The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-03-24
The PULPIT.
A BRILLIANT SUNDAY SERMON BY
DR. THEODORE L. cuYleR
subject: "The SOULS Anchors"

Brooklyn. y. Y.-The Rev. DR.. Theo-
dore L. Cuyler occupied his old pulpit
in Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian
Church. Lafayette avenue and South
oxford street. sunday morning. A
very large congregation was present
Dr. Cuyler. who is now in his eighty
Fourth year. preached with his old
time yigor on The Anchors of the
Soul" He took as his text Acts xvii:
20: "Thsy cast four anchors out of the
stern and wished for the day" and
said:
The account Of Pauls voyage 10
Rome Is one of those graphic passages
Of the New Testament which never
loses its interest Ii not merely throws
strong light upon ancient navigation
but Is strong confirmation Of the truth
fulncss OF the Acts OF the Apostles, for
modern nautical services have estab-
lished every word of the narrative
The chief interest 10 Us today is its
rich practical. spiritual instruction.
The story OF the storm and the ship
wreck you have all been familiar with
from childhood. For fourteen days the
ship had been In the clutch OF a terrific
blizzard as we would call il. but
which is described in the narrative as
"eurocyldon.' No sun or moon or
stars appeared during that terrible
fortnight. For safety much Of the
cargo was Eeaved overheard and they
were obliged 10 bind around the crazy
craft with hawsers in order 10 keep
from laundering in mid sea. They
imagined they Were drawing nigh 10
the land. and heaving the lead il tells
off twenty fathoms. The next east of
the lead shows fifteen fathoms They
are now close on the lee shore. Only
one maneuver can save them. They
cast four anchors out OF the stern. and
ii Is striking fact that pictures on
the walls OF Herculaneum and Pom
pei. depict the galleys anchored in that
manner. What long and dreary
night was that 10 the drenched and
weary voyagers, while they listened 10
the terrific laundering OF the breakers
on the shore. But Paul. Christ's pris-
oner, is on board, and he is the real
master OF the situation. His precious
life is insured from heaven. for. re-
member until their work is done Ii
was part OF Gods wish that the an
chors should preserve the most yalu-
able life then on the globe until Paurs
mighty mission was accomplished.
Human life is voyage and all of
you now before me are bound on il for
the judgment seat and for eternity. II
Is not voyage over smooth seas and
before soft, south winds. Everything
under God depends on the compass aud
the anchors. You observe that the an
chors are not attached TO anything
ahoat, but they plunge through the
waves and bite into the tenacious clay.
And so il is with our spiritual anchors
Make fast 10 Gods immutable word
and 10 the cmnipotent Saviour. the
Lord Jesus Christ. An anchor. too. is
unseen. And so il is with the inward
union with the unseen Christ that
Keeps many one safe in tie hour OF
temptation. and brings composure TO
those in the depths OF terrible trials
When Martin Luther was struck with
q heavy head sea he used TO let slip the
cable OF the forty-siXth psalm and
throughout the voyage of life you and
] have vital need OF the anchors which
our divine Master the Captain OF our
salvation. has provided for our safety
What are the four anchors?
The first and foremost anchor is
faith. That is often defined as rust in
an unseen God. and we take Gods
word more implicitly than we take tie
notes issued by the Government. be-
cause they bear the stamp Of the Uni
ted States with its vast resources be-
Lind il. But the mightiest spiritual
force for you and me is the Christ
faith. Now. that is a great deal more
than a mere opinion. Faith is Infinite
iy more than sentiment or feeling or
opinion. IL is an act; il is tie positive
act OF the soul laying hold of Jesus
Christ as our Saviour, joining our
weakness 10 His strength; our unwor-
thiness TO His merits: our weak selves
10 II infinite and almighty Self. We
are not commanded only to believe in
Christ, we are commanded 10 believe
on Christ. if we would be saved 4
friend OF mine was staying at a hotel
in Albany and noticed n rope in his
room and had faith in il because he
saw il was n well-braided rope. At
midnight he was aroused 10y q cry Of
Fire. On opening the door the
smoke and flames burst in. and he
grasped the rope and let himself down
in safety TO the sidewalk He believed
on the rope. That is saving faith
when you rest on'Christ. cl!nging fast
10 Christ. trusting In Him alone 10 up
hold you 10 the end and assured Of His
promise. Il will never leave thee nor
fOrsake thee Salvation Of the soul is
an actual experience. 1t IS the actual
testing Of Christ; the actual attach
ment 10 Christ, the actual love for Hin
hid in the very depths Of the soul. The
British Government requires all its an
cLOrs 10 be stamped. The eleventh
chapter Of Hebrews is the Holy Spir-
it's record Of the stamps on the anchor
OF faith My mothers Bible was
marked all through with penciiings on
the margin. proving how these various
promises had been tested, ard the an
cbor never dragged.
The second anchor is loyalty 20 Christ
and obedience 10 His commandments
Every day ! attach less importance 10
q religion OF mere emotion. IL is very
pleasant 10 sing and sometimes 70 shout
on the mountain tops, but a religion
Of mere emotion Is subject 10 its ebbs
and flows and is not reliable in the
strain and stress Of temptation. 10y
atty 10 the teachings OF Christ. loyalty
10 the everlasting right must be i'm
bCdded in the conscience IL you and
are not 10 drift upon the rocks. Even
faith without good works would be
dead IL has been this lack OF loyalty
OF conscience 10 the truth. integrity and
right which has strewed the beach
with 50 many pitiable and disgracefui
wrecks. The great demand in these
days Is conscience. the great demand
In politics ia conscience. and 10 man is
safe under the tpmptatiOus Of com.