The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-28
TRINITY SUNDAY.
Pulpit Topics in New York and
Brooklyn Yesterday.
OUR GUARDIAN ANGELS.
Mr.. Beecher's Reverence for
Pope Plus TX.
UR GUARDIAN ANGELS.
THE MYSTERY OF A TRIUNE GOD.
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.

SERMON BY REV. DR. HEPwoRTH MINIS
TERIN1 sPIRITs-TEE ANGELS WHO ARE
AROUND Us-oUR FRIENDS IN TIME OF NEED.
The Church Of the Disciples was filled with a large
audience yesterday, who listened discourse by Rev.
Mr. Hepworth from tho text, Hebrews, xiii, l.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with
SO great cloud OF witnesses let US lay aside every
weight, and the sin which doth easily beset US, and
let us run with patience the that Is set before us
Tho preacher said:-For long time have wanted
10 speak TO you about part least OF the work which
The angels do under the direction OF God. great
many people fail to comprehend the fact which tho
Bible everywhere tells that aided guided aud
ldmonlshod by angels who sent loving and
lender missions. IL is evident to mo that st. Paul
believed that the heavens arc peopled with
IN unseen community, who taKc note OF
mr goings and comings and arc interested
our and failure and all the affairs OF our
Ives We alone. There is ever q guardian
angel at our side-yea. comprised about by
"a great cloud of witnesses" Let me adduce few
Illustrations, although hardly know where to begin,
because the minstrations Of angels are contcm-
poraneous with the beginning of the race, ana they
will end only when the Is received into heaven
and earth shall cease to be our homo.
EVIDENCE OF THE ANGEL PRESENCE
II you turn to the nineteenth chapter OF the Book Of
Kings you will ana there record of Ejah's III ght
Ho had deaed Ahab the King, but he .rembed In tho
presence Of Jezcbe the willy woman, who, by her In.
trgues, had excited his fear, and running from her
Into the wilderness he sat down under juniper
While there an angel touched him and SAID 'sArise
aud eat. And he looked, and, behold there was a
cake baken the Goals and cruse OF water at his
head AND he did eat and drink, and laid him down
AGAIN" And the story goes that angel Of the
Lord came again second time, and touched
him and said .Arise and eat; because the
Journey is TOO great for thee" If again you
VIII urn to Elisha the great OF Elijah, you
will find another ana perhaps striking incident
You will remember that Elisha and his servant were
pursued by the enemy. Tho chances were apparently
ail against them, and their capture CERTAIN The
:ervan. was in dismay not more at mis- own misfor-
tune Than at the compaccnt manner In which the
prophet viewed the impending danger. AT last the
servant demonstrated and Elisha said :-"rhere are
be prayed and said, Lord pray thee open his eyes
that he may sce; and the Lord opened his eyes, and
behold the mountain was full OF horses and ch arots
Of nre am not wrong, then, IN saying that the en-
virons oil heaven are very close to those EARTH and
that there Is constant means Of communication be-
tween those who live in this neither world and these
who people the regions of the upper ar. Other
Ewes s,, than our own are regarding our lives
with interest, and other hearts are beating in
ympathy with our struggles and temptations.
What blessed thought 1t Is that you and reach
pur hands up, and, although we may feel the touch
pi the angels, that the angels can touch u.s. What
blessed privilege Is to know that whom are per-
picked and embarrassed, and when the clouds Of do.
nestle afiction gather about u.s. there be-
ngs lowering around and ready to extend help that
We may fight successfully against tie enemy who
It not for those who have been our rescue py
Him who loves with love that Is Unreasonable,
grand and beautiful
THE TESTIMONY or THE AposrLrs
Let me turn now Tor single moment to the New
Testament, In the twelfth chapter Of Acts we have
was IN dungeon, with soldier on either SIDE There
were manacles ON his eet and he chained to the
door. We arc told, however, that 'the angel Of the
Lord came upon him, and light shined In the prison.
