, 1880-01-19
1s T11EnE n GOD?

thctnc nc proposes Il, consider in four phrt., tho
first heing, "1s there II 1od7' Following Is thu
sGfftft,tt:
II. tho beginning God created tho heaven md
tho cnrth.-f3cn.. T.. l.
Tho ttenIals nf rutionnlism arc many; but In
this rrcscut cn,,rscuf sermons wo shall specially
consider tho four forms Ut religious tlntlt
which nrc ,tssniatcd witt, thu icn,l.ng topics: ~
Ia Thoru G,xl7 70 Have We II tscvotntun frt'In
Cody GD Tho Mlr.cles, nrsnpcrnatur9s' Element
lit Religion. Il, Ia Christ ANY Moro inspired or
DivInn than tho Founders Of Othnr Etulguhsf
Tho religious ,lenlals Of o,lr tno arc IN many
respects pcculnr, Hl, for tbnt ua@,t1, nss limbo
to DO misjulSed. IN tho trst place, thoy como,
nuuy OF thom mt lrnst, nntmrlily ont or tho
general chntiycs which hnvo alcch wrought III
tho current form Of thought. Tho influence Of
tho substitution OF Inquiry for Authority hI,s
hardly nuy limitation III tho world ut mind. III
tho wonderful transformations which tfifs now
intellectual for,luin hns made, lnMny opinions
heretofore tnt,ac!o,,siy hold mud revercntly bc-
lIcvcl hnvc lMen Discarded, md Thousands OF
rorsons loft nl,nost literally "without faith and
without 0thi III tho wnrl1." Into tho tnllst ut
this intellectual disorder there canlU many
voices, Rccking II, nil In tho reconstruction Of
th0,iKht. OF thnso vo!cea tho most potential ta
what Is called MN!erii Bclcncc. Anl this nio1t-
cr scEcnco IN in this work OF tho rccoilstrtlGtnn
nf belief huth II help anil IL hlntlr,nGe; help by
tho truth which 1t has evolved, nnd tho spirit VI
Investigation which 1t nus cncDnragcd; aild u
hInlr1,nce by offering as rc'iutIe conclusions
what IL mere experiment Or conjecture, aill hy
seeking 10 substitute fur the essential truths nf
religion md human lito thoores which hnvo M
adequate support, cithor In fnot or REASON. but
bccusiso mitch Of tho prt,vAtcnt Religious doubt
ot,nleA of tho general disturbance q! opinions.
ana y arxely tho natnrnl osgrg,a af s''sn e.
thnse whu partially accept the tt!hls of rnt!on-
nslr IL, Rt mot from ohnce, nr from kNtlhf!se-
ca,tse thcsc hnvc nrrtssrsl their attention, nnl
they knnw nf nothing 1ettcr.
se"xins Il @ s' tae 1aes sra @ @ q
religious belief, md shall ni them N such et-
forts, the ;reela. urnosc inr Whist,, they "rc
ts thUre God : III stekng for n corrcet an
thS a YG!sa +. any f ns'dy III S ss se ii "i' nsi !" %
sone form. as:eintel With the hist.ry Of ~! ~
Immunity, tho n'nro distinct Mrc tho triccs &C.,
t4,e # teS S 'sf XII y r"st s"s 9x sars s''s ss s
world ure In thor so',rsns nnnothossio, md the
ncurer we Ept 10 their sources tho Innrc dstinGt
nre tho trict.s vt tho tlt,ctrnA &C tho Onc G0'l.
Modern study trsccs NIL lnnEttnges tn conInll
sorct',-nt the lnnst IN tw'' se,.i,res,-and ihcsc
istise. mt "uly il the terms With thoy apply 70
deity, bnt ii the fth whch ,hoy emnsly. II
li.al WIS tho orixltu belief Of m1,nklnd. Going
nack through tue var!M,s ph!s.s M rsglanls, ~,
thaSS,sJ thr"ash Js,cs, i.hnnicln: chaI!le,., Forsa,
p ps5ass sf ic"is % ire Ss ,e i 1S SaS a%Saxs ",
to tho S.;,n.lloM belief n M God ara tho hlstor.
ic trt1s Mn!eh 9ry rcsSf'xod y hn Gn 2i,lse
t iiiSs b"!isf f i al rhis ps!a!tiys bsllst u Ssa
| iI1nlutrv itsrif IA nrCInhiv IL tsrrt,nIpn nf tho