New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-10
SERMONS WORTH READING.
IN.
THE FASTENING OF THE ADVENT OF CHRIST
THE REV DIR. JOHN WESLEY BROWN, RECTOR OF
ST. THoMAs's PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL

Church began in Baltimore, OF which city he is
native; but was mostly exercised in Detroit, CieVc-
land and Buffalo. He has filled important posts IN
the general Church. having been a member OF the
General Convention for many years, and he is now
one OF the Board Of Managers Of the Missionary
Society of the Church. His text yesterday morning
was ST. Mark, t. s, Prepare yc the way Of the
Lord He said;
We are not unmindfu Of the wide latitude per
mited in the discussion of the Advent of our Lord,
and the easy disposition TO gcncraze WIN rcsnec,,
TO it. Yet we are so convinced tha' thv oines Gnu
so orcibly related TO the coming OF Christ ana the
advancement Of His Kingdom in the earth, that we
ask you to their epochal character II 1T be
true that the past in earliest history SHOWS con:
Of the Lord, 1t is but reasonable to look for such
d concurency up 10 the date of the Incarnation
In ss sa We a Ra'sn al e 9
God 1 the affairs Of the Void there was e ch %e
OF Abraham and the ordering OF his posieny through
the whole history Of the Jewish people !, -
The only alternative TO such view must be IN
an utter denial Of such divine plan. The logic
Of events is The teschn: Of m ns and
later on. we believe fully sustains ne thouTht OF
Gods providence in the preparation OF the ADVANCE
s Of oi S k d ON the Ia aer % np and tho
babe born in The stable was in absurd Sonrss' with Win
ever, that the Jewish nation, Greek literature ana
Ian guage with Roman conquest proved mlsaty
evangelizatlon of the world. The Jew convert be
came the Christian apostle the Greek language ,ng
Hstor. since has coninucd verify this truth in the
concurrent events The Inference is. then, eminent
y proper that these most mi br ssa be
found dlsnctively in the present. which is meant TO
CENTURIES A and that such nsiTumenae contributing
effectively in the rast. ought IN their existence
much more in advance of the ancient day.
Indeed everything in Gods providence oOEhs
with he o. n SDcedier Fastening
Yet We are 10 remember that one day with tie LORD
,T as and he SFd a not sack eonccnns Ills
promise as some men count saekn on Of The the cGsT
accristIc evidences of Chnst's Kingdom among men,
Tbs psTasS s tGm the very S G e: eoS
notation of s.eciac GOOD and the .pro-ress of the
truth War always Implies G5Rosi1g lor ,S a sHn
is felt power, historically is prominent fnct
The stronr the =ht the darker the sh@a0% rcs
elec trS lamp D ET !; more defined ncce
1a S truth TRs opposition was so cr ounccd
In The day of Christ that Il was IN due measure me
immediate lead His condemnation. The consider
alton OF tie existence OF evil is TO be enforced because
it has at times been cited by the opponents OF
so has created doubt and dismay in the hearts of
tim,d believers
SOME OF THE EVIDENCES OF ADVANCEMENT.
In referring 10 the Jewish nation. an evidence
of the advancement Of the Kingdom Of revealed truth
we find to-day lineage justly prized-and an honor
able ancestry-to which we indebted for tho very
event to which rclgOusly related The
progress Of the world has not left behind that MS
toric race which has risen with the evolution OF the
thought and betterment OF the ages 10 plane OF
power from which, commercially and financially, gov
ernncnts are directed and dynasties influenced The
very climax of Gen,ilism is bound up with this EN-,
neniy valuable people, ior 81 tddl Mites wa" .!