and he smots Peter the side and raised him
mp, and.hs chains fell off from his hands And the
ne; and he went out and followed HIM. and wist not
that II was true which was done by the gel but
thought he saw vision" He believed il was only
lrcam. He believed that In few minutes He would
wake up with his hands and ieet su chained the
dungeon floor II is not permitted to the angel
faces oi those who hep us; but, brethren, It s. not
more true that Peter liberated by the angel Of the
Lord than that angels are by sides who
terestcd IN welfare, hitler that may win
victory the and troubles OF life. II ono
oil the fundamental doctrines OF The od and New Tes
taments that God tn helps man Sometimes He works
q miracle. AT other tunes Ho sends His ministering
spirits that we may be lifted out OF sorrow and be
checred and encouraged aud Drawn upward. What q
blessing IL is 10 feel that We not alone; that all
heaven is our side that wherever we 20 at
tended by Gods angels. who constantly eEdeavor-
Ing 10 lead from evil and toward that which good
anu true
you will turn to the ninth chapter OF Daniel and
the twentv-Grst verso you will lind these words: -
"Yea, whiles was speaking IN prayer, even the
Gabriel, whom mad seen in the vision at the beginning
beng caused to NY swiftly touched me about the time
Of the evening oblatlon; and he informed me and
talked with me. and said, y, Daniel, am now como
three men were in the hery furnace was there not
another with them? Pray tell me who was tho fourth
II was the angel OF the Lord, some superior being who
held the power OF miracle IN his right hand and who
drew the heat from the hre as you would draw poison
from wound. What mighty subject this is, brcth-
rent May not the angel be with here or al homo
now? Al the RISK OF wcarying your patience l call
your attention to still another passage In tho fifth
chapter Of Acts from the 10 the twentieth
verse, you Will read:-"fhen tho high priest up
and all they that were with MN, and laid
their hands on the apostles and put them in the COM
Pnth Inf Nal ,.t.,ht
the prison doors and brought them forh and said Co.
stand and speak IN the temple to the people VII the
words OF this lie. y
ANGELS ALL AROUND US.
might 90 on indefinitely, Tor the subject 10 mex.
but IL Is not necessary. Let me, however,
call your attention TO two or three other instances In
which angels have made their appearance. You Will
not forget that the conception Of CHRIST was an-
nouncod 10 Joseph by an angel, and the namc which
the child should bear was given before he born.
Nor the world forget the IN which the shep-
herds took SO wondrous a part They were watching
iheir docks when suddenly un angel appeared Ueiurs
Them and announced the Saviours birth, proclaiming
reign OF peace as well as Of power-peace eartn
and good will TO man. Yes my hearers, the angels
are everywhere. You do not breathe word, think
thought or DO an act but you are helped nndered
with Christ We do nothing unless God
guides US, and God His angels ana ministers and
our burdens and draw US nearer To heaven Heaven,
IL act lies all about US. aud when we 20 hence we |
shall not so lar We shall simply pass through tho |
iron door 10 glory that is close NJ hand. Finally,
there is passage Ui Scriptures which says here Is
10Y heaven sinner that repenteth " These
golden words, and, though they arc bard TO apprs
catc, there Is mighty logic IN them that cannot bo
easily resisted II there JOY in heaven over repent
ant sinners, then II must be true that heaven has
direct and personal interest in our welfare There arc
tender ties associations and memories hearts that
are beating In unison with our own, and sympatbies
that reach us in all walks. IL liz q wonderful |
doctrine; but, because II has taken evil |
shape and been prostitutcd TO base uses, Il is |
NO why we should give up stern aud glorious
iacl The Bible fun Of revelations the other world,
and believe That IL distinctly emphasizes idea that
those have loved US gone before are not SO
away as we may think. Thcy are close that they |
can see every day ana hour Jesus has SAID, @. will
ABIDE with you; will send the iortcr 70 you. "
St Pau has told US that We are surrounded by cloud
ot Witnesses and told these doctrines around me M
INV enc Let thon all feel that as we 20
along lies dusty highway, and climb It's hills we are
moi Alone but that unseen iricnds In our com.
many lending US strength, giving US cncou raging
70 dis and helping our footsteps as move toward
heaven.
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.