The New York herald., 1873-12-15
CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION.
Is Christianity a Failure :-Scrnnon by
the Rev. John Cotton Smith.


CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION.
Is Christianity n Failure :-Scrmon by
the Rev. John Cotton Smith.
The Rev. John Cotton Smith, rector OF the
Church OF the Ascension corner of Tenth street
and Fifth avenue, preached last evening TO large
congregation. His subject was, '.Is Christianity
Failuregn 1t was very natural to associate very
intangible considerations with this subject, he
SAID. Several preachers who had advocated the
same principles presented them in such one
sided light that great injury had been done to
the Gospel. The lacts in regard to the COM
pilation OF the Gospel had been withheld by
many Christian teachers, who had shown in
this matter timdity which was inexpli-
cable to him. They had claimed that
the Gospel had proceeded from Divine voice
heard By all men and immediately believed by all
men. He asked them to Judge what he would say
now without being prejudced By these teachings
and to listen to him simply with reference to the
ascertalnlng OF the truth. 1t was great error to
suppose that il there revelation 1t must have
come in such manner as TO interrupt violently
ALL THE LAWS or NATURE
which God had established. Modern science had
taught them to believe that God always worked
with and not against the laws OF nature. II there
were revelation by some such extraordinary in
terruprion OF nature 1t would be more reasonable
TO suppose that it had not come by the agency OF
God. He wanted 10 call their attention to
the difficulties existing in the processes OF nature.
Tie human mind, III trying 10 master serious
problems OF logic always met with great diifcul-
ties. one OF the great writers o. tue present day.
Mr.. Herbert spencer. laid down tue principle taat
all motion was relative and unceasing. IL was
true that their minds could not observe the abso-
lutte moment OF the cessation OF motion. This was
OF those logical puzzles on which they necessa-
rliy must entangle themselves; SO ~ was VITA al
the work OF the uteect they could only go certain
lengths, owing TO their Unite character and con-
ditlon. The fundamental conception OF tue beng
OF God Of the Will and other points OF tne-
ology, involved the same logical diiIlcul.
ties. When writer in the HERALD challenged
him to prove what he knew to be true
to this important question. What an error II was
10 suppose that the Gospel sprung, ike Minerva,
from Jove's bralnl There WAS not a single manu-
script OF Homer, Tacitus or the other classical
authors which bore a tenth part
OF THE INDICATIONS OF AUTHENTICITY
OF the books OF the New Testament. The sinaitic
manuscript discovered By one of the great theJlo-
eians OF Germany went back TO the 32oth year OF
connect this manuscript with the time in which
the apostles lived. The fact that in the history OF
the world those who had interested themselves
most deeply in the welfare OF mankind mad not
written but that their writings were SIMPLY the
writings OF others, was noteworthy. Had Soc-
rates written single word OF his teachngs2 Had
Christ. that marvellous being who had given such
wonderful history TO human Impetus written q
point was that the tile OF the Gospels was not ;or
instance Gospel OF ST. Jonn but GOSPEL according
u II.
anchored themselves III the literature OF the
Christian ages, and even II they could sweep away
the entire New Testament they could not wipe out
Christianity. They were sheltered to-oay beneath
the innumerable projections and benencent instl-
tutons which had tnelr origin in the lie and the
actions OF Christ There was no DOUBT OF any OF
the great historical facts OF the Reformation. The
period which separated them from the Reiorma-
ton was not much longer than the period from the
great Silatic manuscript down 10
THE AGE OF THE APOSTLES.
The lives OF the apostles ran down 10 the end Of
. t..t RtfTrn tah trlra NJ
canonical were eliminated rom the books, and
still the early Church acknowledged an these Cos
pels. The second and third epistes ofSt. John and
the Episte TO the hebrews the subject OF some
doubt on the part OF the early Church. There was
aud he tthe preacher thought himse that 1t did
not bear the peculiar evidences OF 1t. Pauls cast
OF mind But that It was some kind OF apostolic
gospel there could be no doubf, and 1t
therefore bore the highest possible endorse
ment. The author OF the kpistle to the
Hebrews, il he had been ordinary human
author would have drawn some OF his illustrations
from the gorgeous temple OF Jerusalem, but ne
only referred to the simpler worship the taber-
nacle, which showed that he was directed by u
higher and loltler wisdom. st. Paul. although
his epistes were saturated with Christian thought,
did not attempt TO commit 70 writing instantly the
revelations OF Christ, and IL was only the
apostles grew older that they began 70 think 1T
necessary 10 commit 70 writing the words and
thoughts and dongs Of the Divine liedeemer. ST.
Joan gave his testimony In regard 10 ali the facts
which he mad seen with his own eyes. The Cos
pels were written before the year 10 IN the year
20 the destruction
OF THE CITY OF JERUSALEM
occurred and If the Gospels had been written
during a later period they would surely have re-
ferred 10 the lulnment o. Chrst'S prophecy IN the
destruction oil Jerusalem. Why was there no
knowledge at which they could arrive except
through the senses? There were great many in
tuitlve truths essential TO the structure OF human
ity at which they could only arrive through their
moral senses. lie cared not wnat might be the re-
suits OF Biblical criticism. There was one fact
which no one could deny, that being Ike Christ
had lived, such as they had read OF III these Gospels
and whose mission had been to save the human
race.