New-York tribune., 1882-02-27
PRACTICAL RELIGIoN 4 NECESSITY.

PRACTICAL RELIGION A Necessity
me D-. Hodgc ft the First ITeSbEtTtdn Church
The pulpit of the Frs; Prcsby yterian Church,
at TIfth-ave and Twclfth-st. occupied yesterday
morning by the Hey Dr. Archibald \. Hodge, Pro'essor
ofSystenattc Theology the Princeton Theol9 gcal Sem
lnary. Dr. Hodge Is hf.y-cieht years old of medium
height and partly bald his whskers like Ills hair are of
brownsh color tinged with gray. He Il "a trine near
shjcd ond wears spcctaclcs hui does not read Ma ser
fact; lie says that hc 0oe5 not wfc then Ills
voice Is sOHieW hat thin.
The text was frcm Peter ill., p "5eeing, ihen, that all
these things shall be dissolved, what manner Of persons
ought We to be in all holy conversations and soIincsS
There is one lesson, said the preacher, which |
wish to imDress upon your minds and that that the re-
vealcd Will OF God expressed Ia Tie Bible, is not 10
satisfy curiosity but 10 form character, TO make men
better and not to teach them system OF thcoOSy Its
result is intended TO b. pracioll and speculative
The i.Die does attcmpt, ike the Westminster Cate
chsm build up creed. but records the lives OF holy
men. and Of the saviour Himself, to teach us how we
may do the good in the world 1t Is unquestiOn
ably true preaching of the word OF God has done
lust tlis-hos prepared for Heaven, as well as
showed them bow escape The terror OF the final judg
ment The human mind is 80 constituted that 1t If
impossible for 1t believe a theory u be true which 1t
knows false to believe two things wAlch are ap-
par1ny contradictory The mind tends 70 compare one
truth with another aud, if possible. TO bring all
things TO an agreement This reasoning process con-
t,nuee un man ceases exist All truth has lts origin
in God and as The Divine Mind Is all comprehensive
one 80 there must be a unity of all truth The mind of
man destined to b1w this unity, If we attain to the
highest form Of knowledge. But IA may look into
the heavens at night and every heavenly body
within the sc Of his vision without Understanding tue
phenomena, while another man may soc the same Things
aud understand te extent and the Influence uI many or
all Of these bodies. one man secs phenomenal heaven
and the other undcrst8uGr the organic hcaNon
believed and pracsod. We must be practicel
aud Try to find moro IN The Bible than II Is intended
toto IA be- "a
of theology therc would have been great deal more
said upon the subject. For instance we are not tod
no" an infinite Spiut and infinite will could be com
bucd W!t finite viii and spirit in the person Of Jesus
Christ We do not read how moral character
is determined before begin 80 ac nor how prcdcsti-
nation and free grace bC blended There are de-
frc;s ~ the revelation OF God 10 the man whose only
aim satisfy III, curiosity the subjects connected
With the Divine life lie must know the truth In orher
to attain holmes, anu IN 0idcf 20 KNOW tnG rum ho
,gus bc holy. The ciunal Hnd cannot un'eihtand tbe
things ol he kingdom Of Christ 1Gd yet II must nave
knowledge ~ Ch1St n''oP u cal W poIh .3 S; aSAn:;
one must transformed into tho image OF the Son OF
God, If ne wishes T. secure me lSn'st it o hioMt
phy Gods Object is not to make thinkers bat doers
Ii viii be easy learn an tn8t ~ stcII u theology
about which We are 30 cdtlOHo nov, "Hcl We nav
reached Heaven. We shaj Irn have an abundance OF
Nh losophy under teachers who have been there for
ceuturic,, under prophets and apostles ana
Should h E'ia D ICi to be- 'oi' qaod and to do good
prepare for death and the lie b. y0nd Tue
10 yorr knowledge, hut TO cXhO you 70 loOA to Your
lives and # they what they should o1 II your
profession OF 9ith be true how ought yOr me 10 DC II
accord with the greatness of these mihiits Does II
correspond 10 your profession o., ,,
Mal-occupics a sugIli position IN THIS LIE. lie IN ne
middle link b. tween Ae hcicAy o. am nds ana tAai OF
angels lie Is a animal ia the tInr SENSE OF tAe "Oid
ana stands at the apex OF animal ic. lie ch Dt ca-s
fed leoueiuG to the Ncrtcbra IS, TO the sdDd vision
mammals ana truly mcuhnr OF thlt sub Vis0n "A
is any other animal bcion1ng H. As reasoning being
tIc apc1 Of thr animal ic 50 he il a. The base OF tao
angelic Life lie is NOR al and immortal, ana how sngr-
lu that this uIson can be perfect IN the same
person. Is mortal being he dies Ike the beast
in
fear Of DEATH for no oon never die. since
manner Of persons ought we 10 bef How careiily We
ought 10 walk before men, since We must soon icaVe
them and take our place with those who nave I'ed tle
realities of the other world W. are now uecidihg what
our future life shall be Death l7 nos miracle am IL dlr
not change our character what dea ",u uo ~ Siil'y
10 intensity present life. hut it VII not cnangc H.
we are good now sIail be better thch u odd now
worse then Dying "AI MOI iilhc 'l' ~ uii anu S'Tlu %
bright and active, a, some would hl IL s"t",' ma
il one OF The questions which rnod DC 5'I'u III !" Eonu
all doubt ana 1t can De settled no" ohu III per '' IL
tUrc How candid IN our Scln-pcclJh "HSi' we 10 Dc.
between thc msHci "h ih' in",I mo ,
perhaps, hut none the less certainly, "e are every mo
ages hence. with every uo"rt beat We are moving
toward Of The two spheres, ana forming haMts vi
] 0Ic t"1t frms G6e destiny Of the child aud the rec
VIII of the youth fixes that Of the man. Tins world Is II
r.D Tor every hour II l. IA uuIyc where God is
folI ~ characters for the great future he general
education must not rt! anyone, hui ne lhust ne Gun
td sorciical \ for wLac, en- positions lie hopes 10
hi- cd Shnll receive AN educa on, bt he seeAs 10 Vr
him pusue Of slHdy NAT viii prepare him Tor
the particular occupations III he whcu ne uiJ ehOu9o
follow. ia acquiring a vocal culture, not merely
theory OF singing and the musical notes are taught
every muscle of the body is trained 10 do so
Cic work. God does not int nu tat al hr saints III the
world sha be just allie with that idea hc has
given various gifts and oppor unies for developing
them. But forget tuat respOns bile
Tor the proper OF g1ts mere. Realizing tnat
are being educated for such homc what careful lives
ought 10 lead!
When III love to think OF tie heavenly home
which expect 70 occupy sometime, but ia good
heath how ule 1t occupies our thoughts. We are, in
decd, our brothers Keepers ytt how slowly Christianity
ma6os It's progress In the world. The Christianity OF
New York resembles milk and water and that IN why
hundreds souls going perCiOn every year
fhi4 city. II the Christians pOpull tiOA
should come up the level oi their high noble creed
iundrlity live here All resistance the Bible
would be senccd. Thousands would flock To hear the
(ospel VINO viii never be nnatch,d from the blrnng
uuIss YOU do It, How you rst al eare, when every
moment you should bc at WORK trying to do some
good when every breath should be prayer that GOd
would bless efforts To save the souls of those for
whom yOu are working This chance of working il
brief in short time viii De gone Seeing that the
time is so brief, what OF persons 0Sht you 10
iD As business men, your thoughts and actions should
be spiritual for the day of lac LOru VIII come hs