Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-12-09

on the Son hath everlasting life, aud
he that believeth not on the Son shail
not see life, but the wrath Of God
sbideth in him." Aud so it seemed
to me that salvation by faith in Christ
ran all through the gospels aud the
epistles. Aud | further saw that
where good works were commended
they were only such good works as
the Spirit of q od enables d man To do.
NEW TESTAMENT AUTHENTICITY.
Mr.Ingsrso:l says that nobody re uiIv
knows " no wrote the New Testament;
that the books which compose 1t were
not signed by any one. So far from
that fact dl.crediting their gemuine-
ness. it rather strengthens IL. 1t afforcs
evidence that those writings we're such
household words IN the church that 1t
ASH necesssry,to authenticate themby
signatures. 1t was 90 we'll known in the
first churches WHO wrote Them, and that
the persons who wrote them were au-
thorlztd persons, as that it was not nee.
essary to have seals. cert iiticates or
affidavits. We might as we'll say that
Washington's farewell address was not
his, but pei haps that Of some other man
who lived Al some other tiIns.I never saw
the autograph copy OF that document.
aud presume that Mr.. lngersoll never
did. 1t Is not necessary. It is inter-
woven with tho whole history OF our
country from the day it WAS 6rst pub.
lished until now that nobody can doubt
1t. This gospels and the epistles are luz
1tsrwOven with tho every day history ot
the church from the time they were first
published until now. The fathers speak
ofthem, and quote their language, amt
refer TO their authorship all tue way
back. We might Ms we'll say that
Thomas Jefferson did not write the
Declaration OF Independence. There
is not q living man, who could voucff
for his signature. even 1t the autograph
copy should be found: But neverths-
less We know who the author wAs. be-
cause the history of the country from
that day to this is the best witness OF
| The tsct, The history oi the church from
spossvIic times 10 the best wituess OF
the alti.ars Hhq wrote the gospeis end
the epistlss. When I read the New
Testament that might know the way
oi salvation. it was perfectly satisfacto.
| ~ to me that Its books wele written BY
| the mei 10 whom their authorship has
been ascfibed al through che history OF
the church,, d It Was equally as evident
! to my mind that If these men were not
the authors that the first church we'll
knew who tho authors Were. aud that
the writings were just a. reliable in the
one case.as the olhsr. The reliability
OF this gospel or that does not depend
upon the mans name being Matthew.
or Mark. or Luke, or John. Qts e
Ever since. with discriminating
| mind, frst read the New Testament
!! scriptures, nothing has been palmer to
me than that they SGT forth salvation
from state OF sin and ruin through o
| crucified aud risen Savior. Nothing 10
palmer to me than that salvation ID ac-
comp!ished BY mans Of belief In Him s
by repentance of sin; by new birth
which the spirit Of God works within
the man who receives Christ, and that
all this 10 followed BY . new life iruft-
iul OF good works toward God and our fol.
low men. These doctrines cons,ituts
the whole body OF revealed truth. These
doctrines are She trunk Of the tree.
These doctriuss. .col,stitute the mighty
pyramid Of sacred. truth. The tounda-
lions OF 1t were laid ~. the days OF the
patriarchs. and the topmost stone was
plac. when tho last inspired utterance
, WAS borne from Pstmos. Now, Mr..
Ingersoll says there have been interpO-
lslions. He says the old manuscripts
do not Altogether agree. We have not
the time now to erGue that matter. All
We now shall cay un that point 10 that
none oi those imputed interpretations.
. none of those variations Affect in the
4 slightest degree those main doctrines
! OF which We have spoken. None Of
|, those variations or interpretations i'm
pair In the slightest degree the solid
, .i0ctrlne 0i revealed truth which repre-.
, sspts the systep of salvation which ID
, set forth in the scriptures. Strike out
! all the interpretations and variations,
!, and still the doctrine OF salvation
through. . rsdessner and by means oi
!. faith, repentance, and resignation. ex.
emplified IN . reformed lite remains
I untouched There hsye bsen Thousands
= oi men who have scratchsd their namel
| and their notices npOn the sides Of hG
I pyramids. but the pyramids still stand
!, as clesr In their outlines and ~ d. %
/ upon their foundations ~ thongh the
punys knives and chisels OF men had
!, never been lifted against them. Per-
I haps it would have been better for Mr..
\ Ingersoll il he had ixed his eyes more
\ irtently upon this mighty structure OF
I truth which has been looking dow u
! upon the ages. instead of fixing them
upon the Insignificant scratchings which
i mon have been doing upon ITS granite
n sides. Indeed it is quito evident from
4 Mr.. IngersolIs lecture that he has mol
!. examined tho structure Of inspired truth
very closely, tor lie says: Il sEpp6Ae
4 cannot tell whether 1 really believe the
!. Testament or not until see the new
o translAtiou." That new translation yhai
o besn abroad In the world for sometime
J. and II Mr.. Ingersoll 10 40 slow iu ca.Nh.
@ ing up t. Bible truth % be h4s been ID
u catching up with that new translat loo
}. bis friends hays grave reason to sppre.
d hend that hs will not get there bsisrs
a Judgment day.
. i THE CHURCH.
8 Mr.. Ingsrsoll next turns bis attention
y to the church. Now l shall not SAY
= much on this subject. The doctrines o.
the church are divine, aud by them W
stand unfinchinEly. The practice o.
r the church 10 human. and it 10 not i'm.
II portant that we defend Il. Calvin,
= Kuox, Wesley and Whitfield may have
J sometimes erred. Doubtless they did
Q So did Noses .nd David and Elijah
!" Fatriarchs, prophets, apostles. saintl
u aud martyrs have Gil had their faults
:. II Mr.. lngersoll can make anything ou
y OF that, he 10 welcome 10 do IL. But q
l. faulty ~ they who compose the church
J. may be, certainly they bear . t.
y vorable comparison With those out
:, side. 1t will hardly be centsnded
by Mr.. Ingersoll that the Christian 70
o liyion has . tendency TO make meE
y thieves, or ,drunkards. or libertinss
: or murderers, or violatsrs OF law. HI
certainly would not be so unfair ,ai
= to deny that before man can be any
of these he must point back over thl
;, principles and precepts OF the gospel
Mr.. lngers0ll says he believes in q
morality Of good deeds. Certainly be
. can not believe in that any more firm.
q ly than the gospel enjoins it. In fact
almost oil the quotations he makei
. from the scriptures. In his lecture. arl
u of that sort. The gospsf goes farther
. In enjoining good behavior toward
J. our tsIlow mon than any other mora
At code the world ever saw. Aud ai
l. faulty as professors OF religion may
}. be in this respect, the spirit OF chari.
~ which animatss them 10 certainly