The New York herald., 1878-11-04
FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.
SAVING woRDs-sERMoN BY THE REV. DB. ARMI-


.'send men to Joppa. and call for Simon. whose
surname is Peter who will tell thee words whereby
thou and all thy house shalt be saved" were the
words Of the text chosen for his morning sermon by
Rev. DR.. Armitage The tongue and the pen. said
the reverend gentleman are the great powers which
control men. There infinite significance in
the words Of Jesus when he said. by tAy
words thou shalt be condemned and by thy
words thou shalt be Justified" At first
thought such expression may appear to have
been uttered at random. Men are ready to
say NAY. Lord. surely not by our words are we to
be judged but by what is tangible and solid in
our Deeds" forgetting that great principle which
Jesus lays down in another place. "Out Of the abun
dance the heart the mouth speaketh that after
all our words the soulfe, the heart feeling the
real nrained character Of the man. thrown into syl-
tables and sentences. They the mirror into which
you look and the soul; they the tones which
interpret the whole man. Hence words come
TO us surcharged with an intensity with fulness,
which are irresistible. They compass many
thoughts they cover so many momentous issues, and
to be only life but fountain Of existence in
themselves. The reason for this is obvious-they
have aggregated the vital interests Of immortal men
in all ages, and under this momentum they come
bearing down upon TO reproduce the same effects
same ably sses Of despair, kndle within the
raptures OF delight or mpel us TO the same despera-
tion Of action.
THE WORD SALVATION.
Take, for example. the word salvation and it's
correlaves called in the text words Whereby thou
shalt be saved" Probably no word has yet fallen
upon the ear of mortal that word, saved"
1t s hardly questionable whether any man has
yet been born Of woman whose intelligence
volition. reflection and sensation, have not been
aroused by the instinct, if not the formal question.
| what must do to be saved n However low or
mean his faculties, though his nationality and in
stncts barely above those of the brute he is
scious of some fathomless abyss within his
ture which forces upon him the thought Of personal
| immortality. This is accompanied by kindred at
tribute which follows him through the camor Of
the degrsdaons Of sensualty. and the exactions of
| ends Of immortality can be subserved-follows him
doggedly obstinaely and perpctuay because his own
thunders In his ears the charge that he
IL wrong doer. and constantly camors for redress.
Thus it comes to pass that, In one way or another.
the word salvation lies at the bottom Of every sys-
| tenn of religion which man has adopted Whatever
standard of law-Chrstian, jew, Mussulman or
| heathen-he may have set up his rule of govern
ment he s conscious not only that he has violated II
but shattered 20 Fragments Hence all his religious
| observances tend TO the solution OF the question,
what must do TO be saved Patriarch and priests.
/ prophets and apostles pauper and potentate have
arrayed themselves into fellowship of universal
here For thousands of the pen has been
writing and the pulpit has been descanting and the
Church has been thinking Of that magic
| word, saved" Millions of ideas have inspired
the Christian poet in singing it millions of Thoughts
have thrilled the Christian breast in feeling its power
but there IL stands vast word STILL enbodying the
entire moral wants Of the human race-its bitterness
of its wrechedness Of despair and its help
lessness Of guilt incarnatng all the plans and pur-
| poses of Jehovahs infinite love for the of
| fallen nsture, and comprehending the entire mission
and work Of Jesus Christ together with the reign and
energy Of the Holy Spirit in the renovation Of sinner
| by sinner man by man.
After dwelling at considerable length on his sub
ject and quoting numerous texts from Holy Writ the
| reverend Doctor said:-Come then, my hearer,
| listen 10 these words whereby thou shalt
| be saved" 1t In the one and allsufIi-
cicnt salvation; nothing bo taken from IL
and nothing can be added 10 H. II has saved millions
Of guilty race and there is nothing in thy wants
| beyond theirs Do not invade thine rights by
cruelty robbing thysef Of the highest boon which
Heaven bestows upon thee. IT is thy right In Christ
10 come to the Father and 20 know Him. to come to
the Father and be loved by Him. Him that faith
full and just TO forgive thy sin and to cleanse thee
from all unrghteousness. Do not question whether
10 is possible for thee 10 into His presence in the
trnest fullest and most blessed Do not query
whether every lapse and miscarriage be forgiven
and thy unholy nature completely renovated.