National Republican., 1883-01-15
TIE GLORY OF ZION.
Eloquent Sermon by Bishop Il. G.. An-
drcyys at Wesley Chapel.

who, after reading the Cighty.scvcnth psalm
and the ninth chapter of Hebrews, chose for
his text psalm 81, 3, "Glorious things are spo-
ken of thee, city of God.p The bishop said (:
The new Jerusalem, tho Christian church, be-
longs ocvcry age. 1t has its roots in tho far
past, and its outgrowth reaches forward into
the ages yet to come. In it is being fulfilled
the promise to Abraham, "ln thee and in thy
seed shall all the nations of the earth be
blessed The first Jerusalem has passed away,
but tho New Jorusalcm, the spiritual children
of Abraham, by faith arc grown to % great
multitude, u blessed Zion, Of which oven more
glorious things are 60 bc said than of the Zion
in which David the king gloriCd in the words
of the text. And as the New Jerusalem num-.
bcrs u far greater multitude than the old, SO
the pictures of the divine word in their pro-
phetiC meaning broaden out to represent
grandor things than even the most sanguinc
Of the prophets probably ever even dared TO
imnginc.
The divincly preserved jewish people, by
the grand ideal of % temporal king.
dom, which they framed out by mis-.
taken understanding of the meaning Of
the prophecies, an ideal to which they have
clung through all their vicissitudcs, have been
impcllcd upward in temporal affairs Of tho
world, furnishing TO nations chiefs in finance,
and in statosmanships and in literature; and
il may he that the clearer understanding Of
the word may lift the master minds Of the
Christian church rs much higher in the uni.
verse as the spiritual kingdom is higher than
was the temporal.
OF this spiritual kingdom many glorious
things arc spoken. These are not tho in
hcritauce of any particular branch OF the
church, but of the church universal. As of
many seas there Is one great ocean, 50 Of the
many branches of the Churth there is one liy-
ing body. 10 is composed Of all Christ's fol-
lowers in all ages.
No noblcr thing Is recorded Of this ever
living Zion than that Il is the kingdom of God
among men. 1t is the Kingdom OF heaven on
earth. This kingdom has for king one who
rcigns by ndrfyasblc right, by creation, bv
redemption, and by preservation. Its sub
jccts are all voluntary, all have yielded allc-
glance willingly. None have been overcome
by force of arms, but freely aud gladly. It's
subjects rCnOuucc all other allegiance, unless
in harmony with and in subicetion to the di-
vine kingdom. coniictariscs thcratu-
tudc is expressed in the words of the question,
"WhCtEcr il Is better 20 obey God than man
judge yc." In proportion as this kingdom
prevails wars cease, and by the spread of its
influence tho time is coming when men shall
rlearn war no more 1t is n glorious thought
that He Is the inner life of the church, and
that the church Is the outward representative
of His life. As the inner life of the church lie
tlultlNtlS lUc tuWitn anu NlllN0ttS 10 WIN
new and CnnOblcd affections llc CO-opcrates
in its efforts and diguiiics, directs, and COM
forts at all times. As the living vine aSsim-
lato3 and makes part of itself the inorganic
dead particles of the water and of the SOIL 50
Christ assimilatcs TO Himself the characters of
those who yield allegiance to His kingdom.
llc says: Il am the vine, yc are the
branchCs;" and tho transformed souls of his
kingdom can say with ST. Paul: al live vet
mot ltt l,rigt liNpth In M ~ and - fN,pigt
in you the hope of glory From him all his
subjects receive their graccs, their comforts,
their power, and their direction. Their souls
in him have realized II resurrection from the
dead They cNult in the exalted privilege of
communion with him.
When it is considered how mastcrful are
some souls, swaying to u largo extent for the
time being all other souls coming into their
presence, is il not reasonable to expect that
the soul coming into tho presence Of that
divine one who has "all power in heaven
and in carth" shall be upliitcd outof MI that
is low and filled with all thoughts glorious
and sublime.
IfChrist is the inner life of tho church.
thGn the church is the outward manifestation
of the life OF Christ. "Yc," said Paul. "arc
living cpistes, known and read of all men,"
Its distinguishing, ennObling characteristics
are humility, gcntlencss, patience, hopeful
ness and love. BY these graCcS men rCCOg-
nizo Christian, and .by these, in proportion
MS they arc faithfully wrought into the fibre
of daily life, will the world at largo be at
tractcd aud blessed.
Ono glorious and striking characteristic of
this Zion is the relation IL establishes be-
tween man and man. All are brethren. No
ono has any peculiar vested rights that arc
not common to all, and SO the subjects of this
divine kingdom find themselves touching
each other and united each to the other in a
brotherhood, u republic of love. As sin broke
the bonds of brotherhood and aiCnatCd men
one from the other, 50 loyalty to the iivinc
one Eounites men and the gospel roknits the
hearts Of men.
The gospel clearly shows how this rcunit-
ing in love is brought about. The grand fact
Is given thatull men have one common father,
one common origin, and are of one blood
they have common duties and obligations,
aud possess one moral constitution responsive
TO the appeals to and demands Of the one
father; 50 the one common love Of God in
Christ reaches out to all men in all lands in
the TRUTH lIu gave his only bugOttOu son
that whosocycr bclicyeth in him might not
perish, but hayo everlasting lilc' And the
common visit of the divine spirit 10 human
hearts, the common Judgment and the COM
mon eternity are all elements in appealing to
aud affecting mems hearts and uniting them
in this grand brotherhood, Aud with the
tuOWHUl lhuJ lNt loNb Ol YOU - Hll-tOllDlt-
hensivC none may be excepted from the heart
Df christian. For all he shares the divine
for all he shares the divine de-
sire that None may PERISH but thar all may
have eternal life"
A glorious characteristic of the church is !
-hiS ull-rmbrCing love Of God, the effect Of |
which is 10 purify and purge away all sin and /
Effects of SIM Into all receptive hearts there |
comes the Holy Spirit to uplilt and cnnoblc |
10 compauiunship with the infinite.
A glorious characteristic Of the church is |
.hc liio immortal. This shines ont in clear |
md emphatic words, distinguishing il from |
III other teachings of the world. Whom Cat
lline and his CO.cOnspilatOrs were tried the |
leath penalty was proposed. The hcathcn |
emperor, the head Of The religious teachers by |
right OF his pO5tion-luius CUsar-gaye his |
decree in the famous words Let lls not kill |
kill them, for acute ends all, Let us keep,
.hCm alive and torture thCm, and thus en- |
sure their punishment rs they deserve Aud |
even the nice Cato and Cicero did not protest. !
A crOwning glory of christianity is It's roycla- |
lion Of immortality, Ia the apostles words |
,ho christian Of every ago may say, He |
luuws that IL our earthly homo OF this taber!'
laClu were dissolved we have u building of /
God, home not made with hands, cieFHuiiy IN .
ne lc0rC3s.p
And in preparation for this gra nd inhcri- |
aucc ii is the glorious characteristic Of the |
'hlrch that sho is the light br the world. As .
.hu moon gathers up the rays Of light of the /
,un and pOurs them bacl, ON the udmiring .
'mth, so Christians gather up the rays OF the .
uu Of Righteousness and pour them back on .
heir fellow men that they may heal, .
And men Valuc religion in proportion 10 the .
brightness Of It's shining A question for each .
individual church and for each individual |