The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-20
THE WORD"
Obedience to God Always
Brings Ultimate Success.
L w o II r. u Il H S I.
T r U T H S .
Belief in an Overruling God
Makes Men Brave.
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.

THE GOD OF CHRISTIANITY AND THE GOD OF
THE HEATHEN-sERMoN By DIR. HEPwoRTH.
DR.. depworth preached yesterday morning on tho
"God Of tho Bible" selecting for his text Exodus,
xx., S:-"Thou shalt have other gods before me-"
and tho First Epstle TO Timothy IL, 5:--"For thcre
ID only ono God and mediator between God and
men, the man Christ jesus" II We were standing,
said tho preacher, on tho summit OF Mount Carmel,
whose wooded slopes wero the residence OF tho
prophet Ejah and OF his Elisha, shou ID
overlook view that was practically paralleiogram
and have nm exposition oil the influences that had
prevailed In the progress OF mankind. 1t Is section
OF the country bounded on the north BY tho lofty
peak OF Lebanon, tho east by the immense desert
stretching the Euphrates the south by the
hot sands that were shaded BY the towering
summit OF Sinai aud on the west by
the peaceful waters OF the Mediterranean,
which sends soft along century after century.
Tho people who inhabit this section have occupied
peculiar relation to the religious life Of tho world.
They have q moral code, religious principles and
theological dogmas which were the direct gilt OF God
through supernatural agencics This moral code,
these religious truths and theological dogmas, which
were held securely by tho book We call tho Old
Testament. supplemented by other qualities. in
tho providence OF God, to that time when the babe
lay in the manger; when the star stood In its
fiery course because its mission completed; when
the shepherds tho PLAN listened with startled fears
10 tho sounds OF sautation sung by the angels in
their airy song and when The magi from tho East Lard
their gifts heiorc The foot Of the cradle, which en-
bodied infinite wisdom and good will.
THE TWO TRUTHS.
Now, brethren, TWO things are apparent First,
that the moral code and the theological creed OF tho
hebrew could have been the result oil He
brew thinking, Ii Moses learned what he taught to
tho people oil Israel from the Egg ptians then he
learned moro than his teachers over know. When
you remember tho state of civilization which cnarac-
cd fha Hahn Pncn IN ga Ind hat INV
when We remember the consequences OF barbarism
IN whicn they wcre-you Will recognize at once tho
impossibty Of creating high and holy truths by any
man. however gifted he might be. Sooner would you
expect wild Indian OF the Western praries, whose
is the paint, somoh intricate
monograph, as to expect any man born In Hebrew
youth ana manhood, TO give prominence TO truths lar
beyond the reach 81 his times, and by their voumlnous
power through centuries and centuries yet 10 be.
Nothing seems moro evident 10 mo that tho deca-
logue was stranger to the times ia which II APP.
peared y was a prince In disguise who walked
through life with his rank unrecognized Second,
that tho effect produced by tho decal)guc the moral
and theological dogmas taught by the OLD Testament
prove the dvinity oil their origin. 1t Ia well to
remember that wo are not yet in a position to look
down upon sinai ana its teachings II rs to-day very
difficult Tor us 10 yield implicit obedience to tnelr
strict and severe requirements. Nothing can DO
more effective as showing tho truth OF Tho Old and
New Testaments than comparison OF the effect upon
the people OF heather mythology and OF the Chris
tan religion
DR.. Hepworth then described at some length tho
leaulns cnarncteristicS OIL neatnensm showing that
1t ovo,vcd q religion Of iear out OF which grew tho
offering OF sacrnces, md concluded this part OF tho
subject by asking whether It was likely to develop
religious creed likely TO DO OF any moral avail IN tn Q
lilo Of the people. He then placed Christianity aud
mythology side BY sidc and said that the former had
an influence the lie OF man that Ell.
during unto the end and that no temptation could
overcome In referring TO tho teachings oil science,
he said that no believed that they twins born OF
the Same mother, and though their lips at present
gave different utlefanoes, the timo would come when
they would sing In two parts beautiful duet. He
thOuRht that entered these Criticisms of sci
ence and religion carcessy, ana that II well
TO remember that tho truths OF religion had stood
four thousand years and that they were likely TO
vivo the days OF those OF his audiences.
He concluded by urging a moro dovout reading OF
the Bible and more careful adaptation OF It's truths
10 daily lilo.