New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-01
SUPERNATURAL RELIGION.
A SERMON BY PRESIDENT POTTER.

The first of course of sermons to be delivered on
alternate Sunday evenings during the Winter in the
Collegiate Reformed Church in Porty-eigbth-st, was
| preached last evening by President Noah Porter,
d. d.. LII. d., of Yale College. His subject was
Supernatural Christianity not yet Outgrown
neither in Mans Need of 1t, nor IN tho Evidence of
Its Truth y and the discourse WAS very elaborate
and exhaustive.
TeKt-L John. s. "Who Is he that overcometh the
world but he that beeyeth that Jesus the Son OF
God :" There question said he. that the writer OF
these words had an intimate personal acquaintance with
Jesus when lie the earth that he believed then
and subsequently that He indeed the Son of God
This belief in Christ had wrought in him new life
Faith in the everlasting Christ mad made new man OF
him. There 49, II possible, still less question that m all
the centuries which have followed since this record
| Of Johns faith In Jesus the risen and reign
! ing Son OF God it has wrought with a similar
power multitudes OF believing souls. While this
conceded. there those still who tell us that fah
in Christ this form be abandoned because
II has been outgrown. They DO NOT deny It's power Ia
the past, It's necessity; but for the
future they that the historic Christ must give
place the ideal Christ the personal TO the imaginary
Christ This change must begin with the men OF science
culture. Indeed 1t has already begun. Faith In the
incarnation and miracles must gradually give
way TO faith in Christs selfdenying and coming
life which has been cOnsecrated by the
Evangelical story as 10 make its power Symphonic
gospel 10 the and the lfe although II must
70 be gospel OF fact to the intellect We hold tue
opposite said Or. Porter We contend that N IN the
past so the future the moral power Of Christianity
lies in faith IN Christ as supernatural person.
The preacher urged the proposition by saying, first,
that the necessity this faith has not been outgrown
but has been made more manifest by the
advance Of the world in culture and science
and, secondly, that in the same proportion
the evidence has become convincing that this faith
is well grounded And first assume that 70 overcome
the world itshas Ineligible and real import. The
failure has been the mystery and the dsap-
pointment OF the life OF all men, preemineny Of those
who have grappled with the problem and the
duties Of life in sober and manly earnest
ness To overcome the world is 70 understand
the moral laws which control the universe
and to ADJUST ourselves 10 them that we may conquer
them iand wrest from them the hidden bles5edness
which they have their gift. In adjusting himself to
these laws. man must overcome himself, which IS his
hardest task. We assume that this is practical prob
lem for every 20 work out. We assume also the
truths which this problem implies the individual con
science the eternal law Of rectude the excellence OF
human goodness the possible recovery OF the fallen
and the lost, and the purity and tenderness OF the
living and loving God. We have controversy
with those who deny these truths. Christianity does
not undertake prove these truths In one sense IT
does itself responsible for them. IL Is true,
science Onstrate that there is God and that
the conscience is Fictitious product transient
growth II literature charm either or both out or
reality by bevching imagery, then Christianity must
be thrust of the stage there place
sion for it longer for such there must 20 with II
duty aud all ITS sacred aud Joyous train; the bright
possibilities and hopes OF human goodness must 20 as
well as the shadows Of its and it, terrors
We ask next What the conditions Of success which
underie the probemi To succeed in overcoming the
cIea Xha he m
do He must also correct view Of what he Is and
wherein he fails. He requires thing more-inspra
ton and help desire and achieve what he aspires TO-
Had John fallen with Plutarch's Morals, or with
Epctetus's Handbook, or Automnes Medtations,' he
would doubtless have said Al this is good far 1t
goes; agree writer's in the main TO what
we ought TO be and what we are. The difference be-
tween US H. that believe in person who moves me 70
love and helps me to achieve that which is good who
inclines me TO hate and repe that which is evil"
The world is scene Of struggle, with ali that science
rive employ them or letters can imagine for sOlace
or elevation Life is as truly conflict from the Degln
ming 70 the end as has been from the nre Inc nol
still ahOunds in temptations Inc discoveries OF scchce
the appliances OF art, the Establishments OF hterature
the enormous opportunities OF ARTIFICIAL NE increase 4
thousand fold the dangers 10 honor auu lhtegrI lns
The stlng OF remorse i none the Iths hecn ia
the enlightened and cultivated soul ior none can see 80
abused opportunities and powers. Ihe Dittet nun
which sorrow forces every man TO drink rs
because ~
costly gobets wrought with exquisite art what does
II avail bereft OF the friend who /, part OF MS
life or 20 him who Is struck down Ivy sudden misfortune
to know that the lost one was one OF the lales' %
eest OF earth. that his misfortune mas robbed nun
OF blessings such as no previous generation coul1
purchase with IT. money its fame. The certainty OF
death Is abated, It's darkness ana horror are not
diminished because life Is more Joyous than ever. 49,,
AID AZ another reason, that tue proposed substitutes
FOR the old faith insufficient Education In IT. wdeSt
and the university by society by amusements ana by
science literature ard art and the refinement OF ethical
.Isfa Tho TurffN anh
ness Of the Christian Scriptures and the Christian
Churchthese appliances are efficient to overcome the
tran They must either instruct or inspire. II
they tram and inspire they must bring mto the
by authority wins by sympathy, OF captyates by
Of which Is center of personal force without living
persons, themselves inspired and controlled aud thus
inspiring and controlling Others science and culture
can Accomplish little. Political legal aud social sci
ence mastered by those who care not for the puDhc
good can make every educated Legislature den OF
thieves, and every bench of justice a place where
justice IL more skiliiuliy ana learnedy betrayed
in proportion to their mastery OF political
science What that at this moment Oils the most
Thoughtful IN this country, VINO are not aarnsis
with the serious II distinctly expressed disqmetude
II il the nefciency Of public sentiment IN country
filled with newspapers aud schools and BOOKS OF science
and literature. And what is the deficiency OF pubic
sentiment except want OF COURAGE and sesacrihce IN
the men Who form and energlze pubic sentiment, We
say Of ourselves that we are moved oy Ideas ana II IS
true what want most of all is men who have the
courage 10 enforce their convictions.
There those who. like Matthew Arnold. dream that
ideal perfection will awaken this personal energy which
viii be strong enough TO overcome the ~ord-that lLe
study OF manhood in the Old and New Scriptures VIII
make a generation OF men. They would substi-
| tute the study of goodness for faith IN COD;
and the ideaization OF Christian virtues for trust
in the living Christ. They blame religious
teachers that they give prominence 70 the doctrine
! OF the personal and the living God. They formally
repudate the personality OF God, and would dsp!ace
the living and loving Christ by ideal picture OF an
deal CHRISTIAN with church ~ help and him. AS
| N the study OF religion could make man religious
with no God 20 honor and worship. subjective science
even OF the ethics the oyeest ideal Is as I'M
portent the objective science OF politics and history
10 aehieye the victory the world, however elo-
| Guently il IS eIpounded or brilliantly 1t may be