New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-07
INTIMACY WITH JESUS CHRIST.
The Rer George h. Walker at ne Madson Sar fretyerid

Church
The Rev. George L. Walker, Pastor of the
First Congregational Church Of New-liaven Conn.,
preached yesterday morning to large audience nj the
Madison Square Presby terrain Church He chose ~ his
text Acts w., 49, "And they took knowledge Of them
that they had been with Jesus
The persons Of whom this knowledge" was " taken
we're two plain from the northern Province Oh Can
lee Peter and John by name. but for some ume past
preachers OF doctrines and disquotos OF religious
peace In Jerusalem Tho mon who took this knowledge
were the chief councillors Of tho jewish Church and
State assembled In their highest court. The know
ledge" which was taken" that these two street
preachers dsQuetcrs Of religious peace were nothing
else than disciples Of certain Jesus who, little more
than months before had been apprehended for SINH
lar practices, and bad been ANONYMOUSLY cruced Inc
evidence which this conclusion rested was not Doubt
full In the first place there Were without nr
those varously subordinate TO them, who could actually
identify these men as navng u DSn th dy wben
lie himself made trouble in Jerusalem Then, In the
next place, the prisoners themselves MADE no secret Of
herance to His doctrines On the contrary thcy pro-
claimed openly B w sr h %%s no az
svey conclusive as another proof derived IRON tue
Only nine or ten weeks had gone since lie himself 4a1
cr,IcinxOn They hadnOt forgotten that interview They
never could forget it, Then for the first time in their ms
tories they sat in INDICTMENT ON am en TU y e
man whom their power could not alarm. he $1,000 .t
them Like fn oS GS@ at the utmost
they could do, which looked from that prisoners I'M
troubled eyes The sweetness OF His rcpOse the serenity
Of His confidence the majesty of His ciaims-thcse
things had sunk into recollection too deep ever TO grow
I'm meditative hours which had passed since that time
hours when the scribe had laid aside his pen ana the
pIe had sat in the quiet circle of his houseold-that
strange bearing of the Cruced must have come back to
memory, awakening qucstiOnings In the most DiSoted
and enkindling wonder in the most unnoyed No, they
had forgotten thnt trial scene OF last Passovernor
ing before them Two Gallileans as He Gal
llean unlearned He had been unearned ndantcd as
He had undauncd, workers OF miraculous deeds a5
He had been worker Of miraculous deeds procaimers
OF bold and innOvatng doctrines as He had been pro-
claimer, were standing at their bar. On them as on
Him. threatenngs wasted. On them, as on Him, it
alike idle to smite or frown The men stood indeed
Where they stood they uttered words which sounded ike
aes"s C6rt Of Nazaret6, whom ye cruccd doth this
man stand before you whole This Is the stone winch Is
set s naag o. yS as It aemped to Silence s them
An ready: Whether be right to hearken
able men TO deal with, and strange that they brought
back rcc0eotons of Jesus This was what they had
were alike denionstrative of their origin They took
knowledge Of them that they had been with Jesus"
produces perceptibe result on Contact with all
strong characters is apt to leave its impress Both for
cia quality Centuries ago passed into proverb that
ha wakeh with Wise mfn saa be Ss BUT tGe
tagion powerful nature which propagates Itself
BY , % M esa S PC croa H da
kingy has wrought marvels glance of Napoleon's
ing Anything but soldier Simple John Howard, pass
ing along the fevered alleys Of the Prison hospitals,
cured s OF 5 Hs s Gn M walls
Of the worse disease felnshness and begot phanthro
pes Th full tokens Of this power given or Received OF
the influences which have made us what we are how
charged with foaming energy sometimes that contact
has blessed us Sometimes II has wrought us woe.
results Now of all individuals who have ever lived in
this world the one who has bad most OF this moldng
ultimate nothing now as to the quality Of that person
Ait which has so influenced men; only eali your at,
has ever lived in our world that peculiar qualify
OF power which fascinsfes, lnspes ana Transforms
That little company of Christs associates though small
contained clements the most divine. Peter the mpctu
blinded Pn the the e@ aDd d S
tios James, the ascetic aud severethese surely rep
they ali attracted by Him. add over them all he exered
Transforming power. Diverse they WERE lie stamped
hound theni to Him by ties which led most OF them to
nartyrdon FOR His sake He marked h them for His own
Or take the history of the Church For more than
$500 years, retrospect discen line Of men, weaving
amid manifold diversity Deep inward likeness. They
speak dissmiar languages they dwell in the midst Of
unlike surroundings they are widely conrasted in per-
occupation taste What Is the meaning Of this Why
this similarity OF sentiment and aim among people SO
wide apart What can be the unifyng principle which
coOcates in fellowship these Hyers In different
ages these speakers OF different tongues these Of
various bloodf Whence comes that common mark upon
them ALI There Is only one explanation. We have
that mark before 1t the mprine OF the Man OF Naz
re The Of that unity Is the effect upon them OF
contact with Jesus His w0ndrous personality has
ercised upon them its fascinating and transforming
power. Explain il how you Jesus has made them
what they are. We take knowledge OF them" that
they have some way "been with Him and learned Of
Him"
Or look around you in the rank. of living men and
women 60 into cottages; go into palaces; 10 into
crowded Streets go into hospital wards; into count
ng-rOOms In great warehouses manufacturers voyage
OFF upon the seas, walking with the captain on the
quarterback or messing with poor JACK In the fore
castle talk 10 your clbOwncghbor In the railroad
speak to the seamstress who brings home your work
from her wear attic. Everywhere you meet class Of
and women wearing peculiar type OF character;
animated by kindred sentiment; seeking similar
aim UNNECESSARILY different In other respects, they
ia this. They the marks Of Christ
ALL however snndered. lie has way exercised