The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-06
CHANCELLOR sIMs's SERMON.
Value of Establishing the Human Heart will
the Grace of GOO.

Value of Establishing the Human Heart with
the Grace of God
ChancellorC. N. Sims, of Syracuse University,
yesterday morning preached from the pulpit of
the Meridiar-street Methodist Church. A large
audience was present to greet him and listen to
the sermon. The text was chosen from the ninth
verse, thirteenth chapter of Paufs letter to the
Hebrews: "For it is good thing that the heart
be established with grace" This letter of Paul
was addressed to the Jews, then despised and
fugitives in exile. They were Christians. but
were destitute oppressed and unhappy One
supreme virtue, however, they possessed A
heart established with grace, and SO Paul con-
graduated them upon this one thing. The heart
is the seat of joy, feeling and success in life. If
life is full of darkness, and failure, it is
a good thing that the heart be firm it its devo
ton to God There are three classes of men
in the world who need Christian aid
those inclined to skepticism, who are not sure
of Christ, the hereafter and the Bible; the luke
warm Christians not industrious and not earn
est, whose life is good desire and bad con-
duct and those who are callous to religion, who
have no knowledge of faith and no sense of
God. To these people, who are clothed in moral
a good thing; that the heart which is firmly es-
tabshed with grace is at rest, and not harassed
with the thousand troublesome questions of
human life and its destiny. The greatest prob
lens all pertain to the future. Immortality.
salvation, life beyond the grave-these are the
questions which lie outside of our knowledge.
The skeptie has soothing solution for them.
Tyndall says that there is ne power of the hui
man mind that can grasp the mystery out of the
future. But the Christian can look to God for
the answer; he exercise his simple faith in
the teachings of the word, and be at peace with
his mind In Christianity there is absolute rest.
Man must have an established faith; ne must
rise out of his chaotic moral state and get some
rest for the soul. There can be happiness amid
the anarchy of unbelief. 1t IS good TO have a
life and experience that means something Let
the soul know that there is home beyond,
bright, sunny cline in the future to be attained.
In this age there is danger, even in the church,
that the Christian religion does not get down to
the morality of the soul. We have too much
sent.mentalism among religious men. This is a
base counterfeit of morality. The true Christian
must love his ueighber as himself and sacrifice
many physical luxuries to accord with his
adopted faith Outside of the Christian pale
there is no basis of morality, no incentive to do
good. So long the future is unknown how can
the soul have rest without faiths In society, un-
less you take your observation from above, it is
hard to steer Alright The true Christian under
stands his moral bearings and cannot fail to
guide in *ta5 right path An established grace is
a comfort in this turbulent life. In life there is
great deal of tragedy and it is only the touch of
Christ that can dry the tears of sorrow and pain.
The rich can find in their GOLD no healing wand:
1t cannot abate pain. calm fear. or allay sorrow.
When a comrade dies, and grief overwhelms the
soul, and the heart with all its aches and sacred
secret SORROWS, feels like it would break; when
our plans of life dissipated, when our health
is broken and fortune gone, what can make life
a triumph but the solitary hope of some day en-
tering the golden gate of heavens If the heart is
established with grace all things seem to work
together for good then the soul feels its triumph
and the spirit OF goodness within CLOVIS with
its victory When we are doing something to
make our fellow men happy, the heart is full OF
sunshine Froude says that the Christian relg-
ion speaks IN all the moods and lenses but the
present indicative. But If he would look
around him on every side, and observe how
much Christianity is now doing for the intel
lectual, moral. social and political world he
would say that it is a positive force for doing
good-as undeniably so as gunpowder has the
power of destruction. Christianity is known by
its fruits. When we see a man dealing out good
on every hand, we may know that his heart is
established with grace. A good Christian
wields powerful influence, just as the intrepid
Burnside was able to inspire his soldiers to
deeds or valor by his example Of personal brav-
cry; or as the sea captain, by his calm appar-
emily unconcerned manner. in the midst of a
raging storm. quells the fear of his
established Christian grace may inspire
others to act with becoming virtue and morality
There are moments when the morals of the best
Christians are tried, but with the sublime faith
which the scientist, Keely, puts i'm the future
usefulness of his motor, and with the heart es
tabshed in grace. the soul will triumph Let
all men attend to their moral natures, and begin
with the exercise of Christian duties Inquire of
God, aud give obedience to his mandates. 1t is
possible for all the tempest tossed unbeievers to
be flooded with divine light and Joy. 1t is a
good thing that the heart be established with
grace Nature will be rewarded by such an at
tribute of God's holy spirit