The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1852-11-20

WEBSTER on THE EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY
The following article possesses renewed inter
est at the present time:
A few evenings since, sitting by his own fire.
side, after day Of severe labor in the Supreme
Court, Mr.. Webster introduced the last Sab
baths sermon, and discoursed in animated and
glowing eloquence for an hour on the great
truths of the Gospel. I cannot but regard the
opinions OF such man in some sense as public
property. This is my apology for attempting
to recall some of those remarks which were ut
tered in the privacy of the domestic circle:
Said Mr.. Webster: Last Sabbath. listened
to an able and learned discourse upon the evil
dences of Christianity The arguments were
drawn from prophecy. history. with internal ev-
idence. They were stated with logical accura-
cy and force; but, as it seemed to me, the cler-
eyman failed to draw from them the right con-
cluslon. He came so near the truth that | was
astonished that he missed il. In summing up
his arguments, he said the only alternative pre-
sented by these evidences is this Either Chris
tianity is true, or it is a delusion produced by
an excited Imagination. Such is not the alter
native, said the critic; but it is this: The Cos
pei is either true history. or it is a consummate
fraud; it is either reality or an imposition
Christ was what he prOfessed to be or he was an
mpostOr. There is no other alternative His
tpOtless life, in His earliest enforcement of the
sruth, His suffering in its defence, forbid us to
huppose that he was following an illusion of a
seated brain.
Every act of his pure and holy life. shows
that he was the author of truth. the advocate of
truth, the earnest defender of truth. and the un-
complaining sufferer for truth. Now consider
ing the purity of his doctrines. the simplicity of
his iifc and the sublimity of his DEATH is it pos
slble that he would have died for an illusion -
In all his preaching. the Savior made no popu-
lar appeals. His discourses were all directed
to the individual. Christ and his Apostles
sought to impress upon every man the convic-
ton that he must stand or fall alOne--he must
live for himself and die for himself and give up
his account to the Omniscient God. as though he
were the only dependent on the universe. The
Gospel leaves the individual sinner alone with
himself and his God. To his own Master, he
stands or falls. He has nothing to hope from
the aid and sympathy of associates. The delud-
ed advocates of new doctrines do not so preach.
Christ and his apostles, had they been deceivers,
would not have so preached.
III clcreymen in our day would return TO the
simplicity of the Gospel and preach more to i'll
diViduals and less to the crowd. there ouid not
be 20 much complaint of the doctrine of true re-
ligiOn. Many OF the ministers OF the present
day take their text from st. Paul. and preach
from the newspapers. When they do SO, pre-
fer to enjoy my own thoughts rather than to lis
ten. want my pastor to come to me in the
spirit of the Gospel. saying: You are mortal ;
your probation is brief; your work n.ut be
done speedily. You are immortal too. You
are has tening to the Lar OF God the Judge
standcth before the door, When | am thus ad-
mOIishcd. | have no d.sposit on to move CT to
sleep, These TOPICS, sad Mr.. Webster. have OF
ten occupied my thoughts. and if / had time
would wrte upon them myself
The above remarks are but mea.re and i'm
perfect abstract from memory. OF one Of the
most eloquent sermons to which l ever listened.
i-COngreg egatiOnat Journal.