The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-11
THE STRENGTH OF THE GOSPEL.

Its Teachings Accord with the Dictates of
COnscience-Rev. j. G. Bruce at the Taber-
nacIe.
Rev j. G. Bruce, of Peoria, ILL.,, preached
yesterday, morning and evening, at the Taber-
nacle Third Presbyterian Church. He is of
middle age, has good voice, is clear forceful,
and fluent, and at his morning service spoke
without manuscript. The morning sermon was
from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians,
fourth chapter, second verse; But have re-
nounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not
walking in craftiness nor handling the word of
God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the
truth, commencing ourselves to every mans
conscience in the sight of God" The last clause
of the verse was the text proper By the read
ing of these epistles we understand that the
Apostle looked upon the members of these
first churches as his own children The fact
was that at this time there were troubles in the
Corinthian church Corinth was a great mart
of trade, rich, gay and worldly, with many
things to check the good work Of the church.
There was sincerity about the early eiviiza-
ton Of Greece and Rome which showed itself in
Speech but after Greece became surfeited by
conquest an Asiatic taste came in and in no way
was it more marked than in public speech.
Other orators were making the gospel more pol
ished than Paul and at the expense of the truth.
If was TO this error that he called the notice of
the church. He diseerned that the strength of
the gospel lay not in this meretricious oratory
but in its directness, simplicity and sincerity.
The gospel is a system of facts, and the strength
of the gospel consists in the harmony of it's facts
with the facts of the conscience. The primary
facts of conscience are always the same though
there are apparent contradictions of this. Men
in America act eOnscientOusly in certain way,
and men in China act cOnscientiousy in an
tirely different way This is from the fact that
there is perverted, undeveloped and unenlight-
ened conscience in the world Conscience says
there is right and there is wrong. When it
comes to apply these principles to daily acts Of
9iife the outward actions may take ON very differ
ent forms. The Hindoo mother, acting from
conscience throws her babe to be eaten by croc-
odiles The Christian mother is Mortified thereat.
Conscience has to found its judgment upon the
facts that are brought to it, and upon different
state of facts pronounce different Judgment.
Conscience always means rightly, but as to
what its outward manifestations may be de
ponds largely upon conditions. Conscience teSti-
fies that there is a right and wrong which are
not merely names, but realities Conscience
must be governed by the law Of righteousness.
The law of righteousness claims jurisdiction
over the body and the soul over the affections
and the appettes. All that is in accord with this
law is right, and all chat opposes it is wrong
The substratum cf everything is righteousness;
the beginning and foundation of this Bible is
righteousness. Whenever the human mind gets
the IDEA Of personal God, there is no trouble in
finding law for our nature We find perfect
illustration of the law Of righteousness in the
iiife of Jesus Christ The intelligent moral
nature clearly discerns right from wrong.
Throughout the Bible there prevails approval
of that which is good and always condemnation
of evil. Jesus went about everywhere approx
ing that which was good, finding it even in
very unexpected places, and reproving
evil Man sees that the law claims jurisdiction
over him, that it applies TO him. and the satisfac-
ton in finding that he is agreeing with that law
makes him feel well. The cry of the Old Tesla
ment is "Sin, sin" That was the great theme OF
prophecy Conscience testiies to a demand fo1
| satisfaction for personal guilt-to sacrifice.