The morning times., 1895-08-05
oUR LAND OF CANAAN.
DIR. Hogc, of Richmond, Prea ches al
Eloquent Sermon on This Subject.


Eloquent Sermon on This Subject.
A sermon at this season of the year.
when large numbers Of all congregations
are out of town, is seldom heard by such
large asscmblage az that which listened
yesterday morning 10 the Rev. Moses ID.
Hoge, ID. d, of Richmond, Va, at New York
Presbyterian Church. DR.. Hoge is perhaps
the most venerable, and among the most
distinguished of divines in this country;
and is well-known in the old world He
has beea across the Atlantic sixteen times
and has found members of his flock in all
parts of tie world having met them in
Europe, Africa aud Australia
Only recently lie celebrated his golden
wedding with the church at Richmond
where lie has been the pastor OF flock for
half a century. The occasion was made
memorable 10y the receipt OF letters and
kilograms from all parts OF the world and
from its most distinguished clergymeu
among the latter beiug Cardinal Gibbons.
DR.. HOEe is seYenty-eight years old and
while he exhibits ripe az" by the deepened
furrows aud lines OF his face he is erect
as ever aud retains the fire OF his youth,
his enthusiasm aud energy. His presence
10 the pulpit is commanding and he is at
all times Intensely earnest His delivery
I is easy, his speech flowing and his language
well-chOseu graceful aud elegant. 1t is
doubtful il a word of his thoughtful dis
course was lost 10 or on any member OF
the audience yesterday.
His subject was one full OF the philosophy
Of human life. The grounuwOrk OF the
sermon was the text which desc ribes
Moses as having died within sight of
the land or Canaan aud without having
realized his hopes and expectations of ar
irving with his followers in the Promised
Land.
One of the beautiful thoughts suggested
by the death and burial OF Moses in an
unknown tomb ON the hither side OF the
Jordan, was that by this means God in
tended to teach the world that the laws
OF Moses were not for one race alone, but
that they were for a light and guide to
all nations His laws were not for the
tribe Of Moses and the Jewish race, but
for the world at large.
This incident in the history Of Moses,
every word and line OF which he said he
| believed, was used rs an illustration of
the position that, where men with a
purpose for good are denied the realiZa-
ton OF their aspirations, in the Infinite
| goodness OF God, they are given either
I something better OF an equivalent. As a
supreme illustration of this teaching, DR..
Hoge referred 10 the prayer of Christ in
the garden of Gethsemane, in which he
prayed that the bitter cup might pass
away from him, but it had been ordered
otherwise by the father.
The fate Of Moses was the type OF this
principle of Gods way with the world before
and after the time Of the great law-giyer.
1t is so to-day as it was yesterday.
Men strive to attain and they fail. The
! hand of the painter is arrested III the last
| touches OF a picture that would make him
! famous: a sculptor fails TO finish his most
I beautiful piece of AIT, but behind this is
the heroic purpose of great achievement
and all is not lost So in the well ordered
! Christian life, there are thousands who at
tain eternal happiness just as they are on
! the eve OF succeeding TO an earthly king
dom.
So the preacher said, we all have oul
! lands of Canaan We may not reach 1t or
4 this side of the grave, but beyond is the
! land where there is no hope deferred OF
disappointed. no aspiI alton unfulfilledr
where every longing Of the soul Will be
satisfied, where there Will be full saliva
tion with not only eternal peace, but eternal
/ truth"
DI. Hoge has been at the metropolitan
Hotel. He left the city for Baltimore yes
teIdav and will return to preach again al
| New York Ayenue Church next Sunday.