New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-16
PREACHERS WORTH HEARING
Up MORGAN DIX, OF TRINITY CHURCH.
rp.yF son OF FEARLESS BArHER-NEARLY
TWO CENTURIES OF CHURCH LrrE-A

TWO CENTURIES OF CHURCH LIfE-A
SERMON on "MoRTALITY."
~. mn one ATTEMPTS haul down the American
-. snoot him on the spot" These were the words
"'N' ,.,rous war dispatch sent by Gcnsra John
D,x IN January, 1861, fortnight after President
~ -, had appointed him Secretary Of the Treasury.
o. s,r made profound impression the country
xsInr iersely and foicbly the sentiment in regard
49, Nations Gag which sent thousands 70 the front
- months later. After the rebellion closed.
c.a.r,, DIX In referring to this order. said; e 1t
s.a tho public heart and mind strongly no doubt
srsa the blood Of all patriotic men boiling with
,'.,,on AZ the humiliatons which endurine
Ia 7 claim no other merit than that of having thought
,,,,v ana Of having expressed strongly what felt
~ connection with the great body OF my counuymen-"
with something OF the spirit Of loyalty to the
sAv,c, which he loves go the Master whom he serves
-, son Of General Dix stands fearessly breastng the
"a, Of evil this city, speaking in no honeyeo terms
What he considers be the prevailing sins OF modern
1870 His recent Lenten lectures delivered In
ss,,ty Chapel one OF the churches In his ex
.nslye parish, perhaps the most ontspoken OF
~ his scrraons he entered the ministry nearly
,,,ry years ago. One lecture In particular has Deeh
everey criticised by people outside OF his hock ana
ers have been many denials OF the accuracy OF some
~ his statements But, the other hand Dr. DIX
,,s received hundreds Of letters fcOm all parts OF the
roup,ry and from every class and from people OF
various religions including bishops. clereymen of many
denominations physicians men Of society. mothers OF
families authors and writers questions OF social
economy. Roman Catholic clergy. Jews. working men
and woraen thoroughly indorsing all that he saio Ia
these lectures md thanking him for saying whae ne
did The lectures now in press and are 10 d. pun
lshcd within few days
Dr. Dix was born In this city. In 1877 He was
graduated at C umbia College in 1s4S, and NJ the
General Theological Seminary three years later ne
&c now trustee in both Institutions In 1893 he De-
came assistant minister Of St. Marks Church, In Phil
adephs and Of Trinity Church in 1895, where he was
made assistant rector years later. and rector In
1852 DR.. Dix has been indefatgablc In his laoors
as rector OF the largest parish In America as wei a
In the service OF the Episcopal Church IN general
In addition TO his dstlnetivey parish work. the many
institutions in whose boards Of directors he is leading
member receive much time and thought Several
volumes Of sermons lectures commentaries and memoirs
have been published.
Trinity Parish is tie church organization Of
New.York with the single exception OF the Collegiate
Church Services On the present site IN Broadway
al the head OF Walist.. date from 1901 In aoouon
10 the seven churches belonging TO the parish twenty
receive annual contributions toward their suolo'l NO
news are sold in any Of the seven churches. and
the twenty are constantly acquiring the ownership OF
such remain in the possession of their original owners
Many OF Oldest families In the city are represented
In t,s large congregations at the parish church. with
its 467 COMMITMENTS. S. Paurs chapel was begun
in 17e4 and ST. Johns chapel is nearly as old as the
century - ,,o ,,c1r
Dr. Dix preached yesterday morning from these words
Our Saviour Jesus Christ hath brought life and mmor
taly light" His sermon was substantially as io.iows
change fade dying live no more men should reserve
TO themselves the descriptive term mortal mortar
man that is the set phrase When we speak OF mortal
mean grass that withers nor the Hover that
falls beast that pershes nor the rock that Is re-
moved out place, but II in contrast with them
the one being who as we believe, is TO live again. In
long life forever and 1t sounds Ike startling con-
usdcton; and We repeat it, In many Ike expressions
giving objects with no such privilege as ours ues wicn
belong right to and not TO them Thus we speak OF
the everlasting hs the perpetual ordinances OF uns
convey the idea Of strength pemsnence ana secur
fly. freely apply to the transitory show around us
while be call ourselves simply mortal men, Inc cAs1e
gives that tho meaning OF the WORD mortar Is
human being IT, in that respect we stood here unique
and alone.
