The New York herald., 1878-10-28
FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.
AFTERNOON NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. BY The

AFTERNOON NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. BY The
REV. DIR. THOMAS ARMITAGE.
The Rev. DR.. Armitage preached In the morning
This first sermon since his arrival from Europe) on
tho subject OF "Aiternoon Ministries" !" taking his
text from Mark XII, u.-'Now the cventido
come" The earthly life OF our Lord, said the rev.
srond speaker, was extremely briei, numbering at
ahc but years. ana yet the three
last years OF that lie were devoted 10 public min
istries This brief ministry distinctly marked by
It's opening, middle and close. or, TO use figure, by
Its morning, meridian and evening Frsm beginning
TO end IL pregnant with mighty WORKS and
mightier words yet there seems TO have been times
when His soul laDored under an enthusias-
tic momentum and an all-consuming energy
10 push results into given space OF
lime than at other periods CT His labor And this
peculiarly true OF what may venture to call His
,ilcrnoon ministry. In treating Of the great week
you have frequently been reminded that at least one
half and possibly two-thrds OF His recorded utter
ancos tell from His lips within the limits OF those
seven wonderful days No portion OF Holy Writ is
raughi with such importance to the universal Church
In all ages that contained in John from the tnir-
teenth TO tho eighteenth chapter And yet Christ
gave uterance this exhaustiess treasure after
set on day OF His life II would be interest
Ing IL We had The time to group together the words
and acts OF certain days parts days IN his min
stry Tor the purpose OF showing how he crowded
those days and hours TO repietion filing them with
u special uncss even above tho ordinary times OF
"a DAY WITH CHRIST"
This feature is marked that an able living min
lister recently issued atook entitled "A Day Witn
Christi object o which is 10 show that tue heal
ing the parayic the dispute with the doctors, the
call OF the evangelist, Matthew, together with the
feast which he prepared for Lord and HIS table
talk therca all took pace IN one day and that on
the afternoon OF the day He closed HIS work Dy
The henng OF Veronica, The raising from the deau OF
the daughter OF J1rns, tho healing OF Two men that
were bind and Inc Gisposssssion oi me aeon from
tue man who was dumb. Without bold assertion,
think II may easily be demonstrated that the true
ministers OF Jesus Christ bave Deou so influenced by
HIS example this respect whether sensibly or ln-
seusby as to have copied IL IN their own service ~
would be interesting study TO compare the morn
ing youthful minlstsriai work OF the Apostle faui
tor example with his afternoon ministries. And wnlic
the lrst there might appear more push, more bre,
more bolancss, even bordering on presumption, IN
the latter He did real work OF His lie by tue mel
lowncss Of sanctned thought by the doctrtuai de-
fences ana pastoral Instructions oil HIS pen, by tho
ripeness, .orpearance ana meckness win which Ho
endured suffering for Hts Mester's sake, aEd by tho
imprint when he eit upon the evangelical ana civil
character oi the human race Tor MI coming ages 80
IL with the lone traveller who has borne the neat
aud burden OF tie day, but s SO dissatisfied Win i's
progross toward nIghtfa he girds up his loins
presses forward with lew viSor 10 make an extra
caguc. SO II is with the wary mariner VINO has
spent the force OF toe day IN battling with ADVERSE
winds and currents, tnIbkiEg himself rs Tar as ever
from the haven, but, catching tue moro Iavorlng
spreads every loot oil sail aud pouGbs MS way
into unexplored regions before darkness snail en-
shroud HIN. 80 the true minister o Jesus, Whatever
his success may nave bech, nh SUuSblcs3
his disnctiots the Epprovals OF his LORD, looks
With greater anxiety, now tnat 'the solitude has
come" the closing OF his work in the vineyard 80
that the twelfth shall not fail TO BRING tho sou
stirring .W ell done" IRON HIS master
PAST AND FUTURE.
Brethren, said Dr. ArmitaRo in a solemn ard nnec-
Tomato tone, with feelings as these that
] resume the pastorsbip this morning. Tho past has
been made what IT y by gradual processes, ~ tie
prcalnIngs oil mucn prayer. by tho disoiplesbp OF
much discipline by the apostlesnip Of truth and tue
Cnristiauhood Of tnat iorltudc which brave hearts
only appreciate. IL ~ now Gone with forever,
excepting lor OF caution against res wakening
lis mistake and tor It's memory OF grateful mercIcs
Tho past TO every man the most marvellous period
of Inc worlds history, because II the
lime In which he has made his contrlbu'
ton 10 the shaping Of. the worlds character
and DESTINY Aud tho iuturc, ike the past, is rem
dcrcd important 10 him only by the thought
that he is 10 hnve hand It's formation. Hero you
have n compou nd OF responsibility ana comort-oi
responsibility If We ia 10 create our part OF coming
history In an honorable, manly aud Christian way,
ana ri coniort II VIC Illuminating one page
or MI ono sentence with the bcnedicon that God ana
man have right 10 expect ~ the ieslNmao tu" oi
ourt