New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-13
Lessons OF STEPHENS MARTYRDoM.

LESSONS OF STEPHENS MARTYRDOM
The Be- Dr. 4-ntdgs at n, Fi Avenue Baptist Church
4 large congregation was present III the
Fifth Avenue Baptist Church yesterday morning. The
pastor Or. Armitage, easy and fluent speaker, OF
Gear voice and commanding presence His locks, tnged
with gray, give him venerable air, while his impas-
stoned manner Of delivery indicates his intense earn
estness his religious work.
Dr.. Armlage had selected as his text Acts VII. So:
behold the heavens opened and the son Of Man
standing on the right hand o. God" The sermon was
substantially as follows:
We hope for the honor Of all intelligence and respOnsi
bnty that this the only world where Gods creatures
are prosecuted their religions and practces God has
endowed az with ain set of faculties and pow
which he bases their responsibilities and II is AT
rugant for one thus endowed TO trench upon the
rights Of another in the use Of these powers.
This the prerogatIve Of Cod taking HIS
ernmeu Of ais hands by rObong His creatures u the
prerogatves with lich he has endowed them To do
tate therefore, what a nan shall believe practise
Hgously on pain OF disability. punishment ia to deny
HIN Of rights maienable 70 his Mature, and 10
impose upon him a burden which God refused 70 lay
upon his shoulders And yet persecution under paine
and penalties Las marked the whole course Of human
history from the murder of Abel down % the high
handed tyranny which Is being exercised upon the
Russian Jews. Stephen the first martyr under
tile reign of Jdses Christ and singuafy enough be
martyred for the position which he took IN the
truth of Christs divinity Jesus prOfessed TO be the
Son Of God. and slain that profession.
Stephen sened the truth with his blood
AZ a Helenistic jew, that is, Jew by birth
and education though not a resident Palestine he
thoroughly versed in Old Testament history and pre-
sented defense against the charge Of blasphemy by
al analysis OF the provdenal government Of God with
Israel the design of which was 10 show that the temple
and the tabernacle not the only local places OF
Divine residence but God had revealed himself 10
arHi IN the nv md
Propositions aud appartOns in thousand forms, thai
although the temple might be DESTROYED and order
Of things introduced such state o things would not in
dictate the absence Of Divine interpostcn. And this
order Of defense pursued before the sanhedrim
under the application OF such close o-c exalted STYLE
and enthusiastic sincerity ien.Dnsat his faith Ia
Coos providence and far above the faih Of the
court before which he was charged with hasphemy
No person read his defense without
discovering bis absolute self-abne Cation anc
lis thorough sacrifice for Christ
rates compelled to defend himself against the
charge Of bASpheuy, but human weakness kept himself
perpeuay before his mind that he seemed alb
s0rbed in method Of escape than in q depth Of
IOn -Four hundred and thirty tlmss IN Ills defense he
usfs ine personal prpn@nn one 1n1lfeG aIu iofy
times but Stephen, perfectly wrapped up in lis ad0ra
ton Christ appears totally careless OF himself and
fers 10 himself
The effect II stephens defense that which il al
unable dispute his facts and sons, 10 be
their searching application. The court II Sauledrln
became enraged it, members cut TO the heart.
Only once tue New-Testauu ut do read Of in
violent rage gnasnng theL teeth anu our saviour al
phes The frghtG nglre 90 those who are wecrng ana
waiing In perclon. But In this passage Luke applies
this fshttu n ure 10 the august body OF sanhedrm.
loud voice, rushed npon him with accord. him
out OF tine oiS All" WITHOUT one iorn OF Ia" stoned MIN
When stephen was thus excluded from all privilege
God yOuc safad 10 aim wonderful discoveries ne saws
me vonnS Yarsrene Rad STOOD under tie same root on
deathl fe had been hu lied through the the
v "a an fer without the camp and 10 dis death had
ol,.ned the ngdom OF Heaven to al believers.
Ne have no evidence that stephen ever listened 10
Jesus during His earthly ministry, met Hin or knew
HIM Bur by the Instructive reeOgn lions Of ilumina-
ted and imtBOveabie faith he now distinguished
lis person from al Others Of Jhe heavenly ranks
saw moi Moses nor Daniel nor Solomon any Of the
great II whom he had reated IL his defence
bur Jesus be saw hailed Him. and centred al his aec
tons upon Him Moreover he say- he Him standing
he right hand Of God. Here is something UNIQUE and
Startling 10 this at tude Wherever rad of the
enthroued Christ the NevTestamen excepting here,
Ee Is said 10 be seated al The rgLI la'd OF GOD
Intense sympathy Of oneness, between the suffering
martyr and his assembled Lord stone had not
Master felt ne R De balm Of The blow AZ the head Of tue
Church dis enemies were crushing lowly member OF
ms BODY and The sound OF the merchess weapon had
not broken upon the Of the present spectator when
Jesus felt the pang and, as il Were started tr0d DIS
ihrOne u defend hs murdered servant lie arose a.
King TO assert His claims aud stood ~ welcome the
sprit Of dis nrst martyr His bosom stephen reciD-
his whole being Eel that power the eternal throne
was allied with him and used such language OF
sympathy IN designating Jesus the SOL OF Man. %
70 other servant Of Christ In the New-Iestainent
ma y@ntured - Jesus 4ppreciatng the Ielht and
deg1h, the length and bread OF sympathetic import
o91ched In thi' Il e had ienoudnaod himself the son
W man and stephen Was unable drink iu s fu sig
Mncdnce until be caught his saviour. splii and the
shower OF stones banisIed ali human bIcern and hu
si hoPe MaVihg clgh hih Redeemers spirit, he fell
Of d alh. ~ ~ - ~
Jesus hung Upon The Cross. Eis last prayer His
@ef commented HIS human spirit 70 His Fathers keep