Now surely this worthy and thoughtful writer's
have remarked II already there is deep meaning here
Truth lies in words they ara signs Of thoughts they are
begotten the mind and soul Within even as Is In the
Divine Nature where the Second Person In the Holy IIn
ity called the Word Of God as utering The eternal
thought What can learned from this strange habit OF
speech IT is ancient habit for long time whereto
no memory runs contrary, have spoken OF themselves
iu that SAD and plsnuye way There was reason for
It, old which does not now exist In the aroh past
they called themselves morlls under one set OF impressions
To-day all has changed yet keep using the term;
then but under the influence OF another uea
Let US Try 70 draw this word I'm its earlier and later
senses the teachings which IL is ready to mpat
TO him who hath ear- 70 hea.. 1890
was affixed TO men, under bitter OF the vanity Of
our life and the comparative brevity Of our career In
Rome, the great arched vault constructed some TWO
thousand hundred years ago. sim serves the city as
in Etruscan times think Of the generations OF men
who meanwhile arisen and persisted The mountains
above cur heads while deth and wasteth away Now
Of old when they noticed and thought Of this when they
saw things the earth, ana the works OF HIS own
hands thus stand and abide forever while he VINO
only has a mind inner sense, power OF Interpretation
and spark o. the divine light and re thus dwelleth IN
vain shadow swiftcr than shadow passes away IL
IS no wonder they to gloomy conclusions ana
profound depression they dwet on the ineNpcaoe CON
trast; they found fascination IN the melancholy
theme; some needed utter. by way OF solemn
mOunfu satire the impression produced by the study
OF the doom Of man. And they found such word
Such arc the voices Of the past Among US they are
heard more for all has changed We still keep up the
use OF the word old bitterness the favor of re-
prosch gone OF it, Man has now the assurance
o. Immortality that he shall live though he die
So strong Is this conviction that he needs corrective OF
his confidence he be reminded OF an insecurity
which he might otherwise forget We live as II there
were such thing death. We work as we were to
work centuries bu0yant spirits predict that we
shall find presently how 70 prolong life for huhdieas
Of years We plan what we cannot execute, and begin
what cannot finish We push forward our schemes
though we know that time is almost up II seems
more natural to live than to die And therefore,
we need check overweening enthusiasm, and It is ad
minstered In the continuous use OF that word mortal
In former days then. the word symbol OF dissats-
faction and carried in 1t sarcal comment on the vanity
OF human life. To-day IL is kindly monitor, which
keeps the balance between the intense realization Of our
Immortality and carelessness about the intervening
shadows through which we nave 10 pass on he ROAD up
ward into eternal life.
CHANGES WROUGHT BY THE RESURRECTION.
Whence and how came this perfect assurance about
that thing which desires above ali else to know
One thing certain 81 came slowly and by degrees The
beatben had mere dim and feeble notions immortality
they did not guess they got not beyond hopeful con-
lecture they longed sure, but they were not sure
Nor did they to express by word or sisn what
was but a 1uttering fearful wish III the agonizng
hour Of parting with the loved Of home and heart the
farewell was a farewell forever; upon the urns OF
dreary ashes they wrote words expressive OF e'erns
loss How has the prospect changed since that day
The place Of burial called God's Acre" for all live
Him. 1t is cemetery, the place OF the sleepers
We speak OF the departed" and with Joy and thanks
OF the faithful departed for whosoevcr hveh and
beieyeth In shall never die" They have migrated
they are not lost only gone before the parting IS but
for little while. Clearly, some great change has come
thought the subject OF the oesa has been revolution
Why ase we sure, to-day, Of what men hardly dared
hope for two thousand years agof There is reason
for everything; there is reason FOR this amazing Tact
in the realm Of thought And IL you seek that reason
you shall find only when you draw near to the Empty
Tomb Of Christ and see the stone iolieu away ana
hear the voices o, tho angels saying: He is not here