New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-27
FROM BROOKLYN PULp1Ts
INDEBTEDNESS TO THE PAST.
FREELY yE HAVE RECEIVED. FREELY o,v,.
TIE sUsJEcT OF AN ELOQUENT SERMON

FREELY yE HAVE RECEIVED. FREELY orv,.
TIE SUBJECT OF AN ELOQUENT SERMON
Ri THE REV. DIR wEr.vEEx
me Rev DR.. William 7. McElveen psator OF N.
New England Church. preached yesterday n,,,
Ing 10 an audience which filed almost every ca.
OF 81 Johns Methodist Episcopal Church =,
Bedford-aVe. and Wiison-st. The audience va,
made up Of members OF the Ross Stree, prs.hv
terrain the First Reformed tho Loo Av.,,.
and New-f;nglsna Congregational and 81. John.
Methods, Episcopal church members Tho a.,
mon was an eloquent and instructive prssen;a,,o.
Of the truth. Freely yc have received fre.l,
give" Matthew X s.
Or. McElveen said among other things. We a..
all receivers. We receive what We give to Other,
WHAT We give 10 others first given TO rs u.
may increase what IL given to US. may ada IA q,
ard develop it, but We werc first recipients Of tn,
Of which aftorward We are donors God !, ~.
only real true gyer. Some one says There ia =.
luxury TO be compared with that OF giving tn.
luxury Of giving is the sole aud excUsiy. preroes
tive Of the divine being lie alone thoroustl,
enjoys the blessedness Of that privilege We Ar.
tenants stewards. trustees. What We give y.
give sccond-handed. We are distributors Of N.
divine bounty We are Gods alroners VI. an
draw from the divine beneficiary fund
Speaking Of humsniys indebtedness 20 the rar
the preacher said. Freely we have received fro.
the past. The past has bestowed upon an In.
mense legacy. We heirs OF the mighty result,
achieved by the industrious AMI faithful Of precet
ing generations. W, are to-day living n groves o.
comfort and blessing that have been tsilsomey
cnselled out BY those who lived in enleceien,
years. Other men have iabored. and We have e.
tered into their labors We building upon
founda:io which men Of other generations hav
reared. Other men have sowed the seed. ". Of
to-day are r. aping the golden srsln. We reap
ing that wherein bestowed no labor.
Society has accumulated all m inner Of wealth
material mental social and moral which II hand,
over 10 w newcomers. The babe thai is born TO-
day Is richer than the babe that wa born
hundred years ago BIZ just one hundred years lie
toll. thought and skill. Each generation adds ia
Increment to the beouest which the pas, b..
In every department Of lie ard Industry Ii.
pioneer, he VINO perchance goes forth to REGAIN
waste and unknown territory must 90 much W.
pleasant work; ne must dig and trench. pouza
harrow and SOW before others can come and %
the more pleasant and profitable WORK OF reapns
The present immuni,ies and I'D rites tSat We
enjoy taye All been PAID for by the Cd pqrchas.
been given TO humanity outright ard grliGl,ousy
Somebody must pay the price II we Rave enter:
enjoyable ameni,y and freedom II is because 500.
one Of previous generations has paid the price,
the price. Of arduous ard continuous Toll and ta
Look at the pages Of history, Eyery"here Tier.
has Deen StFuRR.e. rum eHe lssel
70 the higher civilization; the liberation Of the
masses from seridom, feudalsm and slavery; The
ema ncpation OF women and children from ssl
disabilities; the decline Of the warike spirit AID
the growth o. the spirit OF international comfy
have all been accomplished by the expenditure o.
some ones vitality and skill. and the spil.ing
some ones hood. Civilization ever grows upon
fields that have been mostened by ancestral Ne
blood. The blood OF martyrs has been the seed Of
the Church.
I'VE are debtors to the past. The future Is or
creditor Freely We have received. freely give y!
we are reapers as TO our predecessors We shoua
be sewers as 20 our successors.