows "And l. II be lifted MP from
the earth will draw all men unto me."-John, XII, 81
The heather God Janus, said the preacher, according
TO the old mythology, presided over the beginning OF
events. He opened the seasons and the year lie was
the jano OF Heaven and the guardian OF earthly gates
and doors. He represented with two faces one
looking into the past the other into tho iuture In
representation is suggestive IL IL peculiarly so AZ ms
season OF tho year. We stand To-Day on the 'Ounu
AIRY line between the old and tho new , @ oi9
disappears the new approaches. Inc mouths usncel
over Call TO thom aud you shalt hear no ansv y.
Listen for yhem and you shall hear simply their knS
To the past with its and bnrions, ts sorrows 81
lows VIC saw farowol Farewell 10 its failures and IL
umphs Farewell to the dear who were with US az
TO tho future ye LOOK With hope New duties await
We mus, grid oins for fresh tolls l is not wise 20
fret over the inevitable The past IS past u caihos DC
recalled. But before US there il future big with
nope. The " wise woman of Tekoah spoke wen Wneh
she sa Id, "Wo must die. and are as wafer sp, 1ppn
the ground which cannot be gathered up again Lost
opportunities like split water, cannot again DC iounI
But why weep the water lost when there ifesh
cup oeredl The future to-day holds In her hAnd such
cup Let not lose present opportunities by mourn
Ing for those that are past su from tho dead past
We NAV learn lessons the Giving present. ana tho
approaching future. SO far only should we lock NJ tne
past. The representation OF Janus then teaches
truth The Retrospective outlook prepares Us Tor lhe
prospective. , ,,.
TO do for God The age Of which Augustine ~ tho
representative bore testimony to the truth OF human
depravity nd GOns sovereign grace ia the salvation OF
men. The Reformation period, especially that portion
represented by Luther, gave witness to the great
Biblical doctrine OF "ustniaon by faith" The Puritan
times had their peculiar work. Roger Williams bore MS
to. tmOuy In behalf OF true re gious freedom year
discover anything peculiar and distinctive. IL
Will not 6o denied. however. that IL has been
year OF great activity In many important uto
tons Closer observation will show that even year ],
long enough for tendencies 10 reveal themseves arr
substantial progress 10 be made. Let us look ~ tho
First the past year illustrates tho text in showing as
the attractive power Of tbe cross when simply pteaeh"d
to draw men to trutn aud Christ. thSt3 80 - q
marvellous power ia tho prehshn1g OF onr ths
Corinthians that though 70 the Jews sucn wa
mbng'block." ana TO the Greeks i ,i
yet to believers II was tho power Oh Goa au ,.o 49,
dom OF God" IL has not ceased 70 % both that power
and mat wisdom inc eros s s4s meet. on ho
one hand the OF justice IN the humNh consvuuCc
it meets on the other hand the longing Tor DiVine
love IN the human heart What we nlE rh ~ ~
psct, thank God, VIC sec. Men nave sdiu , ~,
inc inc demands Of modern thought required modern
gospel They have denied that the gospel OF Tue son
Of Coj 10 hnaity. They have invented otnor gospels.
what IN them /. true IS not news wnat IS ne" ~ not
true. We have had gospels OF liberalism, OF science.
