The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-03-31
SOWING THE SEED.
The Influence of the Bible Grow
ing Day by Day.
CHRIST'S HUMILITY.
Foundation and Support of the
Christians Hope.
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.

CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.
the POWER OF cHRIsT--sERMoN By REV. Mr..
HEPwoRrH.
'Apd thou Bethlehem. in the land Of Juda. art not
the least among the princes of Juda for out of thee
shall come Governor. that shall rule my people
Israel" With these words. taken from the second
chapter of Matthew. Mr. Hepworth opened his
mon at the Church of the Disciples. In the moral
geography of the earth. said lie. Bethlehem occupies
. central figure; it stands on the brow of hill
crown upon the head of q monarch. It's history and
traditions. its memories and associations, fill the
mind of every reader and mark it as not the least
among the princes of Juda. Hereabout was Rachael
buried. in its vicinity Ruth garnered barley and
David was born. The chorus of angels here chanted
the overture OF peace and good will. and in
manger within its confines born into
the world the child that to be the
Governor Of men according to the Word. Consider
ing all these things, the assertion that Bethlehem
cupies o central figure in the consciousness of men
is justified. Let stand for a moment on the sum-
NIT Of this little HILL and, noting the little stable
within the village take glance at the past and the
future opening after the chorus of angels singing
peace and good will.
The preacher here pictured the moral darkness that
preceded the appearance of the Star in the East and
then traced the Of the Saviour through all
His miracle working his private life of thirty years
and the three years of His public history. In con-
siderng all that had resulted from the small begin
ming Mr.. Hepworth could not but wonder, he said,
at the incongruy. IL such term be permitted HIM.
between the instruments and the results which
events Of the public life Of Christ and
the ages that that short space has 80
Mod but
enlightened, to prophecy that from such an insig
niticant beginning such grand and noble results
would have flowed Such revolutions and
sions of manners and morals could not be sug-
gested to the imagination unless the fact, stranger
than all fiction, remained to prompt It, The cross,
then symbol of ignominy and guilt, is now the en-
bodiment Of all the hopes of the human race. 1t
ornament of the person as well, and now embodies
the most cherished memories. 0 marvellous
Christ Thy power was not the power of logic or
OF rhetoric or Of genius it was the simple heart of
God over incarnation. It was not in Christ.
as man. to. stir the. world so power
One. Watch the progress of the doctrine which
He taught. Paul breaches to the learned Athenians;
he did not parley with them over 'the systems in
which they were versed and expert, but preached
grandly Of new truths They went their way. wish
ing that what he had told them might be true.
Rome the mighty mistress of the world then disin-
tegrating, listened to the new hope that was
preached Tar and wide, and from the fragments of
that grand and mighty ruin are built the cahedrals
THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS.
The shadow of the cross fell upon the people and
they grew again IN moral and spiritual power.
France England and Germany are to-day what they
simply because the shadow of the has fallen
on them aud tor no other reason The power which
began to develop itself the fall of the Roman in
ucnce has been gathering strength year by year. and
Is to-day more potent than ever. You cannot dam
the Mississippi half way the continent you cannot
stop the started avalanche There is law governing
both, and there is a divine aud supreme law govern
i1g the onward stride of Christianity. The influence
OF the Bible, all arguments to the contrary notwith-
standing, is growing day by day, and its mission is
not. some would preach to you, concluded. This
greatest book has message undelvercd to the ages
to come. and before the end oil men shall know it,
In speaking Of the Bible and its teachings Mr.. Hep
worth did not wish 10 be understood deprecating
the influence of other great books and the religion
they taught. The African, the American Indian, the
Chnaman and the East Indian each have u mission
in the great scheme of Capitalization toward the
Bible. Coufucus and Zoroaster each in their
way prepared the minds of their people
for the great and immortal truths of the
Bible. In this Mr.. Hepworth respected Them
They were good instruments. He illustrated
his choice of the Bible the greatest book by
rativc OF court reception You go. said he. into
crowded saloon at u court reception; points
out to you noble looking person and says that is
Lord So and SO. You have heard his history and
spect and honor him. Then again another martial
looking is pointed out, and being told his
ana having information of his daring deeds your
spcct goes out to him, and on through great num-
beers. Suddenly there is hush of Whispering, all
heads are turned in one direction and some
murs 1.-The King Ia come" Then all tho great ones
sink in the mind and only that central figure recciv
ing the homage of all others fills the eye So IL Is
with tho Bible and the lesser works.