New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-21
SERMONS WORTH KEEPING
XXI.
THE NEED OF CHRISTIAN THOROUGHNESs
DR.. S. NJ HAMILTON, OF THE SCOTCH PREsBY-
TERRAIN CHURCH, INTERRUPTED IN HIS
DISCOURSE BY THE SUDDEN
DEATH OF ms BROTHER,

DEATH OF HIS BROTHER
The Scotch PRESBYTERIAN Church is the home of
the Presbytery Of the city of New York Its congrega-
ton was organized over century ago, beng com
posed of body OF scceders from the First Presbyterian
Church. 1t has occupied the present building since
1853 and still has "A strong active life notwithstanding
the "upiown tendency OF the population since the
church was built
DR.. samuel VI. Hamilton, the popular pastor OF this
Old church. which is trying to adapt itself to the new
work required by il, downtown situation ana Is
meeting with a fair degree OF success, is native Of
Ireland. lie born at Comfy, Down county, on
April 10. ISIS, and was graduated at Queens Univer
sity, Belfast in ls6s, and in theology at the Presby
terrain College in the city in 1870 Ills first
pa,toratc in Belfast, where he labored for two
years and half with good success in the Great
Georges street Presbyterian Church. In october.
l-73, he was installed pastor with DR.. Joseph Nc
l.roy over the Scotch Church. Dr. Hamilton IS
faithful Prcsbyter and eloquent in the pulpit and on
the platform.
When DR.. Hamilton was partly through the ser
mon he was Informed that his brother the Rev. j. ).
Hamilton. formerly pastor Of the Rutland Square
Presbyterian Church, Dublin, Was dying lie had
been staying with DR.. Hamilton for some time in
Ioor health. While his death wa, not unexpected,
it thought that lie would live for day or two.
y sudden change came and word was sent to Dr. IIam
ton, who closed the s-rvice without concluding the
| sermon. The theme Of DR.. Iamilton's sermon yes
| tcrday morning was THE Need of Thoroughness In
Christian Faith and Life" and the texs was Matthew
ali. 80: lie that i, not with ME is against me-"
Following is full synopsis:
The text divides into two distinct and an
tagonistc classes, placing in one the friends ana Ill
us most in tins division is that it leaves inter
mediate position which at liberty to occupy.
| with the saviour. are not chargeable with cnmity
to His person or opposition to His side 1t is mis-
foes OF Christ. II not with" Hm-wth Him by
oneness Of feeling, by affection for His person. by adj
hccncc to His cause, by conservation to His service
We are against Him, standing IN the ranks OF HIS
adversare' and hinderns with them the progress Of
Naturally we think first Of those among us-f any
| such there bc-who lowering the verge OF re
tie Lord jesus Ghrii By Which it ought to be fol
lowed. Our text shuts them up 10 the necessity OF
an Immediate choice. 1t does 50 BY making 1t plain
that they are at present in state OF unconscious OPP
position 10 Christ. He has provided that those who
Him a. their Master and His word as their
law. lie has founded a Church. brotherhood Of
men slrrl@y united to Himself and to one another,
into which lie call, them lie has instituted baptism
aud the Lords supper a. the two rites which for all
time should mar@ their separation from the world and
their union into visible body. True the Church to
day Is broken into many denominations, I'm every one
| Of wmch yon VII ma things taught ana done tor
which there is little or 10 warrant In the New Iestar
mcnt. And yet all these denominations, In so far
they proclaim the truth as 1t Is In jesus ana admins
ter the sacraments Of Ills appointment real parts
Of His great Church. aud offer that opportunity for
| the public confession Of Him which lie requires.
Plainly, then. those who acknowledge the truth Of
the Gospel but refuse b. take the step known ~
Joining the Church are dsObefieut to Christ Their
conduct 10 Him: viii follow Thee only far;
IN this matter Of publicly confe-sing allegiance =
say OF such persons That they are with Christ
or against Him We must say that they are not
sencc II discpleshp. To reject the Church IN this
acnsc IS to reject Christ.
