Church Endowment, a Sermon

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1839. Excerpt: ... SERMON, PREACHED IN RIPON MINSTER AT THE ORDINATION HELD BY THE LORD BISHOP OF RIPON, ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 1839. BY THE REV. CHARLES DODGSON, M.A. LATE STUDENT OP CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD, AND EXAMINING CHAPLAIN TO THE BISHOP OP RIPON. PUBLISHED BY DESIRE OF THE LORD BISHOP. LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON, St. Paul's Church Yard, And Waterloo Place, Pall Mall & SOLD BY PARKER, OXFORD; THIRL WAY, RIPON; & HADDOCK, WARRINGTON. 1839. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, CHAELES THOMAS, LORD BISHOP OF RIPON, THIS SERMON, PREACHED BY HIS APPOINTMENT, HONOURED BY HIS APPROBATION, AND PUBLISHED BY HIS DESIRE, IS, WITH SINCERE RESPECT AND AFFECTION, INSCRIBED. SERMON, Preach the Gospel.--Mark xvi. 15. Among the various means of grace, ordained by God and honoured by His blessing, the faithful ministry of the Word must ever be regarded as holding a distinguished place. The history of the Christian Church has borne full testimony to its efficacy; and although, in accordance with the prophetic picture drawn by our Lord Himself, much of the seed has fallen by the way side, among the thorns, or on the rock, still there has never been wanting good ground, prepared by the Divine Sower for its reception, wherein it has taken root, and brought forth fruit, according to the measure of the Spirit which God has given to every man, some thirty some sixty, some an hundred fold. On the other hand, where from ignorance, from indolence, from want of personal religion, the task of the Preacher has been unfaithfully executed, evil consequences have, in the same proportion, been produced: false doctrine, heresy, and schism, like rank and noxious weeds, have overgrown the soil, which the good fruit should have occupied; practical piety has languished and decayed;...