The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-21
MADISON Av. REFORMED CHURCH.
THE BLESSING OF cHILDREN-sRRMoN BIZ THE
INV WILLIAM rr0vn


REV. WILLIAM LLOYD.
s'Little children, q source of praise to God and
strength to men," the topic OF the Rev. William
Lloyd's sermon, at the Madison Avenue Reformed
Church. at the corner of Ffy-seventh street, yester-
day morning The text upon which he founded his
remarks s to be found In Psalms viii, 2-Out OF the
mouths OF babes and stockings hast thou ordained
strength &c, In order to attain to understand
ing of tho teaching Of the words quoted, he said
Il would be necessary first to remove a common
error OF tation-uamely that the expression
was merely Agurative, illustration Of tho weakness
of the early Christian Church In comparison with
the strength o. the systems min WY wsa WHICH
OF Christian fathers appeared TO him untenable.
because OF two fundamental laws OF sound Scrptural
that the text should be literally
Understood whom It Involves NO violence to common
morality second, that It should be inter-
posIor or the Bible. In the Temple He rebuked the
scribes and the Pharsces no would silenced the
children who were singing this psalm with the very
TOWER OF STRENGTH
Its meaning that God has Of the character and
utterance OF little children founded of strength
Tor men aud source OF praise to Himself David
troubled at the mutines Of mensins against Cd and
against himself AS he thought Of mans meanness he
tried himself With The image OF his original
greatness ard then turned tor still deeper comfort
the beauty a,th and innocence Of little children. They
are q stronghold comfort II is sad Act that
many people seem 10 regard the advent OF children
into their homes something to be deprecated and
avoided II possible Their absence may exempt them
from and may give them more time for Irivolity,
but homo never such as God meant u to be unless
children thero There Ia much in this world TO
ohafe us. There are providentiai problems which
faith In TO fail and often even trust
IN God to founder We do not find the comfort we
seek the great world, and thon turn footsteps
homeward. There we are greeted by our little chill
dren who
Climb our kpoe the envied kiss to SHARE
and wo ind in their pure hearts and guileless af-
lection such comfort as We can never gain from the
cold and hcartless world.
STRONGHOLD HOPE
Children a stronghold of hope. The mutiaies of
mon against God disturb tho Christian heart but
think that Guild once, and by the grace OF
God may become a little child again. There was pro-
found philosophy in the action OF Christ to His dis
cules whom He placed the little children in tncir midst
In their inquiry to which OF them should
be greater before Cod The pathway to trust and tho
highest honor not on the mountains brow, where
tho grows dizzy at tho height, but through the
lowly valc q spiritual childhood Lie 10 many IL q
fearful struggle Few havo not felt constrained 10 cry
sometimes,
oh, for man to be born In mo,
That the man am may cease 70 bel
Little children have taught the wsest men lessons
In faith, in Divine Providence and the future. Our
living children teach for the present and
children under tho green sod strengthen our
faith In Immortality Children are the strength Of tho
than fourftns c the persons who bad been led 10 the
faith BY the pastor curing the nine years were not
come 10 Christ lead their little children TO Him.
EIGHTEENTH STREET M. E. CHURCH
FRIENDS IN HEAvEN-sERMoN BIZ THE REV.
W. e. HATFIELD.
"rho recognition OF friends in heaven" was tho
subject OF q sermon by Rev. W. +. Hatfield in tho
Eighteenth Street Methodist Church yesterday morn
ing. Alter the singing OF the hymn, "Come, let US
Join our friends above" Mr. Hatfield announced his
text as follows would not have 20 to be igno-
rant brethren, concerning them that Sleep" &c.-
l. Thessao nians w., 1914 Tho preacher said that
he preached upon this SUBJECT BY request Il is sub
jcct than which, perhaps, there 10 mono other that
takes early hold upon mon, and upon which thoy
are SO eager obtain all the light to be found in the
Gospcla 1t Is that OF meeting and knowing
| our friends who have departed In Christ
| In the spirit land. Tho belief IN heavenly
recognition, as 1t Is called, is not confined to
any age nation of the world. II is almost univor-
sai and belongs what Is called natural religion, IN
that respect differing from revelation, which hnds It's
only proof IN the Scriptures. IL was belief common
Homer who lived 600 years before Socrates 10
Latin poct Virgil and TO the great orator Cicero, who
In ono Of his oraons aendcs suues 40 us o
ceremonies of the Hindoo religion point 70 THIS bciici
and tho Indian 10 confident that after death he
Will pursue the chase IN the happy hunting grounds Of
the Great spirit. company with hts warrior friends
rho argument favor Of this belief that Coz would
not have implanted In bosoms such noble desire
up less he intended to crafty It, Memory will remain
the same alter death, only greatly intonsihed. we
will remember and recognize those wnom we nave
known In lie, Tor death docs not destroy persona
Identity and individuality Our bodies will be more
beautiful, more glorious, but the same Among tb'
| millions that inhabit the earth there are no two OK
actiy alike and the distinguishing points OF difference
will be as strongly marked alter DEATH As parents
long separated IRON their children, know them IN aftc
wears BY some mark scar, after death there vii
DO some mark BY which friends may identity one an
otncr The Scriptures not altogether silent on th'
subject. as may suppose.
Al this point Mr. Hatfield read two three passagc
from the Old and the New Testament In support OF hi
uot n n
lion 10 tho theory which Is proposed rcquenti,
thau any other II L. that our pleasure recognzin