New-York tribune., 1890-05-05
SERMONS WORTH KEEPING.
XXXIV.
Uses OF THE HORIZON IN THEOLOGY.

ISIS OF THE HORIZON IN THEOLOGY
DIR. HENRY VAN DYKE, or THE BRICK CHURCH.
THINKS THEOLoGIANs SHOULD BE CONTENT
WITH THE THINGS THAT ARE RE-
yEALEp AND LEAVE THE SECRET
THINGS WITH GOD.
For more than a o-.'"ry the Brick church has
Congregations Of thi, cty. 1t began a.
, branch of the First Church, then known
"a, ths Wall street Presbyterian 'Ich' ana It, Af'V
cdlnce. dedicated in January, 1865, occupied tri-
angular lot Of ground, bounded by Nassau and Beck
man SIS. and PARK Row, now the
.to n tie potter Uuildiug and "The Tines
Building. During the Revolution tho church DuHd.
n,, wa, used by the British as prison and hospital
for pr,1nor5 OF war. The Church was reopened III
June l7-f Daring nearly half Of IFS existence II
was under the pastoral care OF tho Rev. DF. DaiHNof
,prn. Dr. Murray now The dean u princeton
College and Professor sledd, Of tAe ihloh Iheo-
logical seminary have also served II. For the last
c,.nt years nearly is pastor has been the Row Dr.
Henry van Dyke During his pastorate the Old
church hss regaincd much OF its former popularity
DE- Van Dvbe was educated a. Princeton college
and seminary and in the University of Berlin Ills
fr-t plstOrate Wa, IN Newport, Where Ills ministry
i.,.ic, lis pastoral work. DE-. Van Dyle has been
a contributor - several -iIhea, And DE has pun
York. The Poetry u Tcnnyson' hao been h!.4y
commended not only 10y the Poet Lauicat. but a',O
IN, The It YEAR d. Van Dyke has turned his a'eu-
tI6n nom IN, softer side OF literature and thrown
hls strength against the ultra~CLVlnsh o. t9c l.
m ustor toufe,riOn. God and Little Children Is
ono o. the book, which b. has published tAs "lnGT
addr'. ~ th, pres5ytary has been widely scattered
Gy n, ffi,nds under the title is this Calyinism OF
Christianity - Tbs reylsQnists a"''rt L4t tI-to
/, no human leader In tho movement. Dr' IN
pyle might fairly be casscd, however a. one OF we
,crruon yesterday related t. the topic wmeh Is 10
form important topic al me Generai rs Assop Id
gan and II. Us.s in Theology The trXt Wa tal'e,
from the parting words o; Moses 70 tle ,nllu'ci r ~
.~r~i thnes belong unto the Lord our God; bat
those tinci whch are revealed beI'ns uh,2 nj 'tIu tbo
! b. orr children forever. that We nav a." az, az ~
words of TN, law The sermon was i'll part -
follows: ,,o
Thor, is no lardscapo which Is not bounded BY the
bor. l,n That simple fact Is the symbol ~ pro
found truth Il reminds MS INT our p."e> are tr ,D
cgSloo.. our vision viii touch it, confines and me
puoa1 will be ru ed about nr thc nnlnoN ~, m i
! the trut. of the horizon. Sow. tlc text apple, TN,
truth % religion 1t speaks Of thnss revcaied a'i
dc,larcs that they tcl'ns 10 No. ~ '' So, V Icin a.,
! rinto M, Lord our God. The partial knowledge "
! Divine things. the line which divides Pod secrets
iro.sht: hi. J. The subject TO which would cal yoIr
| attention TODAY. Let Us observe me lact tnU ~ ~ u
e,l-'- afd the dan ser, ~ trync 70 80 beyond II A'
| Tie 4dvaut.-c, of kerp.ns within H.
| NATURAL AND REVEALED THEOLOGY LIMITED
l. r. E. simple fact That wc cannot know all
| about COL Natural Theology. of course. Is hmitcL
! Rcyealed Theology widen, IN" boundaries oi ""'
know ledge bat docs NOT abolish them Inc ilLie dor'
not pro.,.. to make men omni-ticnt. but simply !"
| tell them crou4h to make them happy ana GOOD Y
tv viii believe ~ aad live mp 10 Do. II docs ld"c
| Lr man above me level OF his natural Ignorance Z!
