New-York tribune., 1880-02-16
RELIGION AND MORALITY IN NEW-YORK.
Th< Eep Thomas Arnitace d. D.. at ne f Arenue Bdpts
Church.

The HeV Thomas hTmUaGe ~ ~ al He fVSE Aeenue bdPi"
DR.. Armitage, of the Fifth Avenue Baptist
Church viii be absent from the city this week ss he s 10
deliver course OF lectures NJ Madison Univ eisly on
preaching. beginning tomorrow. His lectures VIII be
"The origin OF preaching" " Jesus the preachers
model" " The Apostolic copies OF Christ" Tue Holy
spirit in preaching" The preaching for times
preparation for the pulpit" The pastoral work" "
Personal experience in preaching" The first four
cover the docrrne OF preaching and the last four the
practice OF preaching.
The triumph OF the Gospel in New York City was the
subject upon which DR.. AImitage dwelt IN his morning
sermon yesterday lie took for his text Acts viii, &,
And there great Joy IN that city" and spoke IN
part rs follows:
In valedctory address to the people OF the United
States George Washington these words: OF all
the dispositions and habits which lead 70 polt pros
perity religion and morality are indispensable sup
ports In vain would that man claim the tribute Of
patriotism who should labor TO subvert these great
pllars of human happiness hcse firm proofs OF the
duties Of men and citizens. The mere politician.
equally with the piOu man. ought to respect ana cherish
Them 4 volume would not trace all their connection
with priyate and public felicity. Let IL simply be asked
where IL tho security for property, for reputation for
life IL the sense OF religious Obligation desert the Oatns
which arc instruments OF Investigation IN courts oius
tice Whatever be conceded to the influence OF re-
fined education on minds OF peculiar structure, reason
and experience both forbid 10 expect tnat national
morality caD prevail in exclusion OF religious princi-
pie"
truer sentiment never fell from the pen OF mortal,
and II Is backed by all that Is mighty in thoroughly
intelligent aud conservative mind with the fullest
opportunities for practical observation and Experience.
His uterance was that Of father for child 10 whom
he had devoted his name, his honor, his fortune. his
sword and his life II his position be true that all pO
ltcal prosperity dependent upon religion aud moral
ity, how much fOrciby Is the truth emphasized
in Republic Ike ours; and what security can
We have without them. Their necessity is especially
seen I'm immense population grayltatng TO one
centre az great sef-gOverned city. Here everything
is done on the broadest Democratic basis without any
OF those historic ties ana ancestral bonds TO loyalty
which form part of old communities. The ignorant
and the wise the holy and the vicious the rufan aud
the phiGpthropst. have an equal voice In the
government Not only municipal officers, but the minis
fers OF Justice chosen from the OF the people
and BY the mass OF the people Hence stand need
OF every moral and religious check and Restraint, lest
vice and Indulgence should rise like tide and pour
forth devastation like volcano While the Apostles
d not primarily preach the Gospel for the purpose OF
establishing civil liberty they UphOdeTs OF civil
liberty the highest and for this deprived
OF personal freedom without law and thrown into
prison. They sought great cities points from
which 10 spread the Gospel as their work. 1t
began iu Jerusalem the metropolis OF the m0nothestic
reiigon 1t spread TO Antioch, the metropolitan City OF
called Christians. The very originated there ana
not Jerusalem, and IL became for long time tho
centre from which the Gospel spread 70 all the Gentle
naions sards, Philadelphia, Laddicea these and many
otrr s..as the Apostolic attack Bn the peo-
pie laid their le their POWER aud their devotion az the
cross OF the young Naxarene carpenter. This
accidental but ut plan, deliberate design, determined