The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1883-05-09

ABOUT the CUlIlJy ana encacy o.
prayer? Let us look into the
many languages, and judge from
the thoughts of men, What about
the pardon of sin and its conditions
What of restful future for the
soul? for there is a universal intel
ligence and consciousness of violated
moral obligation among men. Man
has ever felt himself a sinner, and
that he must do something: and il
ever saved some power beyond him
self must interpose in his behalf
Hence the all-absorbing inquiry in
all the ages past, and now is, what
must [ do to be saved? 2 Reason
does not tell us, Auguste Comte's
philosophy does not help US any.
1t does not tell us how trusting in
the human race brings deliverance
to burdened conscience. Outside
of the Bible we find no response to
this question. Who can explain
this on any other suppositien than
that 'the world d by wisdom knows
not God Let those who advocate
the omnipotence of human reason
point to all the massive intellects of
by-gone ages, and show how it
came to pass that men who were
our equals, if not our superiors in
all but the light of reyelation, were,
in regard to Gods existence and
character, and morals and religion,
so deeply debased and hopelessly
wretched. 1t has never been, it
cannot be satisfactorily explained
on any other ground than that of
the insufficiency of human reason to
find out God. The torch goes out
just when we need it most.
And what is the condition of
modern pagan nations The in
habitants of Ceylon worship devils;
the Chinese burn gold paper before
their idols to help the departed
spirits of the poor to pay their way
to Heaven. The Hindoos worship
the Ganges and wash in it, and as
they believe, go cleansed and saved.
In some parts of heathendom the
offering of human sacrifices is a nee
essary part of their religion. Slaves
are sacrificed, children are murder
ed, parents are abandoned, husbands
buried alive and wives burned to
death. Some again sentence them
selves to exquisite tortures, and 9TH
ers betake themselves to the car of
Juggernaut and cast themselves un-
der that idol, ETC., etc. Such gloomy
superstitions foster the greatest cru
city, degrade humanity and at once
destroy every principle Of true re-
ligion. So we must turn away from
the inventions of men and the rea-
sopings of men to the word of God,
to know what we must do to be
saved?' Colonel Ingersrll may make
merry over it; he may laugh at the
answer given, but here it is: BE
lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
thou shalt be saved. Millions en-
brace this truth and obtain the
promised salvation. They live and
die in the faith and pass triumph
antly to the home above. Thank
God, life and immortality are
brought to light through the Cos
pei
"One more thought: Unassisted
reason tells us nothing about res
direction; revelation does. Cicero
was inconsolable when his daughter
died. He knew nothing of this
precious doctrine. Christianity
however, assures us that IF mar
die he shall live again, that 'thC
hour is coming when all that are il
their graves shall come forth, tha
them also that sleep in Jesus will
God bring with Him, etc. Man
both soul and body, is destined O
God to be immortal. This is exclu
sively a doctrine of revelation. 1t il
found only in the Bible, and is .inef
fably precious to all who take th'
Christian view of death, and cling
to the hope Of another and better
life beyond the grave. Most won
drous book! What a dark, darl
world this would be without it
May its truths soon echo round oul
globe and its light invest the whole
earth, guiding all nations, kindreds
tongues and peoples to God, to hap
piness, and to heaven"
|