| even a., one Who ha, gained % wider view oi ue N"'N
! H. ascending "a lofty mountain. SIN tnds iu, sign
,r ,if
the revelations which arc contained Va Ion 0iIl n
oi,not pas and find temsc,c, rias,d IN by the 'e'r
| taiuce which belong unto God.
th,e r,t,alcd Not 10 Tie sen alone but aiso 20 te
our, iouus Intellect OF man docc Odd say, ~ .lcIt
sa,t tloI come. bui no igrAer, aAd her' si1,Il ,i
ana see how far 1t lead, you and ho" hnly II hei"'
Vol bach. how much IL dl-clo-es and how much ii
running sharply around the tlngs revealed ana moin
In regard t6 God Himself it seems TO that ll
clmmctcr B, revealed aud Ills nature j. secret. h'
cannot iii,iaic thcm. lie IS just and holy. melc'tl
and ,ompas- louatc. bounttn and loving, and lie d.
,los- those qualities SO fully I'm His scltrcNeauon N
J>u. Christ that they become clear and distinct anl
iraGtallr they belong 10 Us and ~ our cihtrc
f,r.,cr. W. know Him a. the father OF our -lifir
i,r I.n, Christ says, lie that hath We hath seen
the Fatler.' But His metaphysical attribute. O. g
ni"'mi.c,ncc omnijtcscncc. omSlpo;ouce- when We
. .ursh these wOds We do not dchno God, We smPf
line, which run ON into nhuity and when We Wv ~
follow them with our logic they lead uS INTO V- "
where argument s. vain and definition Is absurd ~
von remember what Moses In the fn0nht ~,
sad unto the Lord. Il heseech the, show mge u,y
4 pl.ry" But God answered, ." Will make an INV
/ Snodur,, pass before thee" There is the boundary
ro OF knowledge COD, goodness Is r'caled' ol'
I M, Glory Is beyond the horizon.
Md does not the same line run between Tho, prr
noses Of cod which lie has dccln,cd IN Jesus 'hii,l
Lciieye thai God f. the Sovereign the universe ana
that lie Intends that is viii shall De- done ON c9rl
/ punish the wicked and ~ reward the righteous 20
! iuIg, the obstinate and I" have mercy utyh ~"
rcndi'ci III dcty r den and Kim that 6 the power
Of death. that I. the devil. and In tie ulne, ~ .,,
10 gather together In one AL things IN ,h,''' 3'
which arc I'm Heaven ana whioh arc en- EARN. sou
iue could be more certain - those who GeloVc ~
"' n more nscrutabc than the manner Of H. aoc2r'
pli~hment We know thnt God T. -oyer'f,' We
Snow that man is free, for the who'll, Go-'L d Us a.,
appeal to his power of choice; the offer "i paIo"'
and fc would he an ahsuvlity. deception " nor, nora
m0ckery. If lie were not able 10 receive OF 10 rec.
II al viii. Both truths revealed both are slr
aud precious Iut they come together IN me WI,
i, the absolute boundary of our vision. c'iu - bm
orcan and the sky meet, hut dc moi yncle' ~ Ut,
clrc of the world. That is the horizon. beNohc
that cannot SEQ.
TIM ErhRNAL DEGREES or GOD
what i, all this reasoning and syllos1ng abou
an eternal decree which detcrnuc, the ftc pi every
soul this logical analysis Of the relation lct"eeI
the human spirit. which must be PASSION ana ih
divine spirit. which Is given to them who are 'p
pointed unto nfc and not unto th"'S WHO -, "i
appointed unto death; what Is It an p' .b Va. ~.
effort 10 go beyond the horizon Here Is uG ~
ON which you noat the of human HE, WIN II
shifting tides and currents And \onuct ii Is '' ,,l ~"
that bends above You, the pure ana r,NrIv..' ~ W
of God And out OF that nnscarclwbe hrovcil 'g.t y
where II lsteth, and tnou cau-t NOT ,.i VIZ, Ml'l'r 1
c1moh ana whittier It eoeth. If You VIII ,2r@'H @ Iom @
course and keep Your rUtd"l ttnc, lou VII lr tu
ricd onward IN poan ana safety 10 your Icnng han
auIrag near you, II You teel that You arc Ens idl