The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-05
ST. STEPHENS CHURCH.

ON THE STORMY SEA or LIYE-cHRIsT OUR
cAPrAN-sERMoN By THE REV. DIR. cURRAN.
Tho high mass at st. Stephens Church, Twenty
eighth street, yesterday morning was celebrated by
the Row. Father Byron and the sermon preached by
tho Rev. DR.. Curran The preacher took his text
from the gospel oil the Sunday, Matthew, viii 2S2a
Our Lord, he said, is represented by the evan
gelist Us leaving tho shores OF certain land, and
gong into vessel, followed by HIS dscipleA tho
vessel went out and storm arose. which tossed
the bark among the waves until the disciples became
afraid and went the Master, saying. "Lord, save
us or we perish" Tho Master was sleeping, but the
disc,ples awakened Him, and TO Thorn Ho then ad-
dressed Himsef-"O 20 Of little faith ~ He cried, ro-
proacbfully After rebuking them He commanded
the winds 70 stil and tho to rest and there
was At once great calm. The disciples, seeing this,
asked each other what manner Of man couiu
this DO whom evcn the Winds and the sea
obcycd 1t Is impossible, said tho preacher, not to
admire the simplicity Of manner In which Goa teaches
heaven We must follow the divine Master, put tho
truth placed before us In form so simple mat our
minds but DO convinced that IN heaven there ID
q pure simplicity which forbds doubts, Tears or theo-
RIGS. The Gospel teaches US the lesson OF our hves;
for II look back that Childhood Is ike
the calm, quiet and undisturbed Ito OF the Master and
HIS disciples the peaceful village from which they
embarked 70 go iortn upon tne sea- ana, navng once
entered upon our responsible career VIC ma That we
are upon the sea, with tho winds battling us ana
the tossing hiIhcr and thithcr. But through
all tho storm the Masters voice calling on Us
to follow, TO keep Him In sight until the shorc peyona
IS reached. II IL Tor us. in tho way we spend our
ives to determine whether wo shall hearkcn 10 Inc
Mustcr's voice follow alter Him 10 heaven, or to
embark OH other course under the lead OF some
other captain, whore there IS only nm allurng voico
assuring that shall not be snipwrecked, but the
falsty oil which shall learn when shipwreck over
takes But II IS ordained that We must pass over
the stormy oil life; We must go through the dan
gers tibuations with which we are 10 DC aiiced
and unless we have tho divine assistance helping US
tho temptations and tho pleasures OF the word Will
corr auly over zach US and shall fall under tho
sway of the enemy OF souls The worlI Is ful oil
obstacles 10 mans spiritual progress II 10 Con-
slant turmoil from frat to last never ending war.
iare between and vice, between the voice OF
God calling to Keep with the Master and the
impulses OF nature urging US 10 seek the passing
qualifications around US
HUMAN PRoPENsrrEs DANGEROUS
Those who go through ifc ignorant OF Gcds revela-
tons tell that they sec nothing wrong III following
nature's tendencies; that AS Goa has placed them in
our souls they there TO be obcyed. Thus 10 the
transitions into the most fearful Crimes IL Is for
gotten that these natural tendencies are the natural
consequences OF sin tor they were created by sin.
They given TO us by God that our souls may DO
sitted and tried and purified. We ure all prone to
them the waves OF passion beat against as constanty
we ever In danger OF sinking into the depths
The turbulence of our hearts, howsoever agtateo they
may We, and have faith HIS merciiul Intervention,
we need have NO fear, for peace shall como upon
and our souls ind rest after the struggle The world
shows us vice In all It's tinsel exats sin tho
highest Spacious attractions are presented In count
less FORMS ana hence we have TO be over
guard. We must then, never cease to call upon tho
n aster. He who calmed the stormy sea can bring
peace disturbed souls and matter how great
may DO the pcrils with which find ourselves beset.
we must have faith Ii HIS power TO bring us safely
through them all to be our loader the journey to
the shore beyond, where may enjoy eternal peace
and rest