Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-06-12
Alefan0ria 6aK&tte
TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE IL.
MIR. Beecller's Last Sundays Sermon.

MIR. Beecher'S Last sundays sermon
Mr.. Bcecher commenced his last Sunday
sermon by saying that there was not greater
respect for royalty than that which was offered
10 the Jewish idea Of the priesthood. lu ous
modern ideas priests and priesthood meant very
little. We continued to use it just as we con
tinuc to use the word blood, although it Is
repuguant and foreign to cur modern ideas.
But to the Jew the priest was the Whole tuuc
| ton of mercy. At the time his text was writ
ten the priest had degenerated very much; the
priesthood had become political power, and
answered for purposes Of that kind. but in the
text attention is called to the fact that they had
high priest who had power into the heavens,
| and was no louger under the dominion OF ty.
| ranny, and as if that were not sufficient they
| were told that he was Jesus the Son of God. y
This Identification of Christ with men Is as Ii
the lower link Of the chain got fast hold OF men,
and then as if you lifted it and linked it as 1t
were wihfGod. 1t would seem that, In one
sense, the New Testament gave to God total.
~ different idea Of man to that which is some.
times taught Man is the child of God in no
6guratye sense, though be may derive his
childhood through all natural laws and through
all instrumentalItes. In doing this life is lifted
up to a plane OF oconceiyable splendor. 10
living a Christian life IN these modern times
when in books and newspapers there IL
pouring on to u.s. light and great deal OF IN
formation as to physical laws, 1t Is We'll to re-
member this great truth, and 10 endeaVor to
cultivate the heroic and 10 strive after The su-
pernal, and not TO give undue attention to that
which is merely physical. We are to be follow
ers of Christ and to be heroic Christians, not on
abstract principles, but by the nobler impulse
that we arc following our leader. The working
force iu the earlier period OF childhood is the
selection of some one either father or mother,
or purse or some other around it as its example.
The attempt to reproduce in us that which Is
beautiful around u. IS the natural plan OF llici
it is Gods plao. You remember Henry Clay,
how he led men iuto political parties, how the
soldiers of Napoleon made their commander
into demigod. Now, that is the genus OF
the New Testament, that was the Jewish plan,
and this was the way that Carts. was shown to
men. We have, then, 10 this sense OF active
concern of God in the universe the assurance
that it is possible for ua to live on highcr
plane OF spiritual litc than We usually 90. L
DON t think man can take upun himself this
higher form Of Christian life without this idea
of leader; he may take lower walk, but hot
this.
So then iu the text it is declared that our
High Priest, our Leader, was tempted 90 all
points, as we are. ii is quite possible Tor an
army to be enthusiastic Tor It's king; Dut then
he is another sort of j kiog, ADD many SOL
is another sort of man. What does he care ioI
o moor soldicr?" Butifthe King has been SOL
der, and sits down by tho side of the soldier
and eats with him and talks about the old days,
it is then soldier feels that his general 10 ro'
gardcd as the best general 10 oil the world.
Now, Jesus Christ Identifies himself with evory
possible human experience aud it ls by that that
he gets hold of our real feelings. There Is
double connection between mch and their lead
or Jesus Christ. He is united to US BY all that VIC
need and lack. Let US see then, how this WORKS
in practical life. Faith to live O spiritual lie
comes 10 the conviction that we have persooal
Saviour az leader, delivered and presented to
US, and who is identified with us from reasons
that arc in Him, and rot from reasons that are
in us. Then consider, too, the experiences
that men have to 20 through by the inequal'
ties of condition. There arc very tcW persons
who arc harncsscd pleasantly TO their clrcum
stances, aud whose occupation Is 10 harmony
yith their ideal There is not single prlVa'
ton in human life that your leader has not OK
perienced. ~
The same is true with regard TO temptation.
We say very little to one another OF TINS airy
world of conflict, of pride, temper and all that un
revealed part ola mans life that he never puts
down in bis journal. But our Master Knows per pei
fectly we'll every phase Of this disease; We
are not calling uuou a young physician who has
his knowledge to obtain by experience 1t Is
that know iu whom trust that lie IS able TO
tcen that which have committed to His trust.
It is the fact that we are under the eye and
heart throb of Jesus Christ who leads us, and
whose compassion is Infinite 10 our trials, SUI
terrrs and temptations Y. Herald.
Horse uIEvEs.-lllloois officials have re-
Gently discovered one Of the most extensive and
formidable bands Of horse thieves ever organiz
cd in the West, and several OF the leaders nave
already been arrested. 1t had long tecn known
that such gang existed, but noiblug dehnl'e