The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-08

DUTIES OF TO-DAY.
Forgiveness is the Legend OF
Religion.
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.


REV. GEORGE H. HEPwoRTH
Mr. Hcpworth preached to larger congregation than
usual yesterday morning After the sermon the ordi-
nance Of tho Lords super administered to which
service Mr. Hepworlhs invitation MS liberal
always Is Before concluding the usual morning SER
vice fifty seven converts joined the church. The sing
Ing was led BY Mr. Thatcher. who also sang solo with
great effect Mr. Hcpworth selected his text from
Romans, viii 15-''For ye have not received tho
spirit OF bondage again fear IT, but yc have received
The spirit OF adoption whereby cry Abba. Father. !"
The word ''athcr" is undoubtedly written nature,
and yet science, with all its acuteness, has not been
able TO discover the letters of which the word com
posed II would find something concerning tho
niudc Of God toward US must turn over the pages
OF the sacred volume. Tho Bible book which
gives many hints Of the biography Of the Almighty.
II iu description attitude toward God
and OF Gods plans concerning The Old
Testament well as the New is iul OF the athcrhood
OF God The people Of Israel had good cause TO have
confidence IN the arm that upheld them and In tho
Voice that advised them aud the clouds OF fire and
smoke that led them. Although they went astray
many times yet Gods headings were always correct.
he ready break the chains of their bondage the
moment they were ready trust Him. lie Was ready
give them possession OF thu holy land when they
we're ready instead Of fighting their battles, al
ow Him hight tor them, and winning the victory to
give it 10 them OF HIS grace All He requires
Turn Is that they shall give TO Him implicit trust
which hnrbors doubts, and obedience which never
allcrs and never hesitaca have onen thought
OF the conras. between the faith which Gods people
have and the want Of which marks the life OF the
heathen How grateful beyond all power OF express
you and ought to be that our lives have fallen IN
pcasan, places. While others. outside OF Christianity,
looking at their duties with great deal Of doubt
light sued upon our path the darkness has
IN n liz
sobbiug are looking up from new made graves INTO the
SKY and see nothing you and eau plant flowers on tho
resting ri of and return 70 homes
with JOY and hope in our heats that la, come iko
living waters from the presence OF death as from
ountan, and We can say THY VIII, and not ours, DO
lonc.n
And yet brethren, even in the midst OF Christianity
Iherc an incaculsbc amount OF paganlsm and
ioubt not n the midst Of hcathrndom there rs re-
Igious alih sometimes found which closely csembles
Christianity. here IS KIND OF pagansm which may
well put counterfeit Christianity % the blush
There this cry thousands ana tens Of thousands
who have no relationship whatever with Almighty
God, who have neither that claim ON Him which re-
suits from peniencc The right to ask Tor gifts which
salways the result OF calm quiet trust In His wachfu
do say there any in thus room, aud
yet perhaps ought TO hesitate to make the
lion Ny dear brother and sister have you
scienously entered INTO any relationship with your
Father IN heaven by a long and precious season Of
prayer and confession aud renencc which resulted IN
baptism which made YOU calm and assurcdy Do Won
know God is IN yolr life, and He Himself really
guiding you. Are you saying IL is hand not only OF
power but Of love. And are you willing to give up
led by Him dark places, II only He VIII 30 with
your IL very serious question. II we were TO live
here forever perhaps need not ask III but since few
years Will surely carry ali, slraws upon
the Hood INTO earthly oblivion and iorgctiuncss.
ought TO look forward unto The spiritual Determined TO
know WHITTIER We are going anu what lies NJ the end OF
The journey.
Wen, brethren, the iatherhood OF God means
tso the providence OF God THOSE OF US who stani
la fear recognize the presence OF chance accident
Those. who love the Lord and who know the Lord
us see only in every event part OF the plan
ruled the earth whose heart selfish and whose
hund cruel, whose laws memorable and
whose caprices power, then, brethren, there
would be no such thing as providence. What hap
pcncd to us would be- of no moment TO HIM |
you recognize that the thought that God Is
Father ought to STIR our deepest gratitude
believe that event OF lie without Gods knowl-
rdse, and every trouble of our life may DC an oppor
lunny God gives Of taking one step nearer TO heaven
and the throne The difficulty is wo do not recog.
fact and act on IL.
When sickness comes to others than yourselves You
say yy dear, 1t providence; Gods hand in it; 1t
all right IL is not dlicult TO bear anohers woe;
~ not difficult 10 teach them lesson oi faith aud
rust but oh how hard rs when affection in ali It's
stern reality aud It's many shadows comes into our
homes How bard IL rs then 10 say 10 ourselves 'lt
all right; this, too is part OF Gods love, and must
learn 10 thank Him Tor and trust Him through y, orr
shall lose by tue experience, and not gain on brcth
rem the object OF Christianity make all these
real IN your personal experience. We have many
theories religion aud little practice OF III There
here who do believe With their mind and
hardly one, perhaps who has not sometimes DOUBTS Of
The heart Your rcuion ought not to be up wonder: II
ought be right hero where you walking. Your
religion ought moi To be matter 10 be acknowledged
simply by bran, out II ought to be the polcn-
tal Tact your daily experience Religion that
nnca a creed Is not worth tho having The religion
you acknowledge SIMPLY with your faculties OF reason
is operative; II IS useless The religion CHRIST
teach : a OF every day e, IL lies the
bottom OF your motives; IL Is 10 be- sccn tn the glance
u your eye; II Is to be discovered your Willingness
TO ucLy yourself that some one OF God many children
may he blessed True religion 10 that which brings
80, down TO earth rather Than creating a theology
winch like the cloud cfore tho sunkccping from
the blessed face OF our Father
What an element o strength the ousncss OF
God rs your father your life. The Old Testament
is studded with incidents crown Is with Jewels
In the twcntythrd Psalm David says:-''rhe Lord is
my shepherd = The word shepherd means lather.
protector and guide and when you and can say
the same tnlng we belong to
rnE COMPANY REnEgMxD
when you belong 10 Christ Chust belongs 10
Yon OF the rs acts Of the Apostles after tue
OF Pcntecosi to choose church officials,
aud they made stephen president OF the ii,tc group;
for the LORD the Jews were not only prickcd
10 their hearts, but they gnasied their
teeth, aud when hc talked o. the coming OF tho
Lord Jesus Christ they gathered M stones and began
10 stone hun. What II that enabled tina; martyr,
bruised 20 DEATH llt up hts voice with his last breath
aud cry out after the pattern Of hs master, Father
forgive them they know not what they do;'' and hc
lad down 10 DIE well assured, gonr 10 say,
you of reaching your homes but Thousand times
for death lies between you and YOUR homes, and
lie had the that God had mad. Him child
OF His lie who trusts To himself alls but who
introduces his lite the element oi the iatherho0d
OF God shall stand, and nothing shall overcome him.
have been talking about tlc goodness amt mercy OF
Gods How much right have You 20 ~ 10 YOU know
that God IL mcreul and yet there are some persons
tc.whom He cannot be mercnli aad 90 you Snow that
Cod is ready 10 forgive everything, but vet there
senie who cannot be forgvcny Arc you ia con-
drtion 10 be forgiven We sale only when
VIC have guido Come 10 the cross, and yc shall bo
saved Then can ay--''The Lord IS my shepherd,
shall not walt