The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-13
~ DIR. HENRY H. TUCKER.
HIS SERMON DELIVERED AT THE
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Tho Unity OF the Truth DIscoursed Upon
-Scriptural Texts Legitimacy Sub
jected to the Ordinary Tests OF Evil
dence-The Meaning of the Scriptures.
The pulpit Of the First Presbyterian
Church, on Third and Poplar streets, was
occupied by DIR. Henry IL. Tucker, editor
OF the Christian Inder, Of Atlanta, yester-
day morning. DIR. Tucker has been a con-
spicuous member OF the Baptist Conven.
ton during its present session, and a large
congregation came out to hear him. DIR.
Tucker is venerable appearing, though
robust, divine. His full beard is gray and
bristling, his lips thin and firm set, his
eyes still bright and liquid when enthused,
and his whole demeanor and presence
show the man OF decision OF character,
energy and capable Of unceasing labor-a
proper apostle Of the church militant.
DIR. Tucker, being a newspaper man
himself and knowing the value OF copy"
doubtless, refused TO give THE ArPEAL
his MS, but an outline OF his discourse is
here givcn.- His text was from John xvii.
G 10 %. Particular stress was laid on the
Gtll and 10th verses:
/ have manifested 1hynnmo unto the men which
Thou gnycth me ont If the world Thine they
were aud IhUl guyc.t them me. aud they have
Aud al Thine arc mine. and mine arc Thlnc
and am g,urihcd In them.
And the 22d verse:
And the glory which Thou raycsi me have
given them that they may b. one even as wc nru
one
NV subject today is 1.-THE Unity OF the
T'.,,,i, ..;I a., ,..,...,,,,l .,.s.i..,. - D..
outset, not as accurate title as ! could
wish, but the best | can find just now 10
--fenycy the idea in condensed form. One
OF the first lessons learned 10y theological
students is TO never attempt TO make q
text teach that which 1t was not
intended 10 teach, or 10 conceal
that which the text intended TO
declare. There are exceptions to this rule.
Sometimes the text may involve what IL
does not specifically declare. aud some.
times declare what II does not specifically
involve. Thus, the biblical admonition TO
pray always did not mean, litcrally,to pray
pcrpctually, for that would bc impossible.
In the text OF the day could be found
other thoughts besides these expressed in
words, such as the relation which one
truth bears TO another aud 10 all other
truths When we know one truth We
are the more readily enabled 10 discover
aud recognize all other truths, and In pur-
suancc OF this idea We learn 10 estimate
the advantage Of discovering truth by i'm.
plication. Words, mere words, are often
ambiguous and misleading. The ingcnu.
ity OF man can so manipulate words rs 10
confuse or destroy their meaning, but
when the ingenuity OF man Is applied 10
the task OF controyerting facts, his s0phisiry
Is idle and can accomplish nothing. Ii Is
pleasant 20 announce Gods word rs the
words Of the Scripture, but the force Of
words may be turned aside; facts remain
immutabe.
The usual method by which evidence
was tested in courts OF law was 10y show
ing that the particular statements OF wit
ness were in harmony with the known
facts in the case. And the usual method
OF showing the incrcdiblily OF n witness
was by showing that his testimony was
irrcconcilablc, and impossible 10 harmon
lie with the known facts IN the case. To
do this. lawyers often compelled u witness
90 testify relative 20 remote and irrelevant
matters in order 10 sec II the witness might
not stultiy himself and thus break the
force OF his testimony, or by strengthening
IL by additional proofs Of his ycracity. IL
was entirely legitimate that the truths Of
the Scriptures should be subjected to tho
same crucial test. We should look nt
given passages and the relation they bear
10 other passages. one Of the most inge-
nious books he had ever read was one
wherein logiciHn proved many things
from Paul when the Apostle was thinking
and talking about something entirely for
cign. Gods system OF truth was cooyal
with eternity.
The text today may not have been In
tended 10 teach anything. IL was uttered
in prayer by Christ 20 his heavenly Fa-
ther. II was not delivered TO his disci-
pies and therefore was not intended to
leach them. II was not intended TO teach
Omnipotence, for he needs no teaching IL
was uttered In prayer and Christie whole
attention was in the prayer. Tho lesson
though undersigned is the more impressive.
Christ was praying 10 hisheaycnly Father,
aud what lie said was true. He stated
facts and the doctrine or system OF thool-
ogy that cannot square itself with these
facts, Is not true and any system OF re.
ligion In harmony with these facts Is and
must be true.
The Baconian system Of philosophy was
good and rational. Before tho advent Of
this system theories were first discovered,
and facts were looked for later 10 fit the
theories. Since the new philosophy, facts
are first discovered, and must form the
basic principle for all rational theories. The
present principle is simple, yet Il took the
world 5000 years 10 give us q man who
could tell us OF H. by this system Of
philosophy We could discover and interprc,
incts In the scheme Of human salvation.
We could reach the rock-bottom truth.
And but for the facts given US by out
Savior no human being could solve the
problem Of his salvation. We must apply
the known facts, as given US by Christ,
10 each doctrine NJ the carpenter applies
his square 10 the lumber. These facts
were not originally given US direct. They