USA > New York > Orange County > Montgomery > The Goodwill memorial, or, The first one hundred and fifty years of the Goodwill Presbyterian Church : Montgomery, Orange Co., N.Y. > Part 12
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the expiration of a century and a half, with the very spirit of life.
You have honored me with an invitation to be your guest to-night : but when I recall the honored men who have filled your pulpit and your elders' bench, I feel as if I might rather, like my Master, take the basin and napkin and be as one that served. I have been asked to make a few remarks upon this succession of godly men and women who have been the work- ers and worshippers in this church for these years. We hear much of the Apostolic succession, and of the claims of author- ity and genuineness in ministry and church based upon it. But that is full of flaws in argument and missing links in con- tinuance. There is another and better succession, more easily established and less liable to abuse, namely : the succession of the saints under the convenant of Grace. When the chal- lenge is thrown out, " Who shall declare his generation ?" the response is, "He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days ;" " He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satis- fied,"-teaching that there shall be a succession of the godly parents and children, pastors and people, till the end be. A ministerial friend once introduced me to a young lawyer in his congregation, saying, "This is one of the old succession," meaning that he was the son of pious parents, whom I knew, and now himself brought into the church as one of its suppor- ters and co-workers. There is a grand old picture represent- ing the genealogy of the saints, in which patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, are all represented as interlined, with Jesus at once their head and their glory. But that line was left un- finished, suggesting that it is yet incomplete, and that there is room and claim for others to come and step into the line. Forget not, the promise is "to you and your children." Bour- daloue, the eloquent French divine, drops the remark, “Our duty is not to praise the saints, but to give them successors," to add links to this glorious chain through conversion and the calls of the Spirit. Now, in this work, and for it, the church, this church, is a spiritual forge. In it what men, and women, too, have toiled with earnest wielding of the hammer of God's
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word, heating and smiting and shaping, till links not a few, and strong as well, have been riveted into that chain.
Of the ministers of this church, one, its first pastor, the Rev. Joseph Houston, labored for but a few months, while another, the Rev. Andrew King, extended his toils through forty years. If a man labor in the same workshop, or culti- vate the same fields, for forty years, he becomes an object of regard for his stability. Business firms, men of the learned professions, who hold the same positions for nearly half a cen- tury, are men of mark, of interest, and, if faithful in their call- ing, have established for themselves a reputation which is en- during. But how much more grand and interesting is the ministry of reconciliation pursued among the same people for a long term of years. Furthermore, what good is accom- plished, whether by the short or the long term, if a man be found faithful. A simple bar of iron, one little pivot, a knife- blade, a needle, all are of interest because of their possible use- fulness. A horse-shoe may be converted into a magnet that will gather a myriad of particles to it. So from the forges of truth, from the ministrations of the sanctuary, warmed by the love of Jesus, and shaped by the hammer of the Spirit, the Word of God, hearts are converted, souls saved, and men and women and little ones fitted to grander possible utilities-to become magnets to draw and links to bind to Jesus.
It is said that every force, and even every body, makes its own record. That even the shadow of a passing object etches itself on a polished surface of steel, and an iceberg of prehis- toric ages has made its scratch on the everlasting hills. But such records are perishable. The inscriptions on the obelisk recently transported to the Thames are illegible on one side, and are rapidly deteriorating on all under England's climate. But there are records on tablets that seem mutable, records on the souls of men which are imperishable, a library written that can never suffer the fate of the celebrated libraries of the world ; and there is one book at least whose memoranda will never grow dim, for it is written, " Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and
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heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name ; and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels." The recording angel has taken his station in this house of God, and noted the results of one hundred and fifty years of faithful labor ; the earnest proclamations of the Word, and the responsive tear and yearning ; the exclamatory prayer, " What must I do ;" the feeling for some one to lead by the hand, and finding it in some of the faithful pastors and elders whose names have been spoken to-night with such affectionate reverence, and whose impress is upon this whole community, which they helped to bring to its present degree of culture and Christian refinement. Of how many under their administration may it have been said, " This man was born there." In seasons of revival what sheaves have been gathered for Christ! for this church has been one of revivals. How many have been given in marriage, and their nuptials blest by the former pastors of this church ! By how many sick beds have they stood, holding the hand of the dying till it slipped from their grasp in the swelling of Jor- dan ! Here, to-night, are exhibited the portraits of some of these worthies. But on how many eyes glassing in death was the pastor's face the last image. How often have they stood in God's acre when the golden hair of some loved child was laid away, as it were a "crock of gold," and the aged head, where the snows of winter might replace the silver locks, them- selves at last also to be gathered into the same acre, and be- come a handful of bonnie dust, to await the resurrection of the just. We even congratulate you upon holding among you such treasures and such invisible influences, of which this church may be regarded as in some sort a monument. A monument, however, unfinished. Invisible hands have been building, beside those now living, and you are laboring on a shaft the foundations of which were laid a century and a half ago. See to it not merely that you build, but that you have a place in it, as lively stones hewn out without hands. Let me say to the dear young people, especially to the baptized
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children of the church, you have a part in this work : as chil- dren of the covenant you owe it and yourselves a duty to step to your place in the wall, and I remind you, as a spur to duty, of the incisive words of Joseph McElroy, D.D., pastor of the Scotch Presbyterian Church, New York city: " Woe be to the child of Christian parents who breaks the chain of cove- nanted mercy." Flock around this church, as we hear you do, for we hear it is the favorite resort of the young people. Come to be its workers, to receive its benison, the blessedness of the faith ; to have your names on its communion rolls. The promise is especially to you. For, although we are Presby- terians, we are covenanters, and will yield to none, not even to those who colonized from this church to assert their faith in the covenant, and to avow, as it was the belief of the sound, efficient ministry who have preached the Word here, that it is our faith, as theirs, that " He will keep covenant with his peo- ple to a thousand generations." Hence, let parents not merely pray, but expect the conversion of their children. Then may we expect not merely that the chain of the succession will be maintained here on the earth, but that it will be formed around the throne likewise, and not a link be found wanting in that day ; and so parents and children, pastor and people, sower and reaper, may rejoice together.
