The Portland daily press., 1884-12-15
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.
SECOND PARISH.

Rsv.O. ". Folsom. the successor OF the Rsv
DR.. Fiske, of the Winter StreetaC Church, Bath,
preached st this church yesterday in exchange
was from Isaiah il8-"Come now and let as
reason together, saith the Lord" Topic The
reasonableness of Gods requirements.
1t is the glory of man that he is being with
whom cd can reason, otherwise man would not be
susceptible to moral appeals. To sever religion
from reason Is to reduce religion to a rank super
stiton. But this is not equivalent to saving that
religion is wholly matter of reason Religion deals
with the entire being of man and not with his
reasoning faculty aones Immense harm has been
representing it as something that did not
appeal to reason; something which transeends
reason or lies outside les province. Men
hgion had nothing to do with reason, 1t must be An
unreasonable thing in its nature. Consequently
many of them have refused to even consider its
claims 1t must not be forgotten that there is suon
thing as a true, reverenI, Christian rationasm;
in other words that religion is reasonable and thai
being. conceive it to be considerable part of
the work which my Master commissions me to do
to present the religion of Christ TO so that it
shall seem to truly candid minds the most reason
able thing in the world.
come to present the claims and doctrines of re.
ligion not only to men who feel and will but to
men who also think and reason. do this because
the Bible does it, Christ and Paul appealed to
mems reason. Reason and faith are not antago-
rest on rational basis. This is very far from say
ing that we are to believe only what we can fully
comprehend, believe in electricity. but how lit
tie comparatively, 40 know about it, The fact
that there are in the truths and facts of religion
profound mysteries does not make it unreasonable.
Let us look at some of the truths ano claims of
religion TO discover whether they are reasonable or
not.
First, is it reasonable to believe in God? Which
is the more reasonable, to be an atheist or to
believe In God? Let us look about and within
us. We behold everywhere existenees. One mind
refers to an originating cause, aker, creator.
The plan and order of creation indicates that the
creator is an intelligent being Second ID is reason
father of our spirits and are His offspring, and
because of His redeemipg love, manifested in the
advent life and death of Christ. Third IL is reas-
onaole that sinners are saved through faith in
Christ. There can be government, human or
divine, without the penalties. A commandment
without penalty weuld not be law, only advice.
All involves penalty. If sin goes UNPUBLISHED,
Gods government ceases, for His authority is sue
cessfully dehed Instead OF visiting the penalty on
the sinner He transfers it to His innocent Son,
who fully accepts the punishment in the sinners
place. This is reasonable.
Will you not opey the ruth? Will you not make
the resolve aud take the action which reason aud
conscience urge upon you? Whatsoever the voice
OF conscience bids you do. do it now.
NOTES.
Rev. s. f. Pearson, having returned from
Montreal, took charge Of TIE meetings at the
Gospel Mission yesterday. The hall was
crowded at every service and about seventy
people rose for prayers.