The New York herald., 1876-07-17
CHURCH OF ALL SOULS.
DIVINE FRIENDsHlP-sERMoN BY REV. RUS

DIVINE FRIENDsHIp-sERMoN BY REV. RUS
SELL n. BELLOWS.
At tho Church OF All Souls OF Twentieth
street and Fourth avenue yesterday, Rev Russell n.
Bellows preached TO congregation Of about thirty pco-
PIE or 'sDvine Friendship" The small attendance
evidently due the heat OF the weather, nearly
all the churches very slmly attended. The
crcnd gentleman his text from Romons, viii, 10
''For ye have received the spirit bondage again
to lear but ye have received the spirit Of adoption
whereby we cry Abba Fathcr;'' and from James H.,
2i-"AnG Abraham called the friend OF God. -
He said-Thcre is no doctrine OF any religion moro
full and universal than tho doctrine of tho
Brotherhood OF God" Yet being full and univcr
sal there is none little appreciated. We know that
the Infinite One stands tho light Of parent the
creator Of our being, but we do not seem to realize
that relation OF the friendship of God For we do not
merely look up to God us child, but we have The
intimate tie OF being able to enjoy friendship with
HIM. If we realize what is possible here the
higher lorms oi human friendship, will be able
recognize TINS relation OF ours with Creator.
He indeed Father, who has gwen
life and We look up to Him with the love OF child.
We had looked up 10 HIM as king and the ruler OF
the universe But when jesus came we knew tnat
could look up to Him a,hcr and our friend On
tho coming OF Jesus INTO this world received
adequate representation OF what the friendship Of God
meant He presented us not only as sons OF God but
as friends OF God. There nothing in this pre-
sontaon but II takes hold Of and influences
lite There is doctrine enough in the world present
but If it takes hold OF brings forth irut it IS
all good enough FOR our salvation. IL this doc
trine OF
THE rArmERuoop or Gop
should hold Us would I'LL minds and hearts with
His spirit and inspire great work IN His name
but the trouble is hold the doctrine generally
the doctrine does not mold us; VIC lcok upon as
intellectual proposition. and 1t never enters
hearts Let vs. sec how human friendship differs from
the other relations OF liic. As children look up
our parents ana love them AS We grow up our paths
arc often In divergent lines, aud though we may be
always their children we do not always hold the po-
stion OF intimate friends But there does come n time
through the deycTopemcnt OF parcn. and child when
closer relation often comes into existence
that of intimate friendship. When we
1t among those who divided
in years 1t it most beau
uful form. wha, precious relation in
human Ito Is there than the higher forms of human
ircndshps There is something very beautiful in the
love OF little chId for lis parcats but 1t has the
dignity oi the friendship OF later lic Ii Is
few oil us to know what is friendship highest
forms IL is not business connection, social
lation even the communion OF similar interests
1t is where people are brought together by community
uIGH AND NOBLE PURPOSE,
where cach one knows the other intimately, q friend
ship where all trias and troubles true sympathy is
found without word being spoken Men women
who have found friends o: this kind find IT harder to
lose them than their blood relations. such friend
ship not established III day or a
YEAR II is born OF God and through God.
moment ia It's hepiulness, what then, must be sad
divine friendship? Know OF no sense that ewes
better idea OF heaven than the thought OF Gods APP
proval OF our work. That are led by some process
that explain TO the consciousness that there
such fellowship between us and the Infinite ono
strikes some periods of liic. II Is not
blasphcny to feel that have Gods approval
sometimes IL is only IN such relations and at such
moments that we can realize what mean by divine
ircndshp Though may DO strong the power OF
God " stronger, and when throw ourselves Him
We receive HIS sympathy and HIS friendship. II
NOT boastiul. therefore, TO say sometimes the
friends OF God, and let do something every day to
make the friendship more perfect