Evening journal., 1890-04-28
THINE IS TIE KINGDOM.
BISHOP coLEMAN'S SERMON AT
ST. JOHNS CHURCH.

Rev. w. +. Bainbridge OF New yorl
breaches an Interesting Sermon on SAL
vation-Rev. H. L. c. Braddon breaches
to the Sons of St. Georges.
The Apostolic rite of confirmation was
administered by Bishop Coleman at st.
Johns Church, yesterday morning The
bishop otficiated and was assisted by
Rev. I. Gardner Littell, d. D., rector Of
the parish and Rev. A. l. DUPONT Cole
man. The full service was held.
Bishop Coleman preached the sermon.
taking for his text part of the sixth
verse of the thirteenth chapter Of st.
Matthew-"Thine is the Kingdom, part
OF the Lords Prayer. The speaker in
troduced his discourse by saying that
this age was noticeable for the many dis.
coveries in motion, through the better
and more advanced methods of study.
de said in part; I'VE notice the con-
test between the powers that seek the
control over our souls; sort of spirit
ual dynamics. There are rival kingdoms,
each supplied with almost invincible
powers The divine will is their only
conqueror.
The words OF the text come from the
Lords Prayer and it is significant that
Christ said it in response 10 the disciples
request, Lord, teach us how to pray. +"
Among many people, there seems to be
no knowledge that there is such king
dom. The service in which we are now
engaged show the supremacy of the
Kingdom of God, for some Of you are
about to confess your faith in the Apos-
tolic rite of confirmation.
1T is willful disobedience OF Gods
sovereignty when people frivolously abb
sent themselves from His sanctuary, who
stay away through some trivial
excuse. 1t is denial Of His sovereignty
when they reject the invitation to come
and be baptized, or confirmed or to re-
ceive the Holy Communion. Those who
deny that confirmation is a means of
grace must prove that it has not divine
sanction. They allow themselves subser-
vieney to those rival kingdoms Within
us now there is a kingdom of Christ
struggling for the supremacy which is its
due. In baptism is life; In confirmation,
renewed life; In the sacraments, the seed
of eternal life. In the world there is too
much of bowing down in abject submis.
sion TO the gods of money, society, art,
obAtlIt, AhIuE anu 80 IOELQ.
Jesus does not force men to Him, yet.
His sovereignty is not to be despised be-
GAUGE it is not Of this world. The king
doms of the world should be assistants
to Him. When other kingdoms try to
supplant the kingdom of Christ, to sub
vert the allegiance of souls whom He has
redeemed. no wonder If such evidences
of treachery and disloyalty are marked
against those souls who must give ac-
count at the last great day. The con-
duct Of the world makes IL seem that
Christ's words on one occasion should be
made to read: Render unto Caesar the
things which are C@sar's, and unto God
the things which Cesar does not care for.
We render the very dregs of our service
to God, when our best work should be
His. Cbrist's is the kingdom; He is
your Lord and Master, and His appeal is
the appeal of king. When in public wor
ship, baptism, confirmation, the Lords
Supper, or charity, you are rendering a
service to God, and not a favor. You should
come to Him willingly out Of graft
tude, In remembrance of His blessings to
you, and kaeeling in abject submission to
Him, say, Thou art my King, o God.
immediately after the ceremony w. J.
Fisher and the choir sang, Thine For
ever. The confirmation class was pre-
sented TO the bishop and twenty-four
persons were confirmed. Bishop Cole
man drew their attention to the words.
Defend" and Kingdom. the first and
last respectively in the prayer at the Law.
ing on Of the hands, and gave them for
their class text: Psalm 81 9, & Because
thou hast made the Lord, which is my
refuge, even the most High, thy habita-