The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-07-07

subjects himself 10 that law. lie hears
The voices that speak to bin to turn
him aside, and they sometimes speak
with almost irresistible power. But
when he holds on his course with firm,
intrepid step, with faith in the future
and the unseen, he is not denounced as
madman, but is applauded as a man
OF principle, courage and faith. All
social progress is on this line. All
achievement for humanity is found
here.
All personal moral progress is on the
law of faith. The individual soul, de.
termined to throw off the trammels of
vice and darkness, works up toward an
ideal of character and attainment which
inspires him. 1t is to him an object
both of faith and desire. The agnostic
scofs ut this as something unreal-a
fancy, dream, folly. But i'm steadily
pursuing 1t, old evil habits fall of, men,
tai iudolence gives place to activity, and
the whole nature is aroused 10 better
life. The man who has thus conquered
himself has achieved a work of faith,
higher than any attainment of physical
science, because itaffects the wel-being
Of the soul. Faith Is an essential ele-
ment in all moral attainments in all
efforts toward better life.
My fifth proposition is that religious
faith, faith in God, is the highest and
the perfect form of faith. 1t here has
to do with the greatest subjects which
can affect The human soul. The object
Of faith is personal God, revealed to
us in his works and word, in our own
moral nature and wants, but most
clearly in Jesns, the Mediator and Re-
deemer-"the brightness of his glory
and the express image of his person.
Religious faith is personal trust in
Him as living God and Savior. 1t is
loyalty to Him as the souls rightful
sovereign. 1t is glad obedience TO Him
as rightfully claiming our service. 1t
is living to Him as the SOULS highest
aspiration.
What. then, 10 tho evidence on which
this faith stands? Can the believer JUS
tify himself in saying with the apostle,
81 know in whom have believed?"
1t is admitted that the apostle had
evidence 10 stand upon which we can
not have. lie had seen the Lord. He
had wrought wonders and signs in his
name. lie had experienced marvellous
deliverances. He had seen visions of
heavenly glory not TO be uttered. But
the inward experience of Christ as a
delivercr from the power of sin every
believer enjoys, ana he can therefore
say by an inward experience, 81 know
in whom have believed"
But he can never for moment allow
that his faith has no other ground but
subjective experience. 1t has vast
and strong basis of historic facts to rest
upon. He has a divine revelation
proved by miracles, by fulfilled pro-
phecy, and, in the case of the Jews, by
fulfilling prophecy. The progress of
the most searching criticism has added
proof to the accuracy OF the divine
record. Assyria and Egypt are both
coming forth out of their tombs, after
sleep of three to four thousand years,
TO confirm and place beyond dispute the
very points of the sacred history which
have hnan mast aeoailcd. Tho fierce
attacks of foes and the trcachery of
the Bible as a book of truth.
The man of Christian faith has the
whole history of Christianity from the
days of Paul TO the present day 10 JUS
tify his faith. Paul himself is q grand
fact in the history. When he uttered
this text he was soon TO be put TO a
u C..
But the Roman empire was to die rather
than he. Aftor dig htven centuries he is
still teaching the ages with ever-grow-
ing power in nine. .tenths of the Ian.
guages of earth.
Christian truth and doctrine are based
upon certain great facts. not one of
which can be assailed with any other
result than signal defeat. The birth,
life, death, resurrection and ascension
OF our Lord, the labors and writings of
the apostles, founders of the Christian
church, its survival of the wreck OF the
Jewish state and of the Roman empire,
its triumph over the barbarian deluge
that destroyed Rome and over the fierce
and persistent assaults of Islam, are all
as patent to the world as is the present
of its power. Christian
ity challenges the world TO invalidatc a
single important fact of its history, in
cluding its supernatural origin and
miraculous development.
But as the center of all these facts
stonds the Redeemer himself. No ma
terialistic theory can explain Him.
Evolution cannot produce him. lie is
not the product of any antecedent age,
nor OF his own-Jewish, Grecian,
Roman. He has led and still leads the
ages, and in his own person and history
all the criticisms of agnostic
AS by internal experience,
SO by the manifestation OF truth, the
Christian can say with all confidence,
81 know in whom have believed"
Our third topic shall be briefly
although of supreme impor-
tance-the relation of knowledge and
faith to a Christian manhood.
We have shown that to know and to
believe are equally prerogatiyes of the
human soul. To reject either is to de-
stroy its harmony and deprive it of all
safe and true power. If knowledge is
lure. IL faith inspires, knowledge
guides. Faith trusts, and presses on
ward into the dark, fearless of conse-
luences; but knowledge has given ii
principles which justify the risk. Under
hese two attributes human nature
reaches its highest activity and performs
is sublimest deeds. 1t knows and
iares. 1t will sacrifice life even, be-
ieviDg that il II die it shall bring forth
much fruit and that death will be life.
So thought and acted the heroic apostle
md the great army of martyrs whose
blood has been the seed of the church.
The union of knowledge and faith in
Christ is that which moves the world.
Christian truth aud Christian faith are
he forces of true progress. They alone
AN save civilization from self-destruc-
ion. Christian truth is in harmony
with all truth. 1t is not dependent
lpon science, but it receives aid from
III knowledge, and gives back in good
Measure, pressed down, shaken to-
.ether, and running over. 1t is truth
in Christ that goes down into
he lowest depths TO bring I'M man from