San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-09-12
The Test.

The Test.
You never, in this age OF inquiry,
can fortify Christianity against the
most sitting and critical investiga.
tions in regard to its history and it's
external instruments. There will be
an assaulting of revealed religion.
But I hold that you no more touch
Christianity when you assault it in
it's external forms of development
than you touch q man when you
pierce his robe and do not touch his
body, or when you pierce his arm
and do not pierce his heart. The
way to test Christianity is, not to ex
anime it's origin, nor to examine its
incarnations, but to see whether it
las the power to produce the fruits
that it declares it has, and whetherit
produces those fruits. Experiments
are the tests of Christianity, and not
those things which are dogmatic,
historic or philosophic, in the ordi-
nary sense of the term. It is to be
experimentally discerned. The logic
by which it is tested is in the heart.
Here sit philosophers in grave AZ
gument round about harp. It is
declared that that was David's harp,
and that it is able to make, not only
solemn, but all harmonic and won
drous sounds. Que man opposes this
view, because the wood bears evil
dence of never having come down
from olden times. He says that it
evidently is modern wood. Another
man examines the strings, and insists
upon it that be sees in them proof
that it cannot be Davids harp. An
other man gives it as his deliberate
opinion that it not only is not David's
harp, but is no harp-that it is an
thing that does not de-
serve the name of harp. And so
they reason about the instrument for
half a day, without any of them
it; until gray bearded old
harper comes in, and instead of an-
swering their objections, takes stool
and sits up to the harp, aud sweep
ing his hand from side to side over
The stringe, wakes its long-forgotten
and rings out the ballad or
The hymn; and then these men sit
They labored to prove
hat the instrument was not capable
If giving forth music, but neglected
20 try it; and the moment the old
harper laid his hand on it, it was its
,wn argument, and it put to silence
ts defamers.
We hear men discussing as TO
whether Christianity is true. Now,
Christianity is not thing Of the in
elect. 1t belongs TO the soul. It
s declared that it is possible for q
mans soul to catch hold Of God, not
'nly, but TO spread out and root it.
elf in universal sympathy with men.
70 argument can be presented that
ball touch that proposition. There
, but one way Of trying it. Let the
and sweep over the dords OF the
oul. and II they answer, all argu-
1ent is impertinent / declare that
be truth OF Christianity stands in the
xperience OF il, and that no argu-
,ent can invalidate it. II a man
ays II love God, and / desire the {
-elfare Of all mankind, and / am 6ll-
with hope and peace, what can ,
Ike his experience away from him
or Christianity is an experience, Z
OF o conviction; il is . possession, !
Of Q mere belief Of the outward un- !
erstADding.
To this Christianity I commend
ou- / commend you 10 the love Of
cd. 10 the love Of meo, and 10 the
Ie which shall cOnsist 10 gToving up !.
ITO him which 10 the bead. Christ !
ssus 10 love.-Bescber. !
William Hsaing. The leader Of :.