The New York herald., 1877-09-24
Ieads 20 nope 10 concIuson tne preacner kAo IN sne
words OF the hymn
God never yet forsook In need
The soul that trusts in Him indeed.
FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.
THE MORAL EFFECT OF A VISIT FROM THE

THE MORAL EFFECT OF VISIT FROM THE
DEAD-sERMoN By REV. DR.. ARMITAoE.
A goodly number OF worshippers attended the morn
ing services at the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church. The
pastor preached discourse upon 'the moral effect OF
visit from the dead" selecting for his text, Luxe,
XVII, 80, 5l-"And no said, Nay, Father Abraham;
but II one went them from the dead they will re-
pent And be SAID unto him, II they hear not Moses
and the prophets neither will they be persuaded,
though rose from the dead" Tho pastor, in
opening his discourse, remarked that although The
iact OF immortality brought TO light In the Gospel
images OF the hereafter lis IN dul hazy atmosphere
about US. No man can break the seal OF the
mystery that holds lis spell over the dead. Men would
ghost back from the past TO prove tho
doctrine OF the Bible reality. Then they would DC.
hevs the doctrine ana prepare themselves Tor the lie
hereafter. Hence unbeiievers ask, 'why don't some
one appear from the deady" Even believers some'
times wish tnat an apparton In the form oi discm.
bodied spirit would appear 10 dispe ali doubt ABOUT
the lie beyond the grave. THIS desire Of DIVES, when
he asked that the glorhed beggar be sent TO MS breh
rcn illustrates this well. But God puts iull reply
into the mouth OF Abraham when he says, "Ncither
will they be persuaded though one rose from the
dead" Between the world OF torment aud tho
world wherein dweIt Dives kindred there was no
impossible abyss, yet God, for His own sumcIent
reasGns declined TO permit the gorihed saint to re-
visit earth. IL was utterly useless 10 do So Tor meas
minds had discarded tho admontions OF Moses and
the prophets The pastor pointed out the prevailing
unDeei Of In ghostly appartions, and stated that
u dsemhodied human spirit would find II difncult 10
convince the unDellever; an uncl0thed sprlt Couu
not be by HIM. What Is there TO enable man 10
recognize hun a soul fresh from the fields OF immor
taItyy How will you settle this IN your MINDS! in
tins world witness recognized by his body In this
the body is in the tomb. and be who undertakes
TO recognize disembodied spirit by his senses at
tempts difficult task The result would DC that the
unDvlieyer would discard tho testimony of such
spirit he dscards the testimony OF Mosos
and tho prophets. Man would demand PROOF,
no would ask lor nj, credentials IL II Is necessary 10
make TINS test 10 satisfy one man the pastor argued
that every unDelever could insist upon one rising
IRON the dead before would accept the truth oil the
Bibie. The result would be that lie and death anu
resurrection would be changed into a larce. No man
has the right claimed 10 demand such evidence as
Dives asked might be sent 10 his brethren such evi.
dence II given, would DC totally inadequate. Man has
polluted himself by SIN, yet discardng the testimony
OF Christ and His apostles handed down Tor thousand
years. goes insulting God by declaring that the
grave will give up one prisoner 50 the eye can
and the ear hear tnen he Will be convinced,
believe and repent. Man, as represented In Dives,
begins by repr0aching God In that he has not been
sufficiently instructed already. He tells God to His
face that he wants apparti0n more powerful than
the revelations of Jesus And His apostles; he tells
God that poor mortal from the dead do ghost
what God cannot do; he tells God that this ghostly
manifestation Will convince HIM and lead him away
from SIN. The presence Of one raised from the dead
may appal one, but the preacher could not sec how
the charm OF could DO dissolved by an apparton.
''Such visits said The reverend rcntcman 'are use
less men Will Lc persuaded by such things Moses
and the prophets lighted Lazarus Abraham bosom,
and that a-suficlenI With Christ and His apos-
ties the apparatus OF salvation Is complete.
My trends, your mothcr has gone, your tatner has
gone, your children have gone. Don't say that II
they would come back and bear testimony to the doc
trine you would repent. Let them stay IN the bosom
OF Abrahac Let Lazarus stay there TOO Let the
grace ot God here on earth do tor you what Il
diu ior Lazarus You have Abraham aud the apostles.
Their truths are enough TO draw you home. Read the
Bible of Moses ana the prophets amid the ruius OF
Babylon the banks OF The Iigrus and on the plains
OF Asia Minor and you Will Ind II Its own evidence.
Take The crowned revelations OF the Word oil God.
Those VINO Will not accept THIS would not believe even
II one from The dead"