The New York herald., 1876-10-16
CHURCH OF THE COVENANT.
MEMORIAL SERMON ON THE LATE JOHN p

CROSBY, BY Rev. MARVIN II. VINCENT.
At tho Church of tho Covenant tPresby cor.
OF Park and Thirty fifth street, the pastor.
Rev. DR.. Marvin r. Vincent, yesterday morning
preached sermon In memory OF the late John p.
Crosby elder OF the church, who, II will be
bercd, was drowned short time since who bathing
Fire Island The taken from the fourteenth
chapter Of ST. John. eighteenth versc will mot cavo
you comfortess will como to you" The thought OF
the departure Of Christ carried with 10 tho disciples
o feeling OF utter desolaton. They had depended 80
much upon His presence that they could reconcile
themselves to tho idea OF His going away, leaving
them their ignorance with practically nothing ac-
compishcd, with. as they thought, the stamp OF Ap-
parent failure His mission and without delo-
eating His authority and power 10 one
upon whom they could rely and look up TO
this feeling. and sy sympathzcd with It, and for this
reason His closing discourses to them were intended
10 be Of comforting and reassurinE strain Tho text
just read sets forth ths appreciation Of thoir sorrow,
and Is consummate expression OF His knowledge OF
ther bereavement Tho condition and feeling OF the
repeated In tho experience OF all men, and
the not intended for thcir comfort alone b1t
as solacc for all men and throughout all time. Re-
feet Tor moment on The nature as well a. The pc
culiarity and efficacy or the consolation prescribed
He tells them. II will como 10 you.n Mark the bold
Of these Words for thoy addressed to mighty
Chriat's place, the best man you know, whose
dom and love you are accustomed 10 depend, and lot
him soy 10 the hour OF som: great sorrow ~ WI
such display Of cgosism and arrogance.
CHRIST MORE THAN MAN
II Christ was no more than man then the utterance
OF thceo words act OF consummatc presumption.
Nothing but Divine wisdom lay claim q thor
ongn understanding OF the human heart nothing but
DIVINE power can provide antdote Tor every human
sorrow. Who can forgive sin but G0dY Can man or
angel presume to say "DepArt in peace Thy sins are
forgiven thce!" No more man could have spoken
Christ did No sane man would have applied such .
OF absolute power to himself Who but the Saviour
laden ana viii give you rest Tho test Of the power
OF the Author OF hese words In tho grasp OF every
human SOUL such offer in itself 10 sufficient ar
rest the attention Of a borrowing world The whole
life and character o tho historic Christ contradc
tion OF tho basphemous theory that lie was I'M
postor. sucn theory is not only absurd, but mon
strous Every event in His lie is rcfulaion OF such
imputation. Ia order to como comforter 10
Ihc world II was necessary 10 have perfect
intuition, to understand tho whole character OF
man at . glance. He must know hts entiro history,
have acquaintance with the Of the
which led his grci tho whole character, in
short, must be spread out ike map before him who
would attempt TO understand oven tho smallest Of
human sorrows Christ's profound acquaintance wIth
the human heart comes out IN every pago OF tho Cos
pei To HIS words after oil resort for knowl-
edge this subject Again, 1t required not only
1nIte wisdom but infinite sympathy 10 assunge grief
PITY ONLY PHAsE or SYMPATHY
Pity is only ono phnse OF sympathy. Pisy may ex-
haust itself In sentiment while sympathy takes upon
itself the burden of grct ard bears IL Some people
think that Chrsts giving Himself for tho world
cred by HIS dcnsh the cross; bot that only
oil HlB WORK. Jesus says 10 every cnlid Of
want and sorrow, Come unto me-" All the wretchcd-
and squalor and misery Of she world He takes
right 10 tho quivering nbrcs Of His heart Christ
had the most profound appreciation Of bereavement
Ho the loneicst In all history. Ho
trod the vino press alone. He was isolated from all
tho world and not even 10 tho friend whose hoad
lie placed on His bosom could he show the innernost
rcccsscs OF His soul. As He entered Gethsemane Hc
entered upon a sorrow which could share. Re-
member Ills agonzing cry, MY God, my God, why
has thou iorssken mcgn Wns there ever aay ono so
we'll calculated, from mis- own experience, to sound
tho depths OF the orphaned hearth the desoln-
OF that final hour Calvary the balm for
suffering humanity. There can be doubt that
Christ has The power 10 help ~ well 10 feel Ao
said, "All power Is gwen unto me, In heaven and on
the earth. When depart will send a comforter
Peace leave with you. NY peace give unto you. |
am with yon Away" With what absolute authority
does lie speak! lie has but speak and the windows
OF heaven opened and mama falls at His words
And mark how he cxerts His power These promises
OF comfort confined TO tho old heroes OF faith
Tho place for the bcrcaved, them By the side OF
Him who has the power 10 say, 'Ict not your heart
be troubled" Mr. Vincent concluded by saying that
TOO often thcrc tendency TO idcaze the tender
of Christ's sympathy rs figure OF epecch, but not
practically available, and commended his hearers 20
thc tender merccs Of the all powerful Com fortcr.