The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-03-27
Moral Inspiration the Great Help in
Revival Work.
BEECnEa 5 IDEA OF CHRISTIANITY.
The Contrast Between Gospel
and Worldly Heroes.
Gods Ownership Of All
Mems Souls.
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.

THE BOOK OF LIFE TOO MUCH NEGLECTED.
The Church Of the Disciples had much larger con-
gregaon than usual yesterday morning, very few va
cant seats being visible Ar. Hepworth preached
very earnest sermon, taking his toxt from ST. John,
xiv, 11-"Believo Inc, that am in the father aud the
father in me, else believe me Tor the moro works
sake The preacher said he wanted to call at
tention the last clause II seemed to him 10 be the
emphatic in the verse-"or else believe mo for the
nero works sake" On than occasion
Christ chose to challenge criticism concerning His d
vine commission. He adduced His miracles in proof
OF the fact that tic came from God. When the disci
pies Of John the Baptist who We're in dismay at the
calamity which had befaen their master, came to
Christ, He said to them:-"Go ana show them again
these things ye do and hear how the blind receive
their sight, the deaf hear tho lame walk the dead
raised up,n and He concludes by saying though 1t
were the climax, sand the poor havo the Gospel
preached them" The words and deeds of Christ
that make together that short and in many respects
unsatisfactory record which we call the New Tesla
mcnt, their influence neither be measured yet
imagined 1t is an influence entirely unlike, in pcne-
trating quality, anything else of which know. The
Gospel wherever 1t may DO hidden, will still speak its
word Of admonltion and encouragement 1t cannot be
buried so deep under pile OF sccpcism that it vii
not assert its authority. 1t will not lie under the sod
OF nddclity without creating in the hearts OF men
corning itself And it seems TO mo thai TO the
thoughtful critic the Old Testament Is but a
preparation TO tho New. The New Tesla
mont is the cathedral, and the Old Testament ~ but
the vcstibule or porch. All through the book, from
Moses to Matthew, you find symbols OF Christ; in the
New Testament you find the person of Christ The
Old Testament is hed with prophecies concerning
who Is coming In the New Testament He has come
and is doing His work and uttering His wonderful
words II Is evident then, that in the mind OF God
there was an important design in that collection Of
books which we call the Bblo; 1t is evident He in
In ugA az IA me- of unii fha
evident that your social influence and mine, that your
spiritual power of resistance Of temptation and mine,
that your hope OF immortal life and mine should spring
naturally out of that book the streamlet springs
out OF the mountain side. aud it is also evident that
God intended that book as our chief If not our only
authority matters great religious Importance and
moment See If 1t is not SO. The preacher liked to
take
THE BooKs ESTIMATE OF ITSELF
In Second Timothy these words, ''All Scripture
is given by inspiration oil Cod and is profitable for doc
trine, for reproo for correction, for instruction in
righteousness, that the Word of God may be perfect,
thoroughly furnished unto all good works. The
Bible assumes 10 itself in every part OF the right TO
control our actions and motives and II declares itself
able to give all need in every perplexty able to
direct US in every embarrassment But some may say
the Bible is but temporary book, IT has lasted for
htte but the time shall come when 1t shall fade all
other things See what Christ says in Matthew XIV,
35-"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my
words shall not pass away" What Jesus hath
SAID to YOU then, is eternal this is eternaly
nor shadow of turning Ia strength OF
preston We do not often appreciated He is precisely
the forever and ever. and II you would ind tho
esteem In which you arc TO hold this book, read the
verse Of Mark vim, SS-''Whosoever therefore shall
be ashamed of me and my Word, in this adultcrous
and sinful generation of him also shall the Son OF
man be ashamed when he comelh In the glory OF dis
Father with the holy angels This is an implied cove
If you will take Him your guide, receive Him
your Lord and Master and follow in His footsteps,
deviatng neither to the right the elt when the time
comes when you will need Hin most amid the din and
confusion OF the judgment day, Jesus Will speak peace
He emphasizes this in another place-John ", "a
iVerily, verify, say unto YOU ho that heareth my
word and beieveth in Him that me- hath evcrlast-
ing life, and shall not come into condemnation but is
passed from death unto life "
AS We look at noble structure afford TO look
NJ 1t for many Sunday TO come II need be, Or, al
though 1t Is an old story the minute you begin TO
vestigato you are drawn on new paths. Perhaps II
making bold statement TO say that this book
is the book about which the world knows nothing:
yet ono hardly feels inclined to take single word from
that severe criticism We are interested in works OF
art, tempted by the novels Of the day, and
drawn by the discoveries OF philosophy TO inventions
OF science. The only book that lies on tho shelf and
tempts and is covered by the dust OF negligence
Is the book OF God. He dared venture to say that
one in this congregation had made that book thor
ough and careful study. Sometimes We read the New
Testament merely a matter Of duty We
shall never understand what IL ill
read IL as matter OF pleasure. IL is
not our duty is our privilege to be conversant with
its facts and since II Is the chart the ocean over
comes US as men Of sense to read every page with
oeeding carr, that may nnd out how to prepare for
the present and get ready for the time to II is
the only book that can be read thousand, thousand
times and be forever new. We ought not TO lay II
aside, TO be taken up when H. a medicine.
We ought 10 read II as eat meals, and Tor the
same reason. that wo hungry Oh the truths that
are hidden there, and, oh, the marvellous amount of
ignorance concerning that book that exists in the
muny!
In tho first place the book is to be venerated on
account OF its age, account OF its permauency is
not valuable simply because IL has lasted so long, and
all the time retained II not increased It's interest The
laws OF England are based Moses laws. Four
thousand years have gone by and have not got
beyond the shadow OF Sinai yet. This is OF the
narvels for your criticism. The authority OF this
book and its authenticity a solid rock