St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-16
Busy Man Is Bewildered at
the Variety Of Phases Of
Christianity. ~
The Divine and Common Sense
Law Is Prepared for a
Larger Realm.
Calumniators and Detractors
Roundly Condemned by the
Rev. Father Gibbons.

n hSuSlOuS IuFcSliSdtiOi WdS Ilc
theme discussed by the pastor, Rev. DIR.
Smith," his text being John l., 46:
'sPhilip saith unto him, Come and see.'
His remarks were substantially as fol-
lows:
Christianity presents such bewilder-
ing variety of phases that the busy and
preoccupied man scarce knows where
he may commence in order to under
stand it. Meantime the stupendous
questions of life-whither have we
come, how shall we live, where are we
going, speak to us W it'll all the power
and sadness with which they have
confronted every generation of men.
| have much fault to find with the
method many use when they propose to
investigate Christianity. If bright
young man tells me that he has been
studying religious problems, 1 gener-
ally expect to find that he has been
reading witty lectures which make
merry with the follies of theologians
and the peculiaritieS of old traditions.
or that he has been studying the philo-
sophie statements of Hume OF Mill. To
such an investigator | have certain
things to say. Christianity, like any
other system of thought, has right to
be studied in the statements OF its best
and most intelligent friends. 1t is wholly
unfair and unworthy of anybody pro-
Tossing to be intellectual to undertake a
study of Christianity in the writings of
the few professional antagonists. The
study of Christianity asks for prepared
man. Nor is this thing aside from the
thing required in all great departments
of human knowledge and human ac-
ton. Christianity comes with spiritual
truth and guidance. For its proper I'M
derStanding, is it unfair to demand cor
rect spiritual attitude? If man would
see the beauty of a landscape, he must
get the dust out of his eyes. If he
would understand spiritual truth, he
must get the filth out OF his soul. In
tellectual preparation is well. One
needs trained reason, developed logi-
cal powers, and a knowledge of the
forms which make arguments safe, in
order for this Investigation. He needs
also, that spiritual preparation which
will make him able to receive it. Though
Voltaire had been thousand times the
UNDOUBTED GENIUS THAT HE WAS,
it would be impossible for him
to understand Christianity. Oar
God carries at his girdle the keys of His
spiritual store house, and to His chill
dren with frugal hand, He deals out the
truth which they are ready to practice.
Obedience is therefore a condition of
Investigation. Let no man study to
know religious truth, unless he is will
ing with honesty to accept the conse-
QuenceS in his own heart and life.
Christian truth differs from every other
form of intellectual investigation in
this, that its only certaintieS are in the
realm of the practical. This is measur-
ably true everywhere. The aTti-
san only really knows the priI-
cipleS which he has applied.
The surveyor knows the mathematics
which he puts in daily practice, and as
the years go by he selects the processes
which he needs in his daily work and
neglectS all others. In Christianity |
affirm that this is wholly true. Jesus
said, if we are willing to do His will
we shall know of the doctrine. This
promise has never failed. 1t cannot be
too strongly insisted upon that it takes
the whole man to understand Chris
tianity. Intellect, spirit and will being
thus prepared for the investigation,
what are the points that we ought to
study? Christianity is not Moses nor
Judaism, nor Isaiah. 1t is not August
inc, OF Calvin, OF Wesley. 1t
is not Ritual, Catholic, or
Greek, or Anglican. Christian
ty is Christ. All problems find their
distinct conception OF His personality,
in expressing it clearly in words. De-
spite all mere literary criticism such as
that of Matthew Arnold and the like,
the Gospels present not four persons
but one, and out of these four views we
are able to construct a perfectly har-
monious picture. Can you find any
fault with Him? Is not HIS message lost
in his life? Did He not prove by what
He was that His doctrine is not simply
an unattainable ideal? | ask you to
look upon His teaching. Briefly, it
was conception of God and a view of
morality. His conception of God was not
natural. Every grave teaches that God
is cruel. All sorrows make us believe
that this world is mistake, but Jesus
came to teach the fatherhOOd of God.
and He succeeded in such a powerful
way that His maSterful conception has
dominated all men. If we think of God
at all from His time and evermore we
are compelled to think of the God whom
He revealed. AS His revelation of God
was faultless, so upon the earthward
side His morals are irreproachable. NO
sane man will attempt to provide a
BETTER THEORY OF CoND UCT.
The only possible criticism is that He
asks too much, and here we might
object, did He mot also promise divine
help. | bid you also look into the
effects of adopting Christ as teacher
and His preceptS as a guide of life. AS
9n6 nations tn rQoIizn yUh a +
He has commanded they rise to power
and to peace. We cannot act as though
Christianity had never been. 1t is here.
1t has abolished the old classic religions.
1t is destroying the forms of faith that
still survive. All the nations win
soon see they must accept thai
or nothing. Can we afford to be-
throne our models, to defy our teachers,
to cruelty our spiritual aspirations, to
blot out Immortality, and to attempt the
invention of philosophy of life? You
may say that in the discussion thus pres
scented | have ignored the problems
about the future. Well, God, for the
most part, also ignores them. We
know but little of the life to come; a
few rays of light are flung down to
cheer us in our journeying. But we
need to know but little. In the parable
winch Jesus gave, IL was not the man
who constructed the best theory of mus
nicipal government who was given CONS
mand over ten cities, but the man whg
had earned ten talents to show his prace
teal executive ability. The divine and
common sense law is: OutgrOw the
place in which you are by fulfilling all
its duties and you shall be promoted.
Heaven is promised, not to those who
dream most about it, or who have the
most ecstatic visions of the city lying
four square, but to those who along
lines of old-fashioned duty have pre-
pared themselves for wider life and a
larger realm.
OUR ..NEIGHBORS' FAULTS.
The Rule of Christians Should Be
to Cloak Rather Than Expose
Them.
d.,