The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-11-20
Practical Certainty in Religion.

THERE is a difference between prac-
teal certainty and positive or demon
strativc certainty. In the latter case
all possibility of the contrary is ex-
Guided: in the former. it is not. We
follow out a mathematical proof, and
we are positively certain. We are in
formed Of 4 fact, and We are practically
certain of it.
Now, we know ten things practically
where we know one positively. Weknow
positively scarce anything, except some
things tia, We have actually seen or
have fundamentally proved. Even
what we see we may misapprehcnd, and
what we have seen our memory may
trcacherously record. An error may
lurk even in our mathematics. II is
not every mind that can attain the Ger.
tainty of Professor Pierce. After Le-
verrier had computed the place in the
heavens of the missing planet, and the
telescope had found it at the very spot
predicted, Professor Pierce found that
Leverricr's calculation was an error and
that the discovery of Neptune was IN
accident. A friend told the Professor
that he hoped he would not publish his
conclusion, because it was exceedingly
improbable that the coincidence could be
accidental. cit is more improbable
said Professor Pierce, 'that my calcu-
lation should be wrong For most
things we arc abundantly content with
practical certainty. Whatever we learn
because we have been told-history,
geography, Standardization we read
whatever we hear. we believe on prob
able evidence. on evidence that satisfies
us enough to live by it, even though it
be not complete. Ii the evidence pre-
ponderates, we trust it. We do all our
business on it. We imprison men, we
hang men on nothing better than prob
able evidence.
And yet, in religion men ask 81 gn
from Heaven. If they cannot see, like
Thomas, the print Of the nails, they
will not believe. But the practical evil
dence should be enough; and the pr:'c-
teal evidence should be the preponder-
ating evidence. even though not COM
pletely conclusive to us. You cannot
see God. to be sure; but, on the whole.
when you look at Nature about you,
when YOU look at the demands Of youl
own nature, when you think what the
great and good of all ages have be-
lieyeu. does it not look probable to VOv
that there is a God? Then act on thai
evidence. 1t is practical certainty
that there is God. Worship Him
Obey Him. Love Him.
You have never seen Christ. Iol
have never even seen and heard th'
men that saw Him when He was III TIN
world. You may not have the certain
ty that the record of Him is all true an,
that YOU must believe everything Vol
find written in the Bible. What Of that
II you have not demonstratiye certainty
nave YOU not practical certainty?
YOU cannot quite read the Bible as on
infallible record, then read it as sixty
SIX fallible books, by YOU don't kno,
how many w-iters-just as you woul
, read Tacitus, or Xenophon, or Macal
, lay, or Bancroft-and tell us what 70
learn. Let it be. If you please, as fall
r bic as the contradictory evidence while
twelve very common men take wit
{ them into the jur;-box. which they 81
, Just as common folks do. and on whic
g you hang man or acquit him. Yo
!. read the history, and YOU find, b
: similar evidence to that which COZ
2 vinces jury, that Jesus Chri
J.. lived and taught and suffered an
Y died. All this is SO certain TIL
$ no man living denies it. The same ey
: dcnce exactly tells you that He wrong
j. miracles and that He rose from IL
n dead. Is not the certainty practical,
j. not demonstrative? At least, is not Il
d evidence prcpondcrating and the co
l.. c!usion probable? If SO. do not wait
! make it absolute. DO not complain b
r cause you may think you find errors
g the Bible. So there were errors in Il
:. testimony on which the jury hang'
d Chastine Cox. You can find out, wi
a all practical certainty. what Jcs
3. taught, what His disci pies taught {
:. and learn, and then let the practic
l. certainty control YOU. If the Gre
t. Teacher commands repentance, co
N secration to God. trust in the Faith
% and His Son, and your own conscien
1. cries Amen! then repent, consecra
s. Yourself. believe. Do not wait for II
a, necessary demonstration. Were you
is wait for absolute certainty in this wor|
Of YOU would starve. You don't know /:
in solutcly that the sun will rise to-,norro
m Had YOU absolute certainty that eve
Q. word in the Bible was in;aliibiy trt
ne yet your translation is falliblc, yo
9, faculties, that must interpret it, :
N fallible. All you need, all God
n. Nature gives any man for ordinary
ty religious guidance, is practical
he surance. That is enough. That y
to have. There is a God. There is
1t Savior The Bible contains His n
he elation. Only through the one v
US of service of God can you be saw
On Repent of your sins. Consecrate y.
st lite to God; trust in divine mercy; +
w get yourself; live for others. There
in reason enough for this. and it is
n only worthy life.-N. Y. lnlepcnde
ut $50
lal The Cologne Cathedral.
81 T.,,, - C>jo rs,,n thu (pr0