Daily Republican., 1880-07-19

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. Curious disposition mot Treat
cd TO a Bcene-Rev. Mr.. Sullivan
Preached ON Unbelief and Ex
plained why He was Present.
A large number OF persons attends
the M. P. church, on Seventh stree
near Walnut, yesterday morning. Gu
riosity, however, was the ipcentiv
which prompted them to do so. Short
ly after nine o'clock a number Of breth
ern and sisters held prayer meetiuI
in the basement Of the building. A
the blending of voices in singing an,
prayer was waited to the listening eal
persons began to congregate upon tn
street corners and those who were de
sirous to obtain front seats entered
the main audience room Of the church
Notwithstanding the early hour Mr.
Sullivan, however, was seated upon ,
bench in the rear end Of the preacher
desk, and there he sat until the preach
ing service had commenced.
Thsprsysr meeting having been con
cluded Mr.. Sullivan announced that I
hymn would be sung after which he Of
fered prayer. A number Of person.
thinking there was no possibility Of
scene arose and passed out. A pas
sage Of Scripture was read, anothe
hymn was sung, and immediatel,
thereafter the reverend gentleman an
nounced that he would preach from tn
sixth verse Of the sixth chapter Of st
Mark: "He marveled because Of thei
unbelief."
Unbslief, said he, is the rejection Of
testimony, although that testimony be
supported by ample evidence; unbelie
is Q gigantic foe; he Is champion Of al
the rest, bold and skillful in attach
and knows how to shift his grount
adroitly. Sometime he assails vehe-
mently, denying christianity itself; nay
the very existence Of God; Declaring
that God is nature, and that there ii
no other God and that death is an eter.
nal sleep. Thus, by one stroke, h
would sweep away the being and attri
butes Of the Eternal, doctrines, promises
and commandments of the Word o.
God, mans responsibilities and conse'
qusnt duties. Were this stroke sac.
cessful, it would deprive man Of all
happiness, in this life and hope Of hap
piness in the life to come.
UAbelief does not always act so bold
ly. Somstimes he admits the exist,
ence Of God and does not deny the sub
ject Of religion, in general, but denies
that man owes duties to the former or
that he is interested in the latter. He
will even approve Of form Of religion
provided there is no power, no faith,
no Holy Ghost in it. Unbeliefis sinful
because II treats all the perfections Of
Deity with contempt. 1t is gross inso-
lence offered TO unbounded mercy and
inoomprehensible goodness. It aims Its
shaft OF the life Of souls, laughs with
fendish glee at its work, and then con-
signs the ssul to deathless despair.
Unbelief limits Gods work in our
heart. Whenever We suppose case
too aggravated to receive mercy We
limit God; that is, set bounds to his
operation. II no other passage on
record shows a freeness Of mercy this
would be enough: "Forgive them"
1t reaches deeply dyed sinners. Peni-
tents often limit the ability and will
liugness Of God to save them. Often
they stumble over one or the other Of
these difieulties-power or willingness
to save. Why did He die to save you
II He is unwilling to do 80. He must
have power or he never lifted the
curse from your head or atored for your
sims. Don't further aggravate your
sims by disbelieving.
Protesting christians in trouble often
limit God by oonfning Him to q certain
mode Of deliverance. They mark on
4 path by which God should bring them
,ut Of difficulty. Is it not surprising
that poor, short-sighted, evanescent
who so quickly get into
trouble, should dictate their way Of
to God : Ia there any
wonder that He msrvels at their unbe-
lief, since He is 80 solicitous to save,
md man, 80 stupid, stands with stoical
in his own light How
smphstically true 1t is Of the churches
" the present day that by their unbe-
ief others are stumbling and falling.
Because man cannot comprehend or
athom the punishment for sin, he dis
believes and becomes an inAdel but
vhen the Spirit clears the mortal
vision, when the mists have been
,hased from the horizon and when the
ioul beholds the awful meaning Of
leath then that disbelief becomes Grad
Gated.
At the conclusion Of the sermon Mr..
Jplliysn stated that he had offered his
esignation to the Maryland Annual
but 1t was not accepted.
Ie had taken an interest in the church
youble TO a certain extent, he admit
ed, but he had not gone beyond it.
Ie was compelled to return BY the de-
rec Of the Conference, and that decree
10 could not violate, for, II he did, he
1OulU 10 OppvbOu W VAo vs.
lis brethren in the ministry. Some
Members Of his congregation, it is true,
lid not wish, him to withdraw, hut he
i'd not wish to stay where there were
few who were opposed to him, but
Or the present, at least, he weuld re-
aain pastor Of the church.
Mr.. Potter explained that the two
lotices in the REPUBLICAN had appeared
trough q misunderstanding. Mr..
had handed in his resignation
week before, and unwilling the church
hould be closed, Mr.. Potter had insert
d q notice that services would be con-
luct.d yesterday as usual. Mean
vhile Mr.. Sullivan was reinstalled as
,astoy Of the church by the President
4 the conference, and, indignant at
yhat Mr.. Potter had done, he also
sused a notice ofservice to be publish
ID.
In further conversation Mr.. Potter
Ia .L.t +ba frut nf Aupust UOuld