Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-05-07
BISHOP MERRILL.
An interesting Discourse on the Character
of Christ at jackson Street NJ, L. Church
Last Night,

An Interesting Discourse on the Character
of Christ at jackson Street NJ, L, Church
Last Night,
Bishop S. NJ, Merrill, of Chicago, deliv-
cred an interesting discourse last evening
at the jackson street Nj. E. church, gener-
ally upon the character of Christ, his di-
vine and his human nature, his part in the
trinity, and his incarnation. The dis
course was based upon the 14th verse of
word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,
land we beheld his glory, the glory of the
only begotten of the Father full of grace
and TRUTH
In opening his discourse the bishop re-
marked that there were two ways of esti-
mating or coming at the character of
Christ. One was in the three other gospels
in which we would learn that he was di.
vine. To this conclusion we would be led
by gradual approaches TO his true
character. The other method is to be
found in the gospelof st. John, who begins
by asserting plainly his divinity and then
charging upon his being the source of
light. The evangelist then turns his at
tention to his humanity. Thus by both
methods we are led to understand that
Christ was both divine and human. The
first idea in this view is his incarnation.
If his incarnation is not admit
ted or considered as established
then infdelity triumps. His incarnation
is the ground of hope and the foundation
of all there is in our Christian life. This,
of course, involves the doctrine of the
Trinity, the truth of which we must receive
on the evidence of the Bible, and accept it
as true. There is no contradiction or alb
surdity in the idea of the Trinity. On this
point the bishop combatted the infdel's
argument that it is impossible to conceive
of the Trinity, that is, three persons in
one, and said the trouble was in the am
biguity of the word person" The divine
nature of Christ absorbed our human
nature, and he thus, and to that extent,
became human. His humanity was real
and not imaginary, and it must be &C
cepted as such. Much scripture was
quoted on this point. There is no doubt
as to his being a man. He was real flesh
and blood, and there is no doubt about
it. The question then is how far did he
enter into our nature. Did he partake of
our depravity? When he took our nature
upon him he assumed the human nature
as the Almighty made it before the fall,
and not the perverted, sinful human nature
that we have. He ate, drank and slept as
we do. He became tired as we do, but
without anything of our depravity. The
bishop dwelt at length upon the character
of Christ, and his Ife-on the Mount of
Olives, when led out to be crucifed, before
his disciples, in the garden of Gethsemane.
Everywhere the apostles always beheld his
glory. Of course we have not the same
opportunity to see him that the apostles
had, but we know him through them and
their teachings and writings. 1t is only
through Christ that we can reach heaven.
There is but one way to save fallen men
and that is through Christ. The Moham-
medans so far as form is concerned are a
pious people. Whenever the bell called to
prayers, no matter where they were they
would drop upon their knees and say their
prayers, but while they did this their lives
were governed by no moral principle
whatever. When they thus observed the
form of religion they wholly abandoned
the reality. Under the teachings of Christ
something different is required. The
bishop closed his discourse with an urgent
appeal to accept of salvation as thus offer
ed.