Morning journal and courier., 1892-07-18
THE FIRST CHRISTIAN SERMON

THE FIRST CHRISTIAN SERMON.
Rev. N. J. squires of the West Haven
Congregational Church breaches a
Very Interesting Sermon Yesterday
Morning to His People.
Rev. N. J. Squires at the West Haven
Congregational church preached a very
thoughtful and instructive sermon yester-
day morning, which was listened to by
large congregation. There were a great
many of the Savin Rock oottagers noticed
among the attendance. The text was Acts
xxi:37: Now, when they heard this, they |
were pricked in their hearts, and said unto |
Peter and the rest of the apostles, Breth- |
rem, what shall we dot"
He spoke as follows: The first sermon |
was preached on the day of pentecost, fifty |
days after the passover, at which Jesus
suffered, and ten days after his ascension
into heaven. Pentecost was also the hsr-
vest home Of the Jews. It celebrated the
ingathering of the fields. It was therefore
fitting day on which to gather in the first
those great spiritual harvests that have
made glad the city of God all the way. On
the human side the three visible elements
are the preacher, the audience and the ser
mon.
The preachers name is Peter; but you
are not quite sure of his identity. Yester-
day he was fisherman. He knew every
stretch of beach on the shores of Galilee,
every deep place in the lake, where the
best fishing was. He knew the habits of
his fnny victims and where they would
ho ilyoIpy 70 hon al No hiatt
fisherman in all the lakes than Peter.
Brave, resolute, impetuous, he had
measured the strength of his arm many
time with the treaoherous winds and
waves. But his moral courage was not
equal to his physical. But that he had
great influence among the twelve; that he
was in some sort of sense recognized as
g. leader among them, not always,
however, without protest from the sons of
thunder, we can we'll believe. You would
not at the same time have picked him out
for public spesker-he was of the nets
and fsh--he had never studied in the
came to pass that unwittingly and without
generalization he became the preacher Of
the first Christian sermon-the
| evangsl of the new gospel of
| the resurrection. But the man ia changed.
Here is courage instead of fear; self-pos-
session instead Of distrust; confidence in
stead of hesitancy.
The wise preacher will take note of his
audience. In our Christian land the day
and the force of habit-the day and a pos
tive love for Christian worship-will fur
| respectable to attend church, at least once
day.
Habit swings many man into church
on Sunday, and with about the same con-
Germ as a gate swings on its hinges-a
thing to be expected and eminsntly re-
spectacle. A good habit-if one cannot
come from any higher motive. Better be
respectable through the force of habit than
not at all.
The sequel shows that Peters audience
listened with good intent. There could
have been but few present who were di-
rectly concerned in the cruci6xion of Jesus,
which Peter charged upon them; but they
were all Jews, and felt themselves involved
in the acts of their representative men
the high priests, the rulers, the council
Nor did they attempt to shirk the RESPONSE
bility; nor were they of that generous
turn Of mind that gives all the truth that
the preacher utters to his neighbor.
Hence it was that they were filed witt
, CONSERVATION and alarm, and with ont
voice demanded to know what they should
| do?
That was better than to inquire wha
, they shall think or what they shall believe
a Conviction is to be wrought out int
' action. Repentance that does not send
man homo to his father counts for moth
ing.
In a broad and true sense it was not tn
Jews, after all, who are to be held guilt,
of the death of Christ, but sin.
= Do you fear? Do you trembles Do yo1
i - L. kl4k
chosen Christ? Do you hesitate under an
j circumstances of time or place to defen
the character of Christians against defam
alton? Do you hang your head or hid
n away when Christ is spoken against O
o stones are thrown at the Christian church
a The Christian Endeavor badge mean
more in New York city than it did tw
. weeks ago. The saloonkeepers of Gone
!. Island, some of whom cannot speak tn
j. English language very plainly and are nc
% quite up to what this great crowd mean
convention is held in New York, lay
extra stocks and ewing Huge Tanner
}. across the street: headquarters fc
10 Christian Endeavorers."
R They will hereafter have lively sent
of the difference between the Christia
Endeavor convention and the polite,
conventions of Minneapolis and Chicago
10 Alas, that the gospel should not be MOI
10 potent in its effects; that men should ne
7 put its teachings into practical and eve
y universal application!
:. The gospel does not teach antagonisn
y. between men; but fraternity and equaffts
l. One may be an employer and another til
% Employed; but the man who buys labor
L given no authority over the man who sci
labor. Honor is not conferred in that wa,
81 The gospel alone honors goodness; it 81
:. joins charity and forbearance; it forbid
I. deeds of violence; it teaches arbitration;
is the sovereign remedy for the disorder
of our social SYSTEM; all it needs Is faitl
full and persistent application.
IF Every bullet fred at Homestead struc
70 the Golden Rule.
The man or the set of men who pr
III sumo to dictate to other men what assoc
y atoms they shall or shall not form viola
y. their rights, since they deny to others I'll
- liberty which they reserve for themselve
III Manifestly, If one set OF mon have Ii
in right to combine their capital, which
j. money, for their mutual advantage, al
70 their capital, which Is labor, for their m,
Il. tual advantage. Hence the two parti,
a. stand related to each 9th,
t. or as equals, whose interests are not no
n. tile but CO. ordinal.
n. As equals, showing to each other mutu
n respect, let them confer together; and
r then after full. free and patient confe
r. ence they are unable to make tern
a, mutually satisfactory, let arbitration d.
W termine tho points remaining ct issu
If The fact is We have rushed upon industri
l. conditions for which we are unpreparet
Public sentiment has not had time
a. crystalize into law or custom.
ar Capital from time immemorial has q
A. sumed to own and control labor. In GU
If day, labor has learned to think, as we'll
i. read and write, it can vote, it can strike
n u word that must be itself stricken frol
4 Christian vocabulary-but both, labor an
10 capital, read the gospel of Jesus.
raise no theories to-day. 1 offer I
. explanations. simply put Peter befol
you as the first gospel preacher. We ha,
looked at the man. We see an unlearne
g Galillean fisherman, who, with his ma
ter's lite fresh in his memory and undo
al the inspiration of the holy spirit, become
IF a fearless and eloquent orator.
n. We have looked at his audience-th,
' vast crowd of curious people gathere
e. from among all Misunderstanding, taun
K ing. but finally melting and breaking dow
P in penitence and confession, and harvel
20 of 8, 900 gathered in.
10 We have looked at the sermo
and we find 1t q model for all Christis
y preaching and teaching-direct as th
b. stroke of Damascus blade; 1t takes fai
10 hold of the oracles of God-everything