Year: 1873

The Power and the Achievements OF
the Gospel-Sermon by the Rev. Il. A.


Hoyt, or Nashville.


The Rev. T. A. Hoyt, OF the Presbyterian church
in Nashville, preached yesterday morning at the
Church OF the Strangers to an immense congrega-
ton. He took his text from St. Paul's Epste to the
Romans l., lo-'For l am not ashamed OF the Cos
pei OF Christi &c This the very thing, he said,
which was the stumbling block OF all the Jews.
The Gospel presented itself in various aspects to
them. all enticing and grand. In the first place. II
presented itself to the human mind as . greats
tem OF truth Truth was the great elementary
principle OF nature. Truth was valuable In exact
proportion to the high objects which II revealed.
Even art did not emDody the very highest symbol
OF truth. But the studies Of the Gospel were indeed
sublime, and they commanded all the powers OF
the very highest inteects-even II they lifted
their contemplation up to the divine mystery Of
the stars; If they discoursed OF the wondrous
beauties OF nature OF the subtlety and abstruse-
ness OF the human intellect; even though they
were only contemplating the hens OF jesus gar
ment 1t was He who could and who did say,


al AM THE TRUTH"


All other knowledge was but the framework OF this
divine truth. Therefore, when men carped at the
Gospel and at Him who was its author they only
displayed their own arrogance and their own
ignorance. the folly Of those who assailed the
word OF Christi This was the very fountain OF the
source OF all knowledge anG all truth. But He
who had said ~ am the TRUTH had also said 81 am
the way.n This was the kings highway. At first
1t was found with great difficulty, but after a
while it was found to be broad and smooth and
level The reverend preacher then related the
fairy story OF prince who, after great anguish
and dinculty, had found the splendid palace OF his
long-lost father. In very few brief sentences
Ano tod an nffolv vrtn rploo
OF goodness and justice. 1t presented model Of
these principles, too-a model glorious, pure and
spotless. But it was not on account OF this that
the apostle had said that he was nos ashamed of
the Gospel. 1t was not because the Gospel was
truth, but because II was power They had seen
already then, all the bright gods OF Olympus de-
fhroned BY the living God they had seen the Cos


WITH THE PROPHET OF MECCA,


and now they con flict between il and all the
sins ana OF the world 1t asserted the true,
the beautiful. the sublime, the loftyand not even
the power OF hell could prevail against it. 1t was
the Gospel alone that subdued the human pas
Bons and had first established itself on the altar
OF the human neart. He might speak OF the forti-
tyrs, OF the wondrous power it had exercised over
the world. What was this wondrous powers The
apostle said he was not ashamed of the Gospel be-
cause 1t was the power OF God and the salvation OF
God. And this word was the innermost kernel OF
called the power OF God" The Gospel



who bore IL, and Christ was to them what He was
because he bore the Gospel. He was called the
sword OF God" 'sThe Word was made nesh and
dwet among u.s. and this was the first divine fact
that struck them as they contemplated their Re-
deemer Forming the first link


BETWEEN WHAT WAS UNMADE


and what had been made, He became the apex and
fhe ultimate expression the very core OF the heart
OF the universe. 1t was thus that He was to unite
heaven and earth. What was the mighty task that
was to accomplish this 7 What was 1t that was to
pardon them and save them from eternal death
1t was that he discharged this work enforced upon
him by Ills divine Father.


Law consisted OF precept as well as OF penalty.
THIS double action was continually active among
them. The divine law had precept that was
perfect and penalty that was inevitable. The
angels in heaven knew nothing OF the penalty,
the precept and He suffered the penalty. He
exhausted the penalty. and when He died
He declared that out Of this obedience He had
wrought this everlasting righteousness. II was
evident that this work OF salvation was accom-
pshed with difficulty. The work had become
easy to them, but 1t was not easy Tor Him. And
thus


HE ACCOMPLISHED THEIR REDEMPTION,
and His death was the great crowning stone OF
the palace OF truth.


That salvation, 90 wondrously wrought out,
was offered to them on easy terms, indeed. All
who believed Him and obeyed Him could be saved.
"He who believeth not is already condemned
the Redeemer did not attract them their hearts
would condemn them, and all that remained to
them was to look forward to the final terrible
opeL and here was a twofold invitation to every
IN