The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-12
FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.
WAS OUR LORD JoYFUL?-sEnMoN By REV.

DIR. ARMITAGE
Row DR.. Armitage preached in the Fifth Avenue
Baptist Church. His text was taken from john xv, IL,
ollows:-That my Joy may be in you, and your JOY
be made lu." Addison says, observed tho Reverend
Doctor "that cheerulncss keeps up kind Of daylight
IN the mind, aud fills II with steady, perpetual
serenilyn Then, cheerfulness Is even unelevated,
undepressed Butjoy is higher and liveier order OF
happiness and generally sudden in It's rise and
preston Commonly there is one bound from de-
preston TO delight Suddenly We hnd ourselves
raised from ponury to afuence, from obscurity to
large sphere Of inhucnce or alter wearisomo tnves-
tigation and exhausted faculties, we lnd some new
truth developed or some question In science solved;
then JOY rushes through tho breast ike tide Or,
unlocked for, we meet an old friend whom We never
expected to again, or catch sight OF our native
land after long exile or receive an act OF generosity
from our supposed enemy. Any OF these make US so
happy that We exuli delight seeks utterance joy
express itself in exclamations; but only tears
laughter tell tho Joy that feel, Tor every
pulse beats to healthy tune, because every spring
III the bosom IS instantly quckened 10 exhiaration
raptures. This is JOY, real and true JOY
Now the text tolls Us that Jesus was the subject
OF this species OF emotion and as We should suppose,
honest intellectual and spiritual rank. II words
have any meaning then THIS verse shows Him TO have
been unrammecd IN the glad upsoaring Of His soul.
because He experienced holy joyiuiness which
cited every vital power Of His sacred breast such
dos strikes rst very strange, ana, In fact
rather unwelcome 80 that we would prefer TO pass
by such New Testament expressions, iest E some way
they should dersct that trust Of soul which pro-
fers 20 repose Ia Him ouy, and without mitigation,
u man OF sorrows. We arc hrmly hold by tho
thought oil His sublime rcpose IN deep sorrow; we 500
HIM often IN divine Tears, aud the hidden conflict
within bursts forth often III dark sadness and deep
pity that reluctant 10 think Of His life in this
world other Than as ono unbrokcn torrent Of woe.
He himself tolls that He WAS no stranger to JOY,
aud tue living oracles tell US elsewhere that God
"anointed him with the oil Of gladness
above his ieliows;" 50 that all ,,, the hap.
which we associate with tho loap tor JOY
and the song Tor JOY and the shout for JOY were not
only HIS, Dut His above the measure of ordinary
tails Theology, art ana pety have uuconsciously
slimualed each other TO the rendering OF sided
Christ in this protest against this onesided
vicw which gives tut part Of the truth, ana gives
that In aucn an emphasis as dstorts the part which
given, not ouly that but has the presumption
do u ut the expense oil Our LORDS own yeraclty That
III suffered more than tongue can tell both soul and
body not 10 be questioned, Tor all sorts of neavncss
burden and horror oppressed Him. But, alter ALL that
only part OF the truth. 1t is equally
dong His perfect work there were times when brill
iant happiness seized Inn. When nameiess trium-
plant Joy ned Him from head TO loot when all about
Him was sparkling anu bright, and when Jesus
Joced IN spirit because wiae rt had torn the black
cloud about HIM, SO that while tho enulgcnce OF
rapture poured itself upon Him in Hoods, ecstatic
JOY cried out, "Fathcr, thank theeln
THE SOURCE or cHIIsTs JoY.
Why was not all this SO natural and Godike that t
was u OF His greatness rather tnan detraction
from the majesty OF His charactcrY True the burden VI
have prosecuted the laoor oil bearing through mo-
time one mood OF mind would have argued woridi-
ness, or noroseness, IL not weakness instead OF tho
power OF resistance and that springing vigor which
withstanus pressure There was sympathy with His
work, ali sides oil IT, which argues tho greatness OF
Ills nature and It's exact adaptation TO HIS position.
Every susceptibility sprang 10 His command NJ
staut, and prompted That exact sentiment Of HIS NINA
and heart which tho OCCASION needed, now IN warding
of danger and now IN awakening JOY Could He exc
cute his Office without being partakcr of the JOY
which lie inspircdY Could little chidrcn look IN 10
Ilfaf nd ami We lar a
leap Joy the dumb sing ~ prase--the sorrow
bcroaved DO turned into laughter ana the blind
burst hosannas when they saw HIS glory, while al
WITHIN His own soul WIS sadness No. When he
speaks OF tiny 10y" lie means that His bosom was
reasons are assigned IN the Scriptures themselves io
His 10Y Take that Mcssianc declaration already
quoted in part:-"Thou lowest righteousness ant
hatest iniquy therefore Cod thy God, has anointcs
thee with tho oil OF giudhess above thy follows
There is "a malicious 10y which 'reJoces IN niquity'-
a 10y takiug its source in malicious motives ant
schemes OF viiauy-so that thrill oil horror which
makes others shudder only makes the protector oi IN
iquiiy joyful. The source OF Ch.isps JOY was the OPP
posile o. ths--.,rhou hatest wickednoss and loves
righteousness therefore thou art glad above VI,
fellows" Out OF that hatred OF iniquity ana love
righteousness there distilled an Oh ol JOY, when wa
80 ABUNDANT as to annoint Him, Tho periect health
His soul and body gave hale holy soundness 10 nin
winch perfectly accordea with tue rec'i
tuic OF Cod ana filled Him with
happiness tnat other men couid not know.
lbs was the gladness which endowed Him so often
VITA Tho festive feelings vi bridegroom and led him
10 throw away the dark sdo OF LIE, as HIS harD'hge
john, had observed u, 50 That He hinged win TUE
yright side oi hie throwing all Ills heart into tue
hilarties vi the marriage least haiiing IN HIS tak
the re,urn OF the prodsui son with family least, en-
vcned by music anu dancing, anu Himself so freely
uiD.ng win puLlicans ana sinners ne 10 shock The
most rigid pictsts Vl It's tmc aud draw ior.n theii
cuarge that lie was .luton anu wnebibbcr.
1hcy coulu not understand how lie should DC 80 So
ca,Iy happy Jet MAINTAIN spotiessnoss u spirt,
WINE they ell mat soul-hcaynrss aud pam must be
Signs III piety winch exquisite Joy could not be. But
IA Tho context iic gives W mo icasoh-"iheso Things