The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-27
S E Il NJ o N S .
Topics Discussed in Metropolitan
Pulpits Yesterday.
JONAH AND THE WHALE.
Operations of the Law of Association
and Suggestion.
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.
PERSONAL 0oD-sEHHos Dr REV. Dr.

> PERSONAL ooD-sEKAoH ny REV. DR.
HxPwoRTH.
Dr. Hopwprth preached yesterday morning
"a Personal God" His text was selected from
Psalm &c, 2-"Beiors the mountains were brought
forth. or thou hhtst formed the earth and
the world, even from everlasting everiasI-
Ing. thou God" Mr.. Herbert Spencer, said
Dr Hopworth, Is certainly IN the right when no tells
Us thai God ~ unKnowabie. In saying this he does
hothne more than paraphrase the Of holy writ.
But he Is as certainly wrong when he asserts that
because God IL unknowable we may regard Him with
utter Indifference All who have tnoughtiuly passed
through strange vicssitudes have learned that in
that word, Godn the dcstinies aud the hopes OF
the human soul given. II II tho miraculous
source Of all our motives for the present tmc and all
our aspirations toward tho future Blot that ono
word out Of the human conscience and you would
change the world Into desert at once, over whose
hot sands II would be moro than torture 10 walk.
But write thas ono word In letters Of light tho
human character and you all possible tropical
fruit, iulness and spIendor. have been reading
with great care the essays OF Mr.. EckeI, Of whom
havc spoken to this platform before. He was
ono OF tho theorists seeking account Tor the
universe without God As have connod his blind argo
ments have said 70 him, in imagination, .But, my
dear iricnd, you are arguing my soul cut oil me. II
what you say is true then tho baidest errors the
Of yours would rather believe everything than be-
lievc nothing would rathor worship the blind
forces 81 nature and Greet statues 10 the they did
IN greece, tnan look abroad upon tuts beautiful world
in ils many C0Ured splend0r aud noyhing at AL
70 worship" II look INTO my soul carefully Ind
that have aptitude Tor worship, craving to 70
dowu on my knees the presence Of some who
is superior to myself, and l0ngfugs that lead
something who Is better ana brighter
than myself IL is the instinct Of my nature. lr
cannot lind Satisfaction Tor mat habit the good,
bright aud superior elements OF my character are
a q n m
ieel myself injured iu the inner parts.
HABIT or PRAykR
Now, whence comes tho haDiL tDat all Of US have.
morning and evening, OF thanking God for what Ao
has gvsn us--of blessing Him Tor revealing Himself
u Us u our God, our Protector and our ksdeemery
There are days The lilo Ut man when he cas upon
God; times when the soul pi.rces through the dark
hess OIL great bereavement and looks Tor Him,
though It may uot see Hin when our trembling lips
cry out INTO tho blackness TO ono who near, aud
one who Is the buoy that shows Us The light aud tells
Us the way into tho harDor. That habit chance dId
not give US Tnr0ug Lout this world Ot ours there
caro- whether you call Il personal Coo or whoher
you look upon u AZ pantheisic element
IL Il shs. Intelligence dd put ,a .nas habit II
mod its qualification, whose GOD the
most acceptaDlsf You are on lhc two horns OF
dilemma. ana you must mako your choice. You
mist eithcr Mok 70 personal Cod VINO ID personal
atier, or accept an tnt.lii4 enec have right
Gsume tEaL you 90 not beileve In personal Cot
whom you aadress .'Our Father. thou art IN
heaven" DR.. Hepwor.h tneu described the eternity
Vi the existence oi God, commented GU b,nl-
hess when trying 10 apprehend the significance or
thar word He also referred 10 Goa at work That,
he said, Mas' wonderful phrase; II expressed ,Le
greatest truth in the woru. and Que tnat was Tho
host 1npQrlant. THIS world was made for is by
"a a. ray =. the iathsr ouiiss house Tor his son
We had existence; He know long before
We could know him. These words are
eCQucnt OF TINS Christ SAID, .sfne
Kingdom. which was prepared before tho foundation
oi the worlu." II " were true that God made the
world Tor then made Iivo ~ II, II neces-
snriy follows that the position could DO .aiDsaid that
Code providence essential OF human lille.
Young tnhueiy cannot lind substitute Tor tho love
OF God ANY moro tuan IL CAT hnd substitute Tor
m0her's love- Prayer also great fact We
TUX 70 God and God Will honr us. Becauxe
c3uld pray W. could bear the burden OF sorrow.
II followed. then, IRON these acts that uil things
tins lite must ultimate in good DR.. Hepworth closed
by tho INQUIRY as 10 whether We realized PRIV
leges ~ tins respect, and also Wy very pathetic and
tender p0rJfaiture OF the death bed oi Christian
Who. asked wneIhor IL all well sunset re-
phsd, at we'll; but " 10 not sunset, but sunrise