Year: 1872




cessOr OF Rev. DR.. McCron


LEXINGTON AVENUE SYNAGOGUE
Tho Gift and tho Growth OF Faith-Ths
Foundation and the Elements Thereof
Sermon by Rev. DIR. Huebsch.


A large congregation gathered in this beautiful
Jewish temple, In Lexington avenue and Fifty fifth
street, yesterday, In whose presence was read the
sixteenth chapter OF Isaiah and the seventy-sev-
enth psalm. The former describes the passage Of
the Israelites through the Red Sea and the straits
in which they were placed just before they crossed
over. In the latter the psalmist referring to this
historic event, bases prayer and plea for faith
In and entire dependence upon God. And these
constituted in brief the theme of DR.. Huebsoh,S
discourse. God, he said, has means to educate
men in faith such as that which iS here
indicated In bringing the Israetes up out of Egypt
Now they are elated and now they are troubled BY
fear and anguish. 1t s as o dream when ono
Is hungry and his soul fainteth and he awaketh and
Is not satisfied or as one bending over an abyss
who Is suddenly snatched from destruction. Even
SO were the Israelites when they left Egypt.
Pharaoh and his army were behind them and the
Red Sea was before them. and they began to muir
muir at Moses and Aaron. Wealth to be appreciated
must be acquired by labor. Some may obtain It
without labor, but this is the exception and not
the rule and 1t Is not so sure as when we work for
1t, nor Is 1t 80 readily kept by US. man who has
not toiled for his possessions rarely knows their
value, and what comes easily goes easily also, be-
cause it lacks the retaining weight OF labor which
can keep 1t. 1t Is even so with spirituA
riches. Gifts Of the heart and Of the mind must
come by labor. Genius is as much gift OF God az
are the hands Of man. But II man keeps his
hands all day in his pockets or hangs them list
lessly by his side he will never become rich, he will
cease to be pauper. And If a man will not cult
vate and develop the genius and talent which God
gives him he, too. will remain Door in the


WEALTH OF HEART AND INTELLECr.


The old philosopher was right when he compared
genius to rich ground. The fatter it Is the more
thorns and weeds viii it produce II it Is at al
neglected, and genius neglected viii produce only
vices and not virtues, poverty OF mind and not
and asked the teacher to show me the best one oi
his pupils He was called out and as looked In
his countenance ! saw earnestness OF purpose
and an iron will depicted there. Near him
sat another boy whose face betokened genius and
was full Of high promise. He blushed in disap.
| boy. While looked approvingly at the best, alse
| made inquiries about this lad The teacher said
the the other ' Was the most dilisent The ease with
| which the boy Of genius learns makes him under


teacSer acS Sa he w IL not rea It.
| will not become culture to him. But IN the other
boys mind every sentence carries Win II the the
lessons will never be lost out OF his mind or heart.
Earnest labor is, therefore, better than genius:
Faith Ia the highest grade O spiritual culture and
the study OF the molly scriptures brings the mind to
this end and ennobIes in this way But faith to ac
complish this must have the assistance OF a mans
heart and mind. The operation OF faith Is various
/ in different minds and this fact should be known
and remembered l imagine, said DR.: Huebsch,
that the psamist opened his Bible, and as he read
| his mind was filled with care and his heart with
That Is the rain cloud before the bright shining Of
| the sun. The bow must appear ere the peace
| comes. He read on and his heart was consoied:
ap,bar vnqr n
the Most High; he thought on the works or tho
Lord and His wonders in the days Of old. and as he
| was compelled to ask himself "Wh0 Is as great
God as our God, whose way Is IN the sea and His
path in the great waters and his footsteps are nOt
known ~ lie coula therefore trust In God and
he would pray to Him. But another man opens
/ THE BIBLE, AND ITS READING


cxcites only criticism in his mind 1t Is false and
contradictory and If he had the writing and editing
OF 1t he would not leave 1t open to such errors ana
misstatements. His heart OF course remains cold
| and unmOved SO Is 1t with prayer. To one u Is
the ladder that Jacob saw, strong enough to bear


chter these n sorrows appear to him. and the
stronger becomes his hope and trust anu an s tn9
back again upon his own heart as the angels on
Jacobs ladder assembled and descehded. 10 announcer
the IDEA Oh the hnee or moves the ps az
| Eli looked upon Hannah-as one intoxicated he
doubts the efficacy OF prayer because ne mas never a
attempts to pray It is to a god OF his own making
and not to the God of the universe and his words



it the fault OF faith Is not iaith the same TO all
and for all Is not the sun the same sun to the
blind as to the man who can see Certainly; Dut
in one the organ OF sight Is active, while IN the
other 1t is lost dormant. Hence men who re-
ceive nothing but barrenness In answer TO their
PRAYERS argue that the effect OF the prayer OF
faith Is altogether imaginary But let them bring
a willing heart and ready mind TO the Nord OF
God and they will find a n0od OF light from its
sacred pages shining into their souls. And they
shall see such magnificent sights as they never con-.
ceved Of nor with the bodily eyes, But


while this faith is the gift and grace OF
| God 1t must be maintained and cultivated by men
tai activity. Bread does not grow in the eartn.


but the seed from which 1t is made does ana there
Is long chain OF labor between the seed corn ano


the bread. Israel left Egypt Win unleavehea ee me :


possessed They had done nothing themselves to


cultiyate H. They would not believe Moses until


fhey had seen the miracles. They could not truss


God In the cloudy day as wen as IN tne sunsnne.


Pharaoh's army fast gaining on them from behind,
| they said to Moses "Werc there not graves enough


in Epypt that thou hast brought us here TO die -


this wildernessso And another deemed IL better


10 have served the Egyptians than to have come
THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING BUT OF GOD


whose power they had seen in Egypt. And when


Moses bade them stand still and see the salvation
Of God, he, too, thought that God would DO all now


as heretofore and the people do nothing; but the
Lord told him to bid the children Of Israel ''go
forward" And whittier forward Into the sea :
Yes. And tins venturlng OF themselves upon uio
command and the promises OF God added tO tneiL


faith--a faith which In after ages became grandl
. sublime. And hence, when they had crossed tuo
Red Sea and their enemies were swallowed III tsa
: depths, the sacred historian adds that they pe.
j ueved the Lord aud His servant Moses. An2usn
and trouble educate men into faith, and alth tnus
i perfected trusts God anywhere and at all tlmes
: because 1t sees Him whose way Ii In the sea anu
i His path In the mighty waters aud wnoss 'ooesaeP'