The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-31
OBJECTS TO HIS METHODS.
Dr.. Jeffery Indignantly Protests Against
the Language of Sam Jones.
Rev. g. J. Gantzs Sermon Yesterday at Gen.
tral Christian Church in the Series on Evan
gelical Preaching. Defining True Religion.



The Sermon of Rev. K. u. Gantz at Central
Christian Church Yesterday Morning.
~What is Religionl7 the subject of the third
sermon in the series begun on the previous Sun
day by Rev. E. J. Gantz, pastor of Central
Christian Church, an evangelical preaching
having special reference TO the coming visit of
Sam Jones to this city, was delivered yesterday
morning to a large audience. The text of his
discourse was the first chapter of st. John,
seventeenth verses For the law was given by
Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ >
Mr. Gantz said: AS people we have been es-
Decially careful to view every question from a
Bcriptural standpoint This custom of ours we
believe to be in strict harmony with the teach
ings and will of God. Therefore, large number
of the practices and views of the religious world
We have not aud cannot conscientiously indorse
as being too mar row and as contending too earn
estly for scriptural precedent. While it is true
that We have been trained to particular discern
ment and close inspections, we are not, however,
80 exclusive that we turn away from all avenues
Of truth and influences for good. except those
found Immediately in our midst Indeed. we
try to be seekers after truth and are pledged to
accept its teachings from whatever source 1t may
come. believe, ALSO thata just estimate of us
will find that We always glad when men are
aroused to their duty of worshiping God.
l. therefore, believe that Mr.. Jones ought to be
heard by every one in this congregation, and the
lessons he attempts to give ought to be needed,
30 long rs they are Christ like and scriptural,
but do insist that his hearers if awakened to a
sense of their guilt and sin before God, must
look to the Bible for direction and instruction,
that thev may discover the dvr ely appointed
way of pardon and the scriptnral methods of de-
veloping Christian character. That may be of
assistance to such, have selected for my sub
ject this question, What Is ReligionW use
this word today in its strict chronological sense,
namely, to bind again, and not in the sense that
the term popularity has
By all that has been presented to us In the Old
Testament. it is hard to know just how much we
lost through the disobedience of Adam. So
many things grow out OF even the daily occur
Fences of this eventful life that spread their
influences over the whole future history OF the
race, that when it comes to the contemplation of
such an act as this, without possessing definite
knowledge Of his former state we are left with
out the means of forming correct estimate Of
the loss we sustained We can form some idea.
however, of the great loss we sustained by this
transgression by looking at the history of the
restoration as it is unfoded to us in the Bible.
II we glance the struggles of humanity,
aided as they were and are by the lamp OF di-
vine revelation and strengthened by the spirit of
God, since He sent his first message to man
down to the present day, we have some concep-
ton of the depths to which we have fallen, and
We gain an idea of the heights we have to climb
and this struggle is a measure Of the cost we
have to pay.
Let us look moment at Adam as he
stands contemplating the entrance of the
arden from which he is eternally
nished. TIE glory Of the Lord has departed
ON him. He is now deeply conscious of his
He knows that he has mase it impossible for
himself or his children to come into the pres
ence of his God. s'The stream of humanity,
thus contaminated at its fountain, cannot in
purity and excellence. BY his disobedience he
cut himself off from instruction and
counsel from God and from the salts
faction of new neod which he had never ex
peTienced before. need now common to all men
gentle and loving sympathy. He was told on
his 6anishment that the hard and uncultivated
soil beneath his feet, more prone to yield weeds
and nexious plants Of all kinds than anything
else, is to become the tickle source Of all COM
Densation for the hestowal of his hard labor,
whilo tia sweat from his face mingles with
the tears born of his ceaseless remorse.
Conscious all the time that he is "a prisoner of
death, but permitted to roam abroad and at
large until the king authorized his seizure and
destruction" How this poor mortal, with
knowledge limited to earth and earthly things,
hope to speak one word to his Creator with
whom. previously, he conversed with ease and
pleasurei How can this finite mind grasp the
plans and purposes Of the Infnite9 This expert
enee was entirely new to Adam, and he found
himself immersed in new and strange conditions.
He was left in all senses alone, hardly instructed
In the very means that he had to use to main
tain bare existence let alone the methods nee
sssary for high and full development of his
mental and spiritual powers. This former asso-
eiate OF God became slave to save his own
physical existence for a few years. and to find
ways of caring for those that nature forced
upon him. With such surroundings and
In so limited a sphere how rapidly he and his
must have degenerated Strange to say, how
ever, read that soon afterward, his two sons
offered, upon a crude altar, q thank offering to
their Creator. There must have been some
divine warrant for this to make either or both
acceptable to God. At this early period God
must have revealed His intention TO establish
religion TO restore fallen man. He must, also,
ut the same time. reveal the means by which
Precipitation should be accomplished These
fallen natures could not have discovered this
through any means left to them They could,
most probably, reason from cause to effect with
reference to many things in the material world.
and could follow in some degree the process of
thought in the realm of reason but without
revelation. how could they know of the
thoughts that were moving God and
oil the heavenly agencies in their behalf2
This revelation, therefore. was precious gift
from God. To those who, perhaps had most
vivid memories of their former state, and who
understood remorse and repentance as none
have been since able to understand them, this
revelation of desire upon the part of God to
reinstate him must indeed have deeply affected
them, nenee they made their thank Offering BY
disobedience they lost ALL Now, by strict
obedience, everything is TO be regained. The
FIRST thing in religion. therefore, is to yield to
God in full and strict obedience. God has been
offended by MS, and We, as the offenders, desir-
ing reconciliation, ought to promise an implicit
obedience to all his commands aud wishes. How
hard il is to try. How much harder must it
have been at first. Disobedience
30 easy to learn and practice. So
many wants and false needs Of the nature
of men constantly gratiied, and these had
so long run riot with the nature OF men, until
traits and habits became hereditary ,s1d the Sec
ond nature of mankind. There was 50 much lost
and wasted By sin. that to us. if We could look
npon man as God did, we would doubtless con-
slider the work of redemption hopeless one.
God began TO teach the system of religion as
we begin the literary education of our children
today, by the use of the simplest elementary
forms and rules. The elementary law was
narvad in stnna that these moor sfndants Of