The New York herald., 1877-12-10
CHICKERING HALL.

FAITH FOR vIRTuE-sERMoN BY REV. SAMUEL
coLCoRD IN REPLY TO Mr.. FRoTHINoHAM.
1t announced that at the Union Gospel services
yesterday afternoon In Chckering Hall Rev. Samuel
Cocord would preach IN reply 10 Mr. rothingham,
who has been charged with making statement that
religion substitutes faith Tor virtue. Mr.. Col
cord said that tar from the statement being truo
modern religion tcaches tnat faith without works Is
dead. and that without holiness man tho
Lord. In his argument :hs modern apostle OF disbe-
lie concludes that tho Christian faith iails to indu
ence tho lives Of Its followers this side grave
because It looks for the ulllment OF greatest prom
ise ON the other sdo of the grave But that is the
very handspring of It's power in tho lives of mon. 1t
says TO Its disciple, be moral here Tor your morality
cvcrastipg be joyful hero for your JOY is eternal
lovo your brethren for you shall moet in closer
and holier brotherhood In the Kingdom OF common
Father He that hath this hopc In him puf1etb him.
seli Christ is pure This modern apostle dis
tipctly says tnat his faIh Is Tor tnis sdc the grave
and has nothing 10 do with the other eide. He thus
surrenders absolutely the other side and gains
nothing worth tho having this side, later
In tho discussion We shall soc. The Christian
ligion gives faith-faith In the holiness,
the wisdom tho ipotence, JUSTICE the ovo OF
God. 1t teaches him to look upon God ''our
Father" II gives HIM noble example, grand and
lofty iiio after which to pattern hs own. II gives
him tho assurance Of infinite sympathy aud the prom
ise OF omnipetent help. IL gives him faith in God
with him-iai,h IN the ultimate triumph Of holiness
with arguments for virtue; that II does not give im-
pulse TO noble ihcs These arc mighty motives to
holiness 10 hto. Now, In TACT, In real lie, what effect
mas the Christian faith had upon the lives OF
lowers? Mr.. rockingham says, ~ venture to say
ence on the popular lite Of its followers Mr.. Col
cord then quoted extensively from history,
geography and the practical lives OF Christian
men nnd women In proof that the assertion
erroneous Wc who have trusted Christ nave unques-
tionaby infalbie proof OF the alsty of this charge
against the Christian iath. We have tasted for our
soives. It Is n matter OF absolute knowledge We
| speak that do know and testify that have
know that In proportion 10 our trust in Christ
Him, loyalty 10 His doctrine, just that
proportion Is the purity OF our thought the oftDcss
Of our aspiration. nobility Of purpose and life
We know that just in that proportion our Adelty 10
al tho best interests OF this lie, JOY In living and
our ove tor the common brotherhood OF man.
FOR CHRIST AND THE FAITH
But before tnis audience need speak for the Christ
who n babe In the manger Of humiliation
| the sword OF tho spirit his hand and tho
| helmet salvation his head, and words
grace his lips. whose Kingdom Is everlasting
Kingdom Tor He ~ entnroncd IN the hearts that He
| has blessedY Need speak tor the Christ by whose
OF tho years aud OF the centuries writing the days of
It's months domini IN the year oil our Lord2 The
Christ TO whom civilization concsses It's allegiance
aud whose nsme It claims as It's own calling itself
Christendom; tho Christ whose has been written
by every pen, Christian or nhde, grnccd tho ltcra-
turo OF nearly thousand years; the Christ whose
teachings, though lily obcyed, have yet become the
! moral Law OF tho civilized world, committing or ac-
quitting in the court OF universal consclen nee Neod
| / speak ior tho iaiih tha. coming out OF great
| tribulaLi0n has taken the sceptro out Of tho
hands OF brutal emperors aud brutal kings:
that been tho harbinger Of human lio-
crty, regnihg to-day in every land where freedom
hnds rome; tho faith that IN its domain
| has emancpatcd womanhood from tho tyranny lk Q
that she suffers still where Its conqucsts have
been made faith tnat has written the brightest
pages this worlds history the fath that by consent
oil IT'S enemies Il now read Mr. Frothngham's words),
present rules the most enlightened portion OF
the civilized world and still, IN form another.
commands tho assent Of tho best minds? Need
/ speak for the faith whose text book has been the
stm Illus anu inspiration of the best thought and
literature of the centuries; tn, faith against who's
granc-like front tho fierce attacks OF inhdelity Tor
nearly thousand years have been but tho
ing oil Tn surf upon the shores of continent The
surf beats yot, the surf Will boat; but in eternal
seronty tho shore shall lasl-the shore shall last.