New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-13
BEGINNING HIS PASTORATE.
THE REV II. VAN DYKE IN HIS NEW PULPIT


THE REV. H. VAN DYKE IN HIS NEW PULrlI'
DISCOURSE IN THE BRICK PREsBYfERiAN CHURCH
AT FIFTH-AvE. AND THIRTY-sEYENTH-
A large congregation assembled III the Drlch
Presbyterian Church st Fifth and Thirty-seventh
st. yesterday morning listen 10 the first sermon ny
the Rev Henry Van Dyke. jr, who has been caeu 10
the parish from Newport r. The minister TOOK lot MS
text Acts K 20 and 80 " ask therefore Tor WHAT III
tent We have sent for me Now Therefore are we All
here present before God to hear all things hat ao c
mandcd thee Of God" -.
The Apostle Peter said the preacher, was pain piu'
man. He was accustomed TO speak straight 10 inc
mint with cear and simple words. BY this do not
mean that he was rude reckless oil the
feelings OF his felowmen. There are SUM
people who make this mistake They co"ou'U
sincerity with impoeness, and their only ho',U"
of honesty Is TO make themselves "a uIS'gicoaoio
az possible. May Providence protect us from Sucn
frankness and may God forbid that the propagation u
the Gospel should be given ND to snch unhappy "u
vocaes Very different in spirit and In manner "ero
the first preachers OF Christianity. They knew inc re-
spect and Difference that are due from man 10 'ni'
They knew that sincerity must ever be tempered WIN
tenderness and guided by kindness; they unuers'oou
the dIviney given law OF human conversation Speaht
the truth in love" And therefore, they we're not arau
TO declare their thoughts freely and plainly and to ask
q straightforward question, expecting strmBntioI
ward answer Now observe how beautifully all tnis
illustrated in Peters question which forms porIon VI
our text to-day. He has been summoned from MS que'
home to Joppa to visit man OF whose name anu repu'
ton he probably has heard, but who Is personal
stranger to him. OF different position ana NATION
alty from his own, He has come willingly and quickly
as in obedience to Divine call He has entered into inc
Romans house where all the family, the relatives anu
friends gathered But now before he VIII SPEAK
them OF that which nearest his heart he pauses ana
says with courteous planness 81 ask therefore Ior
utpIof a
the laws OF hospitality by ntrudlng and forcing himself
upon their spiritual affairs against their will He will
speak at random without some knowledge OF the pc
culiar circumstances OF the and the personal ne
cesstes OF the man who has sent
for him, and above ALL he will not
unfold the sacred mysteries OF the Gospel without
some assurance othe attitude and desire OF those to
whom he to minister for no remembers the Masters
warning against casting pearls before swine and giving
that which is holy to the dogs He Is not necessarily
Ignorant OF the character and Wishes OF Corneusj out
he will have personal declaration, and thus on DOth
sides clear understanding Of the purpose of the inter
view II the motive OF these persons here assembled Is
mere Ssy the desire to hear and to tell some new
thing he will not crafty II. II they are looking for
some strange sensation something TO tickle their sense
OF humor sarte their Imagination, or excite their
emotions and thus pass idle hour he Will not soop 10
please them II this Roman captain, after the fashion
OF that day. had weared Of his former soothsayers ana
mon acquisition to feed his superstition aud fatter his
vanity then Peter will return in silence But II they
are seeking and desiring the TRUTH they wish HIM to
preach the Gospel Of Christ to Them Peter Is ready
willing anxious to minister TO them in sincerity and
love lie asks therefore, with what intent they have
sent for him.
LOVER OF PLAIN TRUTH.
