The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-07-25
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.
CHESTNUT STREET CHURCH.


Rev. d. McKeown of Chestnut street church
preached his last sermon before vacation yes
terday afternoon, on The Mystery of Godli-
ness, from 1 Timothy, 3:16: "Great is the
mystery" &c. By. the phrase, mystery of
goodness" he understood the apostle to mean
simply the Gospel, and to assert, not the mys-
teriousness, but the greatness of the gospel
system or mystery. He would admit, however
very readily, that the gospel was, in several
particulars, a great mystery, and chiefly in
that particular which in the apostles enumera-
ton heads the list-"God was manifest in the
flesh" He had strong, intuitive perception
that a gospel without mystery would be one
without God and without Saviour. If we
are to believe nothing that we cannot compre-
bend, we shall have short creed. The growth
of plants, the instinct of brutes, the union of
mind and matter, the nature of spirit, were in
stanced as things We could not fully under
stand. And if, in these lowest works of God
we are so soon beyond our depth how can we
reasonably expect to comprehend the Divine
Being and those ''things into which the angels
desire to look?" God is apprehended, not
comprehended by us.
The manifestation of God in the flesh is the
essential and peculiar doctrine of christianity,
If it be not true, Christianity is false, and in
stead of being simply one of the religions of
the earth is no religion at all, but tissre Of
error, lmposture and falsehood. With the sur
render of the proper deity of Jesus Christ the
whole fabric of the gospel falls in utter ruin.
But then it is q mystery, great mystery. As
mysterious is it how God, the Creator, "who
fainteth not, neither is weary, should be also
man, and die in weakness and pain, as it is
how we, ourselves, should be mortal and yet
immortal. AS much beyond our comprehen-
sion how God, the Infinite Spirit, could dwell
in body of flesh and blood, as it is how our
spirits can. We cannot comprehend this un-
ion of Deity with humanity, but we can be-
lieve it. For, though superior to reason it is
not repugnant to reason. 1t involves no alb
surdlty, or it could not have been believed, as
it has been, by the soundest and best minds of
the race, the Newtons, the Pascals the But
lers.
Nay, not only is it not repugnant to the rea-
son, but it is demanded by the reason-by that
higher reason, the moral sense, and the intui-
tive perception of the soul, of its highest
enlightenment, has claimed access to his God,
acquaintance, companionship. Hence, the
visible gods of Paganism, every one of which
is an argument in favor Of the truth of the
incarnation. The human soul demands re-
vealed Deity, "Show us the Father" God is
Christ, in whom the want of the world is met,
and the secret of the gospels success is found
in the one word-Immanuel.
justified in the spirit" the second particu-
lar, the speaker understood as teaching that
Christ was justified as to his claims, by the
presence and power Of the Spirit working with
him. He was indicated as the sent of God and
divine teacher by the power OF the Holy
Ghost, which attended his ministry, and which
still works in his church. Whom man any
where breaches Christ, and fsinners are con-
victed under the word by the power Of the
Holy Ghost. that is a justification of Christ by
the Spirit.
"Seen of Angels" denoted that they were in
his service, their eyes turned to him as the
eyes OF servant to his master, or Of q maid to
her mistress. They were constantly about his
path during his earthly ministry, and grew
moro attentive aud helpful as the tragic end
drew on.
Received up into glory" declared the re-
turn of the Son of God to his ancient seat at
the right hand of the Father, where he was
before" 1t was in open day, in presence of
all the disciples. There was no rushing whirl-
wind, no chariot of fire, but with gentle,
placid movement he rose slowly up into the
calm depths of the sky, giving crowning proof
OF all that he had ever claimed to be OF to
teach