Morning journal and courier., 1889-04-15
AN ASSAULT ON ATHE1sM.

The First Sermon of F. w. Mark.
 wiek'at St. John Street Chureh-His
 Introductory Words - He AssaiIs
 AtheIsm-The Bible Grandly Stands,
 The Source and Center of Human
 Progress.
 CT have very little to say in regard to my selt," said Rev. F. W. Markwick, the newly appointed pastor of St. John street M. E., church yesterday morning; 'but simple desire to introduce myself as your pastor for this conference year. Why this came about, I suppose the church knows better than my self. I come cheerfully, happily and to do the best can. have no disappointment at being sent here, and am glad to see you all, this bright sabbath morning. I come here with one desire overlapping all others-to lead souls to Jesus and make the church Q success. And yet shall feel it part of my duty to do the best that in me lies as a preacher of the word, to set before you the whole counsel of God. It is easy to make promises; it is easier to break them; and therefore I will make none whatever. h. stead make request; I ask for your sym- pathy-for your help. I ask it, for no preacher coming here can be success with out the cooperation of the church. There must not only be an action of the pulpit upon the pew, but a reaction of the pew upon the pulpit. We must be brothers, we must band ourselves together in service to the Holy God"
 As the new pastor was wholly unacquainted with his congregation, he said he would ground his first sermon upon the roof of un- belief, atheism. 'I will turn you to Revela- tions, g, xix: sand if man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book aE c. 1G lo1r- a;s- S,1 the things which are written in the book.'"
 We must not ignore the fact that modern atheism is far reaching, said he. Let us pledge ourselves to support scripture by scripture and the divinity of scripture by it's own outgrowth. The unbeliever handles in careless and frivolous manner what the be- liever doesn't dare comprehend. As man studies scripture, there are difficulties which do not bow before him and which break down the whole fabric of thought. Yet the atheist imagines to understand the bible at 8 stroke and to see through the long ages in 6 flash. Yet it puzzles the atheist and they have been obliged to set it aside altogether, to say it is a trickery of priesthood and su- perstition.
 The unbeliever says if God made man holy and permits him to fall, how can he be God of goodness and puritya It is impossible for a finite mind to pierce the intricacies of an infinite one. These bodies of ours are in- tensely susceptible to pain. We might turn and ask why has God made our bodies so prone to pain. It is easily answered. If the boys finger were not susceptible to pain he might cut it off before he knew it. Thus the very elements of pain are our boon rather than bane.
 The infidel comes to the flood and says, "How can you make out that God of ten- derness can so destroy his people?" The facts are these: The whole human race ex- cept Noah's family had become abominably corrupt. God would no more make the old sinner do right than the modern unbeliever believe.
 Another favorite argument is, just look at the characters of the Bible, exemplary menl Moses slew an Egyptian, Jacob good fellow but liar, Abraham after Gods own heart, but he stole another mans wife. But you must first prove that God approved of these things which you never saw. When the unbeliever asks why God did not punish Abraham for taking Hagar to wife or Solo- mon for keeping an army of concubines, I answer that God did punish them. The family of Abraham has been torn with strips to this day and did not poor old Solomon sit down one morning and write, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanityl"
 In dealing with the New Testament infidels admit it's morality and only object on points of doctrine. That which is good in itself will produce good, and evil will produce evil. You say infidelity has had no chance. At one time France was given up to it and all Europe was shaken by the chaos of death and despair.
 How will you dispose of this subjecta The past of atheism has been bad, the present is worse and no one knows what the future will be. The Bible has stood grandly and will continue to be the source and center of hu- man happiness and progress. Let us, then, love the Bible, put it's blessed precepts into daily and hourly practice, and we will know yrf1r, hoa o11 ness which we ever had and who has made us all we are.