The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-11-24
SERMON IN FIVE ACTS.
The Rev. John l. Scudder
breaches on Marriage,
Music. MercieS and
Thanksgiving.

The Tabernacle was crowded last night
by persons desirous of taking part in the
Thanksgiving services. Pastor Scudder
had provided excellent music for the oc-
casion, and the efforts Of the choir were
very much appreciated Pastor Scudder
is tride different from other men. and
consequently he is original. and when not
original he is not Pastor Scudder. as he
should be. His originality last night con-
sisted in giving his flock a sermon divided
into five sections. each of which was COM
plete in itself. 1t might be called q sermon
in five acts, to suit theatre-goers. Between
each OF the short sermons the choir sang
selections from Costa's Ell"
Pastor Scudder first spoke of "our in
dividual mercies." The clergyman said
one of the greatest questions of the day
was, What shall / eat, what shall drink,
and what shall | clothe myself With
Christ has SAID that unto him who seek
eth the kingdom of heaven these things
shall be given. This does not necessarily
mean brown stone front houses. but does
mean all that is necessary shall be pro
vided him who deserves IL. Knowing
this to be true, the speaker thought
everyone should feel happy. He then
went ON to prove that the~deserving got
their share and traced all to God through
the bountiful supply the earth yields.
NATIONAL HERcIEs-
The choir here interrupted the pastor
long enough to sing a selection and Mr.
Scudder resumed with bis second SER
mon. ''National Mercies," twas the
theme and he dweit on the magnificent
lakes, rivers, sea coasts, the futility Of
the land and the great mechanical power
of this nation
This power he said was of three classes,
hand power, horse power and steam
power. America has more OF each than
Great Britain and Germany. or France
and Germany com bined. America has
SO, ,000, ,00O, 600 foot tons OF power daily.
The exceptional intelligence is due the
extensive reading of newspapers more
than TO the schools. for Germany is far
ahead OF America in the matter of
schools which are meagre here. This
country possesses the greatest freedom,
civil and religious, Of any in the world.
Sometimes this freedom is turned into Ii
cense but 1t adjusts itself as in the case o.
the convicted ballot box suffers, who
may yet go to Jail. Gladstone in 1876
said that America was the richest coun-
try in the world. IL is estimated that the
wealth Of the nation Is each day s., ,000, 900
greater at six clock in the evening that
il was at six O'Clock in the morning.
Pastor Scudder at this point stopped
for breath and the choir furnished more
good music.
The third division of the sermon was
next taken up. The subject was "Do-
nestle aud Ecclesiastic Music Mr. Scud-
| der said the happiest word in the English
| language is the word home. The hap
piest spot on earth is home, where true
love exists. Without this love home is
| a hell; with IL home is a heaven.
IF YOU PROPOSE TO MARRY, co SLOW.
rrrfc oil rars
rho conteIaY aYlated Tnotrim0ay 70 20 SLOW
1 aud study eacn other before marrying
| Referring to church homes and the
B blessed associations which cluster
around the churches now, Mr. Scudder
said people found greater JOY in church
WORK now than formerly because Of the
| greater liberties they were given. He
said now Christian could have a game
of ten pins and other sports which
| formerly he was deprived Of The speaker
| believed that this was great injury to
saloons for ie infriuged on the allure
ments the places offer.
The fourth division was, THANK God
| for the discipline of life, its discourage
| ments, difficulties and trials These he
said were grievous to bear, but they
| helped to form character. No man is a
man until he can Withstand temptation
and say, Get thee behind me, Satan,"
| aud pass a saloon door without entering.
| One Of the greatest joys in life IS the con
| sciousness Of climbing higher in the
moral scale.
The fifth and last division of the pas
| tors sermon was, THANK God for ne
future life and the blessedness to come =
| Christ's promises are true for this life and
we can trust Him for the next. AS our
| dear ones fly away so do our hearts go out
| to him. We are compelled TO look for
/ ward 10 a future life. The clergyman
said he did not believe in living entirely
| in the future while on this EARTH and that
| it was time enough when the occasion
| came but that tine question of where am
| going is one that forces itself on every
mind.
Christians are going home to the grand
| est Thanksgiving service ever held, where
the people from the north, south, east and
west viii banquet at the table OF the
| Lord.