The New York herald., 1876-09-18
FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.
LOVE, THE ESSENCE OF cHRIsTIAN1TY-sEnMou
pY REV. DIR. ARMI-AGB.

pY REV. DIR. ARMI-AGB.
DIR. Armitagc preached yesterday morning in the
Fifth avenue Baptist church. the subject OF his sermon
being Glove the Essence of Christianity Hc took
ats IRON John, iv., IL, 1S"Hcren is our love
made perfect that may have bodness in the day of
judgment; because as he Is, In this world.
There is fear in love; but perfect casteh out
fear; because fear hath torment Ho that icareth Ia
not made perfect love" In the course OF his ser.
mon tho preacher said that cannot love that
which is Dead, but that which alive It was not the
image Of the dead picture but the memory Of the living
mother that brought tears to tho eyes Of the poet
cowpcr when he contemplated the portrait OF his dc
ceased parent BY partakng OF tho spirit Of Christ
transformed into the divine image
Of the Creator The essence OF tho Christian
religion Is love. There are fvc different degrees OF
Christian love- There Is love TO God. not for Himself
alone but for the good things which lie bestowx Nav
not love Him through our very dependence on
llimy He gives us the changes of the seasons and
tho fruits and flowers which they bring Again
we love God for the sake OF own personal
which we may have for the law. which mpcis us 10
observe It's prccepts in ordor to avoid It's penalties
Then may love God for tho sake Of own future
happiness and the qualification Of our desire for a
plcasurablc immortality. There Ia also the love OF
which is Incentive TO love the Divine Beng:
but this shade OF feeling Is intimately
mixed NIX a, win ~, ,,,n largo degree u OF seashncss
God for the sake OF Himself only. but to attain this
purity OF holy sentiment wo must perform the difficult
task OF cxtrcaing ourselves from all other coors
affection, that may bo elevated into this condi.
lion OF unaloycd love II Is most onviablc state OF
mnd and be acquired only after putting forth
many efforts to attain H. Santa Teresa In this de-
hcous dcrium OF heavenly love when she fcrveny
wished for lamp In her right hand that she nigh.
burn up the gates of heaven. and river In her left
that she could drown tho gates OF hell
This n wonderful aspiration, and tho say
love of Christ passc,h all knowcdsc This leads
to die for Christ when they have
accepted Him al His length and breadth When
love brings fear INTO captivity and enslavcs We are
on the way to approach the presence OF His image
Luther used tho word coincidence tho day of judg
ment,n instead OF tho word 'Joyfulncesp lie means
by this that The day OF judgment has the
lover OF Christ-wc look forward to II with joy and
confidence IL there Is man TO be judged who Is
pure Ike the Judge, there is no terror torment in
The bar, because. instead OF meeting doom that Will
ai!ct forever receive joyiulncss IN Tho day Of
Judgment Perfect love casts out fear, aud he who
tears Is not perfect In love. Christian charity mani
tests itself In acts Of love to another 1t might be
thought that Gods love for Is most manifest
IN HIS giving us the sum- and stars
20 illuminate the cartn and tho seasons to bring forth
materials for our food and raimcnt. But His divine
love for the human rarc rs, above ALL apparent IN
the supcratvey divine act OF giving HIS Son die for
The great thing tor rs to bc IN this word IKE
Ibrist, to do something like Hun and Tor Him.
Christian love procurcs for those possess II bold
and determination IN the dav OF trial. But
Christian love is all soiiness serenity; IL par
takes OF the bold muscular, manly 1t is iull of nerve
strength and vitality John. who a lovely man.
example OF Christian valor, he irritable
and cvcrish. with dash OF good Turkish bitterness ir
his composition
We should initiate his courageous example and be
prepared TO struggle through all obstacles In rfe
place ourselves that desirable state OF will
our imperfect condition, that VIC gain self
lsh love Of God which alone can save us.