The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-13
A LEGAL ARGUMENT FOR THE TRUTH
OF THE GOSPEL.
Joel c. Baker at the Baptist Church.

Ss'N~SN w.
A large audience gathered at the Baptist
church last evening to listen TO an address
by Joel G. Baker on 1.-The way In which
he was led to believe and accept Jesus
Christ as Savior" Among the audience
were several of Mr.. Bakers brethren of
the legal profession.
He said that he was greatly surprised
last Friday to receive II pressing invitation
from the pastor of the church to relate bis
experience in convincing himself of the
truth of the gospel. He was not ambiti-
Gus to speak of his way as preferable to
that of others, but he was anxious to do
anything in his power to help the good
cause. He did not think all unconverted
sinners as hard to convince as himself, but
he would assert that no fair minded person
could read and weigh the four gospels
without believing the facts therein set FORTH
He began his investigation by rejecting
the doctrine of the inspiration Of the scrip
lures. He was first led to make the inves.
tigation by a paragraph in public journal
to the effect that the scriptures would be
received in a court of justice as evidence
of the truth of any statement contained
therein. This was a new view to him, and
considering his great ignorance of the
Bible reprehensible, he determined to ap-
ply to the statements contained in that
book the same arguments that he and his
brethren daily applied to cases in courts of
justice.
The first requisite for the trial of cause
is an impartial tribunal. He asked himself
the questions usually put to a juryman, and
being satisfied that he was sufficiently ig-
norant of the subject under consideration
and impartial as to the result to render a
just decision, he proceeded to the trial.
In Grcenleafs evidence, vol. /, sec. 142,
is laid down the rule that ancient docu-
ments in the custody of the parties most in
terested in their preservation are presumed
to be genuine until the contrary is shown.
At Christ's death christian churches were
formed and the gospels were given into
their keeping. These gospels we're the
foundation Of their faith and they would
use every effort to keep them exact and
unchanged. The many sects into which
these churches were subsequently divided
all based their belief on these same gospels
and they would act as checks upon each
other in keeping the copies of the manu-
script exact. He considered this split of
the churches into sects, which had been
deplored by many, as proof of the wis
dom of God in thus furnishing means for
the exact transmission of the scriptures.
The testament is to be admitted as evidence
of the facts narrated therein on the same
grounds as the doomesday book and the
ancient English statutes.
The evangelsts, then, are entitled to
hearing, and the first point to be settled is
are they witnesses of such character as to
be believed The Roman government
exacted tribute of the Jews at which great
dissatisfaction was expressed, and the
frauds on the government were doubtless
as well planned as those of the st. Louis
whisky, ring or the Tweed ring in New
York. We find that Matthew held an office
under the government for the collection of
this tribute. This proves that he must
have been a man of sterling honesty and
also of sound judgment and less liable to
be deceived than most men. He wrote
what he himself saw, and Is entitled to
credit.
Marks narrative does not purport to be
that OF an eye witness, but partakes of the
nature of hearsay. 1t derives value as an
evidence of the reputation in which these
things were held.
Luke's evidence is more valuable than
that of any of the other evangelists. He
was learned man and a physician. He
embraced Judaism in his youth, was con-
verted to christianity and wrote Theophilus
what things were most certainly believed
among that sect. His statement is in the
nature of judicial investigation and car
ries with it great weight. Investigating
committees have been favorite means of
getting at truth until of late they have be-
come machines foI political whitewashing
John was the youngest of the four. His
father was man OF responsibility, ard
John subsequently presided over seven
churches In Asia Minor which shows that
he was man of character and ability. He
was a boon companion of Jesus and wrote
those things which he saw and heard.
Here we have four witnesses testifying
| to the same thing, while facts are frequent
| ly proved in courts of law by one witness.
| No one ever undertook to say that the wit
nesses were not men of truth. The worst
| that was ever said of them Is, that on one
| occasion two of them weretfllled with new
| wine and this was subsequently, proved to
be SANDER. l pursued my investigation
farther than was necessary, as Starkie lays
| it down as a principle of evidence that a
witness is to be believed until the falsity of
his statements shown. The story of the
evangelists bears internal evidence of their
strong faith in its truth. They preached
that man who had been tried and execu-
| ted as q criminal was the Son OF COD,
which was "A heroic act involving much
selt-sacrifce.
He said he had not detailed the investiga.
ton he went through in full. 1t took hin
several months. He started out as an in
fidel, and concluded that the gospels were
admissible as evidence of the facts stated
therein and that this evidence was true
He did not claim that the scriptures al
mtted mathematical demonstration OF theil
truth, but it could be proved more conclu
sively than any historic fact more than ON
years old. If we believe that Christ perform
ed the miracles recorded of him, then w
must conclude with Nicodemus that lie il
i the son of God. No one but God eve
raised the dead and commanded devils. i
Christ raised the dead and devils obeyet
Him. then is He equal with God, and de
mands the same reverence and worship
from us. That He did these things Is al
ready proved as question of fact.
N The speaker concluded by briefly stating
the means by which many arc brought u
Christ, and the evidence by which q ma