New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-28
SERMONS WORTH READING.
XVI.
awH.r THINK YE OF CHRISTIE
TILE COMPASSION OF CHRIST DISCUSSED By THE
prv. DIR. MOMENT, OF THE wEsTM1N.
srER PRESBYTERIAN UHUkUHf


REV. DIR. MOMENT, OF THE "hsThlN'
srER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The thirty-thlrd anniversary OF tho founding OF
the Westminster Presbyterian Chuion vi brooAyn
occurred Yesterday The fact was not especially
oo,rnorn,rsted nv the church. but the pastor, the
pnv mr. Alf6d IL Moment, made bref statement,
m follows for tho interest OF the OLD members and
the information Of the new''
A'S ann The a1st OF January 1850, the Westminster
presbvterlan Church was organized with axty-one
r,ombers -Four Of the original members are stIll in
tbe cbnrch-Mr and Mrs. Richard H. Laimbeer and
,T and Mrs d. b. Hasbrouck During the first Six
tom months the pulpit was filed by the Rev. DR..
utcbcock then professor in Union Theological Sem
mary, New-York. The Rev Dr. Carpenter was pastor
for nearly thirteen years, beginning IN 1901 During
his ministry the present edihce was erected Tho
Rev. Dr. J. C. French was the second pastor. Ho
was installed in March. 1872 and continued his ser
vices TIL nearly tho close of 1875. In October OF
tho following year the Rev, DR. J. ~ Ludlow became
The third pastor. and mnistered TO tho church for
eight years. The present incumbent has entered
upon HIS fourth year. The Westminster Church Is
located on the Of Clntonst and First Place.
and has one Of the most substantial church edifccs
in Brooklyn. 1t has seating capacity for nearly
Thousand. For long time mortgage debt OF $780,
600 rested upon the church. Within year over
$4,000 uf this burden has been lifted and the bal
the church is one of the brightest In the Brooklyn
Presbytery.s
DR.. Moment then took for his text the words.
"wbat think ye Of Christi Matthew xxi. Dc. and
said in substance;
awhat think 20 Of chrstis We answer, He was
God manifested In the flesh, having Infinite compass
sion for ali men. No other answer can be given
without bclittllng Him who is The worlds Saviour
As great historic character, Jesus Christ must be
accounted for This we cannot do by thinking OF
Him as solder Of marital spirit e gISnd IN general
statesman, assuming tho post Of national 1esponsl-
bny, standing abreast Of public opinion, and ever
true civilization; a philosopher investigating
causes and principles and giving to scholars profound
nor as a poet Of oceanic soul, generating the most
sublime thought and clarifying T. IN angelic , language
schemes nor even 2; a prophet after tho order OF
John the Baptist Elijah JeTsmlan or orr any Other
courage, el0quence and fire
We cannot think of Christ in. any, Of those rea,
armed with sword He never sat in legislative
hall; His own townsfolk said How has this man
knowledge, having never leamedlS He wrote no
poetry, He was not factor in the stock market,
neither did He business ~ any commercial arena
He treated 1t as a worthless human opinion, and
blessed Simon Dariona for his inspired declaration:
Hence independently OF all these, must think
Of Jesus Christ His greatness sprang up nom
another banner He shone Is the brightest Of stars,
written Of Hirn-ai that the artist has pa!nicd-all
that tho sculptor has sHlhilly wrought
the poets fIenzy-or that the millions have seen
in Him to adore, has not been because of HIS military
proves or political sagacity or philosophical
acumen financial genius poetlcal fire. What think
20 OF ChrstP Hearken TO tho answer; 40 was
passion for al men.
