The daily gazette., 1879-08-11
FIRST EDITION.
Gods NJ ,ssnge 10 Men.


crowded as 1t was Sunday forenoon, the
occasion bing Union services of Central,
First and West churches. The pastors
OF all three of these churches are absent :
DR.. Nixon of Central is enjoying brief
vacation among his far away friends
Rev. Mr.. Duval of First is down on the
Eastern Shore and Rev. Mr.. Keigwin OF
West Is among his friends in Vermont.
The services were conducted by Rev.
Joseph r. Smith of Baltimore, who
preached an eloquent and able sermon.
MIR. Smith is rather an elderly gentle
man but he throws into his task all the
fire and force Of a young mind.
The vigor Of his preaching does not ex-
ceed his clear and comprehensive
way of putting his ideas or The chaste
beautiful and descriptive language with
which he clothes them. He is looked
upon as one Of the ablest pulpit orators
in Baltimore.
The reverend gentleman took as his
text Revelations, LII chapter 18th to
22nd verses inclusive
In commenclne,th the preacher alluded to
the church of the Loadicians and spoke
of their beautiful city as 1t must have
stood at that day. Previous, it had not
been so great, but having come into the
hands of the Romans il took a proud
and lofty position among the great cities
of that distant period. In beauty and
magnifcence, 1t surpassed Proud
Athens, and Babylon, with all her great-
ness and grandeur of a former day, paled
almost into insignificance beside her.
The Romans embellished it " it'll monu-
ments of art, and made it almost vast
temple Ofthe beautiful of this world.
It's magnificent figures and embellish-
ments were the wonder of the world.
Its prospec were vast and its oppor-
lunities unexcelled. The inhabitants Of
this luxurious city were merchant rin-
ces and wealthy men, who were not apt
to loUk to God all the time they rather
not heed the warning: which God
sends to them inthe text they did not
mind His message; and behold the re-
suit The city now is fallen walls, shat
tered columns, broken pilIas. A vast
and complete ruin, yet magnificent still
in desoiation. 1t Is deser ed by every
living thing the Arab does n { pitch
his tent there, and the shepherd drives
his flock around it. Most terribly has
the threat of God been fulfilled.
The glorious being who appeared to
John on Patmos and made to him this
Revelation as coming from "the Amen
the faithful and true witness, the begin
ming of the creation of God" Jesus
Christ is the Amen He is the key of
all mystery /; the helper of all weakness /;
the consummator OF all disp ansation.
lie is perfect if we end avor to be
complete, we must try to be so through
Him. In Him God has gathered to,e
the all in all. And then Jesus is the
faithful and true Wit"ess, s,-the very
teller oftruth, which cannot be known
except through him. He is the godly
impersonation of truth He knows al
things and has the ability to impart
them. Further lie is the bcginning.of the
creation of God. He made all things,
and is The greatest of allhhings ,-"the
King of Kings and Lord of Lords.' 1t
was this being who sent the message
of counsel and warning to Loadicia.
Speaking of their lukewarm condition
lie says that he would they were either
hot or cold. If God cannot have an
earnest follower he does not want va
que pretender. To man of earnest ell
deavor he wishes one to have no preten-
sions to religion. He prefers an open
enemy to an hypocrtical friend. He
dislikes false pretense more than an
open opposition.
The man who declares there is no God
and does not believe IN Heaven, hell and
. &c fo ha ,,ttiaI
the hypocrit. Religion demands mans
whole life II is all things or nothing.
And to-day God is chiding us for this
luke warmness. That same being in the
midst of the seven candlesticks, who came
to John, is walking these aisles to-day
with the wondrous couutenance and the
eyes that are as fame of fire, looking
deep into our hearts.
He then goes on and says that the
lukewarm, he will spew out Lf his mouth.
How terrible it must he to be turned
away from Jesus Men who are trying
to give God slip-shod service will in that
day cry "Lord, Lord p only to hear the
answer, 81 never knew you" There is
a way down to hell from high places
/ can conceive no more dreadful picture
than that of the professor of religion who
goes to the judgement seat only to be
spurned away with the words 81 never
knew you."
The next text contains two estimates
of those people Of Loadicea, which will
also apply to many to-day. They said
they were rich and needed nothing. A
man can be in no darker state of mind
when he makes declaration like this.
He is self complacent and proud. But
God says: "NO, thou art wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind and
naked" They were merchant princes,
remember, but Gods estimate was not a
worldly one. 1t is so often in life men
make a similar statement and find out
differently on their dying day when 1t Is
too late, and they call out, "Vanity !
vanity all Is vanity and emptiness"
Riches after all, then, does not consist in
what a man has but rather what man
Is.
After saying these things to them,
Christ intercedes with them to forsake
their evil ways, and does so earnestly. 1t
is so with men to day, many hear the
warning but never heed it till too late.
And he makes promise to those who
will follow his commands 10 him that
strives and overcomes will he not only
admit to Heaven but to the innermost
glow upon the throne beside Him. In
closing lie chides all to heed the word OF
God. The word that has been once
heard is taken up and repeated in the
caI. ,IIa Of n