The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-02-13

<n'"'',' "H" A'fnptuhOt, Gutfttto "
Some Pity when scorned BY the Chief
Priests.
At st. PauPs church Sunday morning
the beloved pastor, DR.. Minnigerode,
preached fine sermon TO a large congre-
CATION, and at night, when there were few
vacant seats, DR.. Armstrong, OF the Monu-
mental, filed the pulpit. lie took for his
text, "And they said, What Il that to us
See thou TO that" (st. Matthew. 81, 4, both
chapters.l "Poor Judas !" said he; "thls
was the comfortless and cutting answer
which he received from the chief priests
and elders when his conscience had begun
to goad and lash him for his sin and guilt
in betraying and selling bis Master. Have
you not sometimes felt that we may have
been guilty OF heaping too much blame and
dishonor upon the character Of Judas? In
all history there has been no other name
that has become the representative Of so
much baseness and guilt"
AvARIcE.
l "But," said DR.. Armstrong, further on,
~no doubtJudas was powerfully domina-
ted by the sin OF avarice. But have not
many men since his day been equally pow
erfully dominated by the same sin? How
many there are to-day who are practically
selling their Lord for money. II the cha-
lenge were made 'Let him that is without
sin among you east at Judas the first stone
| how many, il il TO be feared, would not
dare to move finger. Yet, no doubt Ju-
das was led along 10 the fatal act quite
thoughtlessly. He did not fully realize
from the start aud all the way through the
Nervousness and guilt OF the crime"
at was not till the deed was done that
/ ifu full consounpppp9 wore tV him rpaliypI-
and when they did come upon him they
came with the suddenness OF thunderpeal
from a cloudless sky"
| TEARS FOR JUDAS.
The Doctor then went on TO show
the binding influence OF sin and tempta-
| ton, picturng rs an example the drunk
ard, and saying that "the Caligulas and
| the Neros and the Judases oi history were
once innocent prattling boys. and grew into
their wickednesses, led on from step TO
step by sin, deceiving themselves with ly-
ing dress and speech; and so he warned
all, and especially the young, "against
yielding TO the first temptation"
After discussing Judas's temptation and
fall, the Doctor said
| We cannot exculpate Judas in his be-
trayal and barter. Yet Is he presented in
the text in a condition and position that Is
adapted 10 wiring from the stoniest heart
pity and from the frigidcst eyes tears.
| Writhing under rem0rse that Is driving him
| to madness for the deed that he has pelpe-
| trated, yet callously mockcd by the very
men who had persuaded and bribed him
| TO its perpetration! Surely rs between the
character oi Judas and that OF these ," chief
priests and elders as kere presented that
Of the latter incllrs the greater guilt and
merits the greater damnation.
Yet, what have we here also but the
uniform workings out OF temptation and
sin!
THE FIRST TO MOCK.
! The principal or law, said the Doctor,
| is that the first to mock and the last TO
pity the fallen man in his remorse and de-
gradatiOn are those who were the instru- q.
merits in bringing him down. This Is the
second and chief lesson in morals that this
passage Of Scripture. with the circum-
stances in which its words were uttered, Is
adapted to reach us, and how frequently
has the eye that is accustomed to observe
the ways OF the world seen this lesson
written out before II in black characters. I'm
this connection he referred TO the man led on
| TO drink and the woman led on TO shame.1
Oh, brethren, how deceitful. how lying. is
all the temptation to sin and wrong, ana
how basely perfidicus is every man who
would entce others to commit II! step by
step he will lead you along In the in
dulgence, ilattering and stimulating you to
indulgences ever deeper; but let your
means by which he has been enabled to
share with YOU the indugences become eX-
hausted, and he will scorn You from his
company. and when conscience works In
your heart the agony Of rcmOrse hc will
turn upon you the heartless, m0cking cry
OF the chief priests and elders" What i
that TO us! See thou 10 that. !"
TIE INFLUENCE OF THE CHURCH.
Let all who hear me to-day, especially
the Young, remember that there j. no safety
and no honor save in a faithful obedience
TO the laws Of God and faithful obedience
of the requirements OF the Church: men,
ton and would emphasize the observance
OF the requirements OF the Church, because
the Church throws around men restrain
ing influence, and in proportion as tley
draw near 10 her and iced their inner
bodies with the divine nutrlment, when is
stored mp i'm her sacramcnis ana doc"
trincs. i'm the same proportion will they
be strong 10 resist temptation and be daily
advancing in the highest and noblest form
OF life and manhood. Only be faithful 10
God and His Church and you will be pre-
served in safety and honor Only this, and no
Wolseyan regret will ever well up IN your
heart or pass your lips, ''Ob, Cromwell,
Cromwell, had but served my God with
half the zeal served my king, he would
not in mine age have lett me naked T. mine
enemies" Only this, and your conscience
win never reduce you 10 such remorse ana
agony as to lay YOU open to calious mock