THE TENDERNESS AND PITY OF THE SAVIOUR
let Shakespeare bear the laureis In poetry; and
Aristotle be honored the father Of philosophy;
and Alexander wear the medals OF martial glory and
Moses be greatest among statesmen-but Jesus OF
Nazareth must stand out In the grand galaxy OF
historic cnown as first IN His tenderness Of heart
His pity for the needy-His compassion for all men :
Mark this word compassion" II holds proud
place in the Gospel From IL, as lofty mountain
summit immersed IN eternal glory, VIC must look IN
order tako in the widest possible expanse of tho
Lord Jesus, both TO His public life and saerneial
death.
II is only through Christ being Cod manifested In
the flesh and having Infinite compassion for AL men,
that His unique career can be Gnconnted for What
career that was How strange the world In which
He lived How marvellous 20 behold the lnhrln,
diseased and unfortunate oyercrowdlng about Hin
And Ho healed all lie comforied all Tho quos-
ton IS sometimes asked: Why wcre there 50 many
blind and deaf and sick and possessed IN our JOr's
day. We answer: II was because OF tho yearning,
loving heart OF Jesus. He was a magnet OF goodness
drawing 20 Himself the suffering. Go 20 Of our
great dspensarles for an hour any morning and
you Will think that half The city Is sick. You may
treatment many another place and not have your at
tenilon called the nhrmitics Of the pOpunce. As
sOcate for a few days with benevolent man, and,
from the demands made upon him by all sorts o.
needy people, you VIII conclude that your friend Is
making money for thousand others 10 spend. You
may be an equal time with another man and yet be p,
each case shows the exact reputation each man has
In the public mind. The hand OF need knows better
than ring tho door-ben Of the close listed. But
to him whose heart has an open door Of compassion
tho poor the sorrowng, weary and lost are sure 20
soon finds out, treating on our own ground. And
so was Jesus found out. The needy world soon came
| 10 think OF Him with open door 10 HIS heart
| hence when He entered town, tho blind was al
ways there, and the halt, SICK possesea ana DroAeh
| great King wearing the purple and welding tho
sceptre nor a soldier marching IN solemn triumph;
| Claw. Bnt thew tSonght OF Him as a plain man
among men, having warm beart generous nature
very skirts Of HIS garments there were cure Tor the
sick and hope for the dlsconsoate Hence, as
TO Him and lie healed them all.
Thus, person Of infinite compassion, did His
Jesus Himself fail TO impress upon them HIS divinity
In the answer IIe gave 90 Tho query OF my text ana
| ing Him 10 be tho SON OF the living Cod Thus
too, must think OF Him, for In no othcr way can
we discover His real place IN the worlds history nor
receive Him into our own hearts as one to help In
every time Of need
AN AToNEMENT FOR SIN.
In the second place, II IS because Jesus Christ was
God manifested IN the flesh having Infinite compassion
| for all men, that must believe Ills death ON the
cross 10 DC atOncmcnt TOT SIN. bohVNihs tho SVh VI
Man 10 be a martyr for tile truth, or for His own
cherished belief Is to make Him false 10 His own
nature. Truth is a dOctrIno-an instrumental means
to an end soldier with a heart cold as steel may
die for truth. that is for his cause so also tho staies
man, the philosopher and the prophet Love for
men is not essential to martyrdom-only an Iron con
science need be present Tn no IS not statement IN
the Bible showing that Jesus main purpose was the
| establishment of truth for its sake. Souls were
His object and lie used the Word an instrument TO
| save them His eyes were feared because the race
was lost and not because lie feared HIS Doctrines might
rot In the earth. Hence lie died for men and not for
truth And THIS Is atOnement, for whom one person
lays down his life Cor another tho act Is not that OF a
martyr strong IN the supremacy Of conscience but OF
redeemer whose compassion Is the prOpeng force Of
his beingi
IL Is equally untrue 10 make ChTists death grand
moral example OF true herosm. Heroes arc made OF
splendid stuff A model OF high imitation Is n
glorious person. never 10 be forgotten by the ages.
But the setting OF such example can never BIO the
chief purpose OF any mans lie but an Incident re-
sutng from his courage, unselhsness, and determine
ton not to compromise with unrghteousness. WASH