often falsely socaled OF Sprltunsm aud various other
isms. And God has come forth 10 glorious msl''y 70
brlng to nought the wisdom Of men. Julian Tue Apos,
ta1s S shee on and Julian SAID IN dying 20 Gal
lean, thou hast conquered" Error after error
the truth these errors IN their death throes nave
said, The GaiIlean has conquered" The arrows OF
error fail poness and powerlcss at the Feet OF him whO
Is panOphed in the truth "a II Is IN Jesus Iloeiasn
Is essentially weak. II Is largely made up OF negatives
and negatives poor food for the cravings OF an I'M
mortal soul There Is backbone In sucn System ~
robs God of many OF his attributes t rOhs the Bbc OF
is power, justice OF its moral nber t fails TO meet
the danands OF tho human heart Man. in his deepest
consciousness. knows that he Ii sinner Iie KNOWS
that God is Just lie knows that an atonement is needed
before God can be just, ana at inc same une % 'e
usher OF the guilty. Christ fed up 10 the cross AS
ma tho prevailing InterGessor, meets this demand even
in the sinners heart Now, Lberasm - represented
by UnltallsDism. and ~ elements OF UuiyersalS,
t-is lust here. And falling here 1t Is weak every
where IFS progress consequently Is slow. l. it not
weaker to-day in New YORK than It ono year ago,
been made to galvinze II INTO Life But they have been
OF snort duration: Look toward the Eastern Ii
shall find very little to encourage the hope;
blessed Cod TO be displaced by the substitute offered
in Liberalism. It's trumphs were bref lts decay Is
certain. religion without a " cross without o Gal-
OF the de We know that the Ofense OF tho cross
ceased; thank God neither has tho power OF the
cross ceased Uplit that cross, display inc I
stained banner teach the old doctrines OF Gods word,
aud men Will be drawn TO Christ. % not @li US ina.
tbe old. old story has lost lts power It w DC our
theme earth It viii be our theme In Heaven-Christ
lifted up" TO cross, Christ lifted up To throne;
and we, having been crucihed with Him. shall DO gori'
ned with Him.
be vulgar cheat ANA wicked fraud Ibe past year
has broken the "crOckory gods OF sOhe OF these CON
tc%pSS mediums Bn so tn' aa nave 9sed
with a spirit Of diylnation, Yhloh Drodght her
masters mnon gain by sootnsatos" found id It II
modern times than did anOthet such damsel
on Paul aud sllas. Tne power OF COY now as Then,
changed to confusion and their occupation VIII be gone
entirely except they can ma victims more 'nan usually
sensible people OF this world, now me to appear
miserable driyelsrs. or the gdllo!e victims OF their
driyel as retailed by ignorant aud wicked mediums
But do know that out OF all these FORMS OF error God
will bring glory to ts %4a a3 5dr PIUs 10 nor
hopeful. Never were the tuumpns OF the\Sross more
Men have preached science To true SC once, re-
lglon has no objection to urge God 10 one e cannot
contradict mseII. what lie says 10 MS FORKS must
agree with what He says in His Word CITATION prop
erly interpreted. must narmonze with reyetion prop
erly interpreted. There can be no conflict Put science
sometimes steps Of her legitimate field She ought
10 deal with the discovery and classlhcation facts
s sSSes waero sSs oaS to %
would silence the voice OF prayer. She would gyeus
god II at ALL like the image Of Jupiter Crete. With
out oars Good people become alarmed. the fndS-
tons be destroyedl Is faith TO become VIA
Let the righteous possess their souls in patience Ihe
very peace made famous for the utterance OF deaat
skCpcism sh all hear aud obey the simple Gospel Where
men one,tloned the existence of God there cod will dis.
play His grace. Messrs. Moody ana Sankey begin to
preach Jesus Scotland aud Ireland are abaLe Christ
Iiited ny" He eeGins to draw all men to Himself
not with eXcellency OF speech or OF wisdom
He was with the tropp people IN pn weakne's' Ia
with them "in demonstration OF the spirit and power"
He knew nothing save Jesus Christ and him cruched"
God confOuuded the wise by the weak. HIS fOOshness
Is wiser, ana weakness Is stronger than men. Mr.
Sapkey sang his revival hymns Churches were filed by
an xious nIuirers rejoicing The largest
halls overn1wed Tents were built and crowded with
people. God answered prayer, God blessed
Ills Word God made bare His arm, Christ
was Gifted up" in the simple preaching OF
tho Gospel, and all Great Britain was moved.
Is there power in that crOssl Away with dead
systems OF legalism! Away with your sentimental lib
erallsml Away with your spiritual mediums We want
dying. living Jesus. The SOUL In It's hunger. cries out
for the head OF Heaven. Nothing less the Goldman
satisfy the claims OF justice, alike in God and man.
We want o Savior With heart moro tender than o