National Republican., 1876-11-13
NATIONAL

would plead Tor beloved client.
| that question. The practical influence of the
vision was to teach by angel, or spirit pres
ence and power, q lesson that Peter had failed
/ to learn under the immediate tuition of Jesus
himself. And whetheri what Peter saw
| while in the trance was objective or subjec-
tive, 1t served its purpose well, for he imme-
/ distely went to the house Of Cornelius, q
/ Roman soldier, aud Of course a Gentle, and
4 preached TO him and his people tho new
Gospel of the universal fatkerhood Of God and
brotherhood of man, declaring "of q truth /
i perceive that God is no reepector Of persons"
This Roman centurion had also received
! vision through the trance, and had sent for
Peter to come TO his house and preach the new
| Gospel. So through those two ancient spir-
itual seances the mightiest partition walls were
broken down and Jew and Gentle had alike
the Gospel preached. Through the spiritual
visions of those two men-Peter, disciple of
hitherto strong walls Of partition were broken
down and Jew and Gentle alike learned the
wondrous works of God.
At the close q committee was named as can
yassers in the financial department. -
Foundry II. Z. Church.
At the Foundry church yesterday morning
Rev. B. Peyton Brown announced that a note
had been placed in his hands requesting him
TO preach from q certain text, and while he
was not In the habit of being diverted from
the course which his own Judgment dictated
in the selection of the subjects for considera-
tion in his pulpit work, he should, upon this
occasion, 30 far deviate as to comply with this
request, and announced the 11th verse of the
4Sth Psalm as containing the the text referred
to: "For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord will give grace and glory; no good
thing viii be withheld from them that walk up
rightly" r-
He began by stating this Psalm was recited
by the priests and Leyites on the laying of the
foundation of the second temple. The prophet,
longing for communion of the SANITARY,
showeth how blessed are they that dwell there
in. How amiable are thy tsbernacles, o Lord
of hosts. My soul longeth, yea even fainteth,
for the courts Of the Lord. Referring to the
ruin of the first temple, he says, 'Yea, the
sparrow hath found q house, and the swallow
young, even thine altar, o Lord of Hosts,
my King and my God." Then calling to
mind how God had led them In their wander
ings and defended them from their enemies,
he cries out, "For day In thy courts is better
than thousand; had rather be doorkeeper
in the house of my God than to dwell in the
tents of wickedness." For the Lord God Is a
sun and shield, &c. 4
In discussing the doctrine of the text, Mr..
Brown made the point that God is to his
people light, lie, defense and victory. The
foTes of the figure used by the Psalmist,
"suD," is seen In three ways; The light of the
sun reaches us in its direct rays during the
season of summer, when all nature reyives
under its influence; il comes obliquely in the
winter, and by reflection in the night So
religion comes to US In three ways. Nature
tells us of a God. He is revealed in his Word.
He bowed the heavens and revealed the light
Of God. Then the divine spirit pours the
light OF God into the heart of man. IT'S only
in the light Of the sun We see the sun, and It
is only in the light God sheds upon us through
Christ and the Holy Spirit that we know God
Seeking God without this light of his spirit is
the mistake of jnfdelity. They attempt to
understand God without the light Of bis Word
and the influence of his spirit. The Book
says: "God, who commanded the Ezht to
shine out of darkness, hath shinsd In our
hearts to give the light of the knowled.e of
the glory OF God IN the face Of Jesus Christ"
Christ, according to Gods appointment, Is the
method through which this Light came.
The sun shines everywhere at the poles and |
at the tropics; in every place tbs genial infu-
ence of his rays are felt. SO God sustains his |
people in all places and under all circum- /!
stances of life. At this point Mr.. Brown |
elaborated the idea Of Gods experimenting |
providence over his people in their domestic,
public, business and religious life in beauti- |
ful manner, and said every man, to claim this |
promise of protection under Gods providence, |
must walk uprightly, must be like David, |
when he said, "Search me, o God, and know |
my heart; try me and know my thoughts; i'd |
see If there be any wicked way in me, and |
lead me In the way everlasting" To such |
man as this God sustains q vital relation. As /
the sun is the source of all vegetable life, aud
that life dies when he turns his light and heat |
away, so God is the spiritual life Of man; and |
when man turns away from God he dies a |
spiritual death. God not only gives life to his |
people, but be defends that life. The shield |
is an instrument of defense.
Here Mr.. Brown gave description of the /
shield as used for a defense by, the ancient |
Jews, and applied it to explain Gods defense /
of his people in their lives, in their homes, in /
their business, in their character In their prop.
erty, in their spiritual prospects, and twill |
withhold no good thing from them that walk /
upightly." But God knows in his wisdom /
what is best for his people, and while he with /
holds no reasonable good, he often disappoints 1
our expectations. We see so little into the /
future that we often ask for that which, If |
granted, would be to our sorrow. God takes /
care of those who commit their ways unto him /
and trust In the promise of his word. The time 4
will come when we will see God has had our /
greatest good in view in those mysterious dis
pensations of his providence which have ap. i
pesred to be s""'ust US. We must rest In faith |
and trust In (cdi
He illustrs,.u this point by relating the
story of the little boy on board the vessel at /
sea in the midst Of the storm. When all on
board thought the vessel would sink and they /
should find watery grave this little boy was
calm and nndisturbed. An old sailor, seeing
the child unconcerned in the midst of the 4
tumult, said: "Little fellow, why are you so
calm when all around is fear and dismay?"
The child answered, awhy shouldI fear, nv
fathers at the helm"
Mr.. Brown said he believed in God of |
providence, and illustrated this part of his
sermon in q very beautiful way. He closed
with very happy application of the doctrine
of the text to constant Christian life as the /
only hone of the glory hereafter slss- gra- n |