The New York herald., 1878-12-02
FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH

FIFTH ANEN UE Baptist CHUhCh
JOYFUL REIIGIoN-sERMoN BY REV. DIR.
ARMITAGE.
The Rev Dr. Armitage preached on "a Joyful Re-
lgion," taking his text from Philippians, iv., A.
Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again l say,
rejoice" Probably the CHEF defect in our expert
mental Christianity to-day said the Doctor. is the
want of Christian JOY. Evidently God intended the
whole Christian system to promote a Afe of happi-
ness both in this world and that which is to come;
but have clothed it in gloom and sentimental
superstition. You can read the true feelings of an
army nation by their devices in symbol
and heraldry, their ensigns and standards. As
they are brave and heroic and
weak so there will be sort of visible
and mechanical poetry which expresses their metal
and emotions of the On the Continent of Europe
you are greeted everywhere by Christian symbols.
Painting and sculpture employed. with other
scenic productions of every kind, accompanied by
poetry music and oraory TO profuse wearincss.
but it is all the minor plain. There is no imagery
of JOY, next to none. The happy and entwining
emotions seldom appealed to. The tones of the
grandest organs the scale of the highest melody and
the voice of the most sonorous song are all set in
deeply pensve key. Everything is so arranged as to
inspire reverence, fear and even though some
hidden abstract mystic power commanded trembling
homage in worship. Everything impes to dread;
nothing awakens courage. confidence and joy. And
if look at practical Christianity in own
churches how much fuller, brighter and
more jubant do find religion. Have
a deeper, rounder and more abounding JOY
in the Lord? Commonly, real JOY is looked upon as
but little short of positive sn while the chief aim of
Christianity is regarded as being met when men
put under stern restraint earth and think them
selves prepared for another world. The average
view Of Christians seems TO be that the chief end OF
being born TO die and the chief purpose of passing
through this life to get well out OF it. As to the
grandeur of forming eternal character OF perfectng
manhood on the submest standard here and here
after of lifting others into the same nobility of
maintaining and displaying all the glorious princ-
pies of the Gospel, and OF honoring Maker and
ledeemer in their divine claims and rights-as to
these momentous yitalties they generally treated
lightly, il they are regarded at all.
"REJoIcE AND BE EXCEEDING GLAD.
And when men serve God, consciously or uncon-
sciously from slavsh fear from dread OF punishment
from superstitious bondage of any sort they must
be unhappy. Superstition makes her home with the
the Christian religion, Christ himself. it, founder
pressly repudiates the thought that His disciples
should be sad i'll His He was reminded that
the Pharsces and Johns disciples tasted often, but
His disciples tasted not He said "Can the chill
dren of the bridegroom mourn when the bridegroom
is with themg' This He followed with the promise.
and ratified the whole with the exhortaton.
Rejoice and be exceeding gad"-langusge so
strong that would have been deemed exravagant if
other lips had spoken it. "Iejoice and be exceeding
glad, for great is your reward in heaven. 1t is not
at necessary mere OF
simple emotion which the Lord Jesus called Joy"
1t is state of feeling which cannot be represented
adequately in language, tor the man who experiences
il cannot analyZe Its elements. who had never
fe it would get idea OF its nature by all the words
which poet philosopher could command. Each
man who has felt JOY must define 1t to himself and
for himself, and each mans definition will differ
cording TO the intensity and duration OF his expert
ence. Frequently those who think that men can be
happy in their religion and afraid that they
should be, attempt to tone down the thought which
the Word is intended 70 convey to the idea OF mere
cheerfulness some kindred emotion tanning down
the iul bold Of the Redeemer in its from
exciting delight and exultation to common place
felicity.
Perhaps it would be impossible for us to obtain
clearer Of Lords meaning in the Of the
words Joy and rejoice than as it is illustrated in
the injunctions and experience of Paul, his chief
apostle in labor and sufferngs and perhaps also in
personal happiness. His episte to the Philippians
may properly be called treatise on Christian JOY.
In part OF his writings does he lay such stress
upon subject, if joy a cardinal grace in
Christian life and character. The words Joy and
rejoice are repeated again and again in this short
letter in their application to others while he also at
tests, Il rejoice III the Lord greatly"