Anthem : "I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusa- lem ! which shall never hold their peace, day nor night. Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give Him no rest, till He establish the praise of Jerusalem in all the earth. Beautiful is Zion, the joy of all the earth. Beautiful for situation is Zion, city of our King."
Rev. Mr. BEATTIE spoke as follows :
At this stage of this service it seems to me that this audience must be in a situation similar to that of two little chicks, of whom I have heard, who were being transported by express between two distant points. In order for their comfort, a box had been prepared, in one end of which a quantity of corn
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sufficient for the journey had been stored, and in the other end the chicks were put, with these words plainly printed over them : " When you look at me, feed me." The arrangement, however, had nearly proved their death, for at the last account they were peeping, panting, and praying to be delivered from the excessive kindness of their friends. This, I think, must be your situation now, in view of the extended and varied feast of fat things furnished you by the speakers that have preceded me, and the very beautiful and appropriate selections of music offered by the choir ; and you are ready to bless the man who first cries, "Hold ! Enough !"-a feeling that, I fancy, will become more intense when I announce the subject assigned me by your pastor : The responsibilities of the church, in view of the possibilities of the next half century of this live age. For, if it has taken two hours and a quarter to review thus hastily one hundred and fifty years of the past, when can you hope to be dismissed when I shall have fully discussed the possibilities of the future?
Allow me, however, to furnish you a little relief by saying that I shall only throw out for your consideration a few of the bones of the skeleton that I had constructed out of this theme, without attempting either to knit them together, or clothe them with flesh, or quicken them into a thing of life.
First, consider what is possible, in view of the strange union between Science and Skepticism, that is characteristic of this age. How men can stand, and, with telescopic vision, sweep the heavens; how, with pick and spade, they can go down into the bowels of the earth, and by deduction, if not by actual research, stand at its very centre; how, with micro- scope, they can so exactly analyze the minutest forms of life and matter, that they almost reach what seem to be the ulti- mate molecules out of which all things are made; how they can do all this and not find, with telescope, microscope, pick and spade, God in all, under all, over all, we cannot under- stand. But they do; and the sad, strange fact is presented that a multitude, if not the majority, of the world's most famous scientists, who, with their improved instruments and
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methods of analysis, seem to have almost reached the ultimate line that separates the seen and the unseen-or, I might almost say, joins the spiritual and the material-stop short of finding God, and learning to fear, trust, love, and serve him ; and affirm that there is no God, at least no personal God, to love or fear. And although we cannot predict the possible results of such a union as this, there is no denying the fact that the satanic seizure of science by skepticism, and the effort to make tele- scope, spectroscope, microscope, scalpel, and chemic test. establish Atheism, is one of the features of the future that imposes special responsibilities on the church of Christ, and must give special direction to her work.
A second possibility that commands attention is found in the antagonism which the activities of the age present to the work of the church and Christianity.
Everywhere we find intellectual, æsthetic, sensuous, indus- trial, mechanical and commercial activities arraying them- selves against righteous law, as defined by the Lord our Righteousness-as, for instance, the Sabbath law. How largely is it ignored, how extensively is it transgressed, by what is considered the necessities of these activities. Rail- ways, for the most part, have ceased to recognize the sanctity of the Sabbath altogether. Many of our large furnaces can- not afford even to bank their fires, in obedience to the Sabbath law. In the pursuit of pleasure, multitudes ride over all of its restrictions, and the Sabbath of to-day is not the Sabbath which the forefathers of this church saw and kept. What is true of the Sabbath law is true of every law that seems to stand in the way of the prosecution of the characteristic activities of the age; and out of this antagonism arises possi- bilities that the church cannot contemplate without alarm, and responsibilities that must be carefully considered.
