New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-07
DIR. JEFFERSON HEARD.
FIRST SERMON IN BROADWAY TABER'
NACLE.
A LARGE CONGREGATION LISTENS TO THE DIS
COURSE OF THE NEW PASTOR.

COURSE OF THE NEW PASTOR.
Tho Broadway Tabernacle. Il Broadway ana
Thirty fourth-s was filled with an unusually 'aiso
congregation at the morning service yesterday 10
hear the first sermon preached by the rev. Dr'
Charles E. Jefferson the pastor OF the church.
DR. Jefferson had not previously appeared IN the
pu,pit OF the church and he was called upon the
recommendation OF the committee appointed py
the church and society 10 recommend pastor
Members Of this committee paid visits 70 the rirst
Congregational Church. )f Chelsea. Mass. or which
DR. Jefferson was pastor. and upon their return
decided 10 recommend the extension OF a call 10
him. This recommendation was unanimously IN
dorsed at special meeting.
The beginning OF DIR. JeYersons pastorate marks
the end OF a period of nearly two years. during
which the Broadway Tabernacle has been without
a pastor Various cergymen have In the interim
been considered for the pastorate and EFFORTS were
made to secure the Rev. DR.. Andrew v " nay
mond, president OF Union College. and the Kew.
Dr. Frank w. Gunsaulus Of Chicago. but none OF
these efforts were successful.
DR.. Jenefson's first sermon yesterday morning
made an excellent impression upon his congrega-
ton. The new pastor OF the Tabernacle, although
a comparatively young man, speaks authoritativey
and impressively. His pulpit presence Is commando
ing. and his delivery while not in any sense spec
tacular. Is thoroughly effective. Every word tnat
falls from his lips is audible throughout the audi
torium. and yesterday he held the close attention
OF his congregation. Dr. Jefferson chose as his
text yesterday morning the sixteenth verse OF the
third chapter OF the Gospel OF ST. John; FOR
God so loved the world, that He gave HIS only De-
gotten Son. that whosoever believeth In Him should
not perish, but have everlasting life lie spoke
In part follows.
taxi. probably because is so vast, so oyerwnelm-
Ing Yet II strikes The keynote OF me gcspe mIi
the Bibles in the world were to be burned and only
sp1 be and woqG neon sfIa e would s be
Bible and churches might sill be formed around
Bible lend themselves easily to exegsis: but this
is not one Of them. You might as well tax OF pull
verse. You might as well say Please explain the
universe TO me in half an hour" as to ask that
'' II begins V with the word God; the grandest
noun in human language You cann9t crush II into me-
word loved .. the greatest verb in human speech.
Do you say Let me anayze IT, Not for worlds;
adverb ordained OF God. 1t Is going to. multiply
that love Of His into nnty and we ,b sha ss thst
God so loved the world" Here We come to some
fine this to me either You might chip that world
and make it something smaller than Jesus made II;
gave is divine word. 1t is not our word. Our
word is get" That fits our toTgues.a'ges :. That
word Of another world 1t must be The ambition
Of our lives TO rub out get and write give In
God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son We could not have saTcPatsa ta S
sentence was going TO end that way: And here we
knows 70 or fe He s ali the Son
or feels. It would be great thing for Christians
II they could always live I'm the light OF this sem
tence-if II could always stand out before us like
mountain tops that lose themselves N the sky;
You say II is mysterious? So II Is. Thank God
for the mystery OF the Bible There would be no
revelation for us II everything were plan-if there
were no dark places. There men whom some
call advanced thinkers who would by explanation
bore out OF every word Its divine content. But do
they not deserve TO be called beated thinkers II
they have got any further than men were be-
fore that night when the shepherd stood before
the manger I'm stable? Whatever the sceptics
may saw the pierced hands have lifted empires
from their hinges and led the world 10 new Ideals
and aspirations. The course Of history turned
at Golgotha. Men may still cry: Away with him.
We will not have this man 10 rule over US" But the
centuries they pass cast their crowns at His
feet and call Him King of Kings and Lord Of Lords.
This evening at the Tabernacle the church and
fersOn.