Daily Republican., 1879-04-22
FIRST EDITION.
REV, aEOBGE n. BRisTOR.

80. nrsf SERMON Om Assuming the
e..ssrsi Charge II Anes NJ. +
Churcb, New Orleans. On Faster
sunday.
Prom tho New Orleans Times, April 18th.
Yesterday morning was one Of unu-
sual interest to the congregation OF
Ames Methodist Episcopal church OF
this CITY,. Rev. George X. Bristor, A.
NJ, the newly appointed pastor, preach.
ed for the first time. 1t being Easter
Sunday, the pulpit and altar were pro
fusely decorated with flowers, and the
entire service was arranged apPropri-
atey for this solemn feast.
Mr.. Bris,or was introduced by the
presiding elder OF the New Orleans dis.
trict, Rev. J. c. Hartzell, d. D., who
gave him cordial welcome to the pull
pit and expressed the hope and belief
that his coming would be signalized BY
a gracious outpouring OF the Holy
Spirit upon the church.
MIR, Bris;or is unmarried is about
thirty years old f; IL a graduate OF Dick
son College Is q native Of Baltimore
and entered the ministry in 1871, by
uniting with the Wilmington Confer
.pcs OF the NJ. X. Church. Since then
he has been a successful pastor and
popular preacher. Judging from the
sermon yesterday morning he is man
of much more than ordinary talent. He
is both natural and cultivated orator.
The cougreg gation gave him cordial
greeting at the close Of the service. all
expressing by their actions and many
by words their delight with their new
pastor.
Mr.. Bristor took for his text;
St. Matthew xxviii-6-frst clause ::
"He is not here, for he has risen as
he said"
The varied conceptions of the words
Of Jesus Christ, as evinced upon the
mart of Lis apostolic followers and by
the chief priests and Pharisees, contain
much to awaken thought. 1t was to be
supposed that some perception OF His
mission would have dawned upon at
lpas, one of His companions. These
who for lo,g years had followed Him,
listening to His words, noting His deeds,
and, seemingly, entering largely into
His mental state, it was presumable,
would have caught some glimpse o
His mission, have had some grasp o1
HIS invisible character. II goes beyond
presumption, and becomes reasonable
to Judge that he, at least, who openly
syowed Thou art the Christ, thu
SON Of the living God," should have
fit some lingeringS of this pro laimine
n,w to cheer him after the cruc hxlor
of his Master. And yet such was fal
from the fact.
1t does not suffice for his strange con
Gitiou to aaclar. that the resurrection
from the dead was not a clearly re
ypaled doctrine in the lsraelitish ira
ditions, with which all probably wcr,
familiar. Again and again Jesus hat
taught them--first in hguratiye Ian
Cuag. and aftsrward in open avowal-
of his death and reappearng. But t
their carnal minds there was no posi-
tle conception OF his Messiahship, saw
in the sword and regal pomp Of al
earthly kingdom. The two journeyin!
to Emmans gave distinct view OF th
hearts of all his disciples. "Bnt W
trusted that it had been He whicl
should have redeemed Israel" Ther
il no statement more pathetic-and ye
breathing out Of the despair that ha'
suddenly decamped within their heart
--anong all the words of the apostle
than the language of Peter.
Many months ago, at the invitatio
of a passing reputtd King, he ha
abandoned his nets and his boat. The
were of but little value, but they wer
his all. He had expected to becons
great and mighty. This One, as Me;
Siah, would have positions to give upo
his right hand and upon his left. Ther
would be large gifts dealt out to hi
friend; there would be for his follow wer
during the preliminary strife, hereafte
the ermine and purple, and FARM
sumptuously every day. This aske
for a present sacrifice, and received il
The little Mad been risked for the grea'
Now, the bubble burst, the hop
blighted, the expectation crushed, de
spair, like an armed warrior, stalks IN
Il 90 a fishing" A wiser, but an in
fnltely sadder man. go back agai
to my discarded and despised boa
and nets. The lost threads of hi
former lifr are to be again gathered ul
aud the old course of tiresome living t
be renewed. Every hope is gone. Th
death of Christ has crushed every loV
ing heart.
But there was some remembrance
His words. The chief priests laughe
at His claims, the Pharisees mocked a
much Of His doctrines. To all OF the1
there had been manifest, as to the dis
ciples, but little of His mracle-power
of His great deeds they had learn-
only from report. Jesus, to them, wa
but poor deluded fanatic an inpetu
Gus fellow led astray by impious all
heretical thoughts He deserved deaf
as the only means of quieting his dl'
quieting words. They recollect, strans
as it seems, amid the forgetfulness
Jesus friend. They remember. "Sir,
says large d.putation unto PLAT
1--WE remember that that decpiver sal
while he was yet alive, After thrt
days | will rise again. Comman'
therefore, that the sepulchre be mac
sure.'
The heavy stone, Pilates seal, IL
surrounding guard, tell not only
their fears, but of their faith. To the
the words "Destroy this temple, and
three days ! will build it again." h;
been as awakening forebodings. If yt
destroy these precautions arose II
from faith, but from some doubt,
even fear in the minds of Christ's en-
mics, one potent fact still abidcs. Doub