A third possibility of the future that we notice is the pro- pagandism of opposing forms of faith.
For the last century Christianity has been almost the only form of religion that has been doing aggressive work. Other religions have been simply endeavoring to hold their ground
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against it. For three-quarters of a century they seemed to see nothing in it to fear, although much to hate. When Carey went down to India, leaving a few personal friends in Britain to "hold the rope," neither the East India Company nor the Hindoos anticipated any measurable results. What cared Paganism for the Hay-stack prayer meeting, out of which the American Board grew? "What do these feeble Jews?" was the taunt with which the early missionaries were met. All this is changed now. Japan, China, India, the realm of the False Prophet, are all alarmed at the presence and power of Christianity, and they too are waking to aggressive work. Stanley finds King Mtesa in Central Africa a Mohammedan. Through his ministry the king is converted to Christianity. The fact is published to the world. Immediately measures are set on foot to establish a Christian mission in his domin- ions. The tidings are carried to Constantinople. The Moham- medans are alarmed, and they, too, organize their mission and send missionaries to contest the ground in Africa. The same condition of things meets us everywhere. The Protestant missionary can scarcely occupy a field anywhere that he does not find a Romish priest opposing him. Mohammedanism is, in all lands it has ever occupied, earnestly aggressive. The Brahmo Sumaj (a reformed Brahmanism) confronts the Gospel in India; Shintooism in Japan; Mormonism is canvassing Europe for converts with marked success ; Skepticism, in all its phases, displays a wonderful activity. And the possibilities resulting from this propagation of opposing forms of faith is one of the things that the church of Christ must study in order to appreciate her responsibility'. But are the possibilities all to be shaded in dark colors? do they all forbode evil. By no means, for we notice-
Fourthly-It is possible that all the investigations of skep- tical science may become eminently helpful in covering the earth with the knowledge of the glory of God.
There is light, there is illuminating power, in all these wonderful facts that are being discussed and systematized so admirably. The light may be hidden, as it is in the strata of
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coal and the veins of oil ; but a flash, a spark, and they all may be made to blaze with the glory of God in the eyes of an admiring world. Let me notice one fact that is significant. The tendency of all investigations is towards unity. It has long been an accepted fact that about sixty distinct elements enter into the production of the various forms of matter. It is now believed that that number can be greatly reduced, and that the elements of matter may be almost unified. So is it acknowledged that the ten thousand forces of life are not so many distinct forces, but modifications of one all pervading force. To us there is but a short step between one element, one force, one power, one law, one life, one will, one God.
But what, we ask, are the responsibilities of the church in view of these possibilities ?
I. We are responsible for keeping ourselves clothed and filled with that power from on High, with which alone we can cope with this opposition. There must be the closest possible union and communion between the Head and the members, between the Captain of our salvation and His militant church. In Him alone we conquer.
2. In order to this, we must magnify the importance and power of prayer, which, as has been well said, is the belt through which the energy of the distant and unseen Source of power is communicated to our souls and life. The activities of the age certainly will demand more power and more prayer. And I mean prayer-I mean not mere forms of prayer, it may be, not mere petitions; but more of that importunity and carn- estness of petition that has marked the eras of the triumphs of the past.
3. On the church there is rolled an unusual responsibility in preaching. By preaching I mean the authoritative procla- mation of the Gospel. Such a proclamation as an herald or ambassador might be expected to give to a message from the supreme power to his abject subjects. I fear that in teaching and preaching the Word, we fail to magnify this feature of our mission. We feel called upon to account for, to apologize for, to harmonize the apparent internal and external incon-
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sistencies of our message ; whereas we are asked to do no such thing, but rather take it as it is, and give the most emphatic utterance to it as the Word of the living God. The day for apologists has long since passed. What is wanted now is to give authoritative declaration to the great facts of sin and salvation-to go PREACH to a perishing world of One "mighty to save !"
4. There is a responsibility in the way of practicing what we pray over and what we preach. The most forcible, the unanswerable, argument of Christianity is Christ (the wonder- ful person, who is himself the perfect embodiment of Chris- tianity); and after Chirist, Christians. On any other ground, on any other position, the world can meet us and contend man- fully with us, and often overcome; but they cannot escape or answer the evidences and the arguments for Christianity fur- nished by Jesus Christ. They can condemn men, but find no fault in Him ; they can spit in His face, but not spot it. They have crucified Him, but He has risen again ; they have trampled His truth under foot, but still it triumphs; they have trailed His banners in the dust, burnt His disciples at the stake, but their blood has been the seed of the church, and their ashes the salt of the earth. They cannot destroy the force of the argument of the life, the death, the resurrection of the living Christ, and living Christians. In illustration of this, let me ask of what avail were all arguments against Christianity, as set over against the character and life of Nathaniel Brewster, as he moved up and down among you? I speak of him only because he was the best known to me of the sainted men who have served this church, and I am ready to affirm that on the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, that he and others like him bore, all the fiery darts of the adversary not only fell powerless, but from them returned to wound those who sent them.
