The New York herald., 1878-11-18
How Prominent Divines Addressed
Their Congregations.
THE IMITATION OF CHRIST.
Naturalists and Supernaturalists-
Why People Doubt.
'TWOFOLD BASES OF FAITH.
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.

CdUhCd OF IHE DlSCIFLEc.
THE IMITATION OF cHnrsr-sERMoN BY THE
REV. GEORGE H. HEPwoRTH.
'The Poor and Our Duty Toward Them" was the
subject announced to be discoursed by Mr. Hepworth
yesterday morning Previous to the delivery OF his
sermon tho reverend gentleman stated that he had
changed both his subject and the text. This was.
doubtless, attributable to the storm, which had the
effect Of diminishing the attendance at the service.
The text selected was-"Now is my soul troubled;
what shall sayG Father. from this hour,
but for this came ! into the world; Father
glorify Thy name
I think you will agree with me. brethren. said
Mr. Hepworth. that this is of the grand SEN
tences Of our literature. Within the narrow limits
of these few words discover the origin. pur-
pose and grand contamination Of Christianity
Here We may rest in the assurance that
Christ is our exemplar in all possible expe-
rtences. Man Is not an originator, large as Is his
brain; his ideas not large enough for that. He
is. however. exceedingly successful an imitator.
He may find it impossible to explore new roads, but
he walks in the old without becoming weary.
Jesus is high example, to be followed in every
particular without derogation and without any fear
Think that as you walk in His footsteps smile may
rest your lips and deep and inexpressble calm
on your heart. No real danger will to YOU
and you will not be overcome Of temptation. In all
the galleries of art the visitor befo him copies
Of most Of the celebrated pictures. They differ
siderably in their characteristics. Some are of q
lofty ambition and some of these productions touch
the very edge of genius and, in fact. you can dis
cover something Of that genius which painted the
original. The whole world is trying to initiate the
Master. in different ways and with vary
ing degrees Of success. Some feel that the
aas Il Sy the .nss
imitators of His wondrous spirit There is infinite
difference in the value Of the two productions but it
&1at hat
In his finger tips spark Of that divine flame which
we call Jesus of Nazareth. Others initiate this life
but poorly. There many bunglers In the world
They bungle. not much because Of their inability
to follow Christ as because of their unwlingness to
bestow proper amount Of labor upon the work in
hand. There is no man poorly gifted in all this
wide world Of that he cannot live close to the
world II he wills it. Brethren there certain
with special force s. W When @ man takes teacher
when his lessons peculiarly hard, he is as man
who needs friend when the world presses him hard.
When his experience is such that he feels that he Is
being ground in the upper and lower millstones
of this earthly life his need of friend is felt There
periods in the life of when he feeds that he
cannot live without o revelation from God.
THE JOYS AND SORROWS OF LIFE.
We know what to do with our joys, but we do not
know what to do with sorrows or with our hard
ships. Every man has his sorrow or his burden in
This world There is no sky without its cloud-no
gold without its alloy. 1t seems to be one of the
ordinances of God that every man should suffer in
some direction. What can be the meaning Of it all?
God who is all wise everywhere else cannot be other
than wise here God. who has loved us. cannot all at
once change his love to hate We still permitted
to call Him "Our Father" and when in the
deepest trouble want most Of all to call Him Our
Father" This In very wonderful. Every man must
this burden Of life either to help him the road
10 heaven or to help him downward to the road to
perdition. The great Of life either
curse blessing to us. Even the open grave may
open way into life of solemn despair. thank God,
then. brethren. that there is place in human life
for every sorrow; Christianity that tells me
how to use affection stepping stone to higher
things. Mr.. Hepworth here called the attention of
his hearers to the text and said Christ appeared to
have reasoned with Himself and said. what shall
say 2" That question that Christ put to His
SOUL and upon its answer the fate of the world de-
pended. He decided for and Calvary was the
Consequence.
CHRIST OUR LIFE
Mr.. Hepworth concluded by saying:-It Is our
privilege to sit before that picture of Christ and to in
Of the grandeur Of His character and transform
of these features into personal motives. Take His
kindly generosity to the poor and afflicted His stern
OF justice His utter of hypocrisy. Put
those into acopy and miniature of days and
Into you years. He is colossal statue, but
qualify ourselves for statucttes. He lives the
life Of God. but If we look ut Him steadfasty
live the lives of men. He trod the earth but He
tall of stature that He could put His hand at will
upon the white throne of God think that there is
greater following of Christ than the plantive crit
cism of the world would admit. think that in all
ranks and classes of society men and women are to
but still with steadfastness Of purpose that will
victory at last. These the men and women
who know what the Bible means when 1t speaks of
peace that passeth all understanding.