New-York tribune., 1878-07-22
ideal OF A CHRISTIAN LIFE.

sor1a at the COlleglaLe NhuICh'
IDEAL OF A CHRISTIAN LIFE.
ne Dr. r. R. Booth at s &c gatU'r"tT Place fTs''yt'ra"
The Rev. DR.. r. r. Booth preached yester-
s.v At the University Place Presbyterian Church His
.Svt was Judges, Wit. A: Faint yet pursuing" Many
news in the church vacant. Previous to the SER
mon collection was taken TO assist the mission In sup
diving religious instruction to the inmates of the City
Prison.
The words "faint, yet pursuing" said the speaker.
ngrest the progress Of Christians life and the eharac
,yofmen VINO are TO succeed in Christian work. In
,ecue the three hundred men who TO follow Gid
CON IN the struggle against the Mdiapes God subjected
the hosts Of test The thirsty soldiers
were brought down to the water that they might drink
Those who were eager to pursue, and took only
small handfuls of water in order that they
MIGHT hear the heat easier chosen for the battle.
T,ese men understood the laws Of God in regard TO
drinking in warm weather. The wisdom OF selecting
them was shown afterward, when the battle ended IN
S1etory and victory followed by long and toll
pursuit When Gideon ana n bis eand OF dIoS heToes
es they were weak and faint but thoy had no thought
ndito for The shield Of every Christian soldier Religion
sometimes takes its followers up the nights whence
his Simpsons. his Gdeons and hts mighty men, who,
like David have gone forth To meet the Philstine in
tired doves, or like sheep in the midst of wolves.
Willing as the spirit may be TO perform deeds of
yalor the flesh often too weak To insist on the he
roo type OF Christianity for all persons would be to
crush bruised reeds. Tho thing VIC must always insist
on Is sincerity In the Word OF God lofty standard OF
Christian effort is held up before us, but at the same
time We are given comfort in our weakness.
Christians often become faint because of the length Of
their terms Of service There is no discharge in the
warfare against SIN when man enlists under M b the
bard andhe lays aside his sword until be lars down
his llle. INC one thhg thaS Cnrstan % soleE never
hict Whatever in the Christian life may IAN, this
pursulng purpose must endure Even IN "or1y tn9g5 9
continuity Of purpose wins success THIS Is lustIatea
80 the Life Of the who now eOntrOs-whether wisely
or unwiSely-the destnies OF England The present
FarI of Beaconsaeld has kept one purpose steadily
since the time when, reused by the sneers
Won will hear me-" midst of ali trials and dis
couragements let MS not swerve from our purpose as
the prize OF the high calling Of God in Christ Jesus
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN RELIGION.
The Rer RH' NJ B'li0''s a. ne chuTo" Of AL Souls (U"'
The Rev. Russell n. Bellows preached yes
terday morning I'm All Souls Church from John viii II
II any will do His WILL he shall know OF the doc
tr1ne whether il be OF God, whether speak Of my
self"
Jesus did not seek for personal following. said the
preacher for assent TO what he preached on merely
personal grounds He fully realized that His teachings
would not and could accepted until had come
10 understand through experience that what He taught
was not merely OF himself" but also Of GOd found
ed on divine realities in the essential nature OF things
Christian teachers have too generally diseounte-
nanced tins method Of personal experience in religion
They have said, "God is spirit and 1t is very
difficult for get any satisfactory knowledge
OF spiritual things. 1t Is true that nave very deep
and strong feelings about something or somebody inn
piely higher and better than ourselves, and that at
times these feelings quckened that we seem 70
have an extraordinary Of the living reality OF the
unseen but the knowledge OF God which men acquire IN
this way is OF imperfect kind that personal expert
enee is hardly safe guide In religion"
The tendeucy OF this teaching, however true In the
past was opposed to the teaching Of Jesus In the text
and tended TO weaken the respect and confidence OF man
IN his spiritual nature II conveys the false impress
sion that religion at first hand is exceptional ex
perienoe that our deepest aud most sacred thoughts
and feelings are untrustwOrhy that questioning and
musing concerning the does only harm; that
God and Father whom We cannot comprehend Is little
better than God all. This is false to our personal
experience and dangerous and demOralizing doctrine
is Il that being thus spiritually gagged, taught
10 distrust their deepest and most precious
thoughts and feelings and 10 look for spiritual aid and
comfort exclusively 10 the religious history and writings
of the past millions Of people should to-day be spiritual
0uteasts struggling priyatey-but oh, how btery-be-
tween fidelity the letter Of anquaed religious con-
essons and the natural reasonable testimony OF their
and kindred spirits while the church does nOtirg
better than them that she alone as iniabe ana
that their private doubts and fears and hopes are all born
Qf he