The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-03-01
SERMON
The Dilemma.
By IRVING A. ssARLIs.

10 whom shall We go! Thou hast the words
or eternal hfe.-John, 8, So.
This question is confession OF the souls
helplessness and it's need Of putting it's trust
in come person or doctrine. To whom shall
We go?" Here is the confession that the soul
is not satisfied with itself but must go else
where for happiness and salvation.
Hence we find the desire to worship deep
seated in the human heart. One OF the earll-
est forms of worship was ancestor-worship.-
From observing dreams and Paintings and
sleep there arose belief that the soul at times
led to efforts to preserve the body; the body
was regarded as sacred. Among the early
caye-dwellers whole families would live IN
cave, and when one OF their number died the
survivors would abandon the cave, but leave
there the body OF the departed. Believing the
soul to be with the body, they would bring food
to the mouth OF the cave, after the manner Of
our Indians who bury the bow and arrows with
the dead warrior Confucius observed this
worship of the dead, "When the prince sent
him a gift OF undressed meat he would have it
cooked, and offer it to the spirits of his ances-
tors" Cicero said: "Our ancestors desired
that the men who had quilted this life should
be counted IN the number of the gods" Then
we find trace OF fre-worship. The fire was
kindled in front OF the cave for the comfort Of
the dead. In time the flame grew to have a
spiritual significance. Each family had its sa-
cred fires; these were kept burning day and
night; offerings we're made to these. Then
came relic-worshlp. The bones of the dead
we're preserved. In later day the body was
embame1 These relics OF the dead were sup
posed to contain the soul and we're regarded
with the utmost awe and veneration.
Then came the worship Of the heavenly orbs.
The sun, moon and stars we're supposed to
have once been human beings that were placed
up there because of their merits.
We thus see that from earliest historic Pc
RODS the human race has been asking the ques-
ton propounded by Peter, To whom shall we
go? In China you find the people do not 20
to Christ, but they have their object Of wor-
ship. Five hundred millions of the race in
answer to the query To whom shall we 90 ?"
make answer To Confucius." Once year the
Emperor and his court assemble in the temple
in Pekin and chant "Confucius, oh, great Is
Confucius There never was but one Con-
fucus; there never has been Confucius since
him." In Russia you find in every household
a picture Of some saint. These are OF all sizes:
some OF them are worth hundreds Of dollars
and others only a few cents. This picture ia
hung up in room opposite the door. The
Russian on entering the door bows to the pict-
ure and makes the sign OF the cross. Before
and after dinner all members of the family bow
to the picture and make the same sign. All
nations must worship something or some one
Il it is no more than picture.
To come more directly to the text Peter
might have said can go to the Saducees-
These were the skeptics OF the Jewish nation
they denied the existence of God, the resnrrec-
ion and the future life. But Peter did not
care to go to them. The skeptical element in |
he human mind is undoubtedly prolific of
good. 1t was doubt that caused Luther TO
raise his voice against the Romish church
Doubt is the forerunner OF all progress IN sci
ence or theology.
In one Of the picture galleries OF Europe is
amous picture OF the resurrection of the dead.
This was painted sometime in the twelfth GEN.
ury. There is vast green plain surrounded
~ the sea. The sky is full OF angels one of
hem l. blowing trumpet. All over the plain
lie dead are rising from their graves some of
hem have just raised their head and arms
hove the sod; they are making every effort
o dig their way out; here hand is thrust
ut and there foot. One poor fellow finds il
impossible to get out of his grave because of a
ock that is over it an angel comes and rolls
he rock away. Angels are fitting hither and
hither gathering up the bones OF the departed /
lad putting them together. do not here say {
hat this old idea is incorrect, but If it is ever l
bandoned doubt will be the iniatory stem in I
nat direction. I
Further, no effort should be made to stop
oneat inquiry. The right to ask questions of
he church should be conceded Many years s
90 few thousand anti-slavery men of the
orth sent a petition to Congress asking for a
ssoluuon Of the Union. John Quincy Adams
as IN the House Of Representatives They
,ked him to present the petition. Though
mself not in sympathy with the proposed
easure, he complied with their request The
y OF treason" rang through the land Mr..
dams was actually arraigned before the bar
the House. He defended himself by saying
at while he was not himself in sympathy with
e petition, he held that every citizen Of the
nlted States had right to petition. He sue
eded IN defeating his opponents, and from
lat day to this the right Of petition has been I
,nied no citizen.
When an honest heart comes to the Christian
I'd asks an honest question, let not the voice
inquiry be drowned by the cry of " treason"
he Good Book says, "Come, let us reason
gether."
lnt All Ia n =.