New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-10
FOREIGN PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS.

SERVICES AND SERMON BY THE REV. DIR. CRAIG
IN TIE FIFTH AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The Anniversary Sermon for the Board OF
Foreign Missions Of the Presbyterian Church was de-
vered the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church yester
day afternoon by the Rev. DR.. Willis G. Craig, Of Keo
kuk, Iowa. Previous 10 the sermon statement OF the
finances of the Board made By the Rev. Dr. Lowery
one Of the secretaries of the Board The Receipts Of the
Board from May 1, 1879 to May 1, 1880 were
1886 s4482 Its expenditures in the same time were
$579746.G3. The balance remaining in the treasury ia
S7,O48.18.
Dr. Craig took for the texts OF his sermon, Luke x,
"Thy Kingdom Come" and Revelations XII, 10. 1.-The
Kingdoms of the world become the kingdoms Of our
Lord and His Christ He shall reign for ever and
ever"
Another year has rolled away the preacher sad and
the happy custom Of assembling yourselves together for
the purpose OF contemplating carefully what God las
wrought by your hands, has brought you face to face
again. When have we met under more favor
able circumstances than now, when the hand
OF God has been Enthusiastically upon the
cause that You represent, and that for
blessing. In the prosecution OF any great work for
God or man. must often meet with heavy dtscOur-
agemonts, and must wait and sigh, and hope almost
agans hope and resolve to do when the task seems TO
be wcllnigh impossible Then comes time when the
plumes begin nod and the banners to wave with the
forward movement Of the army; and soon the foe
begins TO retreat Then the veteran cOunsellOrs meet
together with radiant facescrasp each others hands,
enlarge the supplies, and press the mighty endeavor on
to victory with gladstone hearts. Such time ia this,
and tho annual meeting will he frightened by the ex-
poctation Of great things to come.
But lest we seem to be over-sanguine. let us look
moment tho doctrine OF the Scriptures which have
selected then the signs Of the times, the present en-
Couragements and tho peremptory duties We have set
before in the first text the prominent object that
should nj ard the desires OF all true Christians
Wit, the prevalence or CnrSp5 Kingdom. lnS near-
petition OF Lords Prayer should form the base
al every hope cherished by men for the salvation OF the
race; Tor with that kingdom Tor which Ne prayed and
taught to pray are bound up tins warrantable hopes
Of the human race: But the power and prevalence OF
this gracious kingdom are not new ideas born
with the sacred prayer II we would get the
sweep Of the Divine purpose, and he fortihed as
TO its fulhment. we must look far back,
catch the It in its earliest springs. And
incidental II IS instructive to notice with what interest
the sags Of Greek philosophy looked forward to the
abish. 1t mas been SAID that nowhere else docs the
writings. Plato had his vision Of an ideal state.
dream OF winch he the accomplishment. The
Thought has ever longed for Kingdom upon earth
dlny like unto that which Christ came 10 establish
And these aspra Ons are exceedingly Interesting TO US
the light Of the purpose OF God which We trace in the
thrist's kingdom ia the grand conaummation of 1he
prophecies recorded the sacred book II tue jews The
seventh Psalm has been called the paernoster OF the
Old Testament ISAiahs prophetic spirit disclosed 10
the wondering eyes OF I4racl the coming Kingdom 81
we perceive the image OF this kingdom fitted before
the rcVerCnt thought OF tho ancient classic sages Inc
coming nf that kingdom TO universal dominion draweth
NIGH and bright signs OF IT'S coming animate and con-
sole the Church II to-day. To what principle are we TO
trace TINS purpose TO establish "A redeem ng
Kingdom upOn the earth We can find II
IL We closely observe the original design in the
OF the race which The purpose Of revealing
to the scnticnt world ultimate depths of the Divine
Being that hld never been known or perhaps dreamed
~ before. To rrycl tho doctrine OF tie Trinity new
creation needed, and that creation must be fam
NV Race III Fathers and sons, 10 unfold the grandCst
mystery OF the Divine Bang. M angel could reveal
Gods Fatherhnoh 7On,ntp. There are MANY ndica-
tIUBs the King lon Of God RAPIDLY adv Incng now
10 ITS COmplctGst form on earth.