New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-11
EXPERIMENTAL RELIGION.

7As Rs r. d. ross d. at ST. James AA0dit Lp,p1l cAsh
At st. James Methodist Episcopal Church, at
Madson-aye and one y-'i1th-st, Tie
Rev. c. d. Foss. d. d., the pastor. preached upon the
subject of Experimental Religion" lie TOOK Ms text
from Ist john l., I3: THAT which was from the begn-
Ming which we have heard, which We have seen with
our eyes. which have looked upon. and our hands
have handled OF the Word OF Life" In the lis
sermon, he said
There arc two ways OF arriving at the ruihthat Of
argument and that of experiment Ono looks after
arguments and the other after facts. II you wantb
nnd out whether man has good character for
honesty, you look at his face and ask II he comes ola
good family, and II he is sober and steady IN bis habts
If satisfied that he IT, and that the other points
his favor you argue that lie IL On honest Trustworthy
man. and you are apt BE- right In arguing YOd are
not so sure however that he is what you take him TO be-
as you would be If you knew that his honesty had been
tested by actual experiment that 10 had been tried By
the strongest temptation Experiment, then Is the
surest way OF arriving at the tre- ana Is,
therefore, by experiment that religion should
scientists to the contrary notwithstanding maintain
that religion be best tested and proved Dy expert
ment because It is only by experiencing that we know
what It really IS. BY experiment alone does ~ ac upoa
mems hearts aud perfectly adapt itself 10 the wants u
humanity There Is nothing more manifest from tAs
teachings OF Christ than that religion must be iet must
be experienced before t DO understood ana before
II any inbeIiever any revier OF the Christian religion
Will but try 10 by actual experiment he will hud tha
fact learned by experiment Is worth ton OF argument
But in experimenting with religion you must
not chooS your method you must use Tie
methods gwen and prescribed by God. When
the jews called upon Christ 10 come down
from the Cross, they experimental, but they were
unsuccessful because they experimental in the wrong
Christ came from the grave after lie hld been
taken from the Cross, and By doing lie furnished
by which surelytry the truth " His divinity
and OF tho religion which He taught. Now, the very
fact that Christ from the dead Is better than all
the arguments advanced to prove the truth VI the
Christian religion
II is the duty OF all those seeking Christ 10 arproieh
Him III perfect faith and TO try the experiments aP
pointed by Him. If they will DO so, all doubts viii
ish, and their souls will nd peace and joy beyond eN
preston. Study the New Test tmeut NOT FOR the pu
pose of picking flaws in it, but for the purpose OF seeing
the proud truths contained in IL, and the truths OF no
Christian religion WILL by experiment, be lrreSlsuDly
forced upon you. The New Testament is hot a llers
system OF doctrines, but system OF
experimental truth; but II men persist 10
keeping outside OF the realm OF their experience they
cannot be expected 10 believe It, II then they val
remain willfuy blind. they must do God
has given them the means or discovering ihe tru,h
and IL they don't use those means t IS their own iau
Scientists prove their theories by the Law Of need
They discover fossil skull with eyesOckets IN u. aud
they say there eyes In those sockets not only be-
the sockets there but because 10 necessary
for the animal TO have eyes. Now will the scien
tiss such scotat religion, their ground and
for 10 have religion; their souls aloud f0riL
The experience OF that men cannot exist without
igon, and, fulfilling the very law Of necessity, God
gave man u religion and sent His son to sea! IL Win
His blood
In speaking OF the great success" OF the Methodist
Church. Dr. Foss said that IL Owx 10 the TACT tas
Methodsts firmly believed in aud prlcuccl eXpen,
mental religion. II was founded he claimed. on the
dead orthodoxy OF England" and t from 70
illumne the world aud demonstrate that Religion tested
by experiment Is the best religion.