The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-11
FOURTH At CHURCH
Militiamen Listen to a Ser
mon by Their Chaplain,
Rev. Dr. SCudder.
BATTLE OF GOOD AND EVIL
Soldiers Should Be Like the Rooster
Who Rules the Barn 10 ,
yard.
BATTLE OF GOOD AND EVIL

tary circles ranks as Captain, he being the
Chaplain of the Fourth Regiment, preached
a special sermon to the rank and file of the
command last evening at the Tabernacle.
The regiment assembled about two hundred
| strong on Grove street, near Montgomery,
attired in State service uniform dress coats,
fatigue caps, white gloves and without
arms, and after regular battalion forma-
ton marched in double file into the
ediice. The double row of pews in
the centre OF the aisle were reserved
for the national guardsmen. Colonel
Abernethy and staff and the company
officers occupied the front seats. The bril-
liant uniforms of the officers and the natty
| garb of the privates made a sight such as IS
{ seldom seen in the large edifice. The church
was prettily decorated for the occasion. Gar
lands of Christmas greens covered the organ
| and in the centre of the garlands was a large
figure four of daisies. On each side of the
| pulpit there were three rifles, stacked, and
the choir rail was hidden from view by a
large American flag. AS the colors passed
| up the aisle the national guardsmen saluted
| them and then took their seats. The colors
| were placed ON the platform and reclined on
the stacked rifles.
K CHAPLAIN SCUDDER's SERMON.
Pastor Scudder was attired in the garb of
| his office, a chaplain's uniform. He chose as
his text Ephesians 22:iv, That ye put off
the old man, which, after God, is created In
righteousness and holiness of truth" Among
other things he said
every man is a double. He finds in him
self two distinct natures or sets of tendencies.
TIN name of one is good, the name of the
other is evil. These two principles are an
~tagonis5ic NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. They are
gladiators forever waging war with one
another in the arena of the
soul, and sometimes these internal
conflicts between right and wrong make us
highly uncomfortable. Experience tells us
that we all of US are queer mixtures of good
and evil. Within our hearts we find DR..
Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde-two beings wholly
different in character and ever aiming to get
the advantage over one another. Every
man is part saint and part devil, the proper
ions varying endlessly according to the
individual, and capable of change in the
same individual at different times.
81 do not believe in total depravity,
neither have | yet met a person whom |
considered entirely sanctified; but | do see
in myself and everyone else contrary ele-
ments that are striving for the mastery.
There IL in everyone OF us an upper man, an
under man, a higher and lower nature. One
is COARSE, sensual, selfish and cruel and
allies US TO the brute; the other is refined,
truth-loviHg, generous ana holy, emitting US
to be called the sons of roc The forces on
one side are q riotous mob of passions and
lustS; the opposite and c%ontending forces are
dominated by conscience. Til name of one
camp is Vice; the other Virtue.
NOW whatever names we may give to
these opposite principles within us, the fact
is certain that they are mortal enemies, and
in the end one or the other will win and en-
JOY the supremacy of the soul, The new man
does not love the old man any more than
wife number two delights in the company of
wife number one when the husband is found
totbe somewhat over-married. Each woman
wants the whole man OF none of him.
THE ROOSTER WHO RULES H RoOST.
"You nave noticed in the barnyard that
there is always one rooster who rules the
roost. He struts about majestically and
keeps his rivals off at a respectful distance.
to speak, and any incursions upon
his sovereign territory are follow
ed by immediate punishment. The
spirit of compromise has 40 existence in
the gallinaceous breast. One or the other is
champion, and every fight is a fight to a
finish. Now if a man has the real spirit of
God in him, ii the new man has a. sort of
a foothold, it will never rest until the old
man is whipped out M made to fee. There
cannot be two thrones in the same heart.
If sin reigns, Righteousness will be under
bondage.
"tiOw many are there VINO start falrIy IN
life and might climb to the mountain top, if
they would; yet who by giving themselves
over to sin, go steadily down into valleys of
humiliation, dishonor or premsture death.
Fearful and speedy are the ravages of
Satan, when once he takes full posses
sion of the heart. 1 look upon a
handsome company of young fellows today,
and unless the grace of God is the controlling
principle in their lives, / know for a GER
tainty that ten wears from now. some of
them will be common tramps with toes out
of shoes and an old tin can for their only
article of household furniture; some will be
in prison with striped clothing and cropped
hair, breaking stones for the government,
and some will be under the sod, whittier they
went a disgrace to themselves and families.
It does not take long to slip down to the
bottom of the ladder. When there is little
astonishing how quickly gravitation will
pull you down. Jump out of the fourth
story window and see."