New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-21
THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL"
SERMON OF THE REV DIR. DANA IN THE LEE AVE
NILE CONGREC ATIONAL CHURCH.

SERMON OF THE REV. DIR. DANA IN THE LEE AVE
NUE. CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
The Rev. DR.. Dana. who is supplying the Lee
Avenue Congregational Church spoke Yesterday
morning from the words in Revelation xiv, g. THE
everlasting gospel" He said in part: There IL d
tonic sound In these words which all feel. In
these days OF change and unrest il Is refreshing
to hear something designated as everlasting
Gospels called there have been, but they have
had their day and passed into oblivion. Ihoy
lasted as long they could. then the world out
grew them. They came az panaceas for the woes
and wounds of humanity but now they are num-
bered with the gospels of YESTERDAY Only one
gospel haG stood the test of time growing In
meaning and majesty with the expanding con
scousness OF the race. and that is the Gospel of
Christ These words that have about them an
unfailing charm they embody. great spiritual
cravings; they represent undying hopes. Men have
always been ready recipients of gospels or glad
tidngs but for the Gospel of Jesus there is
growing appreciation. 1t is felt to be a message
to what is universal in man. 1t alone passes from
country TO country from age TO age, and is every
where home. 1t is something time cannot
wither. custom stale; and more than this. 1t
has the safe and certain reversion of all the fut-
ure. 1t is our familiarity with ii that may lessen
its imperial significance and cause il to grow trte
commonplace Then comes the feeling Ian Mac
laren voices where he says: There times
when one wishes he had never read the New Tes
lament Scriptures. that some day he might open
St Lukes Gospel, and the most beautiful book
in the world might come upon his soul like sun
rise Perhaps II is true that the Gospel is not
the sublime reality TO US IL should be. Yet there
have always been some elect souls who have had
the Gospel in all its richness and power, and. as
they declared It, made IL Divine force to quicken
and uplift human hearts. So weak and corrupt
are men that in general they have not been able
hold the Gospel in mind without staining IT
through and through. and therefore the history OF
our religion has been a history OF frequent falls
But is there anything just now more needed by
our sad and questioning age than the Gospel In
it's simplest clearest form? If II be the respendent
history Of a suffering, crucihed and risen Christ
in His patient love victorious over passionate in
iquity, can we better help our generation than by
trying to make this tremendously real? Christ is
the Gospel and language fails US when the at
tempt is made to portray His character or describe
the impression he made those who came in
contact with Him. or have since devoutly studied
His life. 1t is by persons the world has ever been
moved and II Is this divine person whose historic
reality cannot be assailed who Is the author of a
worldwide and puissant faith, that the Gospel
presents TO men savior, teacher and friend
Among earths many voices clearly hear in
His one wholly unlike the rest: il speaks authori
tativey. 1t is always soothing and hope inspiring.