The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-17
IMMORTAL TRUTHS.
Love Is Pre- Eminently the
Genius Of Religion"
CHRIST CAME TO SAVE.
"Man Shall Work With His Own
Hands for Himself"
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.

CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.
THE WORKS AND WORDS OF GoD-sERMoN BY
TIE REV. GEORGE II. HEPwoRTH.
..Belieye in me that in the father, and the
father in me- or else believe for the very works
sake was tho text selected by Mr.. Hepworth for his
sermon yesterday morning. In this text. the preacher
said Jesus lays down the only two possible founda
lions for faith in anything. In the first place He asks
His congregation to believe in the doctrines which He
teaches for His sake and on His authority-that
is on belief in the personal power of Jesus Christ
1t the principle of the Church that accepts the
dctum of its Head without appeal; that which Jesus
Christ uttered is true. because Christ utters it, We
accept it ultimate truth. because of our faith
in the person who speaks. But Jesus adj
dresses Himself to another and, perhaps
larger class Of men-namey, those who cannot
believe and are intellectually constituted that
it is impossible for them to believe on the nero
dictum of any These must form their
convictions after long and careful elaboration.
whose faith is the result Of meditation. You are
not called upon to believe in Christianity unless
'Christanity prove itself worthy of your con
fdence and after its adoption the rule of your life
1t is quite legitimate watch the progress of expert
ment as manifess itself in actual experience and
see whether it put the bit into our mouth and
subdue wild and incorporate passions. The last
clause of my text has been solidifed into scientific
maxim, and it indicates the crucial test beyond
which there is mo court Of appeal and that is the
test of actual use and practical experiment. This is
the standard by which measure life and estimate
worth. We have applied this inyincible rule. this
impregnable experiment. in the discovery by our ma
tive reason of the existence somewhere of wondrous
personality whose presence is everywhere, whose in
fuence is omnipotent. Under it's guidance belief
v at II
this universe of ours is in ones hands. that it
has developed according to given and defined plan
and that all its foundations are prearranged. Let me
illustrate this by story.
A STORY WITHIN A STORY.
Many years ago Italian thinker, Calico.
seated among a company OF French encyclopaedia
1t time when the atmosphere of France was
filled with doubt and when the infdclity of the
world seemed TO be incarnated in this society of
cyclopedists. At the time to which l refer tho con-
versation on the doctrine of chance in the uni
verse and possibility of accounting for every thing
that is carried on in the physical world by the doc
trnc of chance 1t was ardeutly asserted that there
was no room for Tod in the world that there was no
need postulate preceding planning power;
that could get on easily enough without God and
easily enough account for that was said to
come from Him. When they had finished their doubt
ing utterances Calico said to them IL will tell you
story. When was in Naples, the other day. saw
juggler with some dice in his hand. and he
made wager that he would throw the dice
and that they would turn up Skies every time.
The wager taken. the dice were thrown and the
'sixes turned up without single mistake" YES"
said Of the encyclopedias, "but it was trick,
think they must be loaded in order to turn skies
every time Will not the doctrine of chance ac-
count for iii LOADED dice arranged beforehand
will accomplish that purpose" was the answer but
dice that not loaded will not turn up skies al
ways" Calico turned upon them and said:-"You
do not believe i'll the doctrine OF chance with thing
of ivory, but do you believe that the world that has
itself music and that has been singing it for
this countless thousands of years, be accounted
for the Doctrine OF chance tell you that rs
theee dice were loaded the universe was arranged
and planned beforehand would be impossible for
true. Calico said, 1t must have been prearranged
The laws of eravtation electricity and inertia
are the proof of it, This is point then. that ar
rive at by my unaided reason. l arrive at the con-
viction that there must be God somewhere. But
this impression is vague IL is only line on the face
of cloud, and feel that there must be somewhere
certainty to be attained than this vague gliin-
mering outline. How needful this certainty IL only
those tell who havs had the longing for it. How
very much We need it when We have doubtful past
behind us and a noble future before u.s. But sup
pose l set to work to lind out the secret and AIN
permitted TO live until find it. Let me wander on
the earth until 1 discover the foundations
of life, until / discover the elixir which will
make young, fresh and vigorous once more Sup
pose begin my work Of investigation by cuitivatng
the society of scholars those who have seen known
and professcd the most. investigate from Plato to
Huxley. but before can learn about God must be-
come acquainted with all that lie has done. TIE
secret of God and Gods providence is hidden in tho
nature of science, and We must try to find it out.
Up to this moment reason has been unsuccessful;
whether it will ever find it out know not; but after
these thousands of years it has arrived not at GER
tain definite conclusions, but certain definite
doubts. What science has lacked in is research has
been the Scriptures With the Bible in his hand the
scientist may learn that God is good, that God is
always bonehcent, and that may learn ~ call Him
our Father.
A MORAL NATURE DISCOVERED.
With this Bible L discover that we have moral
nature and that there s moral law running parallel
with the ply steal law. But In thoughtful moods
say to myself why did God hide Himself long a
time Why have 1. by my unaidcd reason, been
compelled TO search tor Him through all these
turtles They tell me He 4 my Father. Why did
they not tell me this before That is not the way
treat my child II Gods love is only an exaggerated,
magniiied, human love why is it that God mas left
to climb these dark steps, in this dark thought,
until reach the top and then find myself wearcd
and worn out need Gods love more than need
the love of my mother or the mir breathe That is
the only answer science knows anything about.
But God has saved us this weary journey by giving
us the Bible II the scientists wanted moral code
Tor the government OF the human they
would simply rewrite the Bible. God has
In that revelation omitted the darkness and
given US the light. Test the facts of the Bible in
the crucial way possible and judge them by the
rcsults. The Bible Is the source OF the worlds
heroism. Daniel, in the oden time, might have had
pace and pow royal gifts from the Emperor. IL
he would bow his head, yet Daniel had that within
his heart which mate him cheeriully and gladly pre-
Ter TO down INTO the den OF the raging lions whose
claws ready to his flesh and open to him
the door of immortality. The way of the Christian
Church has been along the track of death. rhe
Church is known all through its past by its Daniels
its blazing fagots. Those blazing fires of pcrsecu-
ton have never been permitted to 30 out. and yet
men have met those flames with n smile their
lips. Men have died and persisted OF hunger IN dim
drcary soiitudes rather than live in the sunshine OF
falso emperor's smiles. These have believed in
lie and whosoever beeveth in me shall have e,er-
nal life"
MASONIC TEMPLE.