Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-06-19
Alefau0rIa 0axette
TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE -.
liz. sse"cEler'S Last Sundays Sermon.

IIr. Fseccller'S last Sundays Sermon.
Mr. Bccclicr preached Sunday morning on
speaking tic truth in love. aud selected Tor bis
text the fifteenth verse CT the fourth chapter OF
ST. Psui's Epis!la to the Ephcsians s-"But
speaking the truth in love may grow up unto
him in all things, which is the head, even
Christ
The first clause Of this verse is that which
was made the basis Of the sermon, and 10 ti.s
course of which Mr.. BeGchcr said :-"Ihcre
are no formal expressions in the New Testa-
mcnt in such sequence OF thought as is consld-
cred now necessary in laying basis oil phlloso'
ply. Although there Is great deal OF reason
lnr in Paui's method, although there is much
philosophical analysis, they arc aS 1t were luc!
dental. His sayings, for the most part, sprlpg
out of his heart, and good deal in him Is
aroused by his affections. Ia The text he has
described what 10 comnlon phrase is known o.
the scnias Of tho Gospel. This phrase, speak
ing the truth in lGyt, seems to have slipped
into the trxt, as L thousand other eternal truths
seemed to have slipped lnlo The Scriptures.
| After definition 0i the Old Testament idea of
Righteousness and its failure to compc! man to
right living by ar0uSlug lear and appealing to
conscience, aud contrasting 1t with the Christian
1
Of God for man, Mr.. Bcccher proceeded 10 IN
ourc as to the best methods Of preaching ard
the spirit that should animate the preacher
| I'll We listen to the cu!oges made upon min
isters," said Mr. Beccher, in newspapers-ior
ministers are sometimes praised IN newspapers
| 1t is generally the criticism 0l The bull and
| the bear. 1t is how he did give it to tho sln-
ners how he did beat down everything under
and over lhep, high or low You ought to
| have seen him; how he did fight the devil !!
| Men thus describe Christian lille and ChTls'
liau duty by these furious forces and affect
to believe that thcSo are competent things
to precede tho Christ Of meckuess. Some
| ministers arc long time lighting the devil be-
fore they are able TO preach CHRIST, and many
men fight the devil all their lives. Now an"
then there is q man who has the power OF Ut
terancc and who knows how to take the elt'
ments Of truth, faith AID justice anu 10 say
things with the demonstration OF love; IN fact,
| 10 speak the truth in love- Now there are
great many men who can preach cXcellentty
we'll, but they are no; gospel preachers and
they do some good. There are thousand
odds and ends tha; have to be done IN this
world, and there always seems to be . Thousand
men who can do odds aud ends. But, on the
other hand, there are men who are teachers,
either as preachers or 10 the schools, 10 taml'
lies or in the friendships Of life, who know low
| to administer the goSp, Of the Lord jesus
Christ. Thcra is q secret iu this, and there is
| au experience 10 ii lat is not given TO every
| man to know.
1.-The true method oi Gospel teaching Is tc
know how to hold the conscious bclog IN the at
| tempt to cDj0u disposition ot tvlne love OUT
| Of which shall come lGrth the cIhlca! faculty
! 1t is true that reason requires clear atmos
! phcre: conscience requires this, 100, and lou'H
patton comes out Of this atmosphere o.! love AZ
there arc storms that rise out OF clear aad
pure air that leave the earth better than they
found them. 1t is 80 with Christian 10,
dIgualior; il leaves blessing upon all
| it. touches when it is spO6cn IN love.
This preaching OF divine love does not exclude
indignation and severity, as some people think
It has been said, in objection to this rreachioK
Of gcp,Ieness, that nobody springs up under II.
| Rnt Is there anybody in creation more LOVING
and thoughtful o.! the child than It's mother, aud
is There ANYBODY more mortified CT more panied
than this mother is when this child has nOHc
yronrY Where is there anything that Is So
quick to detect impCr!cction as true anu NO.
tIe love? If, therefore, under Il system OF
teaching that presents dl9lDc love as It's prlncl'
pal feature nothing springs up II Is because
the presentation has not been discreet III
give man cup'u OF mIh anu put pu, ~. Ia'r III
water with 1t ana you conp'a,' i"I' sau % :, WIN
vas bad and d'd not % hn gooI' h sly n.y. II m WI'
the water that dld INN hafIl' a'I noI .nI uiN
No presentation ol inc tFi'h VI io'r ~ "u- 10
complete that has not 10 ]. s':uso u If,ur,
that does not quicken Tue cons'cuIS ,ha ,uaat.
ness of the ministry This speaking OF the
trnth in love also requires freedom from the
arrnrancc Of orthodoxy. It's said that this free
dom Of preaching tins large liberty OF teacnlns r!
is dangerous; but there Is danger about every
ped aud conliucd many lncn that they per.
vert even au orthodox belief. They seem TO
thinE tha, Christ died l0r 1 catcchlam; that nc
I"'uN !, ''i"' i 'rhn rn,nrcpalions Of sueh
men are theological canpSs