The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-21
SERVICES OF THE SABBATH.
DR.. BOWman's Interesting Discourse on
the Miracles of Christ.
Rev. David Walks Sermon to Young PeO-
pie on Their Religious Duties
and Influences
THE ROYAL ROAD TO SALVATION.

Inc sermon Delivered at the tabernacle Dy
Rev. S. L. Bowman.
Dr. S. L. Bowman, dean of the college of the
ology in DePauw University, preached at the
Tabernacle yesterday morning, the theme of his
discourse being the miracle work. of Christ in
the application as a test of faith. His text was,
"He answered and said, whether he be sinner
no. l know not one thing 1 know; that
whereas I was blind, now see" st. John tx, %
This, DR.. Bowman said, was sharp and alb
rupt answer to come from blind and miserable
beggar. The sentence however, is historical,
suggestive of Christs miracle work at the tenn
pie gates on the Sabbath day
The whole chapter is unique and of interest
in detail full of creumstantiality, in which each
character comes to the front; life-like portrai-
ture of the hour; picture drawn by master
hand. The man who is presumed to be the sinner
alluded to in the text is Christ himself. Jesus
had just had sharp controversy with the
Pharisees about his claim as Messiah and their
SIN as Jews in rejecting Him. The days debate
closed with miracle wrought on the blind born
In one Of the outer courts in the temple area
the Jews took up stones to cast at him, that last
argument of mob which has no reason, but
Jesus went out of the temple, going through the
midst of them, and so passed by" At the tenn
pie gate He met beggaP and stopped and
IRE, when in full fight from His enemies, has
seemed to some irrecOncilable with Christs ordl-
nary prudence but Lange, Sitter, Meyer and
French, recognize in this instance the complete
triumph which characterized +sfs department
of Lord and Master-recognized
that sense of safety which belonged to Him and
to Him alone, who so often said, MY time has not
yet come" II lay down my life of myself,
man taketh it from me. ] lay it down of myself.
Another fact discovers itself Misfortunes were
regarded by some Gods punishments for per-
sonal sins. The disciples asked Him, MASTER
who did sin, this man or his parents. that he
was born blindl' Christ dispelled the
deusion in a single sentence Neither did this
man sin nor his parents, that he was born blind.
Many in that day thought that they could de
wise from the affection what the offense was in
state of life before they were born into this
world-that madness indicated that they were
guilty of disobedience 10 parents i'll that prior
world; that epilepsy was due to poison
that blindness was due to the murder
of ones mother. On high authority it is stated
that fifty per cent. of the people suffer from
blemishes OF the eyes from blindness. In
Ramlah the common saying prevails: Every
man is totally blind or sees with but one eye"
This is due to the impalpable sand-dust, pulverF
lied under the sun rays, glancing upon you from
surrounding sand-hills to the ravages of small
pox, but, most of all, to the Mohammedan
uncleanlness. This man, however, was born
blind. Prophetic description represented the
Messiah's distinguishing function to be the open
ing of the eyes of the blind, and in that day
shall the deaf hear, and the eyes of the blind
shall see out of obscurlty and out of darkness"
and II viii bring the blind by a way that
they knew not; l will make darkness light before
them
After the temptation, Jesus in the syna-
gogqe at Nazereth, read from the
SCROLL The spirit of the Lord is
upon me, because He hath Amounted me to
preach deliverence tc the captives and the recoy-
cry of sight to the blind Returning the SCROLL
ne sald; This day are these things fulfilled in
yaS hen, Yol.,, n.
desired to know of Jesus Art thou He that
should come or look we for another?n the an
swer came quickly; go show JOHN
aga aga'n o,a those Re.u things which you do
sight and the lame walkn but the divine
one who healed sightless men came to cure a
worse blindness than that which shuts ont +be
hght OF the sun Blindness of heart is worse
ana reprehenslble Here was judicial blindness
on the part of the Judiciary But this man was
born blind and was incurabiy blind
The remedial appliances were simple: CLAW.
Spite, and washing in Siloams waters The
requirement TO SO wash was not too much TO
overburden, nor too little to be overlooked N
made INN cooperative with God, and SO far re-
sponslble, The prescription would seem 70 bav,,
contrary effect. Clay and spittle might mt
,1 one .eyeslght, but how could it make a
nind-born' see. So it would seem to MANY tbaH |
she gospel of a crucifed outlaw. a gospeI which i
imposed selfdenial and cross-bearing rnllst faff
from the start; but this is the royal road |
" sdiNdIion we come to this mans nxt I
penence where he aflirms much Experierca |
is great fact and factor with any man II e |
not only the best test but it is the only test
practicable. 1t is the Dest test of faith attested
by the science Of human consciousness. Hnnaa1,
ability and human demand can 90 no further ia
proof No man can get away from the intelii
geice of his own mind. This man said "Onn
thing know" The Pharsees couldn't
argue down that knowledge. Trbev
ignored his change from blindness 70
light He ignored their relation to this miracle
and offered no explanations They wished hin,
Q state theory. He insisted on stating fact
Hear how John emphasizes the grand CON
Illusions OF Christian. experience: "And we
lnow that we are of God We know that we
lave passed from death unto life; hereby we
NOW that we are in Him; and hereby we Know
hat we are of the truth and shall assure on1
learts before HIM hereby we know that we
well in Him and He in u.s.
BE not hasty to pronounce Judgment of sin on
theirs mlsfortunes Blindness made this man a
eggar, but we are beggars also, and every PRAYER
an lmporing. Being cured of his blindness he
vowed it openly, and even defended Jesus he
ore a malignant opposition Being converted
trough this milicle of mercy he worsbined
hrist, and his worship was silently accepted of
lin. ~" u