New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-18
SERMONS WORTH READING.
XVIII.
THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF FAITH
THOUGHTS FROM THE REV, DIR. HENRY VAN
DYKE, PASTOR OF THE BRICK PRES

hvterian Church. at Fifth-aye and rtyseventh's@
In the prime Of early and vigorous manhood MS rare
talents have won for him an enviable position among
the cergymen OF the city. sketch Of Dr. IAN pyAe
and tho Brick Church was printed In The Tribune last
wear Last Sunday morning Mrs. Cleveland was
member of the large congregation who Listened 70
sermon the text of which was Hebrews xi, D: Win
out faith It is impossible to please Him." d. van
Dyke said in substance:
How simple and how beautiful IS that phrase az. 10
Bsins il gives us How It dsclOses His nature and and
90 human life God can be pleased then. He Is
NOT cold abstraction an lmmovabe substance, dul,
poISon Capable Of acction and emotions He e 2
heart that foels. Delight is no stranger 10 HIM: HIS
Gy1 sn no y ne Onq p ses&ns Choosing and
when It finds the objects Of Its search thrln OF gS -
es and ye Ike that Which to US when
sec the arcst and the best DC ana
TO awaken that music, to win that approval to please
od-srely that the hlghes ana nonoSL oPJeTt iCr
n Spa & no one who does not desire in degree
10 obtain tho liking and favor OF his elloWIcfeatur5s
No be Confidence and honor Of those who arc honest
and earnest and upright. TO speak some W9rd 20 uo
come decd 10 exercise influence OF which tnoSe
SSo think deep thoughts and lead pure lives and per
form noble actions shall say That was right tnas
motive which has always been potent in the most
generous breasts restraining them nom evil nerfn5
them to heroic efforts, stimulating them 70 aAfe A"u
And to please that one among our fellow oTestureS
whom ws hsys IL sek SSws rom the
of duty 2 win :ne s9 9s1 Enough kat trophy
EOs tSS sa scss roseHsd S' warning for tho Right
banner which has been torn and stalLsd an nH
sSun sone Sa to be something to please the
one who is 10 the best and dearest on T
many soul has been aucReheG Snu .U3 death by
strengthened 70 lace aanSer' uiSSt~00 "1"
TO PLEASE GOD DIVINE AMBITION
nut TO please God-that perfect, radiant Being,
tho most wise, the most holy, the most
beautiful, the most loving Oh All eplrlH
to perform some task, to achieve some victory
brins some Offering that shall DO acceptable TO HIM
and IN which He shall delight, simply to live our
life whatever II may be, so that He, the COCA ana
glorious God shall approve and pis sSso b snG ssSss q
lila own joy-ah that is divine amoiuon'
'what vaster dream could hit tho mood !.
or love on oarthP
,otsa nr,soners in the dungeon and cheered warriors
IN he heat OF perous conflict, and inspred az h
IN sve md nsmssss heroes in every hidden place q
earth II Is the pillar Of light winch smn W Yt "a
q: O1oy0g nS P o SF army given not So
leaders alone but flashing Ike nre througn al n. ~
ranks when that thought ,t G9c flye What though
Wo mis- the applause Of men, what tnO Sreat World
mundssand and foes def1ms s ssatb ,H IN secret aud
follows tho soul I'm its tolls and struBgeSn nress
King whose voice Is honor whose Pyo and peace
Faith Is not a strange and PARKWAY mins " nrncins
only be explained To US by rSyelaOn every day Il
Simply the confidence in something ina, rs , hnnei
a. be apostle says Is tho substance pI fine You
receive the ss umony Of your telowmen ev9I are
YOU trst in tho qualities Of their eharaeter yo1 re
mon law Of logic In argument up3nT, law To' Ur
nStre IN your action upon law OF cnnaitIon Of
ross"n az activity OF human society. Nj pSnt ~
and societies have come nto OK snsn pTi1cpes OF
snI,v ard IN future results OF prudence ana IN ono
higher than themselves whom tney hs Jrysbls and
S oI ,snI. fabric decays crumbles and fas " rum.
