Year: 1869

sermon by Rev. Dr. Stephen Fl. Tyngs


short comprehensive sermon, such as sermons
should be- graced the morning service at st. Georges
Episcopal church yesterday, and the attention with
which its intelligent and atistocratic congregation
listened to the Rev. Mr.. Tying proved the interest II
took In his SIMPLE persuasive discourse. The rever
end gentleman took his text from Isaiah, XIV,
7:-"And there Is none that calleth upon Thy
name that stirreth up himself to take hold Of Thee;
for Thou hast hid Thy face nom us and consumed II
because Of our iniquites.n Among the many things
that initiate against success in protesting Chris.
tians are apathy, want OF confidence In self and
God, and neglect IN reading HIS word and In praying
All have fan but faith alone is not enough to be-
come real servant OF Christ God Ia willing to help
us 70 sense OF our nothinguess. but we IN return
must strive, and strive manfully In order to become
perfect. One great fault Is apathy, inability to
strive unwillngness to exert ourselves to take hold
upon God TO put forth the necessary determination
and energy. Aid from on high must be merited BY
PRAYER and such prayer must be sincere and 0f such
nature as to merit the privileges allotted BY the
Giver OF all Good 10 those who strive with and lay
hold upon Him; and although not only protesting
Christians, but Others wish TO end their days in
wants Of God by reason OF their apathy their want Of
action and their unbeief In the efficacy Of prayer


Mr.. TyDg went on to say that although his hearers


as Intelligent and responsible beings, earnestly de-
sired salvation. vet they failed from OF energy.
All work more or less, but not sulieienty to conse-
crate themselves to glorious Saviour. Confidence
In God Is primary necessity, and prayer-earnest.
devout heartfelt prayer addressed to an allpower-
ful Father another. Failures to become Christian
are mainly owing to apathy, to weakness, to want
ofspirt. Were any one asked the question, "Doyou
expect to stand before God In peace ~ the answer
would undoubtedly be "Yes:' yet how many are
doing their best TO render this Improbable by the
small action they take in all religious mat
ters and their neglect to seize on what Is offered
them OF and and encouragement from on high
To secure Divine cooperation must humtliate
ones SELF AS an instance OF the force OF perseverance
the reverend orator cited case under his imme-
diate observation:-A Southern gentleman, con-
verted soldier OF Christ, wrote to another,
an ordinary processing Christian. begging HIM
TO strive, and strive earnestly, for Divine
aid, and that were he to do SO such perse-
verance would be rewarded. The recipient OF this
letter. after mature rejection placed himself out OF
the reach Of mundane contamination BY locking
himself In his rOom and after many hours huma-
ton and prayer came from his closet truc devoted
servant OF the Cross, armed with such aid as to
able him to continue his allegiance to God to this
hour. Nobody ever tried In vain. Earnest prayer
at every opportunity-at home, travelling every
God with the fixed purpose Of cleaving to him
we shall not fail. Danger, however, ARISES from
procrastnaton. Life Is known by all to be very un-
certain-t0o uncertain TO be trfned with. Only fair
blessings; for there is none fallen or so sinful that
may not by strife with the devil and by taking hold
OF God and exertnR himself to merit all He promises
to those who cleave to Him, become as pure as one
OF His chosen. The reverend orator urged on his
congregation the necessity OF prOting by the present
holy season, as abOunding In opportunities for be-
coming real Christians Persuasion, he said, Is not
wanting neither IL example; and II one really de-
sire holiness the instruments OF our salvation are
not wanting. A sad retrospect, indeed, ts that Of
the sinner lost beyond all hope TO say II might have
been holy, pure and undeflled as one OF the angels
and my piqulties pardoned but for want OF energy
is not sufficient. although necessary. Ii we would
have God we must go to him.