The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-24
GAMALIEL'S DOUBT.
Sermon by Rev. MyrOn w. Reed, of Denver,
at the Dedication ola Church.

]
but if it be of Sod we overthrow it, lest hapy
We be found even to Eight against God
Jesus Christ had been arrested, tried and put
to death, but his disciples, who had at the last
forsaken him and fed, had come together again,
and with boldness were preaching that he had
arisen from the dead. Everything he had said
while he was with them they were repeating with
the emphasis of courage and hope They were
doing as he did and repeating what he said
healing the sick and preaching the good news:
Repent and be converted that your sins may be
blotted out The God of our fathers raised up
Jesus whom ye slew and hanged upon tree.
Him hath God exalted with His right hand--a
prince and a savior-to give repentance to Israel
and forgiveness of sins
The high priest and they who were with him
were filed with Indignation, and they put the
apostles in prison, and the next morning the
prison doors were shut and the guards in their
place, but the prisoners were standing in the
temple and teaching the people All the words
of this life Being brought before the Senate it
was demanded of them: did we not strictly
command you not to teach in that names and be-
hold we have filed Jerusalem with your doctrines,
and intend to bring this mans blood upon US"
And Peter, who had once been afraid as the
question of a girl, is not afraid at the question
of the Senate He answers promptly and stoutlys
I'VE ought to obey God rather than man."
After this the Senate took counsel to STAY them.
Then Gama1iel came to the front and said: I'VE
men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye
intend to do as touching these men. Let them
alone, for if their counsel ec work be of men it
will come to naught, but ifit be of God ye can not
overthrow it Gamaliel was a doctor OF
the law and of great reputation. Saul of Tarsus
had sat at his feet He was jew descended.
His grandfather was a famous rabbi. He him
self had been acquainted with the works and
words of Jesus He was one Of the judges at
at the trial and gave his voice against him. His
counsel to his associates had a certain air of
wisdom and credence in it.
1t is true that mans work comes to naught,
and it is true that we can not overthrow the
work of God But the counsel of Gamaliel in
the case in hand is miserable after all. 1t is
good counsel as to some things. In the present
state of the science of geology it is perhaps as
well to wait until the professors agree. OF two
theories as to how the Yosemite valley was
scooped we may at present take neither; we can
wait. l should like to know, but shall not die
unhappy if don't know. The corn will tassel
and the snake will coil Just the same either way.
1t is not a question that greatly concerns men,
and we do WELL l think until there is
only one theory. So of a great many of the
questions of science. 1 should not care to be
dogmatic even as to the truth of Newton's law
of gravitation. If it is Gods law it will stand,
if not, not But as to the question how to stamp
out fever-say the yellow, or the scarlet or the
typhoid-there is a question that we are bound
to answer, and as soon as we can, for it concerns
the world, and our friends and ourselves. There
are some simply curious questions, and we sit
as spectators and listen to the dialogue concern
ing them. We take no part; we wait and see
the conclusion of the matter. But there are
other questions which will not suffer us to sit as
mere listeners to the debate, because they con
Germ us, and they concern us now.
After the battle Of Lexington, England is in
earnest. The rebellion is to be put down, and
some of the cooniSts are in earnest and call it a
revolution that shall never be put down. Flows
are left in the furrow from the day at Lexington
to the day af Yorktown, and some Of the colo
nists say We will see. If the King is right, he
will win, and if the colonies are right, they will
end of the war we shall know on
which side God has been. Events will
settle that and then we will join in on His side.
You perez i've there is no faith. The minds of
the CANA iels wait for proof, for demonstration,
for success; success not believed in, hoped for,
but success seen historically.
What does Columbus need before his veyageg
For men to say to him, we do not affirm that
there is new world in the west, we do not
deny it, if YOU find it we will believe in it, but
viii wait until you find it; if you are successful
in the first voyage, we will go with you on the
second Columbus does not need this caution
and timid wisdom. He needs sailors and ships
for the voyage of discovery. He needs faith in
takes the risk faith that finds ship; faith that
enlists a crew. Herein is the difference between
the men with Columbus, 1.-THE first that ever
burst into that lonely sea, and the emigrant of
to-day. And the difference is wide If there is
no man of faith TO explore, no path made, there
will be no pathway. Every individual of the
shiploads of Europe who have landed on this
coast, and every individual of their children, to
the latest generation of time, are flung into debt
to the faith of Columbus.
nar,la If A1Rn.i1 ef- in
the woods were full of them. What we wanted
was Abolitionists in 1856 The message of Jesus
Christ which Peter repeats, concerns
Gamaliel; he himself is in need of Jesus
wait and listen to the discussion and assent to
the demonstration, for he has only few years
to live. He will be dead eighteen years before
one Of the prophecies of Christ is fulfilled.
Weep not for me, daughters of Jerusalem, weep
for yourselves and for your children, and pray
that your fight be not in winter" 1t is pre-
sumed that Gamaliel loved his nation and his
people, his city-Jerusalefn-the joy of the
EARTH beautiful for situation on the sides of the
north, the city of the great king. The Roman
eagle will stoop over her unless she repents; not
one stone viii be left upon another. This
prophecy of Jesus must be believed in and
acted upon before it comes to pass. The
repentance must be swiftef than the
flight of the eagles of vengeance. The demon
stration will come but where will be Gamalieli
1t is presumed that Gamaliel loves himself. 1t
is heaven or hell with him. If he waits for dem
onstration it is hell with him.
Life rests on belief in the word of God and re-
pentance. The evidence of things not seen must
be taken with assurance-the existence of things
hoped for must be gripped with conviction. The
demonstration of heaven and hell comes too late
for Dives. He is in one and he sees the other
but he cannot cross the gulf He may pray to
go and see his brethren and warn Them but if
they are of his mind it wonld do no good TO grant
his nraVeT They wpI1ld hear him listen 10 his
story and say, 1T may be all so; it may not be
so. We will wait and see.n There is no ahso-
Lutte demonstration that can come soon enough
in any matter of life. The child wears out
many shoes before he knows how leather is
made You believe in winter, and you
get ready for it in the faith that
He orders the seasons The order Of God
will be kept You lay in supplies, you plant
and SOW, and reap, and gather in barns. In
winter you believe in summer and you lay in
ice to cool July and fervid August. We do not
wait until winter and summer are demonstra-
thong Indians do and snffe1. We live hv faith