A sermon for moral enterprise he gave at Iona, N. Y., January, 1835, could it be given as he spoke it, would do more toward setting forth his pulpit ability than all we can publish or say on the subject. His text was Neh. 2: 20: "The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore let us arise and build." The same might be said of any of his ablest discourses; this is mentioned simply because it was the first sermon I ever heard him preach. As the plot of a sermon, then delivered on the excellency of the Gospel, lies before me, I will present it, it being a fair specimen of his usual manner of committing the points of a sermon to paper. Text, Rom. 1: 16: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ."
"1. To arrive at a state in which we glory in the Gospel above all other institutions and systems, is the highest condition of perfection on earth.
"Reasons why we should not be ashamed of the Gospel: 1. The dignity of its author. 2. Its authenticity. 3. Its salutary influence on society. It civilizes man; it elevates woman. It enlightens, convicts, and saves sinners. It unites Christians; is the bond of society. 4. Its doctrine is rational and consistent. 5. Its institutions are all agreeable. 6. Its worship is satisfying and delightful. 7. Its end and object is immortality."
In passing over his dedication services, one is oft times struck with the moral weight and elegance of the passages from which he spoke, as, for instance, at the consecration of the Christian chapel, September, 1832, in Canandaigua, N. Y., he addressed the people from John 8: 32: "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." He dwelt on the extent, the power, and the excellence of truth, the conditions of knowing it, and the freedom it brings. In speaking on the last division of the subject, he alluded to four evils from which the truth liberates believers, namely, ignorance, sin, the misery of guilt, and the enslaving fear of death. On the last idea, he dwelt with peculiar force, showing how the revelation of immortality dissipates death's fears and glooms. Temples of worship, indeed, derive much of their sacredness from the consideration that they are meant to be temples of eternal, imperishable truth.
Also at Berlin, N. Y., 1834, he spoke at the consecration of the Christian chapel, from Rev. 22: 1, 2: "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." Only those who have seen his ingenious dealing with passages of lively imagery can imagine the exhibition of thought this text would inspire, whilst he traced the clear Gospel river which flowed, not from human creeds and institutions, but from the eternal throne, causing life, in its large variety, to bloom in its course.
April, 1824, he held a public debate with a liberally educated clergyman at Rochester, N. Y., in which, by general consent, he triumphantly maintained his cause. The rank of Jesus appears to have been the principal topic. April 7, 1825, at Royalton, N. Y., he preached two sermons, embracing the supreme deity of Jesus, and the doctrine of the Trinity in reply to Rev. Mr. Colton. Sermon first is founded on Rom. 9: 5: "Of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever." Sermon second is founded on 1 Tim. 2: 5: "For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." In laying out his work on the former passage, he observed the following plan:—
"1. Explain the text. 2. Give a general view of the Christian doctrine of God and the Son. 3. Examine and criticise Mr. Colton's sermon. 4. Give my reasons for rejecting the doctrine of the Trinity. In explaining the passage, he says, 'I regard this text as a simple declaration relative to the fulfilment of the promises alluded to in the preceding verse—promises made to the Israelites, of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came—that is, of or through those Israelites his lineage is traced, and to them was the promise of the Messiah made.' This is the first doctrine of the text, and is so self-evident that it requires no further remark.
"The second thing in this verse is, that Christ is declared to be 'over all,' which represents his extensive reign, his universal dominion, his superintendency over all the affairs of the New Dispensation, his being head over all things unto the church, which is his body. 'The head of every man is Christ, and the head of Christ is God.' 1 Cor. 11: 3—which agrees with the Saviour's final address to his apostles after his resurrection, 'All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth,' Matt. 28: 18. A beautiful description of his being first, of his having preëminence, is given, Col. 1: 18, 19: 'And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that, in all things, he might have the preëminence; for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.' There are but two rational conclusions that can be drawn from the words 'God blessed forever,' to neither of which have I any special objection. 1. That the promise is fulfilled, Christ is come, is over all, therefore bless God forever, or let God be blessed for ever, for his fulfilment of so great and glorious a promise; which accords with another expression of St. Paul, Rom. 9: 15: 'Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.' According to this view, it is only an exclamation of praise. 2. That he is 'blessed of God forever,' as the expressions—God blessed and blessed of God signify the same. He was blessed of God, and he shall be blessed of him forever. God promised him, God sent him, God strengthened and glorified him, raised him from the dead, received him at his own right hand, and has committed to him judgment; and, under God, he shall reign over all till the last enemy is conquered. Where is the word or the idea of a Trinity in this text? I cannot find it."
In the last part of the discourse, he assigns seven reasons for rejecting the Trinity, which are:—