, 1876-07-01

And this following will lead the more
faithful, other things being cluAL be-
cause of an unwnYCring faith in the doc
trim that he j. really God manifested in
the ilc.h-thc Rcdccmcr almighty ~
save. Thus intimate is the connection
between the dogma and morality OF the
Nalnrinr. do not mean 10 affirm that
moral principles Of Il very high ordrr
were unknown to men before the dnys of
Christ, because the ESSENTIAL principlcsot
what is now called Christianity were
known from the earliest ages Of the lu-
man race, more Or less distinctly accord.
ing to the circumstances of the knowcrs !;
but only perfectly revealed in the life
and words Of Jesus Christ In him we
have the fullest possible manifestation
of God in humanity, OF his wisdom in
the words OF Christ, of His holiness IN his
! life, of his love in life and stronger still
in death, and of his almighty power IN
his resurrection from the dead. However
men may wrest his teachings to their
own destruction, however freely they
may call good evil anil evil good in his
sacred namc--whateve OF human inyen.
tions and human talsehood they may
cast around his holy oracles and mark
with the sign of that cross on which the
Lord of Light and Glory died, whatever
unholiness may stain lives by his profess
ing followers; of this you are all very
well aware, that his own teachings are
all true, and that his own life was pure
and holy-the expression of most perfect
holiness, reverence for God and love to.
wards man. With not one single word
OF the recorded uttcranccs of Christ can
any wise man find fault. To no single
action of his can any exception be taken.
They were all true and they were all
good. The fruit of them scattered all
down the line of centuries has been good
and only good continually. And were
it not for the min2ling OF our own wills
with our most earnest efforts tU do the
will of God, the spirit of scliishness
uniting with our noblest efforts to by
unselfSh, like our Blessed Lord, the rs.
ISOLATION of fallen humanity with our
best attempts TO reach that perfection OF
Divinity possible to the soul OF man, the
open and sccre faults and failings and
sins OF nearly all who have put on the
Holy Name; the human pride and self
will that warns all our organized efforts
to propagate the gospel, belle it not for
these, no unbelieyer would dare to bay
that the fruits Of christianity are not
good; aud expect to preserve a reputa-
ton for yoTaCity. Does any man deny
this assertion Come hiher my friends
and examine the facts. Away back in
Sinpi's wilderness, there stands mount
made holy by the personal communion
of the Eternal God with man. In that
communism He gave a summary of the
christian moral law. That summary
teaches reverence for Jehovah and re.
spect and love for man. 1t ordains q
seventh day for rest, which has been
found good for oil men and for every
aye. 1t enforces honor to parents, hon
esty in dealings, truthiulness in speak
ing, purity in life; and it forbids all
coyetousness, debauchery and murder.
Arc not these things all right so far as
they goa You Gun give only the one
answer-Yes Well, these are the chief
framework of the christian moral law.
Oh, but you say, they were promulgated
before the days OF the human Christ.
Granted that does not change the
facts tha. they are good and true, that
they have have been incorporated into
the christian system in far more tspirit-
ual sense than they could be found else
where, and go completely as to form
almost the whole frame work of its NOR
"a! code, and that the jehovah Jesus was,
the original promulgator Of them.
Thus you are driven to the admission
that SO isr christianity is good--good in
its essence and good in Its fruit. But
Jewish Rabbis and priests had explained
away the hsr'l things of this holy law,
and rounded off the sharp corners OF it,
so shnt it became an easy thing to keep
it perfectly; even though the keeper
might be very low specimen of man.
II pas V hen tho nppI arnsn fnr Al hrovo