St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-08
SUNDAY IN SALTWATER.
The Able and Interesting Serm ON
Delivered by DIR. Dunn.
miscellaneous Piety and General
Social Gossip.

me rev people who stayed away from the
Methodist church last evening missed rare
treat. Tie efficient and popular rector
preached most excellent sermon. 1t occu-
pled ABOUT thirty minutes and was listened 10
with interest by the large crowd present. The
subject was the Skeptlcism of Thomas, the
Skepticism OF to-day. All who heard the
sermon left highly pleased with it and regret
ting that IL was not longer. DR.. Dunn took
for his text John 20, % Except shall see in
his hands the prints of the nails and put my
fingers into the print of the nails and thrust
my hand into his size, will not believe"
the following is an outline of the sermon:
Thomas believed in the mere temporal
reign OF Christ, and when Christ was cruel
fed Thomas concluded he had been mistaken
in the mission of the NaZarene. He therefore
had returned from following Christ TO his
former TOLL And when the disciples after
the resurrection met him with the statement
that they had seen the Lord, Thomas gave
utterance to the text. This was most natural,
and knowing the character of Thomas mind,
our Lord gave him even this proof of the
senses. ] want to say there is such thing
as an honest doubter, as this case shows.
And because Thomas was
HONEST IN HIS UNBELIEF
1t was only temporary. The speaker here
dwelt on the subject of creeds, showing how
foolish it is for men to call creeds bigoted
aualrs, since no man can believe anything
without having creed, the word meaning
"Delief." There are men, however, who from
plrth nave been taught skepticism. They
spring from the loins OF unbelieving ances-
tors. The result is their reasons are preJu-
diced and defective. They truly seek light.
What blame such persons for is not for their
skepticism. but for their refusal of proper
methods OF proof, for their assumptions that
the church is false. But more, / am con-
WINGED that not only are there honest skep-
tics but that a man ought to be skeptical. If
mans eternal veal or woe depends on his
decision upon certain facts and proper dis
examinations, he owes it to himself and these
facts to avoid hurried conclusions. Each
man should, like Thomas, be so much a skep-
tic that he will be in a position to receive
the truth as il comes, to inquire and accept.
But this spirit of honest inquiry is widely diff
ferent from that species of unbelief which
exists in some quarters to-day-amOng those
who delight in attacking the beliefs of the
masses for the sake of appearing advanced
in thought and knowledge. This class
should the mass of the church to-day turn
sIeptical-would turn out firm adherents of
dogmatic Christian belief. This class repre-
sentS those who determine in O systematic
way to be skepucal any way. The great
source OF this unbelief is the natural
OPPOSITION OF MAN
to that which is beyond the run of his daily
thought and experience. The plan OF Chris
tanity is not to force you to believe things
which your reason opposes, but those things
which your reason cannot fathom fully COM
prehend and prove. 1t asks you to believe in
the print of the nails you cannot see, and the
wounded side into which you cannot now,
like Thomas, thrust your hand; and yet
which are as real, as they would be, could
you see and touch them.
Christianity offers you something which
deties the shock of worlds and builds up in
stead of destroying mans physical and moral
life. Unbelief tears down and never up
builds. Carlyle once said of Voltaire, he has
"a torch for burning. but no hammer for
building" Though cannot know all, ask
to enjoy what l can and do know Though 1
can't see all of Gods beauties, do ask to be
permitted 10 enjoy my sight. Though my
belief be foolish and delusiye. let me have it
until you can cheer and comfort me with at
least as good one. Give me the sweet de-
fusion of those whom have seen fall asleep
in the majesty Of q triumphant faith in
Christ. LET me die the death of the right
eous, and let my last end be like unto his"