The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-08-18
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
THE PRE-EMINENcE OF CHRIsr-sERMoN BIZ
REV. OLIVER DEANE.

THE PRE-EMINENcE OF CHRIsr-sERMoN BIZ
REV. OLIVER DEANE.
THAT in all things he might have the pre-
eminence." said Rev. Oliver s. Deane. of Milford.
Mass. in Plymouth Church yesterday. quoting from
Paul to the Colossians. There some men who
are never at a loss to express their thought he
said. and the author of this epistle was OF
them. Paul never to be impeded in his utter
ance by poverty OF language. The words which
he needs to express his meaning marshal them.
selves into order with surprising rapdity and
striking ftness but when he touches on the descrip.
ton of the offices and glory OF Christ the moral code
of his thought file out in such rapid succession.
the flow of his rising emotion is swift. that his
sentences becomeinvolved like folds of gold CLOTH
or like the convolutions of sunset cloud which lie
in MASSEY folds of light on the track of the descand
ing sun. The text. which afirms the
premacy of Christ is tho fringe Of gold
on the silver cloud curtain. In this chap
ter. which opens with cheerful salutation to the
Christians at Colosse. Paul runs on in . strain Of
Thanksgiving. blended with admiration. and with
few mastery strokes of his pen gives the m and us
the strong. grand outlines of the saviour's charsc-
ter. know that to some extent there is the same
diversity of opinion about Christ to-day that
which divided the crowds to whom Paul preached.
and some of You may not feel toward
Hin aud not think of Him as do because you have
not allowed Him to be to you what He is to me.
You have not been in night OF trouble like those
storm driven sailors who cast four anchors Astern
aud wished tor the day to have the darkness
broken with the dawn of His rising beams. Chrsts
pre-eninence is sealed in the creation Of the physi-
cal universe No wonder the winds obeyed His voice
when, by the breath of His mouth, He swathed
the earth with it's atmosphere. His hand
world aud sent it in rounded beauty away on itse
long course. All the stars, like lines OF light flow
out of His bosom. He built all the wheels of the
universe and forged oil its axles and despatched its
magnificent train. know there are some who have
q different notion of the creation. They do not
to avold the acknowledgment of Christs pre-
rogative as divine maker by saying that
matter is eternal and that the genealogical
the top and far lowering has it's root not in Adam,
whom God made in His own image. but stretching
terminates in protopasm, and what that is nobody
knows. Chrlsts pre-emiAent also in providence.
as they are. Jesus uphoids all things Christ
is pre-emnent in His personal qualities.
Did you ever know anybody who was perfect? It is
only the romantic lover who clothes the object Of
his affec ton with fictitious charms. who rise to
the height OF such sublime credulity. and he is in
little danger Of staying there long, Down New York
harbor the French nation is erecting u huge bronze
lighthouse the form of statue holding light In
one hand Out in the bay it will look a comely
graceful figure. but close at hand like o huge
rough structure of metal. There are many
whose characters we admire in perspective Of
whom should think less q nearer acquaint.
ance. Every earthly beauty is a Venus of Milo for
whose lost arms you would seek in vain. Ideal man
may blend the meekness OF Moses. the wisdom Of
Solomon. the patience of Job, the pentence Of
David, the faitbfulness of Abraham, the sweetness
of John. the zeal aud courage of Paul in ono
man and give him the years of Methuselah
but you will fall far below the Son of Mary And is
it not singular finds fault with Him, that
from all tongues comes the echo OF Pilates verdict
II find no fault at al. in Him." Christ is most
spendent i'll the quality OF His greatness The name
of Solomon lives q synonyme for wisdom. Croesus
for riches, Alexander for temporal power Cesar for
ambition. Christs name is the synonynae for self
forgetting sacrifice. Aud what an inspiration can
you find in His sublime example.