SERMON XIII. THE DUTY OF CHURCHMEN WITH REFERENCE TO POPULOUS TOWNS. [Preached at the Consecration of Bishop Ryder's Church in Birmingham, Dec. 18, 1838.] EPHESIANS V. 14. "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." It is on a happy, as well as on a pious occasion, that we are here met to-day-to dedicate to God's honour this building at length completed, and to rejoice, at the same time, that a twofold object has been accomplished. First, that the heart's desire of many affectionate and thankful persons has been gratified by the raising of a befitting monument to the memory of One whom, with good cause, we loved and venerated; and far more, that, in the act of doing this, provision has been made for supplying with the bread of life the inhabitants of a crowded district; for whom, following, as he was wont, his heavenly Master's footsteps, he himself had, almost with his last breath, expressed a special compassion, because they were, beyond others, as "sheep not having a shepherd." Thanks be to God for what he has disposed and enabled the contributors to this work to do. May His continual pity still cleanse and defend his church. May He hear the prayers which we have offered up, that his grace may ever accompany the administration of christian ordinances in this place. May He add to his church daily many who shall be saved; and wheresoever he shall be pleased to record his name, may He meet and bless his worshippers. But having as, God be praised, we have, his gracious promises to this effect, is there not a further work to be done on our part? If the topstone of a christian edifice shall be brought forth here to-day, shall that be the signal for our release from labour, or shall we not rather reckon it the good hand of our God upon us, by such measure of acceptance and success, encouraging us to fresh exertions? Look around and see. How vast the harvest, how few the labourers still! How affecting still the call upon our compassion : and how alarming also the necessity which urges! "Let us not be weary of well-doing yet nor" let him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off." Standing where I do, I cannot hesitate in the choice of a subject of discourse. Neither shall I change my purpose as to what I had it in my mind to say to you, because you have actually shown yourselves willing to engage in that work which I would urge upon you, since I received the summons which authorises me to address you.* I would set before you, then, some considerations concerning-The Duty which, at the present crisis, seems to be peculiarly incumbent upon churchmen, with reference especially to the case of populous and growing towns. The text may lead me, by God's assistance, to some suitable exposition and enforcement of this * The rapidly increasing population of Birmingham is already about 180,000 souls. The accommodation in the Churches is at present for not more than 24,000. It is proposed to provide TEN NEW CHURCHES within the next five years, in the poorer parts of the Borough, by contributions payable in five yearly instalments, or sooner, at the option of the Subscribers. Each Church to be endowed with the sum of £1000, and to have a district assigned to it. Each Church to hold 1000 persons at first, with provision for the erection of galleries for 500 more afterwards. Some of the sittings in each to be free, but the greater part to be let at low rates. The Patronage to be in the hands of the Bishop of the Diocese, the Rector or Vicar of the Parish, and three Trustees selected by the Subscribers. duty; and, without further preface, I shall take the words as spoken to ourselves: "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Collectively and individually, we-of this church and nation-have been guilty of great sin; and are brought thereby ourselves, and have suffered others, for whom we are deeply responsible, to be brought also, into great peril: instantly therefore, and vigorously, we must betake ourselves to "redeem the time." But, in God's mercy, gross as our past negligence may have been, we may attempt this hopefully; for the call is not more clear than is the promise of encouragement which accompanies it. I shall ask your attention to those topics which the text suggests, and to the word of exhortation arising out of them. I. And first, I say, there has been great sin: For "to him that knoweth to do good," that hath the talents also, and is put in meet position for a great work, and "doeth it not, to him it is sin" most aggravated. Such has been the fact, however, with the national church and its members. Though with the lamp of christian profession in hand at all times, we have been overtaken with a dead sleep. We have neither watched nor worked, as in gratitude and duty bound, nor as might have been expected from our knowledge and opportunities. God has done great things for this privileged land of ours, and has put much at all times within our reach. He planted his church, "wholly a right seed," amongst us. His commissioned servants brought the very "faith once delivered to the saints" to our remote ancestors in the earliest and purest times of Gospel light. And if succeeding generations did not keep themselves pure-if they held not fast that which is good-if they admitted error, and submitted to usurpations, yet such as came after were taught of God to "ask for the old paths, and to walk therein" again. Corruptions were purged out; the yoke was thrown off; the light brought from under the bushel, and set up in its proper place. Men arose out of the body of the church itself, who did that "which we know Christ himself and all pious and godly men have ever donebrought back religion, which was foully depraved and neglected, to her original and first state: as considering that the reformation of religion was to be made by that which was the first pattern of it." * And when the church, properly convened, had agreed on the profession of faith to be set forth in opposition to the novelties that had * Jewell. |