The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-05-20
AMONG THE DEPTHS
Another Special Sermon Dolivoro cd
by DR.. Biokloy.
DEPTHS OF SOCIETY AND HUMANITY
To DO Reaohed and Broken up by tho
sprcnd ofthe Gospel--Disheartoned
and Struggling Humanity Should
be Roaohed by Christ's Ttcligton.
How Now Era will bc 1naugura.ed
by tho Coming Church.


tho Thomson NJ. E. church yesterday.
Tho music at both services by tho
quartet!e and solo by Mrs. II. Rihel.
daaer were Of exceptionally fine quality.
Last night DR.. Buckley preached an.
other OF tho special sermons. and took
for his text Luke 1, IS, 10: "The spirit
OF the Lord Is upon me, to preach tho
gospel to the poor. to heal the broken.
hearted, to preach deliverance to tho
captiyea and recovering OF sight to tho
blind. to pot at liborty them tha. arc
bruised; 10 preach tho acceptable year
Of the Lord"
The doctor took as his theme, among
tho Depths" lie showed tho work OF
the future church to be moro and moro
that OF Christ toward the depths OF
society and humanity; that the down.
troddon and falien, tho oppressed and
despaIring, the tempted and struggling
ones Of the human family should be
sought ont aud holped and relieved.
Tho doctor said the developing forces
OF Christianity commence among tho
depths OF society and human nature;
tho lowest depths OF humanity are
broken up by the power Of the Christ.
Jonah's experience, whom 'the depths
closed about him. and weeds wrapped
him about" ia tho experience OF every
struggling heart, and his deliverance
was type and prophecy OF every Chris.
tian dellverance. The far.reachine pro-
visions OF grace "sets compass on the
face Of the depths" In the kingdom OF
the now humanity TO be established
among mon Ia to be found the grandest
work OF mankind and 1t was Christ's
loading thought and effort 10 plainly
reveal that work.
The attitude OF too many professed
Christians has been inquisitionsl, and
their light has partaken too much Of
the lightning TO deal death aud dsatruc.
tion Instead Of benign rays to bring life
and beauty and attract to larger e1per.
ience. There is no greater contra
diction OF true Christianity than the
many antagonisms, found within her
border, to the largest lie and power.
Christ came as no cold autocrat, eIclu-
sive monarch, nor repulsivo despot, but
as the great burden bearer, the great
physician, the great savior and elevator
| OF mankind.
How many OF US have been looking at
Christianity as fiction, or mythical, or
"cunnlnely devised fable"-as d mys-
terry too deep or too high for ua-when
in reality it is most intensely real and
everyday. It deals with facts OF human
experience, realities OF sins aud sorrows.
OF affections and woes; OF the agony and
eternal cry to God for aid and comfort,
strength and assurance. It Was intend.
| ed to reach and save man. It mado the
very heart OF religion to seek after man.
It reveals the heart OF God in tender
solicitude to help man in all his needs,
in dungeons. in sweat shops, in want,
in struggle. in loneliness, in despair. It
was so uttered that man might feel 1t
and see 1t and know it. Its herald cry
"peaco and good will" have been
leayeuing the forces for good, aud will
more and more be the herald CRY oil the
crusades for the rescue OF the falleu-to
more Chris.like condition and life.
lts greatest and most signal work 10
to 90 down among The depths to bring
light and cheer to them that dwell in
cloud and darkness.
ITO bind up the broken. hearted.
To proclaim liberty TO captives;
To comfort those that mourn,
To give beauty for ashes; is, .,
Tho lot Joy for mourning,
The garment OF praise for the spirit OF hesvi.
ness"
GRANGE FROM THE OLD.
This certainly means a change from
old things. Here is tho climax OF the
best and most acceptable work. Each
benediction is revelation. Each utter
ance is burst OF sunshine into dim,
dark depths OF human need. Who eau
B.om the mighty impulse OF soul to
proclaim to the worlds ends that "de.
lirerance has come" tho year OF jubilee
to mankind. How can men hold aloof
from religion whose primary utter
ancos have so deep bearing upon hu.
man iuterestsP That Christianity is a
contracted scheme is but the utterauce
OF tho narrowness OF ignorant and sell
fish unroasonableness. It Is the broad
est possible declaration to meet every
element Of mans needy outreach OF de-
sire and struggle for tho higher and no.
blor attainments OF life. Every possible
want OF poor. suffering humanity is to
find its fullest compensation in tho
pleased Christ.
The lowest depths are to be bright
ened with the glorious etfulgence OF
His gospel. Christ came as tho light of
the world, and thid light is to be the
life Of mon. yet how do men love dark
ness rather than light2 What want Of
interest is not met? What conditions
OF struggle or sorrow will not be light.
ened? What darkness or cloud will
not be frightened?
Tho great need OF the hour is that
mon everywhere shall rise to larger
conceptions Of tho blessed possibilities
and provisions OF Christianity for
humanity; to como up out OF the depths
whore they havo been content too long
to stay amid tho mists and contractions
Of doubt. Lot the true spirit lead as it
will. up 10 the heights OF heavenly
places, vision aud wisdom. The blesscd
powor OF Christ is TO reach tho depths
ol human nature and bring forth its
truest life; that mora abundant life
Christ camo to give in tho overflow of
flimsolf in all His lovo. This reveals
tho larger mssion OF tho kingdom OF
Christ in tine world. namely, tho over
flow Of ourselves for our fellows, for
their elevation and bottermcnt in all
that makes for good. Lot us catch tho
fullnesa Of its most blessed awoep,
transforming despairing thought into
founding hope. awakening the lowest
life and moldinc tho moral universe,
to untangls confused courses and forces
and mako history a progress. to break
ranks with evil and make fai.h in the
Lord eternal. 1t shows evil as suicidal
md good rs everlasting lilo. I. shows
humanity arising from It's depths OF
miro and clay toward blessed Freedom