Morning journal and courier., 1880-07-12
At the Churches.

A Discourse Repeated by Request by the Rev. Dr. Stider of the First Baptist Church-A Thronged Church Despite the Heated Term-Vivfd and Eloquen, Remarks.
 Rev. MT. Stiher repeated yesterday morn ing to his people by request 8 sermon or l Heaven" The sermon excited so muc1 interest when before given that the repeti tion WAS much desired The discourse wal
 exegetical and explanatory, and studded witl strikngly beautiful siniles and eloquent passages alike worthy of the theme and the speaker, and though the heat of the weather l was oppressive the church was filled. Al 1 outline, which can convey but gleam of the brilliancy of some portions of it, is as fol ] lows: After introducing the theme, whicI was based upon the remark of Christ to hil disciples, Tn my fathers home are many mansions, D etc., and emphasizing the spe cia1 purpose of this special work of the di vine leader for the future happiness of his be loved, he spoke of the distinctive character of the Church of Christ and of the Christian as an individual member, as set forth in PauPi epistle to the Romans. Then came a compari
 son between the Eden of the first parents oi the race and the second Eden-betweer
 mans exalted condition before his fall and the future glories in store for the upright-s
 difference 50 great, that, beautiful as was the
 first Eden, the Christian s future home, which
 Christ had gone to prepare, no pen or tongue
 could describe
 Such was theininite character of divine love and tenderness. The earth, sin cursed, was
 beautiful. Out in the verdant woods in the springtime a million birds fill the air with
 their symphonies, a million dewdrops sparkle like emeralds and rubies on the leaves touched by the rays of dawning Aurora, and
 nature seems basking in the smile of the cre-
 ator. The hillsides sparkle and dance as if studded with gems of purest ray serene and
 it seems as if the earth was breathing in-
 cense to God in the odor of million flow
 CTS. If earth is so beautiful, what must the
 heaven be, which Christ has gone to prepare
 for those that love him. If earth be so
 beautiful, what the place where the King
 himself resides. Iris the power of an inf
 nite love, infinitely surpassing the love of
 the mother for her child, which prepares the
 future home. He will freely give us all things. Infinite was the gift of His son. Be sure that there is no sickness, nor sorrowing there. Here woe follow gladness. The black hearse threads every avenue. Flowers look garish and sorrowful in the widows weeds. No matter how merry a heart to-day, the morning may bring flood of grief. Youth gives way before the approach of age. Old age aims the eyes and robs the form of it's H-..l l~o1c the time. The night comes. Honor comes, but with it detraction and envy. Disappoint- ment and sorrow robe the heart. Over these death comes not neither sorrow nor tears. The eye, the heart fail not. Grief is un- known. Old things have passed away. Christ makes all things new. Oh who would not be Christian? Oh the madness of a man who refuses to believe in the love of Jesus.
 Secondly the coming heaven will be a new place. Its streets will not have been trodden by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Heaven, our heaven, is empty. There is but one as yet. This the Scriptures positively declare. It is no fancy. Peter says David is not yet ascended into heaven. David had been dead thousand years. At the ascen- sion Christ went to prepare place. No man has ascended into heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man who is in heaven. If I go ye will see me again. The looming again" is supposed wrongly by some to mean death. The coming is meant literally just as his going to prepare is meant literally But you ask where are the blessed dead. They are in the third heaven. When Christ died, as he told the thief, he went to paradise. Paul says I knew man who was caught up to the third heaven. Here Christ was when his body lay in the tomb. He as- cended up far above all municipalities, etc. The blessed dead are in paradise, but not in the finally prepared place. Christ is there. His presence pervades paradise He is all within all. The same sun which cheers and refreshes the weary traveller in the valley shines for him on the mountain peak. The speaker brilliantly pictured a grand uprising to greet the Governor of Iowa. which he wit messed at Davenport But Christ's children will have grander reception. Poor though they may be, and unknown, unhonored, un- wept and unsung, their faithfulness, humlll- ty and goodness will be honored with glory outshining the sun. Angels will come with mu sie sweet music to welcome them home. The Lord will descend with a shout. There will be the voice of the archangePs trumpet. Heaven will resound. We will love his ap- bearing. No cause for alarm. At Lucknow weeks and months eyes ran all round the horizon for deliverance from the heather rebels thirsting for their blood and groans. Rations were cut down one-half, and then again and then again as month succeeded month, and gaunt famine stared at them, and wasting agonies, when one morning they hear the faint whisper of the cannon's roar- They catch another sound. It was the re- lief Did fear seize them at the sound of their deliverance Shall we fear Him whose business 1t has been to prepare place for us {?
 This introduced the speaker to his third and last point, indifference to the glories of the heavens" The joys of this life, butter fly like, took the thought; but the gray of &ol careworn hearts. Like vast audience upon great staging, when it reeled and threatened to fall, each wished for security. 'Let not your hearts be troubled'' were blessed words which spoke across the ages. They were beacon light also of hope and promise. I go to prepare a place for you which cannot be shaken. We will all wake up to the fact sooner or later of the insecurity of things temporal. We will all wake up to the fact by and by, when our working powers are over, that we are in the way, that the world, pushing and struggling, wants us no more. The speaker drew a novel picture of day spent by one in the forest or grove, abandoned to the glories of nature, but waking from the fond dream of hap piness, and from the virgin, messy earth, dismayed at all the motley crew of bugs, in- sects, toads, and at last the enyenomed snake peering from a most inconvenient proximity, which the eye discovers. It Illustrated worldly joy. Pain and sickness, sorrow and woe, disappointment and bereavement rose up on every hand. Like children on our journey, frolicsome at first, and darting from one side of the narrow path to the other but at last weary and aiming straight for home, this was the experience. Soon we learn the hollowness of earth, and take holy joy in the words 'Let not your hearts be troubled The sermon was followed by prayer and the hymn ''There is a land of pure delight, etc.
 Church of the Redeemer.
 Rev. Dr. Todd preached a highly interest ing discourse at the Church of the Redeemer yesterday morning, on the temporary and feeting character of earthly honors. Wealth, fame, position, power, while in a degree laudable objects of honorable ambition, were yet unsatisfactory, and, if attained, gave no lasting happiness. Selfish aims and objects brought not the desired end Unselfsh aims, the best good of mankind, deeds of benevo- lenee and a life of purity spent in following the commandments of the great teacher of Galilee, would ensure happiness which our coming age could not dim, but which would grow brighter and brighter.
 Court Street Church Improvement.
 The last service at the church of the con- gregation Mishkan Israel on Court street, prior to the general overhauling of the edi-