And why is it, brethren, since there is such power in the person of a Christian, and in practical Christianity, that we do not possess more of it? Why is it that so many of us profess- ing Christians, instead of being bright and shining lights, salt
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-full of savor; epistles, that do credit to paper, pen, and pen- men ; Bibles, which when read of the world are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness, are, as a matter of fact, " Will-'o-the-Wisps," salt without savor, wells without water, clouds driven of the wind and tossed, spots on the feasts of charity, who rather confound than convict-blind, than enlighten the world ?
5. We have a responsibility in propagating this Gospel.
On this thought I cannot enlarge, and will simply leave it with the question : Are we, brethren in the ministry and the church, meeting our responsibility in this particular when we only offer an average of one dollar apiece for all our commu- nicants as the aggregate of collections for a year for propagat- ing the gospel throughout the whole world, beyond the limits of our own congregations ?
Look down that long ravine that runs from the central mountain range of the Holy Land to the valley of the Jordan, and gives us a distant view of the lands beyond. Look, if you will, from the position we may occupy in connection with a conflict whose issue sometimes seems doubtful, and of a church of which we sometimes complain as a worldly church, living in an intensely materialistic age, and apparently unable to cope with the powers of materialism that are combining against her-a position very like that which Isaiah occupied when he stood on the watch-tower studying the future. Away down in the distance he sees-we see-a stranger coming, sweeping up the valley. From the direction whence he moves the prophet concludes that he comes from Edom-comes from Bozrah, the capital of Edom-comes from the home of the inveterate and indomitable enemy of the Hebrews comes with the movement and majesty of a conqueror. And the prophet inquires: "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this that is glorious in his apparel. travelling in the greatness of his strength?" To which we add : Who is this that cometh from heaven; heralded by angels singing Glory to God, and good will to men? Who is this, at whose crucifixion the earth moves, the rocks are rent.
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and the dead rise? Who is this that stands at the door of the sepulchre, conqueror of death, spoiler of the grave? Who is this that comes sweeping down the ages, in red, though royal robes, still travelling in the greatness of his unexhausted strength? This is the answer: "I, that speak in righteous- ness, mighty to save." Speaking in righteousness-mighty to save. There is hope there.
All that is possible for Him is possible for the church. All that is promised Him, and he has promised it, is possible for us. Right is to reign ; and as we stand within these gates and sweep the prospects of the future, the promised possibilities not only line but bind every cloud with brightness, and illumin- ate all lands with the knowledge of the glory of our God.
What part this Goodwill church may play in the future drama of the world's redemption, we dare not venture to affirm ; but this we can predict, that if in the future, as in the past, this pulpit is used only for the preaching of Christ incar- nate, crucified, risen, crowned ; and pastors and people continue to pray and practice what they preach, and propagate their faith with a liberality and zeal proportioned to their ability, this church must not only abide, but grow ; and for it, and for those who have been and shall be associated with it, we have nothing better to desire than that, when the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God, and the dead in Christ, whose dust lies buried in this consecrated ground, shall come forth from their graves, Goodwill church may greet them, and from its gates a number far exceeding those who have already entered the kingdom here may pass hence to glory.
Anthem : " How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings ; that publisheth peace ; that bringeth good tidings of good ; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, thy God reigneth. Thy watchman shall lift up the voice, with the voice together shall they sing ; for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion."
The congregation then joined with the choir in singing, to
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the tune of Lenox, a MEMORIAL HYMN, written for the occa- sion by WILLIAM GRAHAM, of Dubuque, Iowa :
MEMORIAL HYMN.
Our fathers long ago, Obedient to Thy word, Here builded in Thy name, This Temple to Thee, Lord. Thou didst their humble efforts bless, And crown their labors with success.
Thrice fifty years have past, Here still Thy truth is taught, And messages of grace With love and mercy fraught, Through Christ's ambassadors are given, To teach our feet the way to Heaven.
Thrice fifty circling years Have seen Thy people prove The riches of Thy grace, The treasures of Thy love: Our fathers, ransomed by Thy blood, Here sleep in Christ and rest with God.
Still this dear people greet With choicest blessings, Lord ; Still strengthen every stake, And lengthen every cord : This temple honor as Thine own, But dwell Thou in each heart alone.
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