Think this question OF Peters at once commended |
him TO the heart OF Cornelius This just the sort of
man that he wanted For this noble Roman. who stood
high among his own people and respected and be-
loved by all for his upright character and his kind deeds
was simple ana straightforward. He did not love cir
cumocuton ana folly and deception. lie loved and de
therefore, there he answered in the spirit which
mad been questioned lie told OF the vision when had
imUeed him to send for Peter, and he SAID " Now |
therefore all here present before COZ 20 near
all things that are commanded thee Oh Cto| NoDc |
words We could WISH" says one whose WOIds are |
read throughout Chrisendom " that they were III. |
scribcd every church door or on oyery Pu 80 mI
enter The church" Let study the inward meaning |
d +be nrr.ent application Of these words for little
nie tnis morning Let endeayor to draw from this
dyiney inspired question ana answer some IessonS iOr
our instruction and guidance.
LESSONS OF INSTRUCTION AND GUIDANCE
And frat OF all | think shall discern the great |
truth that the effect of the Gospels conditioned by the
character and attitude OF those who hear It, ms Is true
ALWAYS and everywhere. II must be So For II we re- |
gard divine truth great and potent force sent by
God into the world and working nightly upon the |
hoe
case must depend upon the nature and position OF the
,,i,,dral heart The sunlight streams from heaven
,rttb orions power upon our eRrth Inc HVlug paul
~ and reioces In H. reaches out even from suDter
ices - a. r2ess 10 meet the living beams grows ana
tbrives in the food Of light but lc Stohr es nun anu
ontet unchanged, unguckened because ~ a.. - d
qn So N We think OF the truths OF Christianity az
seeds Christ himself teaches us that Tue CROWN ue
nd. unon the nature of the soil INTO whlch th9 seeu
PGi,uS IL Yal upon hearts which are hard and care
s nolv omen 10 all the influences OF SIN, III Is
1ictv carried away ny the DeNll ana MS Sc wants Nl9
A. aIong the highways OF ne, II the Hceu |
HOoh ans tn lodge in light and frivolous hearts |
~ - easily chOkcd by the cares ana pleasures Vl t vi
ifit spring up 1t soon weIs & II "a .ovTn in GOOD
depfh OF earth for II TO take Ioot III. II !, - ~
al honest hearts IL lives ana grows anu DeatS It "
everlasting life The seed Is tue SANE Ou 'ne
srlts how erent. The same 5O5peI VHat wa Pcacuo
~ rho Ttnopian Chancellor on tue roau 70 uIAd N@S
nrooIamed In tho Palace OF C@saIea 10 AsIIPpa anu
Rercnice. But that when OrOusH ~ tlcso ~ Il -,
ord tay and life brought to the others new sensation
m9uieni Is amusement perhaps inVment uucdI Iss,
hrI notnlnr more The truth Wuch refer prcaChcu ~
" as tho same that he taught TO simon Magus;
hn that which the Roman centurion receNe u ODoI
TO the salvation OF his SOUL was 70 Inc
bret hIen let remember thls Inc GosPo 10 tiv 1
of God 1t IA mighty to save anu Dess, Du' w WA IL
s,oH do Gor ia depends on our own hearts. onal II |
barion and condemn usl snail 1t minister TO |
our curiosity, our PRIDE, our i it'Uiy aI fir
~ go md foolish speculatlOns and endless cOntIO
VERSES or shall it come to I'D WIN uNtle my auu
a., M INFO ueace aud fellowship with Cod leachns ana
heIpipg us to noble and happy HNes an 'llS We
must answer We must deternlne IL 1epeuds on ouL
Own beaTts IA great traveller said OF Rome 80 say
of the Church: Every man carries away "ha' ne mas
taken wi him" What you shall get from the blDe ue-
an yba Won degire aud seek And tue result OF the
Gospel the individual aud for the Ghroh uePcnus
not on him who breaches but on him VINO "earS'
TIE ATTITUDE OF THOSE WHO LISTEN.
Ietus ask then what the right attitude of the human
soul towards the Gospel; what qualities and feelings
prepare the heart for the enlghtenng and saving
trance OF divine truthi And this also think we may
learn from tho story OF Cornelius We see In him u