The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-08-01

Boardman Missionary Society, Sunday even.
ing, by Rev. DR.. Shailer of this city, We pre-
sent an abstract of the dscourse:
Matt 1913. "But he answered and said. every
plant which my Heavenly Father bath not planted
shall be rooted up"
In the Introduction aliusion was made to
the circumstances under which the words
were spoken and the lesson they were intend
ed to convey. 1t was shown that God was
the source of all truth and in every form in
which it was found it was of his planting.
That error had different source springing
from seeds which the Heavenly Father did not
plant Hence tie subject presented for dis
cussion is the fiGal overthrow of error and the
triumph of truth. But skepticism asks, will
this ever lie realized. The affirmative side of
the question was taken and sustained, for the
following reasons:
l. Jesus himself declared it. He was true
teacher and this is evident from his character,
from the fact that predictions which he gave
respecting events that were to have fulfil
ment previous to This time have been fulfilled.
He spoke for instance of his betrayal by one of
his disciples, of his DEATH and of his resurrec-
ton from the tomb; of the seige of Jerusalem
the national banner Of the besiegers, of the ut
ter prostration of the temple, SO entire would
left on another; the taking OF the holy city and
the terrible suffering of the Inhabitants
Though some of these events seemed highly
improbable when spoken of at that time yet
forty years afterwards they had their fulfil
ment with scrupulous exactness. He also
made predictions in regard to the dsSemina-
ton of his gospel and history proves him a
prophet for after the lapse of eighteen centu-
ries we may challenge infidelity to show sim
gle prediction of his that related to events an
tecedent to this time that has not come to pass
and may take this as analosical proof that
what he predicted in regard to the future will
also be fulfilled. Hence we may infer that
this declaration will have its fultilment that
false systems of religion however venerable
from their antiquity are to be overthrown and
error rooted up.
2. Another argument upon this point may be
drdacn from the inherent and superior poioer of
truth. Truth emanated from God and is to be
regarded as something he planted. Error has
different origin and in every form is antag-
Onistic to truth, and hence there is constant
warfare between it and truth in the world
to obtain the mastery. They can never be-
come reconciled to each other but one must
eventually conquer. Truths allies are less
active ard bolster0us than errors but they are
OF higher origin and if he who planted truth
cares for it and for its triumph then its til
umph is certain as an event ultimately to be
realized. Error has powerful allies and agen-
cies but none so powerful as truth in thai God
is truths ally giving to it its vitality Error is
pretentious, asserting that she is what she is
not, but she has no substantial basis. 1t orig
mated in falsehood and may be traced back
to the Father of Lies and it is just here
that its most beautiful and plausible
theory had its origin. 1t asserts a
thing is SO when it is not. Its positions in re-
ligion and science are untenable, its premises
deceptive, its conclusions false. But truth is
real, has positive existence and relies solely
upon what she is. She is modest and waits
for her claims to be recognized without forcing
herself upon the world. Many battle has
been fought between the two in ethics, science
and religion, but truth has always been victo-
rious carrying off the trophies of her superior
ity. Theories have been exploded, systems
nurtured for ages have melted away yearly be-
fore the truth as snow before the sur. Her
march onward has been grand one for sophis
try has slowly but surely yielded to sound log
ic, and superstition and fancy to sober reason.
Go back one century and see how many
errors and false theories have been over
thrown but go back still further and still
more obvious will be the change. Calico
was cruelty imprisoned for advocating
thus error is perpetually compelled to change
her folm OF attack to keep up even the show
of conflict. And this is one of errors peculiar
tiles. Defeated at ona point she changes her
form of attack. But truth is ever the same.
'.The eternal years of God are hers and
same form with increased power and vgor.
Give her a fair field and her march shall be
still more stately and her track broader and
more magnificent.
g. A third argument may be draaon from the
fact that the c0nQueStS of truth are final. 1t has
been wisely said that nothing is settled which
is not right Compromises may be made di-
pl0macy prevail by arttulness and intrigue, but
the differences that exist will not remain set
tied except an the eternal basis of justice and
oh Stofac haua triol 70 soft
al difficulties by compromises but they were
only : temporarily successful. American
slavery was not settled till right principles
prevailed. And the same reasoning may be
applied to truth and error Nothing is settled
in science or religion that is false. Error may
be believed and undisturbed for ages but truth
in its march will come in contact with it SOON
err or later and disturb its repose. The author
of Christianity said II come not to bring peace
into the world but sword" His religion
was designed to be aggressive, attacking error
at every point and uprooting what is false, and
establishing what is true, and what it estab-
fishes it will hold for "retorms never go back
ward" The waves of error may roll round it
and break over it, but it will stand firm as
rock in mid-Ocean. All thu truths OF science
have held what they have gained; the law of
gravtation, the Copernican system of astrono-
my which met with determined opposition in
the be ginning, are as firm now as when they
forced a reluctant belief from ignorance and
prejudice. Moral truths make slower progress
than scientific truths because they are not al
ways demonstrable, but they do make progress,
and whatever may be said of the former days
being better than these, the prevalence of skep-
ticism and infidellty in the community is prob
ably less than at any time since man was Gre
ated, and Jesus never had sucn controlling
power over so many minds as to-day. And as
morals truths become established errors
will be uprOoted, because irreconoilable with
what is admitted to be true. And the work OF
adjusting one theory with another will go on
until the adjustment shall be complete, and
truth, always consistent with itself and its sew
era parts which are consistent with each other
blending in beautiful and perfect harmony
shall be established as the basis of all creeds
and the GROWING glory of all practical belief.
From the subject We derive two differences.
First the obligation of all acho loue the truth to
engage actively IN ats promotion. The sperker
here urged upon those engaged in the mission
airy work to go on with the good cause and to
strive to conquer error and to disseminate the
truth. They had done gloriously in the past;
let them still strive and work hard in the fu-
ture. The success of truth thus far has been
owing to the loving and active support it has
received from itstollowers, and by continue
ton of these efforts the light will illuminate
the places that now are dark and error will be
driven from existence.
I'd. We deriUe from our subject the ciiefest
encouragement an prosecuting the acork. We
must remember that it will not do to rest on
our oars. We have seen what has been ac-
complished and we know what can be if we
Will only strive with all our might We must
strive to uproot error in every form; then shall
we be simply bringing to pass the words of our
Heavenly Father that every plant be bath
not planted shall be rooted up"