, 1877-10-29
RELIGIOUS.
Prot. Swings Idea OF the Meaning
of the Phrase Faith in
Christ.
The Emphasis Should Be Placed More
Upon the Christ and Less Upon
the Faith.
The Rev. John N'illtnmson's Comments
on The Mistakes Of Temperance
il" 1lcformers.
Dr. J. Monro 9ibson's Exposition Of
Part Of the Book Of Genesis. =.

LIZA " HlVul0 u4Q1VA . A]AfV04tANN AA u |
Part Of the Book Of Genesis. -
FAITH IN CHRIST.
sERNor Br rRoY. swIN0.
,yr believe In God. believe also in Ms.--John,
tit. 1.
Cl,ri.t catnc demanding OF Ills disciples faith
In Himself. II wAs the popular doctrine OF the
ho.,r, that they who shuuld believe in thts new
King Of tho spiritual world would hc savcti.
Let Us make this Faith in Christ the theme Of
the morning.
10 Gnl tho deepest import OF tho phrasc
" Faith In Christ" would indeed tc tho lnost
valuable discovery any OF us cnuld make in tho
religious realm. let us mot expect 10 do In All
hour What the worl,l has not accomplished In
many centuries Let US attempt 10 lind only
part. but vatttnb'e part indeed, Of tits III
Significance. Words which arc expressive Of
great laws OF Of great cxpricnccs will
not permit themselves to be weighed
or measured lko heap Of earth or
4 vessel of water. Thcro 10 no arithmetic for
such i1caA ns "1orc," and "trust, !" md "fatth,n |
alnl hhopc+h aud 'sslvatfDn." As VIC ran live
In tho universe without being able to count all
Its stars or to SEQ al lts microscopic wonders, 80
We live among words and draw happiness frum
their use, but VIC cannot fathom all their
depths. Among these ftGitivcs from analysis,
ono must reckon that :" faifh 3" which Ia said 10
aave tho soul. It had shades OF meaning for
rctcr which It had not for John; aud 10 the
philosopher and to tho little child It comes III
different attircs. Sometimes It means fidelity,
sometimes love, sometimes simple bcllei, and
tl,,a, being muttlform, It will not be caught and
imprisoned In one sentence by any sect Or by any
Mind.
First let tls note that when the new religion
came nn1 declared salvation by faith In Christ,
tho emphasis fell not upon tito faith but upon
The Christ. Faith was not sudden and new
fundamentally by which tho soul was to be jus
tiled, hut ttlat this faith was 10 bind to Christ
tnstead OF to Moses and 1,c Law was The now
form tho Hebrew world had takrn Tic M.
tittcsis was Tot complete In tho words faith and
virtue but ia tho lnrge formulas, faith in ClrAt
and faith In Moses The faith WIS not tho whole
novelty OF the cra, hut that that faith should piss
from tho patsIarcfs 10 Jesus; this wne tho large
tlea In thu revolution. 1u tho fortnuIn u be-
,cyc In Me-" tic accent fell greatly on tho Me,
showing not 1 now creed OF religion 50 much "a
new ground or person of trust. Thero vora
those around Jesus who said. "We be Abra-
bat,'s ehll.lrcn,'' and to these earuc the new
Gospe faith In new being better than Abra-
Christianity did mt Introduce some new
elc.1,rnt into religion and spring upon tho world
all euIE1uu nud mystery In tho term 1rlies, but
| II canlc rcvcalIng a new object of lore aud
sdtfss ss s ons ssS"s @ sas as ffft cst aa u
Informed blnl that he wns Offering his alice
tlons Ut nh inadequate shrine, for thu uctaio.uc
wnrtis away FROM ten sins but does not !mpcl
toward all forms Of virtue. That law did not
tcll the young man that lle must love the poor,
tho ignorant, tic sinful. aud follow them nil
days and rcars to blcss them, hut Il on'y eofs,-
u,andcd htu. not to Kill any one, or cheat my
scmt virtuous iifc, anu would 'ack sadly
that measnrelcss and law1css charity which
VIII scil an,! give The gotd to the poor THUS Thus
doctrine about bcIci but about tla person or
toward salvation, but only step compared
with that highe. .n ,cspeE :p5Itaal hts tha
cherished m unhDunlcti faith IN tho Hebrew
modes OF Virtue and ahaiss OF action, and lIs
tath was saving him from many SIN. lic was
so2H"x .sis: us t.c ss"s su aa ~ es ssy t
mistaken soldier ot . Napoleon or = Cesar,
eager to fight and die from tho supt,ostton That
he WAS planting liberty Or civilization wtcrrss
meeting that vision Vi Jesus, I'anl's faith did
not change lts zeal OF tts mental quality, hut
changed lta otjcrt, and lu place Of the rcd iag
nt Mosais.n 10 raised tho sblts love-oanner ol
| jesus Christ. -
This faItl, III Christ comes to III therefore viii,
its accent Of the Christ aud not Oh tho faith.
Faith haa no supcrstltf0us Or mysterious quail
tty, hut tho Christ contains amazing elelncnts
Ice, and herein lies the distinctive character Vi
tho DOCTRINE.
FaItl, iplee deals fn person rather tim IL
syhtem OF philosophy. Il stands f'r life IN
certain forms ot Christian thought, and hcnx
desotlon to iurtn Ut theology Or OF ceclcslas
teism, OF to an organization. caN never form 4
part u that falth Which leads tnan along towar.
. belieye just such statement Of hleas, Protest
mt or Catholic, orEaytnian or ArnInian, wa
tl.a fatal eror Of the past, mud d thu deeayIas
error u tue present Ths a.srannisSs n.las T.,
up to make room Tor tho peFsoncE'
still. rcrson Is aiWaya simpler and mora tll
splrtng thnm u philosophy lust .. rose y III
Her tEian her hlstoEy. fhus Christ stands fuEtl
grnater than all theology however a4surAse, fn
: tint.c!y greater than theology that Is small
and l!opelessl{ ercn.sr 1'lan 10y syassn ~. :,
assca,blctl dogusas Ut tbs middle aud is,urr re
cent ayes scatter aM! retreat 40 slaves heparat
Or bow In humility when tue klns sppears, Or = =
tie ulstern border. Christ advances III oaly III
; uu n Charmtcr. lin CANA not with a4.y csatr.
vcrsy over tictalla Ut hell or hrusen, or tta.ri
aiots Or sprtnkliHg, or l'Fesbyter Or hts'"p. by
r aevcu eo!ors, Or - spicos carry thci. pc,
futne. A correct kEuwicdge ct religion
truths and custom. II desirable ju.
~ the daylight t. best for hlsn VIZ
. knowledge ot Christian Alaetrtne Or eustul
!, fortns humble part Indeed of the faith whc
i leads toward peace and 0od. Faith is MT
,,ass Of information, hut ! profound .: sttsei
| hundred s.,ttH haYa nuxheu to Lie ftuut-ay