Year: 1873

OF Lie. the G.ln OF the Free Religionists was to
bring abors loyalty to the iacs OF ie not to stand
on tlptoe TO listen to the songs OF angels, but TO
hear the sad song OF the great brotherhood Oh
humanity.


LAFAYETTE PLACE REFORMED CHURCH
The Way to NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. by the


Rev. Cohen Stuart, OF Rotterdam.


The Rev. Cohen Stuart, OF Rotterdam, Holland
preached last night in the Lafayette place Re-
formed church to a congregation composed, for the
greater part, OF Hollanders. 1t was a novel incl
dent to see Dutch pastor address congregation
OF HoIlanders in Lafayette place in the Dutch Ian
guage. The sermon was unusually interesting.
The following is a translation OF its most SALIENT
points. The reverend gentleman took his text
from the Acts OF the Apostles, xvi, 3o-"What
cal uS' to Me y minds 'sN Of the 40 congregation es
he said, how this important question was
first brought before Paul when he first visited
Europe. 1t was new world to bring land Of
hope and PROMISE about what America was at
present to the European nations. Paul and Sias
were very cruelty treated in Philippi, placed in
dark cells. their limbs weighed down with chains,
degraded tortured and Inundated Nevertheless,
when they were not asleep they were constantly
singing the praises of the Lord. The other prison.
ers listened eagerly TO these unwonted sounds OF
Joy and exultation in this abode OF sorrow ana
misery. Then there was the sound OF an earth
quake.


that answered the petitions OF his sons. The chains
fell to the ground and the doors OF the prison new
that that he W would A not outlfive his disgrace
and drew his sword to XIII himself Paul
ssdr sssns the oua voce t
harml" Calling for a light, the jailer looked at
Paul and Silas. The light fell on his own SOUL and
he recognized them as the favorites Of God, and,
falling at their feet, he said, ''Sirs, what must do
to be saveds" This was the birth cry OF his new
life.


Dear friends, thousands and thousands had re-
peated this question in Europe and in America
since the jailer OF Philippi asked this question.
the kingdom OF God. 1t was of the highest i'm
portance, therefore, to understand its true mean
longing after, seeking for, the souls salvation.
What was this want? Whoever asked Tor saliva
ton must feel the imperative necessity for Chriss
religion. The soul OF man thirsted for the living
God. This want was


INNATE IN EVERY HUMAN HEART.
Man was the child OF God, however pronigate and
crestfalen. In the temple OF every natural and
yet uDregenerated heart stood, among all the
signs OF idolatry, an altar devoted to the Unknown
Thence the impossibility OF living merely on mate
rial things and ''livng on bread aSone." Thence
the restlessness OF the human heart until 1t had
found true rest in God.


These wants existed even when they were not
consciously felt. He knew that many who did
was merely for those who were humble
after righteousness and virtue. or, would
they rather assert that true happiness consisted in
feeling no ivan, want NV whatever s HAPPY then Inc the
happy, then the prisoner angu shing in his miser.
able cell; happy then, the outcast Of society and
religion. No, they could not earnestly sustain


SUCH A VILE BLAsPHEMY.


And how much happier was the jailer whom the
pa q g t snves e 20


But there must be more than a mere feeling OF
want there must be longing for salvation, q
not only aware that no lacked some thing,
nd 50 tina. s
do TO be savedr' He cid not mean TO say that
this jailer had at that moment right conception
holiness and virtue. The jaier had remarked that
Paul and Silas had possessed what he had never
seen Others to possess. They had been beaten and
spirit and uniiinchng courage.


THERE WAS THAT IN PAUL's EYE
vert altogether such as i am.n Here he beheld
the simple greatness of character both strong
minded and soft-hearted qualities widely different
from apathy and insenslblty


How eager the Jailer was to attain this glorious
frame Of mind. Only q moment before he had
drawn his sword to kill himself because he had
lost his honor as Roman soldier; but now there
was something higher and better, after all, which
was necessary ior his welfare. Such was the sud-
den, startling effect or the Christian example
when the Gospel was not merely heard, but seen.
The outcry OF the conscience was the birthcry OF
the child OF God.


This longing, this hunger and thirst for right
eousness must be In every soul. Many people did
not ask for salvation because they knew that 1t
was not happiness In the ordinary sense OF the
word. II was a life OF selfsacrifce and daily hui
initiation. The happiness OF the Christian was not
to be free from pain, but to feel in the pain


THEi HEALING HAND OF GOD;
not to be without cross but to feel the heart
Gained under the cross not to have nothing to en-
dure, but to know how to endure the worst for
Jesus sake.


Christ had his Pauls and Silases still in the Christ
ian world-men of God In whom we may see an
image OF Christ and broken ray OF His pure light.
But there was more than that. He himself had
come into the jail OF this poor miserable world to
set all prisoners free. He came who was bruised
and tortured and who died on the cross Now, did
he never rouse the dreams OF their sleeping con-
science When they asked ''What shall dor, He
answered by His Gospel: "Belleve on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy