Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1892-08-19
REV. DR.. TAIMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE's SUM-
DAY SERMON.
SUBJECT: THE GLORIOUS MARCH"

TEXT: Fair as the moon, clear as the
sun and terrible as an army Uith ban
ners."-Solomon's Song vi, TO-
The fragrance Of spiSenard, the fash of
1ewelS the iru.tfulnesS of orchards, the
luIuriance of gardens, the beauty OF Hesh.
bon fish pools, the dew of the nj Snt and the
splendor OF the mornng-all contribute To
the richness OF Solomon's style when he
comes to speak Of the glory of tie church,
In contrast with his eulo Lium OF the church,
look at the denunciatory things tnat are
said in our day in regard to it II on stock
holder becomes a cheat does that destroy the
whole company II one soldier be cowar l.
does that condemn the whole army? And
yet there are many in this day SO unphiluso-
phic, so illogical, so dishonest and 50 unfair
as to denounce the entire church OF Go ba-
cause there are here and there bad men be-
longing TO it
There are those who say that the church
OF God is not up TO the spirit OF the day in
which We live; but have to tell you that,
Notwithstanding all the swift wheels and the
flying shuttles and the lightning commuui-
cations, the world has never yet been abe
to keep up with the church. As high as God
Is above man, so high is the church Of God
higher than all human institutions. From
her lamp the best discoveries Of the world
have been lighted. The best OF our inventors
have believed in the Christian region-ths
FultonS the MorseS the Whitneys, the
Perrys and the Livingstones. She has owned
the best Of the telescopes and Leyden jars,
and while intidelity and atheism have gone
blindfolded among the most startling dis
coveries that were about to be developed the
earth, and the air and the sea have made
quick and magnificent responses TO Christian
philosophers.
The world will not be up to the Church Of
f'hrigf until the iav ghau ull march ~
disc has become honest merchandise,
and all governments have become free
governments, and all nations evangeliZed
nations and the last deaf ear OF spiritual
death shall be broken open by the million
voiced shout OF nations born in day. The
church that Nebuchadnezzar tried TO burn
in the furnace, and Darius TO tear to pieces
with the lions and Lord Claverhouse to cut
with the sword, has gone on, wading the
hools and enduring the fire until the deep
est barbarism, and the fercest crueIties,
and the blacklist supersttions have been
compelled to look to the east crying, "Nho
is she that looketh forth as the morning,
fair as tho moon, clear as the sun and terri
BILE as an army with banners?
Yet there are people who are ashamed to
belong TO the church of Christ and II you
ask them whether they are in such asso,ia-
tons they say. Yes | sometimes attend
the church, instead OF realizing the fact
that there is no honor compared with the
honor Of being a member OF the church OF
God. | look back with JOY to the most
honored moment OF my life when in the Old
country meeting house the minister of
Christ announced my name as follower OF
the Lord.
You who are floating about in the world,
seeking for better associations why do you
not join yourself to some Of the churches!
An ,lH panfain riding fla
toward Phila telphia, ami young man sat
down beside him. He said Young man.
where are you going'' 81 am going to PAia-
delphia to live" replied the young man.
Have you letters OF introductionP asKei
the old captain. Yes" said the young man,
and he pulled some OF them out. well"
said the cid sea captain, Haven't you a
church certificate" "Oh, yes" replied the
young man; II didn't suppose you would
want to look at that" YES" said the sea
captain, II want to see that. As soon as you
get to Philadelphia present it 10 some Chris
tian church. am an old sailor, and have
been up and down in the world, and it's my
rule as soon es l get INTO port TO fasten my
ship fore and aft to the wharf, although 1t
may cost a little wharfage, rather than nave
my ship out in the stream floating hlther and
thither with the tide"
Oh, men and women, by the tides of friv-
olity and wordliness swept this way unl
swept that way, seeking for associations and
for satisfactions for the Immortal soul, come
into the church Of Jesus Christ. Lash fast
to her. Sue Is the pillar and the ground OF
truth. Ipropose to speak OF the thre fold
glory Of the church as 1t Is described in the
text:
First-"Fair as the moon.n Col wac
has determined that everything shall be
beautiful In its season, has not left the night
charm The mOOn rulag the nj ylt.
The stars are only set as gems in her tiara.
Sometimes, before the sun has gone down,
the moon mounts her throne but 1t is after
nightfal that she sways her undisputed
sceptre over island and continent river and
sea. Under her shining the plainest maple
leaves become shlvering silver, the lakes
from shore to shore look like shining mir
rors and the ocean, under her glance, with
great tides come up painting upon the beach,
mingling as it were, foam and fire.
Under the witchery of the moon the awful
sleeps lose their rugge1ness aud the chasins
their terror. The poor man blesses God for
throwing so cheap light through the broken
window pane OF his cabin, and TO the SICK II
seems like light from the other shore that
bounds this great deep OF human pain and
woe. II the sun be like a song, full and loud
and poured forth from brazen instruments
that fill heaven and earth with harmony
rne moon Is plaintive and sad, standing be-
meath the throne Of God, sending up her soft
sweet voice OF praise, while the stars listen
and the sea No mother ever more lovingly
watched sick cradle than this pale watcher
OF the sky bends over the weary. heartsick,
numbering earth, singing to it sivery
music, while it is rocked in the cradle OF the
spheres.
Now, says my tex, "Who is she, fair as
the moonY Our answer is the church.
Like the moon, she is a borrowed light. Sne
gathers up the glory of a Saviour's suffer-
ings a Saviour's death, a Saviour's resurrec-
ton, SavIour's ascension, and pours that
light on palace and dungeon on squalid
heathenism and elaborate skepticism, on
widows tears and martyrs robe of fame. on
weeping penitence and loud mouthe1 scorn.
She is the only institution to-day that
gives any light to our world Into her por
tails the poor come and get the sympathy OF
a once pillowless Christ th bereaved COME
and see the bottle in which God saves all our
tears, and the captiyes come, AMI on the
sharp corners of her affairs dash Off theil
chains, and the thirsty come and put their
cup under the "Rock o. Ages" which pours
forth from It's smitten side living water
sparkling water, crystalline water from
under the throne OF Col and the Lamb
Blessed the bell that calls her worshipers K
prayer. Blessed the water in which her
members are baptized. Blessei be the wiuC
that glows in her sacramental cups. Blessed
| the songs on which her devotonS trave! VI
and the angels of God travel down.
As the moon goes through the midst Of th
roaring storm clouds unhushei AMI un.
harmed. and comes out calm AMI heantifnl
On the oGner slde so Jne cnurcn o. Got has
gone through all the storms OF this wori Is
persecution and coma out uniniurei, N
worse for the fact that RobeSpierre cursed
1t, and Voltaire caricaturei it and Tom
Paine sneered at it, aud all tue forces of
darkness have bombardei it. Not like some
baleful comet shooting across the sky,
nations, but above the long bowling nigh
Of the worlds wretchedness the Christian
church has made her mild way, Fair a
the MOON"
| take a step further in my subject
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