Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-02-29
On SOLID GROUND.

II oAAy SuAS ia OhA
stability is Christian experience. The
only conviction of the divinity of the
Bible and the truth of the gospel which
has real staying and holdingl power is
that which comes from the process of
applyingiand testing the Bible in a prac-
tical course Of obedience. We are far,
indeed, from admitting or thinking that
our religion can not triamphantly main
tain itself in fair fight on the open field
of controversy. It does not shrink
from the forum Of debate or from the
arbitrament of reason. 1t is ready on
proper occasion, though with no bragg
CART airs, to take up the challenge of in
fdel foes of the scientific school, or of
any other school, using ohly the weap-
ons of criticism and logic. But in an
age like ours, when skepticism is in the
air, and the "time-spirit" is confessed
ly hostile to Evangelical religion, and
even all claims to the miraculous and
supernatural, something more than
knowledge and syllogism is requisite to
keep the Christian serene and assured
in his faith, especially the average
Christian. He is in danger of UNDER
going an unconscious. process of sap
ping, mining, honey-conibing even. He
breathcs a malarial atmosphere, and
before he is aware of it he may betray
symptoms of debility and depression.
such as denote the presence in his spirit
ual system Of a lurking poison. The
only absolutely sure defense against
this fatal result is a personal, living ex-
p%erience of the truth of Christianity,
which shall satisfy his soul and lift him
above the possibilities of serious dsubt.
The only way in whichone IAN really
become d Christian runs through this
narrow gate of obedience and practice.
A process of putting the doctrines of
Christ to the proof in an honest effort
to do them is the eternal condition of
Christian discipleship. Thus alone can
we "know' those doctrines as true,
'+taste" them as good, and enterinto the
freedom and fellowship of the Gospel.
Mere study, learning and logic can
never give a sense of gertrude as to re-
vealed truth. One who works only in
the dry and colorless light of the intel
lect will forever come short of genuine
Christian trust and peace. Before this
n can be attained the Gospel must
cease to be a mere system or theory
worthy of admiration; it must strike
into a mans heart, work itself into his
being, and work itself out in his life. In
a word, it must be a thing of actual and
intimate experience.
And Us we a not become Christians
without experience, so we can not re-
man such, at least assured and happy
Christians, without keeping this expe-
rience alive and having it grow deeper
and richer. Especially is this true in
a period when the world is resoundinp
with the caashing arms of religious
combatants, and the air is vibrating with
doubt. II at such a moment we would
feel the ground solid beneath our feet.
we must have an experimental knowl-
edge Of Divine truth that shall enable
us to say: II kmow that these things
are SOL now whom l have believed
l have tried the Gospel plan and re-
sources, and l am nv of their Divinity
from their precise adaptation to all
my needs. You can spare yourself tho
trouble OF attempting to unsettle NV
faith, for it will be an utterly futile
effort" N
NOW this is not simply a possible and
very comfortable attainment: it is also
perfectly valid before the bar of reason
1t is no sign of enthusiasm or weak
credulity to plead this ground of conf
dence and be satisfied with it. It is
true the argument which it involves
may lot be particularly effective in
convincing the skeptic or s%ilencine the
galnsayer, but it is u~nimpeachables as a
justification of the believer in his chos-
en- course. 1t rests upon a sound NH
losophy. There is no better proof than
our consciousness, our irIepressible
instincts, and our intuitive judgments:
and all these enter into that composite
result which is called experience.
Especially in the domain of religion.
1roln the very necessities Of the case
consciousness, instinct and intuition NAV
great part. The Bible relies much
upon its own self-evidencing WEIGHT
to commend it to our favor, and experi.
ence is but the response of the spiritual
sense in us 10 this inherent Scrintuma1
evidence. With a true appreciation Of
the Importance of what We have heen
saying, Neander said: '.It is the heart
that makes the true theoloeian 40
was clearly right. The theologian who
Is intellectual. and nothing more. c.u