Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-09-30
REV. CHAFFEE' SALPHA
HIS FIRST APPEARANCE BEFORE
HIS NEW CHARGE.
He breaches Sermon just as Though
Nothing Had Ever Happened, and Makes


A11uslo,, to the Pending Unpleasant
ness.
There was fair congregation scattered
over every part of the auditorium yesterday
morning, to listen to the inaugural sermon
of the Rev. j. F. Ghahee, at the jackson
Street church. There were observed several
strangers who doubtless were drawn there
by the expectation that the minister would
allude in some way to his appointment, and
that the allusion would reflect upon the dis
cord and want of unanimity which his ap-
pointment has created among the members
of his flock. Those who attended from
such motives were much disappointed, for in
his discourse the gentleman did not touch
upon the distasteful theme or allude
to it in the remotest degree. His
sermon was an ordinary one-just
preach who had continued in charge of the
same church for years. It did not in any
part assume the form of OBSCURE which
any newly appointed minister might naturally
be expected to deliver to new charge.
While there were several strangers at the
church, some of the Oldest members were
conspicuous in their absence.
The text chosen for the discourse was
from the 7th chapter Of Mathew, 28th and
one preached here by Bishop Foster-the
same ideas, especially those that Mr.. Chatfe
were identically the same. He said that
| 4ooo io fbo of oIr
That Jesus was teacher. He commanded
his disciples to preach the gospel, thus max
ing teachers of them-they were to teach
all things. Jesus the founder of Christian
! ity, was the greatest teacher the world has
ever seen. The subject of his discourse
would be "Christ as a Teacher" The first
| thought was he was great teacher in spite
| of the fact that the conditions did not meet
in him. He did not think his con
gregation had thought of this before
Christ did not come from a teaching nation
we overestimate the Jews, because Christ was
| a Jew, but the years had produced no great
| lights-they were slaves to the Egyptians
When Christ was teaching the Jews were
nothing in literature or civilizations but GOO
puts his treasures in earthen vessels. Christ
| was not only a Jew but citizen of Galilee--
the least reputable province of the Jews
| No only so, but a citizen of Nazareth, the
meanest of all Jewish cities. And, too
a member of one of her poorest
! families. He was never taught, never edu.
Gated. Socrates taught Plato and Plato
| taught Aristotle, who ruled the world Of
thought for centuries, but Christ sat at no
mans feet, he went to no schools-and YET
he spoke as never man spoke.
Christ's ministry was short-only three
years and half, no man uninspired of God
| ever reached ennnence in SO short time: al
| the point when men begin to grow in power
his life was cut short. Many men dc
not attain the zenith of mental
yigor till they are 40 OF so or 60 years old
but Christ was cut off in the morning of His
life. Another disadvantage, He was an it.
inerent teacher, with no permanent congre-
cation; He preached here and there. He
| had no chance like the p1odern teacher, with
his splendid temple and immense congrega
ton to whom he breaches year in and yea
out. Such men from their natural ad
vantages should eclipse Christ and throw
| Him into the shade. Another advantage
| the modern teacher has is the public press
his sermons are taken down and scattered in
the newspaper to hundreds of thousands o
people, hut Chnst's sermons and Thoughts
were only gathered up years after from mem
DRY and handed down to US. Christ, then
had not the conditions of success. In spite
of all this he spoke having authorit,
and not as the sGibes. He did not bolste
his arguments u by reference to teachers
before him he spoke as one having the RICH
to speak. After commenting on others, h
would say "But ! say unto you,'' and ye
ne is not accused of egotism. The reason
of this was that when he differed from thu
teachers of old be suggested something s.
much better that it was apparent to all. Il
his teashings he pushed his doctrine to tn
extreme "a dangerous thing, but he neithe
crowded his views too far nor stopped short
and what he taught stands to-day tn
standard of ethics and morals. H
said Christ's teaching was both origins
and suggestive so suggestive, in fact, tha
all that is noblest and best and most beau
tiful in thought is suggested by his teach
ing. His words inspired preachers an
lawyers and poets and painters and sculI
tors and musicians. So suggestive are h.
sayings that they have woven themselves i
the fabric of the highest culture of the da,