The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-09-23
THE SIrrn ANNlyERsARY

graduates the Churoh-An Appropriate
Sermon.
Yesterday was rally day at Grace
NJ. L. church and the sixth anniversary
of the dedication of the present build
ing. The pastor, Rev. Frank A, SEQ
field, preached the anniversary sermon
on the subject, 1.-THE Pulpit and the
Pen"
Before beginning the sermon Mr.. sco-
field said:
II congratulate myself and you on the
degree of prosperity God has given us
as church in the past six years, Ac-
cording to our faith and conservation
has it been unto u.s. With greater faith
and deeper conservation to God and His
work would have come greater prosper
ity. God honors them who honor Him,
There are several results that we hope
for from this rally day and anniversary
"a deeper interest in spiritual things;
stronger determination to carry for
ward to complete success the work of
paying the balance of the church mort
gage; the formation and maintenance
of large Bible class among the ninety
male members of our church who work
for the railroad.
"The present membership OF the
church is something above five hundred,
two hundred of whom are men. Because
of the excessive heat of the day we will
omit the reading of the names of the
members, as I'VE at first intended.
AL I, Sc. 6 \
in Acts 1898: Now, therefore, are we
all here present before God to hear all
things that are commanded thee of
God
THE second is found in Matt 2S-19:
| Go We into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature
"Our first text is the record of the in
PRODUCTION of the gospel among the Cen
| tiles, momentous event in the history
of the world. The gospel river up to
this time had been banked and held in
by the Jewish people, but now it bursts
| its bounds and flows forth to enliven
ana enrich every race and people of the
earth. 1t required a miracle on the part
| of God to teach Peter that God is not
respecter of persons, and that He is God
not only OF the Jews. but of the Gen
| lies also This incident contains an I'M
usual procedure-the congregation ad-
dressing the minister, the pew challeng-
| ing the pulpit. Peter had reached the
house of Cornelius, led by the messan-
ger whom Cornelius had sent, the audi
ence had gathered and Peter was about
| to begin, when Cornelius said, Now,
| therefore, we are all here I like that
wish it could be said of Grace church
this morning, All here Fathers, moth
| ers, children. Here are the fathers and
mothers, but where are the children?
These are not here in any great num-
| bers. At this time I address an audi
| ence 400 or 500 strong, in few mo-
| ments you will be gone, and another
almost as large will be here in your
place to Sunday school. Very few of
THAT second audience are here now, very
| few of you will be here then. This is
| entirely wrong. You are raising a gen
| GRAFTON of non-church goers. The chill
| dren seldom attend church. They come
to Sunday school while small, leave as
ty years of age, and as the church-go-
| lllS HdDlI Has u6VET D6eu IOTIneu III
many instances they are lost sight of
altogether. Bring the children to
church. They should be here now in the
| family pew. May we as a congregation
be able to say with Cornelius, Now,
therefore, are we. all here. And they
were all there to hear all things com
manded of God. Here is the real secret
of pulpit power and, as I believe, pulpit
success-to hear the preacher in the
things commanded of God. The minis
| ter gets his message from God He
| does not invent it, does not make 1t
except in a secondary and unimportant
sense, does not manufacture 1t, does
not forge it out, but it finds him-is Civ
en- him from on high. He comes from
the secret place of the Almighty, bear
ing messages of life, preaching the glo-
rious gospel of the blessed God.
He is not sent to lecture on some
historical subject or scientific, or po-
/ litical subject, he is not to reconcile
the latest findings of science with the
holy book of God, he, possibly, is not to
spend all his time in mere argument
or defamation, but he is to be a herald
a proclaimer of the truth of God
What is the preaching that our Lord
commands? Some affirm that the pull
pit is to confine itself to presenting
Christ. So presenting Him in all the
| loneliness of His character. and the
beauties Of His person that all men fall
in love with Him, and forsaking all
else, desire Him above their most cher.
ished sin or highest joy. To so pre-.
sent the JOY and profit Of the
Christian life that the drunkard will
be shamed from his cup, the lustfu
man from his sensuality; the prodiga
from his wanderings, and all men glad.
ly join themselves to His train and be
glad to number themselves among the
lowly Nazerine. This is indeed preach.
ing Christ, and preaching Him as Coo
commands. God bless every such
preachehr of His truth, and give Hin
many souls. But is not he a prea cher
of righteousness, who thunders
against the shameful, guilty practice
and sins of his day and generation
Is not he a prophet of God who says t.
the wicked ahabs when found in un
just possession of the vineyard of Ma
both, Thou hast sold thyself to the
devil to work inequity in his sight?'
Is not that preacher commanded OF
God who, when men are overtaken il
dishonesties, and great and heinou:
sins, and who try to throw the blame
on someone else,-the directors, the
public, or heredity, or circumstances
1 say is not he true prophet of God
| w fin 10Th +,