DISCUSSING NEGATIVE PEOPLE
Ny chief purpose to-day, however. Is to deal with
those who are members Of the Church. but who lack
every quality OF Christian thoroughness. You know
the people mean Their state can best be described
| by negatives. They not decided. They not IN
earnest. They have no enthusiasm They do no work
for Christ Ills enemies are not their enemies, nor
or commit sn they are not grieyed because of the
pain they have given their Lord. When they pray.
their heart does not go into the petitions they Offer
Whcn they praise their ps ,peah vb but no, no fire Of
thankful love Is IN their orea,tS; Wnen 1ney cone one
duty and not bccausc they stay from the
place where Christ is honorrd and where HIS people
melancholy that there Is large amount OF nominal
Christian life In all our churches.
many join the Church without having really Joined
j, to keep in with God and 10 keep IN with the world
at the same time. on the sabbath day they SIT with
Christs disciples on the other six days there is ~
mark by which you NAV distinguish them from the
unDelicylng. These half hearted Christians are
great element Of weakness in the Church They
are not simply ncra,vc aqanuty-hey are a positive
1Tg S worE ri han AL The active hostility Of un
belief and ungodlineSs. \ half Tristan is one Of
Christ, He inpedimcnt in thrl>fS path.
let the soul, Of Ills profe, ed followers be truly con
vcri'd TO Him, and lie viii soon have the souls OF
What. then, is needed to make man the s,, kind Of
Christian that Jcsu, approves Of" WITH Him, not
practIce whole hearted belief in the Gospel and whole
hearted conservation to Him whom tie Gospel reveals
Their must he cordial acceptance Of the truth It
IS in Jesus An eminent scotch preacher recently
excited a storm Of controversy by sermon IN which
a., rrt G No Gs ngc ' e 4, his aim was pre
fbx T.. % fs4lu a
theological dNcultie, that keep many thoughtful men
From n s 'g e coe but pcaS S' lS n1e s
answer Is one that ought not 70 be ahed at alone
Gus II is right for Us 10 declare that NAV
have saving faith without knowing much |
about sos GooFy aoci de p yr they lived u
I'M the joyf CONSCIOUSNESS, Of redemption IL Is also
and influences that have sometimes been oi,ted into
Divine vaeq a hG s iey Ts lie ons Pn tho
essential truth OF the Gospei.
INV SALVATION IS WON.
But after doing all this every hearer Of the Gospel
is confronted with this revelation; Jesus l. the DIVINE
saviour We are saved. not by initiating His example.
hut by trusting In His death - he has to settle
bc ouc,uon whether he Will believe this. and believe
Him INNS presented to the soul it, Rcdeemcr. And
his question he must settle in or other OF two
vavs lie must accept Christ wholly as all lie claims
f., ne or else lie must reject Him wholly; There Is no
'itrrn,atiNc / can understand the lnndcl-tlc man
Win, brushes away the whole scheme of salvation a.
supcrtition. His position Is logical though
melancholy but oaiiot uhders,I 'le naan
vh" ACCEPTS the Gospel, and then proceeds to cApnh
a,,1y making Christ simply great tca' her aud iits
rol ZION only one Of many b, which men are trained iof
tgn hereafter rh- !, 10 reject the Gospel aoSetier
n is to give up all that IS distinctive in 'hrSan'y
ic.,,. claim. to be the son of God wlo for ONS OF
,,l nnon Un our nature and died for IL. Iicn
lie IS without rival lie Is The one savioq HIN ''e
,, ~ ali or he nothing. Not TO receive lilm Ill
iii ~rlu.iyc claims l. to reject Him ON tIis point
promise is imp -7lbe Ih9ronsh cceIs.s o, e .ne
uuinme truth which the Gospel eveal,-" Chrlst Jesus
rsn,, into the world To sinners Is nccliul u,
n'al'e n man a Christian. \ partial %oePtduoc VI
I",,. j. moi the homage lie asks for or VIII honOr |
Then again order to be the kind OF Christian ,ia'
Jesus approves Of there must hc an en ni reveais
rIis follows naturally from what has lust been saa;
christian accents with all his heart the wonuerlul
ve,finn. OF the tOspethc love Of God ior sinners,
The manifestation Of God In human Nh p .no
ni,.iun sacrifice for the sins Of The world i.'t
son could not have discovered. nor can IL eNpla,n.
these great truths. They are i iis St thn,n
We cannot escape the force of the Apostle arsuneh.
Ne are not your own, We are bought WIN = PM nn