Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1880-03-15
LAST WORDS.

tePday-Tbe Discourse OF Bash Oh
Andrews at Grace Church in the
morning.
( Yesterday WAS a Sunday OF more thar
usual interest In the Methodist Episco
pal Churches Of Wilmington. In 1
number Of the churches the pastors
preached to their congregations for the
last time, as they will leave for othel
chsrgss after the meeting Of Conference
in Dover this week. This was the case
In Union Church Rev. J. B. Mann pas.
tor; Asbury church, Rev. ]. A. B. Will
son, pastor; Grace church, Rev. W. J.
Stevenson, D. D., pastor; and Bpworth
Chapal, Mr.. Robinson pastor. Bishop
Andrews, who will preside at the com.
ing session Of Conference, preached In
the forenoon at Grace Church.
BISHOP ANDREWS AT GRAcB.
Grace church was well-flled at the
morning service with congregation
that had assembled to listen to the
sermon Of Bishop andrews. The
Bishop Is Q remarkably well-preserved
man with . pleasant appearance and
features that denote great benevolence
and kindness Of heart. His beard Is al
most white, but his bearing and manner
are those Of man in the prime Of life.
He Is eloquent and vigorous as aspeak-
er and his manner Of deliyery Is pleas
ant but forcibls.
The Bishop took as his text 1st Corin-
thiaus, XIIIc, 3v: "and though I be-
stow all my goods to feed the poor and
though / give my body to be burned
and have not charity, 1t profteth me
nothing.
The reverend speaker in the outset
remarked that every one who studied
the English language, knew that it
had under gone great change, aud
that the meaning of words considera-
bly, differed from what they did a
long time ago. An example Of this
was the word "charity." To-day 1t
means benevolence to the poor and a
liberal spirit in judging men. Then
1t also included more especially that
disposition Of heart which inolines
men to leve their fellows and do them
good. Thus charity is closely allied
to love. The aim Of Christ's ir-
structions Ia love. Our Savior showed
US unspsaksbls love, and through it
salvation came. Its tendency is to
lift us out Of selfishness and to raise
all men out of their normal condition
into the divine light Of charity.
How closely charity is allied to love
Is shown all through Gods world
One who came to Christ and asked
him what he should do, was told to
l ave his neighbor as himself and all
the law and the prophets. St. Peter
bids US Of all things to have charity.
Another disciple declares that "God
Is love and he that dwslleth IN love
dwelleth in God" There are other
passages that teach that this same ex.
perisncs has the dual mama of love
and charity. Ths story Of the Good
Samaritan shows this, and through
the whole Bible runs the close con-
neetion between the two. five have
not charity we cannot have the love of
God in our hearts. Some men ask:
Does not charity exist where Religion
does not And 1t may be answered
in the Affirmative for 1t Is natural for
men to love. There is the patriotic
love ofcountry that is to be found in all
history; the love Of friends also exists
as did that OF Damon and Pythias; a |
wall Of parental sorrow went through
even Egypt when the frst-born were
slain. But there is much to distin-
guish all this from the charity that is
spoken Of in the text.
In the fist place the difference is
marked by the fact that this natural
love IL only instructive. 1t exists in
the heart, thought and reason, but it
is the original gift of God. To show
how it differs, we find that such as pa
rental affection is experienced by wild
beasts; bear will rush upon spear
to shield her young from harm, and
the wild cat will blight to death in de-
her offspring.
Then again natural love Is exceed
ingly limited, belonging only to race,
nation or community. 1t exists with
out clear expansion to all. The limit
Is oft times confined to the home circle,
for there are many men who in their
business are unscrupulous dealers and
hard taskmasters, but in their homes
are kind and loving and lavish all upon
their children. This is so in the
church. We have men who SO love
their particular denomination that they
doubt II any thing like christianity can
be found in any other church.
When we lock at this love we find it
faulty in almost every way. 1t is very
weak and selfish and with such a ma
ture charity is sure to fail at times.
Even parental love will sometimes fail
and men who love their children will
often grow angry and disagreeable.
Much thai is looked upon as bsnevo-
lence is often actuated by nothing but
4 self-seeking spirit, and what passes
for charity in society is frequently only
,he courtesies that keep 1t together.
Further than this, much of this love
s independent of righteousness, and
loes not aim to act in accordance with
he laws Of God. II is mere desire to
please and to appear different from
vhat the real facts imply. II also..has
he defect of ungodliness, for men can
md do appear to be charitable and fol-
overs Of God and yet are not.
The speaker now turned to the other
ide of the subject, and took up the
element which distinguished the pureI
owe OF God from this natural love.
rrue charity came from pure heart.
;hrist desires charity that comes from
heart purified from all sin and pas
ion. From such heart will come
rue love for every one. The aim OF
christianity is to evoke love for christ
! love that is full Of kindness for ALI
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