New-York tribune., 1896-02-03
LUKEWAkM CHRISIIA US.
THE REV. THOMAS f. GORDONs Flo
QUENT SERMON
INDIFFERENCE. CONCEIT AND IGNORANCE CHAR
ACTERISTICs or THIS CLASS OF CHRISTIANS
THE DANGERS OF THE PRESENT rs
GREAT AS IN THE PAST.


THE DANGERS OF THE PRESENT IS
GREAT As IN THE PAST
In Davis Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church IN
Harrison yesterday morning the Rev. Thomas +
Gordon delivered an Interesting sermon on the
Laodcean evils OF self-indulgence conceit ana
ignorance 4 His text was from Revelations L.
1G-l7: so then because thou art lukewirHi' anu
neither cold hot. l vii! spue thee out Oh ny
mouth Because thou sayest am rich ana III
creased with goods. and have need OF nothing anu
knowest not that thou wretched and miseiaD'7
and poor and blind and naked"
The pastor began his sermon by description o'
the ancient city Of LaO1cea. lie showed - mi
iary importance and It's aggregation OF wealthy
residents. and then introduced the moral sii''u'"s
% The Christian population He said ~ pAff;
This was in all probability. d large and fasH-
ionable congregation. II was founu IN the Guy "l
Laodcea d most fourishing centre o, trade ann
wealth. situated on great international MS
1t is nOt known who Il that introiuceI '''
Gospel 70 the busy people OF the city. bHi il -
known that the place became prominent aS he''
quarters Of Christian influences in the early age
The location central and the church WAS 8P-
parently wealthy.
The trouble with this church very noir-
worthy \ careless or superficial observer "o'i"
have been likely to hni no fault AT all Ihe'e
were contentious. heresies. no vile trahse''S
SONS 80 far as could be seen. Good order ana
matter? Why was L that the KinS Of Saints was
MOI only h.ghlv Indignant bui utterly d.sens'"'
with tbs pie? The tex answers these very
81 stsfiv- ques'ions-l Know thy works. ihAt mo"
ar neither cold nor hot 50 hen because thoN az
lukewarm and neither cold nor hoi. VII -pn- th'r
out Of my mouth They were an e1sygo!ns p'oi"'
Neither Christian nor heather. neither very Good
nor very bad. neither awakr nor asleep. nr.'"''
/ thoroughly in earnest nor totally rnfe-ins. I'
made vory iftlc difference TO them whether 'H'iS'
or Bclial truth or error. good or eVil SAlhen '''
final victory. OF course. Oh the whole. tney pre-
ferrcl virtue bcfors vice they would rather have
church than have none they really symlathiH''
with the Christian religion and We're willing 10 even
give a little OF their riches 10 pay the minister anu
keep things decent N the city Bat so fAr d.
stirring themselves up for a manly grappe VII"
the powers OF darkness was concerned II "As "o'
T., be thouaht Of They were lukewarr.
A second trait was self-c0nce.i. Thou saYe't. !
am rich and have got riches. and ave nrei o.
nothing Here is d feeling OF dignity. There i- 3"
desperate tendency IN human nature 20 seek "e'i'N
to trust in riches. go glory in money Soine so
called Christians rejoice more when they feel The
almighty dollar IN their pockets th'n heaihen
when he carries his u;il. wooden god in ire hoio"
az hs hand OF near his anxious. thrODbng heart
The lighest ambition OF such people J. 20 I'VE
Ike the individual who went down with me shA-
Ing ship Tying a bag OF gold around MS BODY anu
crying ont ! die r.rh" as II tnis were dignity IN
Iced
hy ereat cNeriiol. werc made vain by ih'r sue
cess They had made money enough ana ha'
worked hari enough 20 bee comparatively saisn'd.
Their vanity was "a iargc Their barns hu'.
alas, heir hearts had grown small a. ih"r i'h's
had increased When their work Ha- fully done
they Nere themselves utterly unlonc All ihAi
vas lef- was their wealth. N"Ncr "as ;here more
deplorab- doom pronounced by mans o"n
soul against himself than This n~fui expression ~
id Df 81 a
need O; nothing
A third mark WIS ignorance 'AuI knoScst no'
that thou art wrctchci ana miserable and poor and
blind and naked They Wcie unaware OF their
wretchedness sinners. without any feeling ~ guilt
chained without any sense Of slavery restless. with
out any consciousness OF pain. dying. without any
idea Of yielding or o. weakness. wealthy and yet
wretchcI. rich and yet miserable. bat sini ignorant
Of f..
Few rich people ever dream Of becoming proper
objects o. pity or Of asking FOR sympathy IN mo
mi lst of their Abundance AMI on account ~ H. Pc"
which sin awnkeus whore is rightly yi""ed There
are fewer still among processing 'hri-iiha. WI %
o III ihri- coniition excite. The deepest CON-
passion o. angels ana u earnest men ~,
They were unaware " their own poVer'y i'oi
Prince Albert could realize his own nOthingn"ss ana
w0rihessncss In those memorable words of ms "hen
on his DYING pillow he recalled the honor the power
and wealth ana friendship when II IN. pi"'.Wvenn,1
Of God he hhd enjoyed. and then * claimed; Mhf'
become y J.
gary when he requested hi. pastor during his iast
come n. sinner. Door and needy The Iaodcean-
wrapped thomSelves up IN ne c)mfoiiApe ,
that they We" not as other men. especially iH'i
heather and wicked neiehbOrs.
They were unaware OF their own exposure IN
all probability they were fond OF talking about their
own works and especially ther own good WORKS
They were not unwilling even TO think ana SprLN
and rhey felt secret pride a. they meI.iated And
cOnversel about their transgressions or thrif uh-
faithfuness. or their want OF Zeal lher 'ohIr--
sOns were not in their estimation seIi-eXposu'es
but self-cOmmendation The really sincere ana
spiritual Christian does not want 10 think or speak
OF himself at oil he would hide his head even from
himself behind the Cross II he could only forget
and have Others never mention himself he would be
I'VE may now glance al the danger Of this state.
1t is a real danger. 4 vii spew thee out Of my
mouth This threat is no die menace ana the thlns
es, Grccian law-givers enacted statute sutJectng
to perpetual banishment any man who dared 10 be
public might be engaged In. The great head OF thrr
Church here lays down aw under ~hicn vi a., an
rejection in such cases. Almighty God cannot and
Will not tolerate spiritual indifference and moral
mkewarmness. He vii. not bear with people VINO
are filled with their own concelts, and VINO yiel1
themselves up to their own wiliul ignorance. he
beholdeth the proud afar off Heavens most con
tcmpiuous rejection is an evil real as 1t Is In
finite -, -. . 49, -
,hce ont of my mouth II IS not to he looked for on
The morrow. but to be dreaded to-day. The Church
ynar or another week az the might be- was
all ihe time given TO think and TO Will II they saw
wrath Of God hanging over their heads
What is the meaning Of the uneasiress which the
aodcean people are hndr 10 rec ,u IS rne sam
ings are az common as they are awiu" The danger
OF the text was clearly revealed
ESTABLISHING A GAME PRESERVE.
SEVERAL SQUARE MILES or FOREST TO BE