The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-06
THEISM ono. p AND THE ONLY
BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD.

THEIsM ono. p AND THE ONLY
BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
In your Sunday edition OF June rs, In my essay
entitled ''Theism" No l, say 81 intend to sustain
the record in future number that Jesus Christ and
Him crucihed wGs actually tho only begot,cn Son OF
God" Jesus Christ is in the New Tesiament-morc
than 700 mes-mentioncdas derived intelligence, as
an intelligence who has properly derived His existence
and nature from God. For III coutradistinction to
angels and men, and 10 all who may be called sons OF
God by creation adoption Jesus Christ definitely
called the Son God 1t Is te observed that
cral epthets used, with explicit design 10 pre-
Guide all mistake. and 10 give us unequvocl evidence
that Jesus Christ is the Son OF God the most strict
sense OF the term He is emphatcally called Gods
own Son. And to denote that God has no
other son, in the sense III which Christ is His
Son, bic is called Gods Only Son. And July to
express the idea that lie and He only properly derived
HIS existence aud from God, He is called The
DULY bcgotton Son OF God, The only Yegotten OF
the Father | would here ask how is IL possible to
find terms which would clearly and emphat.cally
express the very th,ng which l have undertaken to
prove? Ii no further evidence could be produced in
favor of the hypothesis II would certainly require
something very substantial and positive invaldate
what has been already exhibited But additional evil
dence is readily educed. II appears TO have been
one OF the particular designs OF tho miracles which
were wrought by Christ to prove that He was tho Son
OF God, and that lie phe SOM was sent by
| the Father into tho world. Christ said to
the Jews, aye sent unto John and no bore
witness OF the truth. Blu; have greater witness
than that OF John, for the works which tho Father
hath gwen 10 lnsr the works that
do, bear witness OF me, that the Father hath sent
me- - john IS, SO. The account that the Jews
unto John. and the testimony which he gave W. ind
recorded the nrst chapter Vt the Gospel The
testimony is this 'But he that sent to baptize
with water the same said unto me- Uron whom thou
shalt the SPIRIT descending and remaining On III IN
the is he which baplizcth With the Holy Ghost
And and bare record that this the Son OF God "
This was the truth to which John testified But
Christ testified that the works which He did
greater weight than The testimony oil JOAN 1t Is like.
wise observable that was design OF His miracles
prove that He the Son Of God. SO this
ton was produced IN the mind OF many upon seeing
miracles Which lilo performed. Jesus Christ himself
the faithful anu true wncss ard he repeatedly affirmed
am the son OF God; and He also frequently
declared that God Father wo IDEAS are nstu.
rally suggested by the Iitlo son OF God. VIZ Divine
origin and divine dignity. By divine origin l do
mean that ME Son of God is intelligent beng,
but being WHO properly derived His existence and HIS
nature from God. IL has not, pcrnaps been common
to mako distinction between derived existence and
created existence, but in the present the disnc
ton very import Adam was a created being
Seth derived HIS existence IRON the created nature OF
Adam and therefore, 1t Is said Adam begaI a son In
his own Likeness And as Seth derived his existence
from the created nature Of Adam, is believed that
the only oegotcn Son of the Father derived HIS exist
IRON tho seli-existent nature oi God. In this
only do l mean prove that the Son Of
God is derived intelligence The hypothesis that
Jesus Christ Is truly the Son OF Cod by properly
deriving His OK stence and nature from God, Will prob
ably by many DO pronounced very great absurdity
And, n my view, very much depends on this point
you VIII suior me TO be particular IN The exam nation
That the terms, the Son OF God applied CHRIST do
iurally denote that His existence ana nature
derived IRON God Will 1t is believed, be granted
by all judicous and impartial nqurers II there DO
any ground which the hypothesis be pro-
nounced absurd 1t must be either IN the works
the words OF God But what do find The works
God by which IL muy appear that is absurd 10
suppose that God has who truly derived His
existence and nature from thdsFatherY In examining
the works oi Coo We nnd TO suppose that God
bias gwen existence to various tribes oil beings with
natures distinct from His own; and Is IL quite
beings by proper creation, with natures distinct from
HIS own that He should gve existence to a Son
truly deriving His nature, some peculiar manner,
IRON Fathery We also find that God has endow cd
tho various tribes OF creatures with power OF pro-
creation by which they produce offspring in their own
likeness Why Is II not possible that God should
scss the power OF producing Son In His like
or with HIS own nature as that He should be able
to endow His creatures with such a powcry My II
not, then, be presumed that shadow OF evidence
be produced from tho works OF God to invalidato
the hypothesis that Christ as the Son OF God pos
divne nature by derived existence? The Ian
guage and words OF SCRIPTURE surely show
that He has conferred upon HIM the title, which claim
distinctly characterizes i'm as the only begottcn
OF God Ii II were necessary could here quote from
the record numberlCss Instances where these distinct
they must be admitted AS governing minds In
a ''metaphy he OlOgcai' sense we'll all
matters pertaining TO metaphysics 'the philosophy OF
the mind distinguished from that vi matter, -
must, OF course. proceed on theory, system sub
ss,ing only in the mind, to define conception Of the
Deity ana his ways, which, IL borne by tie re.
yealed Word and conscientious experience we
ieel confidence therein, and our aith is established
on this basis proceed humbiy, but studousIy to at
tempt 10 define the character and purposes tIneia-
physicaiiy), 10 addition TO the explicit words
sacred record OF tho Great Am. AS calculating the
dairy ftpu a Is ffftr,<t
the Father are definitely told IA scripture that He
Is love. Other great attributes perta.n-to Hin but
they are all entirely subservicnt that great prn-
cpie Ever Astounding love, IRON Its very nature.
must have Intelligent objects upon which 10 bestow
ITSELF he character aud capacity OF this prn-
cpe cannot possibly engross our attention too much.
We handed 10 be--as tar may be prac-
tcabie-iikc Him. aud the value OF love as principle
is completely embodied In 81. Paul's dissertation
upon charity (which word. the view OF all cmincnt
commentators. should have been rendered love- aud
We, therefore, print II here) that Will
be Dardoned by quoting Il ia erlenso, viz -
Though / speak with the tongues OF men
and >oi Angels ana have love- am
become sounding brass and a tinknQ cymbal; and
though have the gilt OF prophecy aud understand all
mystery and all knowledge; aud though have all
faith, 50 thai could remove mountains and havo not
love am nothing; and though besrow ali my goods
To iced the poor. and though give my body be
burned and have not love u prontcth me nothing.
Love sunerctn long aud is kind Love envietn not
Love vauuie,n not itscli is not pugcd up; doth
behave ITSELF upscenny, scckcth not her own, Is
easily provoked, thnketh no evil, rcJoceth not
inquity tut reJoccth the truth Beareh all things
beieveIn all tDngs. endure,h all things Love
iailch; but whether there be prophecies they shall
fail. whether there be tongues they shall cease,
whether mere be know edge II shall vanish away u
These beautiful and comprehensive epithcts convince
oar minds that tie great principle OF love is bound
lcse. Moreover, differing 1t does from all other
great pUwcrs-thc more we best the more we have
remain ng-it. therefore, must .ver have been and
WILL be active prime pie. seeking TO benefit ALI:
and H. moreover, the cxcmpl.ncaton OF Col himself
our theory rs that IN tue aoDs OF the pat-how re-
mote nero sparks Of HIS intelligence are
unable even to conceive--it pleased HIM to bes,ow
His His weiIbeloved Son; and tho ovcrlow,pg
Of HIS love caused HIM. .rhrough His well.