New-York tribune., 1874-09-21
TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY.


The Rev. William Adams, d. D., preached
at the Madison-square Presbyterian Church on the
Truth OF Christianity" taking for his text H. CORN
tbans ill., 2d aud 81. "Ye our episte written In our
hearts known and read of all forasmuch as ye are
manfesy declared to be the pste Of Christ minstered
nv us written not with ink, but with the spirit OF the
living God not IN taoies Vi s'one' pu' ia H's"' s"S''
the heart"
True science said Dr. Adams, Ia based on facts. Inc
science OF astronomy. for example, the theoretical
statement OF faots concerning the heavenly ooules'
which within the reach OF observation An opinion
is not a purpose is not science The theory
OF Sir Isaac Newton only an airy thought until
II Was proved BY an induction OF facts sufficiently
copions We live in times when much IS made OF So
called scientific facts. Men often eoniouhd lacts
0D T6 oa aHS eonsdcs himself ThroIsnou
the universe there must be entire harmony we meet
,nand for facts appeal to facts 1 do not intend to
adopt plan OF certain eminent lecturer hetore tue
Brsh Association recently for mans cOnceits and
magipugs extending beyond world OF experimental
sclepce good as another mans Ihe question Is
HOW does the system revealed religion correspond
with facsi Is 1t supported by facts contradcted by
themf wonder that men are not more impressed Dy
tnEsg h meef them in daily life Why dispute the theory
when the facts under our eyesf Look at the Ne"
@ we see them every day. correspond with ti Look at
the theory OF conversonthe theory that human Souls
grow better and nearer to the perception OF Christ
Ing with what read Look the thousands OF oon-
verted men, WHO just like those described In the
New Testament. Men not saints-nOt perfect-not go-
rihed but changed men, gradually becoming more
ike Christ. The world is full OF such mcs.
The marvel is that skeptca do attend to these
acrs This gospel OF Paus addressed TO the people
of Corinth city noted for dolary luxury and sensu-
tion OF a man woman bearing that name Into thls
hotbed OF heathenism Paul came with the gospel OF
CIrIst and there he made converts. They were from
he ranks Of the drunkards and the sensuasts but they
were saDctiaed by the spirit OF God what could their
ha, neiglDDrs mako or suCn IdCtsf HOW hC-
count for the sudden conversion OF men Formerly IKE
,ay and looking forward q glorious future ! Tho
world is full Of such facts What do ney nean whence
come thew and what do they proyei They are living
Of the truth OF the religion times
our attention is drawn forci6y 10 crne ana injustice
We behold unjust judges, dishOnoraDle magistrates,
dishonest officers and 80 many pad men that our fslth
in human nature is staggered Men are prone 10 ex,
argerate these evils. But look at the numbers OF
good men aud good women-truly good, Enthusiastically
goOd-wbo are, or haye been III the worid, a.
demonstrations OF revealed RELIGION ~ We @ n9 M o sas
the beach full OF sands IL Is " pV ineauS stianso
that man like Lord Lytteton-the scholar. the cftO
of the conversion OF Saul of Tarsus should become con-
yerted Saul at first accessory OF the blind martyr
nor persecution OF Jesus breathing out slaughter was
changed in instant 10 kind. loving man, seeking
the good Others and doing the Will or God NO COIN
more clearly bears the impress OF the die than Paul
bore the impress and superscrption OF Jesus Christ
How deny the Being by whom all thsls wrought lake
the example OF John Bunyan. low, vulgar obscene
tinker Converted Christ he wrote the second II not
fragrant with love- and his heart as Transparent
pure sweet aud true the lilies VI hls own native
meadows Heather voluptuaries, barbarlo chief
tains, unscrupuous philosophers nave been con
yerted TO pure minded, trustworthy disciples
of Jesus Christ. These are tho medals OF
Christ The resemblance they bear 10
die could never have been accidental But let us
take more humble instances Multiply cases OF hypoc-
risy deception and wickedness much you choose
but there Is enough good TO Oyerbalance IT, When we
hear much Of the bad, IL Is well to Oe mindf or the
nnumerabo company OF the gOOd-nOt the redeemed In
Heaven but the redeemed here ON earth Christianity
proves its divine origin by the number OF s converts
Iaes grow up with the wheat, but the ned Is ful VI
good grain rpenng for the harvest:
dc not wish to speak vaguely. What is our religion
Repentance Is not the end, but the means. To be
into image OF Christ Is the aim OF
votes all his epstes to setting forth that love the
essepce of all true religion. After disposng OF things
external and incidental, love Is the care OF regener
ate and ChTiske heart. Even Paul. the dalectlcian or
Apostles, presents the whole matter as love In
bringing 10 the fulfilling or the law There are
living aud women innumerable whose characters
accounted for accidents. They too many aud
too palpaDe to be explained otherwise than by design
divine ideal OF Christ You have not been deceived in
them, or imposed upon by appearances How many
you know to be true Christians. Many OF them have
visiby changed from what they formerly were, but
therefore you believe in them fully. You the
spirit OF Jesus Christ in them How you trust your
Christian neither You know she Is true-you know she
would not for the world do anything wrong As her LIE
goes she resembles Christ moro and more. But how
many there with whom have relations in
whom the spirit OF Christ evident We want no better
of religion than these We take too
much the attitude or defenders. The time for our apol
ogizng for religion ought to be passed The whole
earth is full OF visible facts and proofs. The bgon OF
Jesus Christ Is practical power Onward AMI upward
Is the progress OF the converted soul Let Us keep
nearer TO divine Lord keeping souls open the
light OF HIS glorious religion, and when He shall appear
shall be Like Hun.