not bict Ell that We should be ignorant OF this that
blindness hath IN part happened unto Israel until the
funess of the Gontilcs be come In" desire not 10
be considered treating Of prophecy and It's fuinl
ncnt but the consensus of all history shown TO be
in behalf of the progress of Chtisps Kingdom, ana
that the present confirms the past and julifes Itself
as under the controlling hand Of God in the prepare
ton of His way to His coming again-and the mis-
sionary enterprises of the Church are hence TO be
promoted teir utmost, in order that ali conditions
to become the kingdoms of God and His Christ, and
this Gospel is to be preached throughout the world
worship before Thee, Lord, and shall GloIffy Thy
name"
As answering to the Greek language in the time Of
the institution OF Christianity, the literature OF the
present finds itself the pocEt factor for the propor
Tomato progress Of the truth and the Church. The
science Of today, which some would ony recognize
a. an enemy Of revelation. s. constantly found IN its
experienced and authenticated discoveries 70 be an
adjunct TO the truth it is in Jesus Christ, and
knowledge runs TO and fro through the whole earth
Carving everywhere the glad tidngs Of the saviour o.
the world The art OF printing, in that the Word OF
God was among its first trophies. beautifully ind-
Gates the successive direction by God of this wOrdrous
power TO His glory, that the Bible IS read in almost
every known Language. II you are pleased to pursue
the Investigation further this line, and in de-
tail you will not be disappointed In the result as
fully confirming the suggestion made.
AS answering 10 the Roman power In the carly DAYS
Of the Christian erawhch then unified the nations In
the interest of the Lords KnGdom-I cite the ap-
proach 70 almost complete unity OF The peoples of
the world to-day as still an evidence in behalf Of
that same truth II is grand theme, and one fun
Is the universal empire Of peace-a victory without
war and conquest without blood. From the dis
mcmberment on the Plains Of Sbnar, in the progress
OF the worlds history. has II been the evident VIII
the An-time Father to bring again humanity TO Him
sell; and every elevatlng thought. every human invcn
non Tor good. every amcllOrang scheme. has and IS
contributing TO This end. We call II civilization, IN
working His way 10 His only holy ends And though
yet there be different dialects Of habiraon. tho
Church. in her catholicty, speaks but one LANGUAGE
even that OF faith and love- ard her citizenship s that
Of the Kingdom of Heaven. 1t is well said by another
that the present age Ike that have gone
before H. is time OF transition arc exchanging
an intutvc instinct and an unquestionnc obedience
enccp WHICH 10 0AS'u on eApei'
DIVINE PLANNING CLEARLY MANIFEST.
This is part OF the great civilizing movement in
which under all p"rvesions and distortions Clearly
recognize the hand OF God. II was at once profane
and foolish TO separate this movement from Him. and
10 ascrtbe 1t to mans unassisted energy No It is
essentially His, and is designed raise the general
tone and temper Of nations as that Of single men
Is raised by education and experience Of life When
the faherhood of God is proclaimed by Christianity
as nc foundation Of the unity Of humanity d. not
tmSuncnvsy turn to he Jewish people with the pro
tsned by them as proof, and When the second Adam
revealed the power OF It's application, and Gcntil-
Ism associated Itself in the bond Of common brother
hood Is not the loveengrdled earth to-day the evi.
dence OF the design which Is being worked Cod
TO It's perfection in the end. Merely 10 aim at this
ideal is divine work broad In IT'S scope and
ure thar the name Catholic has been chosen the
most distinctive eplthet of the Church the one en-
phac term which most fills the Imagination and slim
ulates the moral life.
God does no work suddenly, but patiently and as
ton Is work OF long time. how long. perhaps,
only guess The history of literature and the
progress Of letters Is certainly most remarkably aid
Ing In this idea Of God among men, and the divine
togos has In The past, and does I'm the present,
impress Himself upon the intellect OF 70 be-
In spite Of every adverse power and criticism the ad
mtted energy of every moral revolution for the bet
termeni OF the race, and the withdrawal Of Him In
His person a. character from this human mental
action would be, by the sceptic considered a, a
plunge INTO confusion, II not dep pair II we contem
phe what an Inward horror selves the soul Laco-
Lnr SaIh !. L.. -. -