The New York herald., 1876-08-21
CHURCH OF THE STRANGERS.
PROVE YOUR OWN sELvEs--sERMoN BY DR..


DEEMS.
This church almost inadequate to accommodate
the throng which came listen Or. Deems yeser-
day morning. The seats closely filed and camp
stools were put In all allowable places yet numbers of
people obliged to stand during the Tho
text for the morning derived from the Second
Eps:le TO tho Corinthians, XIII, 5-"Prove your
solves"
The preacher said Each is the most interest.
ing thing IN the whole universe himself He is to
himself Of more importance than the Creator any
created thing There is that in personal identity Of
. overwhelming attraction, which lies IN the very
nearness OF the man to himself have in.
tercst in myself than in all tho rest
Of the race II is not seldshncss is in the constu
tiopal law of things am nearer to myself than to
anything else, and neither wife nor child anything
eau be OF so great interest to me- There another
truth which should be undcrstood-that is that each
man can do with himself than else can
If a man wishes 10 operate in any direction the first
capabty is with himself If want to accomplish q
great piece Of engineering the inertia first be
overcome. If want to operate upon another man l
have TO get myself into working order in the first
place.
Every can do most for the world by taking care
OF himself see before me very few Of my own peo.
pc to-day but am sure those who have listened to
me longest heard preach the gospel of self
ishpess. In these times OF excitement and evange
known, that the best way for 10 bcncdt the
Church is to make himself the best CHRISTIAN he
say that missionary work rather stationary than timer
ant. Iou may shake India To It's centre, you may
Africa TO lis core; but gain more by
sacred upon your knees your closets than by
preaching to the Tmbuctooans in the Jupges of the
East What men need to cultivate is individual char
actcr. The preacher cited Herr Wagner's
example in argument OF this. There IS man who has
hx ~
idea has done more for music than all the music
teachers living. Men 20 lying about upon mis-
sionary work; they come IRON camp meetings with
tear IN one eye and laugh IN the other; but one
single hour OF self culture will do more to bring these
men to the feet OF Christ than any Of hcse works.
Every man is responsible Tor himself. Responsibility
means answering. The only irresponsible being in tho
universe is the Creator. To HIM every is
responsible tirst Tor himself He may have tocd
earnestly all his lie among hcathcns and have been
tho means OF bringing many of then To God but when
he goes 10 the bar OF judgmcn, tho first question will
not be ''What good has he done" but, SIS this
hoyy" o that man should preach the way to others
and be himself cas'away Athwart the brilliant
Of Paul once came this awful cloud, and he
begged his hearers TO pray for him.
The preacher cxhorted his congregation TO take
OF thensc first He SAID tina, this age general
ucs were more considered than particulars THIS was
especially American fault; ills evils be in
the imperiectious OF our arts and sciences. II is
custom to say, Il reckon am abou; donc;n or, ~
re- kon IT'S about time to begin.n There moral
axi,y about this way OF talking that IS injurious
character our IDEAS general. and not particular
ones How many men in this congregation tell
ne the amount OF the annual tax ui New York city ?
Possibly there are 1--WE who are able 10
do so The who levy these know the r
enormous extent but u every single taxpayer
stood 1t well there would be revo ution in New
York inside of twcnty-iour hours We talk about the
corruption OF the nation Who is corruitY Name tho
individuals and state their CRIMES. Where the
tion OF how can you make II rcspor sbleS II chap
lam Congress. instead OF praying briefly each
ing before that body. would ak member Tor
hour OF private prayer with hlm he could accomplish
Judge too harshy. know thai ! do So Another
man may be taller than mysell, but | am TOO wiry for
him. place the Irapeze my moral gymnasium
pretty hign, and because he cannot Jump and swing
upon II ns O. SLY as do condemn him
no man ough to have model; 1t tends make
artificial character DO not try TO initiate another's
virtucs-ccrtainy not his vices. Work yourself out
prove your own sell. Be not guided by your own
weak con science. but by the word OF God.