Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-07-20
Spiritual Proof.

Central presbyterian.
The demand of the present age in
the matter of religion is not so much
for more satisfactory testimony to the
truth of Christianity, but for spirit
ual life more in harmony with it.
The evidences for the Gospel are I'M
answerable. The popular assaults
that are so constantly made upon our
faith, leave but slight impression.
Men who are giants in the fields of
letters and science, become weak and
contemplate in their criticisms of
the Word of God. The conclusion of
any calm review of the rationalistic
controversy, is that modern skepti-
,cism is failure in logic, however de-
moralising it may be as corrupting
influence upon the public mind.
The weak point in Christianity is
not in its external evidences, but in
apparent want of life principle to cor
respond with its facts. In the days
of our Lord and the apostles, there
was the same uncomfortable unbelief
that now prevails, but it existed in
the midst of supernatural occurrences
of the most overwhelming character.
1t resisted conviction even around
the open sepulchre from which the
Son of God had just risen in triumph.
1t would fight against truth on the
very threshold of heaven. But where
ever it carries on the conflict, its
courage is due to- the fact that the
spiritual proof is generally absent.
AT the resurrection of Christ, his true
disciples were mere handful out of
the many thousands who had heard
his voice and followed his steps. And
still, in our day, the number of those
who are living, public examples of
the genuine work of grace nOminally
developed, is distressingly small.
Let us look at the facts as observed
in any community. Who of us can
name to ourselves any considerable
number of eminent saints. We can
point out among our acquaintance
the rich, the wise, the learned, the
benevolent; but when who are the
holy, the devoted, the consecrated
disciples of the Redeemer? we are
compelled to acknowledge that we dc
not know. There is aspiration in
every other direction, and emulation
in every other line. But to win
prises in this contest of zeal for the
best of all causes, is a rare ambition
We scarcely ever see an individual
who is living up to that self-denial o.
which Paul discourses so eloquently
in several epistles-a self-denia
which resembles that of the compete
tor in the Grecian games. Let us be
, honest, and not only admit that emf
nent holiness is an object not seer
every day in Christian circles, bu
confess that we, ourselves, are very
far from that conscious possession o
such a high spirituality.
But the point at which we aim il
not the establishment of these la
mentable facts which will hardly b,
denied. 1t is rather to impress TIT
Christian reader with the conse
quences that flow from them. Al
the external evidences in the worlC
will not suffice to overcome popular
unbelief, in the absence of a living
piety among Christians which shall
speak for itself. OF what avail is i
to prove the resurrection of the Lord
if he is not now manifestly with us
and preserving in his Church spirit
ual communion with himself?
The standards of Christian charac
ter now generally recognized, are de
plorably low. Genuine piety un
doubleday exists, but it is contenteC
to be commonplace. Its ideals ar
found around it among visible mel
and women, and not among the no
bier examples furnished by the mar
tyrology of the Church. 1t is to b
feared that false impression ha
warped the general sentiment Q
Christians in our times, leading man,
to believe that high degree of salts
faction may be attained here on tn
easiest terms, whilst an equally higl
degree of personal holiness can onl.
be expected in another life. This i
at least the common expression c
Christian conduct as daily observed
but it is a manifest error to imagin
that true spiritual sunshine can b,
enjoyed, whilst a consciousness c
living below the demands of tn
cross projects its dark clouds upon on
horizon. We have our doubts of tina
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