Year: 1872




Dermon by Rev. Morgan Dix-Who Shall


BE Our True Teachers.


The Sabbath services at st. Pauls Protestant
Episcopal church yesterday were attended by an
unusually scanty though by oil means pious and
attentive, congregation. In the quaint historical
ediace itself there ia very little reason to complain
Of the oppressive heat, it being satisfactorily
c0mmodating and thoroughly ventilated. The rea-
ron for absence therefore, must be attributed either
to lack Of that spirit OF sincerity which prompts
devotion or to that universal mania for rural
shades which seems to sway the desires Of the
devOtee as well as the Indifferent at this season,
and which impels them "to take TO themselves
wings" and ny ''where the woodbine twineth."
The congregation at St. Paul's. however must have
reaped their own peculiar spiritual advantages
from the profitable sermon yesterday OF the


REV. MORGAN DIX,


the subject Of which might have been made one OF
intense interest to any Christian congregation.


After the necessary announcements OF the day
the reverend lecturer chose his text from Isaiah
XXX, 20, reading as follows --"And though the
Lord give you the bread OF adversely and the water
Of aflcton, yet shall not thy teachers be removed
into any more but thine eyes shall see thy
teachers." Through the nn9ec csiving providence Of
GOd the Light or the World duly appointed teachers
have been placed over the children Of men, whom
all are requested TO look up 70 for the teaching Of
those precepts which Jesus Christ Himself wished
they should inculcate. Hence IL Is that the cnig-
matical words OF the prophet which have just been
repeated have their attached weight and impor-
taiice today, as on the day OF their divineiy
inspired utterance. God has spoken through Ills
prophets and through Isaiah. He has told us that
'Our eyes shall see our teachers" Oh the blessed
ness Of the sight which we are assured that we
shall behold In one clear uncloudcd vision But
where ? is IL here below, amid the darkness Of
error and the gloom of widespread hhdellty. or is
u Ia that great world OF happiness beyond the
grave. where the eye IL never dimmed by error
This seems 10 be the critical point, and when we
attempt 10 scan It's meaning we only struggle for
the solution OF an enigma. Systems have arisen
ffom age to age, and one has Invariably co3tra.
aicted the other. The true teachers were not AZ
the helm.


must therefore be He whom our eyes shall behold
IN the blessedness Of His majesty. Symbolic teach
iDgs are obscure and worldly symbols are but the
tualy In childish state II takes a deep mind to
read the book OF Nature, which bears upon its
70 read the designs OF Providence in q general way
but when they attempt to teach the precepts OF
God and to reveal the secrets OF the book OF Nature
they know not how. We see, for instance, the vcfy
best people AFFLICTED while God permits the repro
bate TO flourish. Look back at your lives. The
teachers In the good or evil consequences OF your
actions How marvclously the Lord rules his
people! But STILL even in the Church, we may hope
to see


The Roman Church processes 70 instruct her children





Of error, yet do we not see many evidences OF its
imperfection, notwithstanding its alleged un-
changeablenessY Do we not see Its dogmas in
creaslng daily-a fact which attests changef We
seek the truth and endeav0r to make progress TO-
wards 1t but who or what mortal can profess to
teach without fear OF being III errorY When we
shape our lives and conduct In unison with the
eternal DEGREES when our destiny is also shaped
accordingly and when we see our true teacher In
chat world OF happiness beyond which there Is
no hoping, then only shall we be certain OF having
followed the direct course. Meanwhile We are
not only free but advised to select our best teach
ers here. We know that IL Is wrong 10 follow. ad
vocate the devil the world and the flesh, false
seducers and unreliable leaders: and IL is recon-
mendable always to beg the assistance OF the Lord,
who Is "the way, the life and the TRUTH" that our
footsteps may never be traced upon the path OF
error.


WHO THEN SHALL BE OUR TRUE TEACHERS
save those whose lives have been examples Of vir-
tue, and who disposed by the providcntial dis
pensations OF God to measure out unto all through
The superabundance Of Ills grace, justice and
equity TO the wronged and sympathy and compass
sfon TO the needy and oppresscdY The reverend lee
turer here concluded by recting with his c0nQrega-
sion an appropriate prayer Tor the obtaining OF the
Hght OF true faith ana the grace OF fna salvation.
BIS piihy and eloquent sermon was listened TO with
Semarkabie attention, and had, no DOUBT its true
spiritual effect.