Year: 1871

Sermon by tho Rev. Mr.. Meredlth--The


Varieties of Temptation.


The Rev. Richard Meredith, of the Simpson
Methodist Episcopal church, Oermont avenue
preached yesterday morning upon temptation,
taking for hts text the following:-'There hath nc
temptation taken you but such as is com
mon to man; but God is faithful, who
win not suffer you to be tempted above
that ye are able; but win with the
temptation also make way to escape, that ye may
be able to bear it"-First Episte Of Paul to the
Corinthians, X. Is. We might, the reverend gentle
man said, consider the subject Of temptation,


FIRST, AS A PHILOSOPHICAL INQUIRY,
and, second, as thing OF fact, and when consi-
dered as a subject OF philosophical inquiry
II presented all the diniculties relating to
GOD and man. The question was asked,
Why we were teinpted-why God allowed it : I The
origin Of evil. In the beginning there was no one
but God IN the world, and whatever came into ex-
stence thereafter the Divine Being must have had
hand In II. II was useless to deny


THE EXISTENCE OF THE DEVIL,


for angels were driven from heaven to hell, became
world OF ours and tempt man. Men and women
were tempted and were frequently the battle ground
there was no devil did not relieve the subject
one tota. Frequently, when men and women
wanted TO do right injected INTO
70 deny their existence. Some people would argue
that evil influences came from bad examples, ana
therefore 10 escape them we should seek home in
the country. flIty miles or more away from New
York; but he would tell them that they could not


TEMPTATIONS OF TIE DEVIL.


While they admitted there was mystery sur
rounding this, we knew that all the time good
and kind GOD relgned supreme. Man was crea-
ture OF temptation, but the temptations were all I'M
der the control Of the Supreme God. Christians
the more they sirived to get closer to the
Lord the greater were the temptations through
which they had to pass But II was the duty Of man
TO resist It. There were TWO departments in tempta-


THE DEVILS SIDE.


We read In Scripture that God tempted Abraham
but this he considered misappication of tine word .
God tried him to test his strength. There was
q difference in the meaning Of the word for
temptation came from an evil source, and trial
came IRON coed source. man who was passing
wrong things, ana he should therefore endeavor to
resist all that which was evil. This temptation was
an ordeal through which It was necessary for him
to pass In order 10 bring ont the good which was In
him. SO It was our duty 10 resist TIE EVIL


INFLUENCES OF THE DEVIL


and bear the trials which come from God AS no
two persons were alike the evil temptations which
they met were dinerent for what might be a
another. They would hnd that Satan would try
different modes OF temptation. There were
ionr CLASSES OF temptation, the hrst Of which
tional weakness was assailed. Tne second was cir.
cumstantia temptation; the third was casual temp.
tation, and Inc fourth critical temptation; each OF
these the reverend gentleman described at length.
II we sought the experience advice OF person Ii
would be one who had passed


THROUGH TRIALS AND AFFLICrioNS


and not one who knew nothing of them. In answer
TO the question, then as TO the OF all this tempt
tlon, he would answer tnat it was TO develop the
character OF man. Many people have different Ideas
in regard to Adam but for his part, ne looked upon
Adam as big child.


ADAM HAD NO PATIENCE,


for he did not know what 1t was neither did he
have any sympathy He stood looking up to heaven
with his clear blue eyes, II they were blue, but id
not know anything about sympathy. DID ne know
anything about sacritce2 OF course he did not
Did ne know anything about patriotisms Nothing
whatever. He was simply big child. He closed
by saying that God was always trying U.s. so that we
might In the end be fitted for heaven if we passed
through the ordeal and He did not impose greater
trials upon US than we were able TO bear.