Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-11-03
Of that endeavor, just understand that it lies

Indeed, you recall tnas ~ 10 oiS'ih''iy
said. God requires as proof of goodness,
these perry things; for the reading Is, che
hath showed thee, o man, what is good;
the Lord doth require of thee but TO DO just
", love mercy and walk humbly before thy
God" All the teachings of Christ were
exactly in this line Of righteousness oflife,
ten der benehcence of heart. and unlocking
reverence. His precept and His example
Rugged human duty as human duty hugs
life He went about doing gooi. The re-
frain of all Apostolic teaching comes to its
final cadence in just 'tthese things
And yet how different from all laid down
by Apostolic authority, are the authorities
laid down by ereeds OF later times!
Be it observed then just here, that the
doctrines ard ideas of Christianity which
have swayed the mind of Christendom from
the days of the Fathers, fal! into two
classes, which may be designated as The
certain and he uncertain; the doubted and
the undoubttd the questionable and the
unquestionable What has been debated and
aisputed. and what has admitted Of no dis
putalion; things that men have never differ
ed about at all, and things they have never
ceased to differ about; what is settled and
accepted by every intelligence, and that
which never has been settled, and never
will be settled by any intelligence this side
of eternity. Into these two catergaries all
| the thinking of Christeudom has fallen.
| I need not stop so detail matters of DIS
pute and matters of agree ment-they are
familiar sufficiently 10 all But if we fol-
| low out the subject little we shall fiud it
very instructive.
For example, what are the essentials of
salvation? Put that question to theology
makers TO answer it from their standards of
authority, and they will point you 70 the
debdtd6Ie the oues tionable and the doubtful
category of ideas. But put the same ques
tion To the Bible, and it will point the in
quirer a once to th at which is certain with
regard to which there is no question, to
those ideas and principles which men never
had in disputaton because they admit of
no dispute.
Or raise the question, what is soundness
of faith? Ask response according TO stand
ards of auth GRITTY. and everytime you will
| be pointed to matters in disputation, to
those conflicting, doubtful and undecided
things-questions that have been open and
unsettled, and will be to the end of time.
Soundness is certified by good standing
upon uncertainties. But put the same ques-
ton to the Bible, and it will refer you to
the very "things" that the Apostle Paul has
named, and beyond the doing of which,
even the old Pprophet said, "Gcd requireth
no more,'
Again, let the question be. what is Chris
tan orthodoxy? The theologian will again
direct you to these very disputed, question
able uncertain matters, with regard to
which there is no agreement at all among
mankind. To be orthodox. according to
prevailing standards, is to be found among
demonstrate matters of disputation. Where
as, in the great sense of the Bible to be
orthodox, is to be true, to take stand among
things that are unques toned and unques-
tionanle; among things that are settled and
decided; to espouse those things that admit
of no DEBATE or uncertainty whatever.
Such at any rate is Biblical orth odoxy.
Who are the sinners? The ready answer
is, all the other saints who don't thiSk as
we do. Ask of the Bible, who are the SIN
ners? And you get reply as plain as it is
Divine: All men who violate the law of
sthese things beyond which, God maketh
no request.
Who are saved9 Those are saved who
have faith in some of the doubtful, deba
able, uncertain questions of disputation;
faith without any reference to works; faith
in the uncertainties. Put that great cues
ton to the Bible, its judgment is quick and
clear enough; he is saved whose life con-
forms to the certainties, the undisputed
truths, the unauestioned and nnquestionabe
realities of righte business, truth, love.
Who are the good peopSss III the world?
very important questt;an Indeed. Says
| the first party named, they are the good
| people who espouse the disputed points in
Christian belief the debatable questions
that have divided churches and split up re-
ligion into sects and stripes. These are the
good people, say the authoritative stand
ards. But the Bible answers at once; they
are good whose character is rooted in and
| formed from the certain and indisputable
principles of truth, purity and grace; they
are the good who do good, irrespective of
I questionable theories; who do as the Master
did
Now, what have to say this morning is
just this: l. is vastly better to stand upon
what is snra than ,.nnn uhot 10 douh.f,1