Thus even nom the human point o. vie oS yioW II
necessary, s5y.,r IS ann tsP more S essentf
Man Is made 20 know as much - P%s,,s Sossibe,
as pgee sDS.Es of Fno%iedso in sphere OF acton
in tho spkcre Of character tath Is me ono eonen' '
gives ire an ~" he sphsre OF knowledge, the under
standng OF tho world and OF life hero W. sacultIes
~ hin ma 10 comprehension OF IT. FIRST wS snd
Inc senses and they tell as how tninS nv n reason
TASTE and sound am , sSab. ms to discover how things
are rclsrd 10 each other. how causes arc
effects how great laws oonUc All bls depth below
he deer and a height beyond ne ,hess "a there
instinct Of our nature s, GSsrn hoashs Is the mta
lion Of science and philosophy But ouS ScsTs and
nSow circle lie the truths So SS world dWes Cod
neea 20 H ". hesitate 10 confess that We must have
reason for In the mature Of man ana .Sat INC Goa IS ever
yh1,rary Tie is indeed omnipotenL ana ne mn there
bower TO demand of US whatsoever ho VII His demands
soostIne, we cannot understand u u leS 700 IiSs
us But sometimes To can rrseeSt case, think We
Hisnin y see lust why faith IS necessary 70 VI"
success Of every effort TO please Hun.
A PRINCIPLE oP COMPREHENSION
NJ .,I,h We understand that tho WORLDS have peeh
Cod what
no, hen made out OF things which do appear MARX
na ,r,orls. by faith We understand IL Is prrn'
ripie OF comprehension thon, not OF e"hiusion' So
thing which clarifies and enlarges inc NiSon' IL
dseloscs not only S origin. but also the purpose Ar"
,bs meaning OF things. 1t Is not the CONTRADICTORY ou,
tho crown and complement Of reason HOW Gun w"
IA rleased with any knowledge from which TINS eie-
-, .. left outl Suppose that you had written
nh and s5me one should takedt up ana ,neSnIio
and say This curious object Is composSu y. inng
ges ,,,rhSs WIDE and two inches flick IL eontstihS
five hundred pages snd hundred Ss1 r. "a forS
Would Iat please yOI1 suppose you hsa eS M w.,
statue and some one saould ma b S1 Of lime Il
IL verv smooth aud white, and IL welehS sSo tt "a
HUNDRED pounds and think have woId Won NOT be
be,t,r pleased with tho child, tho ignorant pe'SSD d
Who stood and looked at Il and eit Jus on ~ reprS
I great or noble or lovely ideal inc Woria wa
yaJe t ts meaning 10 shew forth tho wlIotn' po"
and goodness Of Cod. II We 10 HUI ''0 INV
nothing , ,. - ..uop Uere faith IA
mn les Necessary. Tkere some who would pSr,
snadc rs that believing 70 appropriate Oay 70 aug
ana o,d T S and vlaonary But the truth Is othe
WIse Belief Is great, feGvlnE Ing hisro Ss}t 20
o nation 20 Il eSoevcs% man lives by belisyins
ssomnstSIng; not by debating and arguing ABOUT
m many ardent patent persistent, heroic Nothing
truly great has ever been done IN any IN , ~
~ r explorers ami Columbus, VINO ogna
me New World: tho Pilgrim Fathers who pisotea ~
nI,h lie Liyingsou, who opened new continent 10
cityator ThIIk OF the faith Of our men OF science
Gaiileo KepIer, Newton, Faraday, Henry, IhRh VI
mink Of The faith Of tho martyrs, Polycarp, ,hlss
ssvonarola the Covenanters OF Scotland, the hugus
a,s 81 france Faith Is force, and those VINO grasp
n law hold OF something which Is able TO mako tnem
mighuor than themselves.
AN IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEN
q, Ill D,ato n nersonaI confession TO you. Very