New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-17
RELIGIOUS THEMES.
TRUE SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY
me Rsv. IN. stoyrs a, ne oollegfa.. Reformed n

TRUE SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY
The Rsv Or StOyrs At me collegiate Reformed cAy,.
The Rev. DIR. Storrs, of Brooklyn, occpni.,
the pulpit OF the Collegiate Reformed Church. AT ~
eighth-st and Fifthave., yesterday morning Of 80
his son-nlaw. the Row. DR. Coe Is pastor. The bsns.
edhce was filed with large congregation which M
tened with great attention to the words Of the
As the sunlight glanced through the stained ea.a 49,
dows OF the Gothic edilce and fell upon tho ,n,s
dressed people and the preacher in his Oxford gown ~
sight pleasant 10 remember. DR. storr. ~
for his text ILL., John 2: Beloved, wish ah,,..
things that thou mayst prosper and be In health
thy soul prospereth" and made IL the theme Of a a.
course on spiritual prosperity. He spoke substantial.
US follows
The existence OF soul In man IL august and o,
mendous act-a fact which Il manifest 10 the cousro.
Of everyone who knows that IN him there 4,
spiritual existence. This spiritual existence With,
obscured though may often be by the animal in wh,
1t IL ncased is the essential and necessary part o. m
nature. Just the light in the sky represents 10 "a n
great universe imbedded In boundless and lmtis,
space the spiritual part OF our opens ont },
our view the almost boundess and mitless posblus,
OF human life And It Il this inner self that gains all M
great victories that worth striving for. A n.
tireless energy OF man is able to al physical
obstacles that may stand in his way the spirit for.
ia able 70 and got the better Of
the evi the base and the mean-ts.
greatest obstacles IN the path OF moral progress Ttb
personal spirit loves and mates with great intensity
emotion II suffers and enjoys without reference the
body it affects Others by a force enanating from itse,
and communicating directly by itself 1t It's ovnlss
OF development and culture which does necessarily
coincide with that OF the body II has the thai
Il lives beyond tho body This II the primary cOnsioq.
from which the soul derives its power The fact.
this spiritual existence only the insane deny Only
materialists confuse soul with the body, and bold
that the former Is but Junction. activity, the BRAN
Men do not always recOgnize the importance OF this fact
OF the spiritual existence until they contemplate the nys
teriOus depths OF their own nature.
great sculptor of antiquity advised Alexander the
Great to carve Mount AthOs into image OF himscf
In Ike manner humanity, by overcoming natural and
physical obstacles, Dy changing the wilderness intos
garden changes the external world into Likeness Of Tho
soul within IL. History recognizes In the soul OF man tie
creative and constructive energy out Of which proceed
ali arts all mechanical constructions, al literature and
all historic panorama. It recognizes also that from
this fruitful and inexhatbe all inventions
and all governments. History also tells us that this
energy OF the soul cannot De that the might
Of empires cannot crush 1t. Society recognizes this
spiritual force and existence; Socialism recognizes
amt finds attempts TO ind In IL It's and justin
cation in claiming for every soul equal opportunities
The improvement OF this personal spirit h ought 10
be- object OF all civil and educational Institutions
Civilization has here the measure and standard OF ls
value. II 1t does fol its object this spiritual
prosperity IL is despcabe In the EXTREME and should %
displaced from the world he II this spiritual prosperity
its moving is aud soulsaying force
The object VI the Gospel to bring about IN large way
the prosperity Of man. Our clviLaton IN s last anal
ysis, Al ne present day tends TO substitute nappne
Tor prosperity and III this connection II IA worthy Of
notice that the word happiness does not occur IN the
Bible. The Apostle, you Will notice. prays lor proc
perty and health, not for happiness. The purpose VI
the Cos whole is 10 give the personal prosperity
of the soul beauty and eev on Of ana tis
what considerations are involved III the prosperity
the soul in man. ,c.x
whom the soul is OF kin. Our knowledge makes the
soul effective giving commanding inhaelcepos
only over ITSELF but other souls IKE ltscu lie xAo
mas that large and clear apprehension Is IKE man ssad
lag on an emnence IN sandy desert lie can int-rpfS
immortal being. This apprehension OF God Is the nrss
element iii the prosperity OF the soul science conaocs
Us towards 1t. Philosophy aud reflection always pom!
God the origin OF ali things and as the aIoter
the SOULS destnies Wnoeyer Recognizes God mas s.a.a
himself beginning of me heavenly Vlson ana thefs
gIows in hun a or personal utilization with God
The possession Of trend exas our life and We should
regard God az a friend, but one OF Infinite superiority
to ourselves and should come 10 love Him via
Will which says :" Iny VIII DC uOne. Iuea
only there peace: then only there Ii hope Tor imm&
la IN in Christ il good but must be associated with
other graces We must have sense OF advancement
svIetry of character; and the elements which nakea
Christian character as the Apostle tells US, aitA
brot%erIv kindness and chastity. When seeks them
nsefnl opportunities are manifold. They may some
times appear trivial in character, Out We are 10 ree
Der that from small beginnings great RESULTS 9isen PS
coed You crush the acorn under your hee Dut {oa
cannot SIR oak that from that acorn springs Whel
Try ing to do GODS SOrk neahs o useiuess WI
come and will recognize the fset that we sreoS
WORKERS of the Almighty lie asks US 10 cooperate VITA
Him and promises sufficient grace 10 make cur
work successful. Finally, we must noId iast 70 .ns
eyerDrgntenBg nope "I Iilhoi.any' To n. .s s
served nope for himself Ar long as the nope ol lnmot
tay exists the soul rises triumphant over every ms
forrlIne and IL possessed OF immortality already Asa
vaor over me sea- when his vessel Is encrcled by leo
and ,af and the backness Of the night, gazes wlsy
aud sadly the direction oil the haven where DC woi
he and az 10y drives gloom when once be mas dis
covered The familiar sparkle OF che watelre 50 we ana
they who went before saw the promises OF tne AZ
mighty and greeted them the very bartlemene Of
Heaven There in Christ then, hrst consciousnes
ard second. conviction OF immortality, when hvtns
can overcome In these consists the true prosperVo
the soul here be found the true ricnes Of '1s
world