New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-29
THE PRIVILEGED CLASS.
SERMON BY THE REV. D. b. F. RANDOLPH.
OF JERSEY CITY.

ADVANTAGES POSSESSED BY THOSE WHO PRAc-
TIcE THE DOCTRINES OF cHRIsr-DIvINE
soNsHIP THE REWARD OF RECEIVING
THE WORD OF GOD.
The Rev. D. b. F. Randolph, pastor OF Trinity
Methodist Episcopal Church of Jersey City, spoke
to a large congregation at morning service yes
terday THE Privileged Class" He chose a.
his text these words from John I. II: "As many az
received him. to them gave he the power 10 be-
come the sors Of God even to them that believe In
| his name"
Under the Roman Government there was class
Of persons who enjoyed certain rights and prlvi-
eges from which the people in general were ex-
cluded: exemption from certain restraints, eligi-
| bity to Office, imperial favor. Under all mo-
narchical governments we hear OF the rights ana
! privileges OF the nobility the privileged class.
SO when Christ came to establish the Kingdom OF
God on earth all men everywhere were necessarily
subject TO It's control, but some We're particularly
favored: endowed with certain power. right or
| privilege that distinguished them from others IN
n way that was very marked. and might impress
US. In this day. government OF favoritisn.
But, even Renan rays, the Gospel Is the demo
cratic book par excellence. and there s this essen.
tial difference that while under ordinary govern
ments these privileges are absolutely restricted to
favored few and their descendants, under the
| divine government they are open 10 as many 40
| receive tie King, even TO them that believe on
| his name"
|
| life Of duty and 80 II doubtless is; no man can
escape the responsibility Of a Christian life.
whether he lives 1t or not But We hear so mucn
Of II duty that IL g often misunderstood
| repellant TO unbelievers and a treadmll 70 those
who undertake to live it, The truth is the Chris
tian life is a privilege and Christians are the
| privileged class To receive Christ is to enjoy,
| Christ says the privilege of divine sonshp-to
become the sons of God" The idea OF the Ro-
mans to become great BY the subjugaton oe
great of people to the Roman yoke; the
| idea of Christs government Is TO become truly
| great by process that never seems 10 have en-
tered the minds Of statesmen until He suggested
| II; namely by ennoblng the individual; by making
each and every man better and nobler In himself.
rather than In his mere estate and condition:
government Of princes a commonwealth OF kings.
| 1t Will be found that there is not a requrement
| in the Christian life that Is not emnently adapted
to this purpose, and it will be found that under
this government the highest possible liberty al
ways prevails, the liberty 10 do right, the liberty
! TO make the best Of ourselves and more than that
no real man asks To receive Christ into our
faith is to be born again." 10 be born of God.
! 10 become the sons Of God in nature. and TO 70
| celve Christ into daily life and conduct Is TO
| become the sons OF God in character; to restore
the lost image and likeness OF Him whose wander
ing children We are What God 10 Christ a.
| man. that Christ abors TO have Him become to
all men, the Father. And there can be no true
brotherhood of men until We recognize the father
! hood Of Cod
To receive Christ is also 70 enjoy great legal
| privilege To men in general. the Ten Command
rnents may be 50 many blue laws. and over
| exacting and hateful: but to a real Christian
| every one Of them Is a power, privilege; to cay
to me. Thou shalt have no other gods before me-
and Thou shalt moi make unto me any craven
| image" Is only to insist upon and 10 establish
| what desire. the true God and immediate COM
munon with Him are the supreme desires OF my
| life To say of me- Honor thy father and thy
| mother IL TO say exactly what | desire 10 do,
| without any reward whatever. To say "Remenn-
Der the Sabbath day to keep 1t holy never gals
ne bit: 4; Is just what every Christian likes-a
| day sacred 10 the supreme subjects OF his life,
| nj ~
me must not steal. or kill or commit adultery.
| or lie is to save me from the common and moSe
dreadful evils OF human life. and the more you IN
sist upon them the better 1t is for me. the more
| | am likely 70 become like Christ. 1t is not 50
much a duty privilege. Christ said the
second great commandment is Thou shalt love
| thy neighbor myself and you say tnat
| is a duty. But the man who tries 10 Keep IL as
a duty will fail; no man ever loves hirnself as
duty; every man loves himself as privilege, as
pleasure. And no man ever gets 50 much pleas
ure out OF life as the man who loves his NefghoorS
in that way. 1t is mans duty, no DOUBT 10
love his wife and family; but the man VINO loves
them only through sense OF duty VIII nave
very dull time Of IL indeed.
| To become Christian also implies great social
| privilege. 1t is an nexorable law OF nature thae
| II / would enjoy better society ne must De-
| come better himself; improved conditions abso-
| lutey require improved man. Just here 10
| found the reason why some people never rise IN
| the social scale under any government or IN any
relation of human life. Society is mutual affair
| in the very nature OF things and. spea king with
all reverence God Himself cannot help IT, Except
| a man i've born again. he cannot see the Kingdom
! Of heaven Everybody comedies that there Is no
morality Ike the Sermon on the Mount 10 nj men
| to live and enjoy and prosper with one another;
and il is Of such people IL is written. I'VE are come
unto Mount Zion and unto the city OF the living
God the heavenly Jerusalem. and to an nnum-
cradle company OF angels, TO the spirits %, just
men made perfect" n does not worry me
| bit that am not in the -Four Hundred wish
they all enjoyed the social privilege that do.
Then there is the heirs privilege. II we be chill
dren. or sons. OF God. then We are heirs JOINT
heirs with Jesus Christ 70 an inheritance that Is
| incorruptibe man may be desperately poor
| In this worlds goods but II he knows that ne IS
| an heir 70 a vast estate he tries 70 live ike II
| and enjoys II immensely in prospect.
| Above ALL there is the privilege OF grace me
| Kings favor is everything: He can create more
! and more forever. And He that spared not his
| own son. but delivered him up for US all, now
! shall he not with him also freely give US all
| th!ngs?"
| In short the Christian life. my friends. is tho
| life of q son OF God II some people have not
| found IL So IL is because they have sought 10
| enjoy the Kingdom Of God without becoming sons
OF God They are like the man who said, Iney
! told HE that horseback riding was good for ones
| health: that II was exhiarating and delight
! full: and got on a horse one day and rode nve
! hours as hard az ever could ride. and was so
! lame and stiff and sore that couldn't enjoy IRE
for a week" As a matter Of fact, a Christian lie
| IS like a conservatory all beaming. beautiful and
! fragrant within while II is winter and snow and
! Ice without Verify say unto you. there is no
man that hath left house or parents. or brethren,
or wife or children, for the Kingdom OF coos
sake. who shall not receive manifold more In this
| present time and in the world to come, lie ever
| lasting