The herald., 1896-07-06
Some of the Sermons That
We're Delivered
ADDRESS ATTHE CATHEDRAL
The Rev. Joseph Nunan Urges a More
Intense Piety
Religion and Patriotism at the Tabernacle
mission Of Life at the First M. E.-ChiI-
dren Of the Revolution at st. Paui's

Rev. Joseph Nunan preached the SER
mon at the Cathedral yesterday, taking
for his text. Behold. they have nothing
to eat," st. Mark, chapter will.
The gospel Of this Sunday informs US
that 1000 Jews accompanied the Savior.
They followed him for three days, mind
less of food and busted solely in gath
ering the bread of the divine word that
fell from his sacred lips. Who We're
these Jews that followed so assiduouSly,
that listened so breathlessly and tha1
drank so eagerly his words OF wisdoili!
They were not the hypocritical scripes
and Pharisees, nor the rich, nor the
princes and rulers of the people. These
would not associate with Christ nor
harken attractively to his voice. Tney
publicly despised him and made him the
butt, the target Of the jeers and Jests.
The crowd that followed the divine mas
ter was of the common people-the poor
and the simple-hearted, the meek ana
the lowly.
Such was 1t in olden times. so 1t is to-
day. II we desire to meet with piety'
with faith, with Christianity. with vir-
tue. 1t Is generally necessary to look Tor
many inestimable advantages denied to
the rich 1t excludes numerous occa-
sions of offending God. 1t deprives
death of much of its stings and sorrows.
It merits in eternity a grand and glori-
Gus recompense. Let 1t be understood
that by the poor we do not mean those
who practise poverty as a profession.
We refer to those of scanty means. those
who have barely sufficient to eat, to
clothe themselves.
Humble and depressing as their condi-
tion may be, yet they should be more
contented than If they lived in delicious
abundance. They should kiss and bless
the hand that mortifies them Why?
Because, through the medium OF pow
erty, God often closes the gate that
leads to the broad road of perdition and
opens the narrow path that conducts to
life eternal. Would you not confer
favor on a man in depriving him of
knife with which he wishes to end his
existence? Would it not be benefit in
preventing a child playing with fero-
cious lion which the young one inno-
Gently imagines an inoffensive and do
mesticated animal? And so it is with
God. He bestows a favor and a benefit
on those whom he deprives of terrestrial
riches, since he takes from them pow
erful incentive to pierce their souls with
the knife of sin and removes from them
the fierce lion of strong temptations.
What means are at the disposal of the
rich to offend God! How many occasions
of condemning themselves! Scripture
tells us that all things are obedient to
money. With it, unruly passion and
impure pleasures desired? Do you bear
a grievance against your neighbor and
seek revenge? Is unlawful ambition,
avariciousness. pride or vanity to be
gratifed? Here is money, ana all these
may be yours.
From these the poor usually escape.
They should be, patient with their lot
and never envy the possessions of 9TH
ers. They should never imagine that
had God given them the riches of such
and such a one they would make better
use of them. Then they would alleviate
the miseries of the poor. succor the wild
ow and orphan-be glorious models of
Christian charity. Vain and idle
thought! Human nature is ever the
same. and. undoubtedly, they would
More than probable they would
then center their thoughts on eating
and drinking and dressing we'll, and for
get or despise the miserable Lazarus
who Graves the crumbs of their table.
Examples prove that such has been the
case, and such. we may say. will it ever
be.
Again, poverty despoils death Of many
OF its sorrows. Stand at the deathbed Of
the rich and the deathbed of the poor.
What an immense difference Is observ-
able! Fear and trembling and dislike
OF parting with the rich; certain in
difference. a. calm, even pleasure and
satisfaction with the poor.
Poverty, accepted with Christian res
tgnation-the observance of Gods laws
being supposed-will infallibly merit an
endless eternity Of happiness. 1t is a
wonderful means of uniting more in
timately the soul with the creator. Jesus
Christ. rich by nature. yet made himself
poor by choice. and Christ is the great
model. He ennobled poverty by espous-
ing It, He was eminently the lover of
the poor. His apostles were of the low
Hest. His disciples were not the mon
eyed men Of the times. He selected the
poor to work the wondrous miracle of
Transforming a degraded world and
bringing 1t to God. In all his actions it
was the poor, above all. that he had at
heart
oh, We poor! bless the poverty that
brings you nearer to the master. Envy
not the rich. Remember Lazarus and
the rich man of the gospel. Accept your
condition with an abiding hope in the
goodness of God This life not the cli-
max of existence. There is another. and
Christ has said, blessed are the poor
In spirit for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven"
At Simpson Tabernacle
Rev. Dr. &C. Mclean preached yester-