Year: 1876

OLD JOhN 81. METHODIST CHURCH.
ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEDICATION OF THE


FIRST METHODIST CHURCH IN AMEaIcA-


SERMON BY REV. JOHN NJ. REID, d. D.


Yesterday the anniversary OF the dedication Of the
first Methodist church in America on the ..old
ground" in John street was celebrated the plain,
informal manner OF the denomination, the recogni-
ton of the day finding expression only in the historic
sermon preached by Rev. John N. Reid, ID. D. VINO
found his text for the occasion Romans Ii, 10 20,
2l-"Thou wilt say then. The branches were broken
OF, that might be grated in. Well. because OF
belief they were broken of, and thou staudest py
faith. Be not hgh-minded but fear. For il God
spared not the natural branches take heed lest He also
spare not thee" In, as it were his introduction TO
his historic discourse the clergyman noted the fact
that many OF tho heather deties represented
entirely quiescert and that many OF those who hung
ther belief on beathen deities became absorbed by
that same quiescenoe Our God however, was every
where active and must be ike Him. To enlist the
favor OF GOO we must work necessarily God. whether
In His care Tor the fruits and the flowers OF the earh
or in His providing for man, brought the highest
evidence OF HIS great care for US shown in earthly
things But in His for our salvation He had
placed US where were TO act IN consocation with
Him. and in that He had shown how wonderfully
had been honored by being made iaborcrs togethvr
with tod. coaborer the position held by the
minister OF God earth. and therefore was II very
grave disgrace be dismissed from the work which
the minister had been assigned. The disgrace OF
tall from the ministerial position not because tho


minister OF God was placed on an equality with his
Master, but because even the instrument in the


hands OF mis- Master honoret the
chisel OF the great sculptor the brush OF the great
painter or the pen with which Lincoln signed the
emancipation proclamation. All were honored. So,


TOO, they. the OF Co.. glorned by tue


fact that they were with the Father and the
Son, and therefore the moro honorable The the
greater tho tall when fall from grace occurred


In work for the benefit OF man


.'GoD ExcELLED EVERY TINE,"


and the salvation OF man was His greatest work. The
sacrifice OF Christ, His Son, order that might be
raised IRON fall 10 an inheritance in heaven was
the reason why VIC exalted HIS name and there
uch OF dignity IN being fellow worker with God


In further consideration OF fall from grace the


ministry hc held that the OF the tall depended
greatly upon the extent the good winch the
minister might have done had he continued true to his
position as a teacher IN the Church His hearers
would remember that God had singled the few to
teach and be the instrument by which the many might
be saved and that Christ chose for his disciples only
twelve And since the earliest teaching OF religion TO
the present God had observed the samO rule when
Luther, IN Germany, and Wesley In England and
nation The fall Of minister Was grievousy
great when q great minister put his head in
and his usefulness destroyed; and yet when
the great fell there was assurance |
that God would supply their piacea When Noses
passed away there was possibly still better Joshua
sent his place, aud wncn Judas fell his place |
vastly more than hed Is must be under |
stood that when unworthy candiesticks removed
the light not ex.ingushed These facts lett The
that the work OF salvation be
pshed, and that the crown would DO gwen TO those
the inistry who deserved t. Ages had passed since
Judah set aside by God as ruling teacher and |
the place occupied by Rome; since then Rome had |
fallen until the condition OF that Church |
very properly excmpIifed by tho feebieness of |
the old IN the chair AZ Rome. Years |
followed the rise Of Romauism In the Church, and |
then, commencing IN England it fcuud that tho |
purtanlsm OF . Cromwell followed, and Wesley anism
born. Then, when the iuXurance in wrong. and |
when the cold, Unconditional Puritansm found In |
sufficient for the salvation Of the people, Wesley arose.
and the people who were not people OF God became
God-serving multitude


He then passed in rapid review what tho Wesleyan |
Methodist church had done, only in England, lrc-
land Scotland and America, but throughout the world.
When Methodism was favored by God both the head |
and heart OF sick and needed restoration
health aud strength. Wesley ana his followers came |
with the new doctrine, by which emotional religion
recognized and taught and lis truth had been
finding root IN greatly Increasing number OF souls
every year. In the great change which mad ta1en |
place the wider spread of religious truths pure and
simple since tho days when the Romish Church was
triumphant be claimed that IL had been The
He recited Its work In tho Reformation, IN
religion in antisAvery and in temperance work;
claimed for It the origin OF effective missionary work
In nearly all desirable regards, and In conclusion
called upon those OF tho drst dedicated church IN
America 10 stand BY their Church and its doctrines
leving IL to be the Church best adapted tho saliva
ton OF man throughout tho world