, 1877-02-26
Organization Of an Undenominational
Ohuroh---Tabern
Services.
Bishop Merrill breaches at Grace Church
on the FulAllment Of the Law.
THE GOLDEN REED.
SERMON HY PROF. sWIN0.

An ancient pagan said. "doou men arc I'M
ages Of The gods." Wien the Holy Scriptures
came along to the world they were found to con-
tain the sumo idea. "Lct ua make man In our
image. after our likeness" When Christ came
In subscqucnt times lie appeared In tho Image
OF man. thus confirming again the Intimate
relationship between Deity and humanity. It
ia Impossible for Us 10 coucoIro Of q God rs
possessing mind and qualities different from
the mind and quality OF tdca1 manhood; for
away from himself man knows of no possible
shape OF intelligence. Tint Is, va cannot con-
ce,ve Of mind that fsas no memory, no hope,
no love, no logical power, no imagination, no
sense Of right aud wrong. Mind IL known only
By Its qualities Remove all these known quail
ties and there Is nothing left 10 be callod BY tho
uamc Of mind or soul. It would seem ~ US
therefore that ali Intelligent beings, from tho
highest angel to the humblest man, must be
ukcncsscs Of God, rs the little lake Is tho lmagu
Of tho ocean, ~ tho lover rainbow Is like the
upper ono. ,-.
This close and unavoidable resemblance be.
tween the conception OF a God and the hlca OF
man possesses practical value. Il should not
simply flaster man's vanity that lie Is IN the
image Of God, but from this resemblance might
come many dcep infcrDnccs for Tho reason,
many lessons Of life, and many consolations fur
the heart. Tho lcasou OF this morning may
well DO this: that man Is go'deu reed for tho
measurement Of tho Deity. Not perfectly may
man measure his God, but he IL authorized to
move through thu celestial city, and to lay upon
the gates thereof and tho walls thereof Ills own
intellect and spirit a. = standard Of measure.
be in man something Of that WHICH reposes tn
God. Thus tic opjcet may tc partially measured
b. its shallow. In tho f0ssllllcrous rocka there
n:e stone models of the onss lying e Sfeatarcs
ngo became fulia limestone, and carries along
forever the iinnge Of the creature which there
ouce Catlcd up and sunk Into It's last sietp.
Our scientific mcn dig out these casts made ~
and muAenms; The pittutea OF things long Stsicc
pasted AWAY. In tic absence of tue Diety VIZ
are warranted to Look Ut man, and III that image
Bic and otherwise mcasurrlc.s 1od: All think
iug and sober hearts regret otten Tint they cat
read and know 10 III tlr nhout that Being from
a9 f1u sS II 4rsr ssa sha xS" 81 a %st s.
1act that mnn himself may be the golden reed
BY which tho mighty city may bo measured With
III and without.
tive study when " informs mankind TINT the
human soul was made in tho divine likeness,
mud when nll through its pasgs u dcduccs the
line ol aytou OF Qua froll, tho line Of action of
man. Christ says you may learn the FAthcr's
love aud k'nducss from human loyu and kind
ness; for what earthly, parent, being asked By
bis child for BREAD VII! give him siolfe, or b.:
g asksa for an &C. wy E'9 n arp,o
give good gifts Ne must infer tho WILLINGNESS Of
thv Eravcnjy Father. Paul. too, says there is
IN tie human mind iaw ot right ,rtEht
sen.e; and Tint on this account man is rrspon-
s,bIe }or his conduct even away iron, tho writ
ten inv Of Mpscs and tho prophets.
, Hence, by vltncss Of the Bible ftsclf, man u
Infinite. Not ceftalnly will tie study Of man
throw full light upon Tho fact aid character and
dcssgns Ut thu Almighty, but tt vii! Dc rs the
the traveller gentle sutdanv, prec'oI3s, IT,, indeed
in the absence Of thp greater orbs. Who catl
know thu almighty 10 pcricctlonf No ono, iu'
deed, but by looking well upon lita itnaSe-
md probable designs ot Hin who made inan
and sast him Down here to live aud die upon
this little Turla.
III 1x,an NJ waier .nny be btudIea In d ranarup,
1t re.pa!ns to Inquire, III what man 'nay th!s
sublime lesson be rcada Iscvclaton cornca witt,
It's early statement that 0uI maae good mrn in
Ills Iulage. 1t says that by. sin man lost that
resemblance to the Deity; Lost the dclleary and
full power ut least Of surlI MI Inner likeness,
Tho Scriptures hcHcc would lead to tho Inference
that Qood lnr.,, men stumbling near tbs original
ileal, would he thu only souls IN which tho faec
OF Cod could be s.cn with any latttlctueaa, 1t
should not hc expected Indeed, that mind
which had built up hab!ts Of I'll, would posscss
heusiou of diyi,.s qualities wnIch should be
path u righteousness. We lnuat thcrelofe
conclude that tic biblu loeates III only good
uretnent Ut thu Creator. Alongside this testi.
1nuny was TINT Ut the heathcn who said "Guo1
meu Are the images Of tue gola."
Whle cash human being t; VIZ throw M some ltRh,1
eat man has In him n,uch that pouts toward
tho Almighty, yet that golden reed which bes,
measures the celestial city must ccrtafn'y b.
a time Or of the wl.ote wusld, As Tic
beat definitions anl wurks Vi art cui1lt
End must come, from those whose minds lonk
toward them with the most inte'lectual powrl
mud appreciation, 10 the best Views oi uo4 must
~ sought for III tlose who have locked uE
toward Heaven with most a!!cttlon, sud frutn Z
lie the most bla,ncLcss. Werc you to 70 baeh
Of tho Christian CentuHts to inteEIvsato tlt
leatheu world, you would not yalus the opln
fuus Vi this wIrkta and lisepluts 0rtck rs AiNh
y II you would value tho thought of the eall4
SJ.rptss aud thu spiritual llAto. Hence, th
bu found III tie possession Of thoso who possus
the highest moral character aud tho w!dest ln
ia.) il Win furthermore not bc any one In
ltyilual VI auJ u1lc generation that vii! host
this golden fecd Of measurement; but IT. vii
10 ths slowly coming but tnors universal con
sent OF nasay, many mnda., eonlns, alonl
through separated uGes that Aflal! mcFit froii
US t4s most Of study, and shall warraut ua il
accepting CONCLUSIONS aud building up hoi ea
Tne gradual cuustnt VI all the Kood, til
RIaiu4l sdvance u the t'nmense Majortt
nlung 4 certain path, All adyance measured b
many cerluries Vt time and III which AL u
good o. each NE haso teen nu1neerel-thls
tho situation which makes up tho best rec
: fur measuring the city. An individual. like "
Augustine, Or Calvin, or Luther may err
'auI Whole age uhay err; but II man IL tn
tlunge Of God We snail certuirly anl tic multi
tuur correcting the Isolated individual, aud tn
many eeutu!ieb corrr>ting kuy one generation
and Ill tho natlons reviewing the career Of an
one state; uul thus, amid tho LauJs Of til
many hundreds Of years sud Of millions u "
1txht .ucn tolllug II l,1ercut tlne4 anl places
W. shall dnl tie test i.uage Of the Create!
And hnpeslect u th!s picture will te. IL wi
Jet carry faith and conlfort to taany u sou
and give 1t an anchorage xhich Il offered b
10 sclcnea Of nature u abstrack formulas y
; le94.
Que u the great theologlaus Of the last gsn
erattou, Dr.. Albert barucs wu. universally s,
. ported to taye sa;d that II Lis B:bu taught tha
slavery were right, und nHvtrsal elual.t
Ix.. A Il