The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-22
pousr VERSUS FAITH.


:, Victor Bixeiow 1t tho Plymouth Con-
ereeational Church.
= yicsor Bigelow preached At the Plymouth
Congressional church yesterday morning to
consfsestfon which completely filled the
ehe city. where he has spent nearly his whole
lffe. His delivery is free and easy. his voice
nod. and his success O. . preacher IL already
6nsured. NJ Bigelow took for his text:
81 John, xz:25-.Except zee In his hands
1hc peinf OF tho nails, and put my finger into
ths mint Of the nails. and thrust my hand into
NJ ode, viii not believe"
ssIhe real battles Of iife." said Mr. Bigelow,
$40 fought without cannon and without
smoke, and without buster and noise. They
ase The intsliectual ana moral struggles OF men
~-tho sfyuggfe with doubt or the conquest over
impuIsea The course OF history is determined
mt half 70 much BY Marathon. Marengo,
waterloo or Gettysburg as by the conversion OF
pnnl the seversion OF Luther, tue conquests OF
newton or the victories of Edison.
The speaker took up the story OF the Doubling
Thomas and his battle between faith and unbe-
Hei. Thomas" he said. was careful, earnest,
1evoted. but lacking in checriulness, slow ia
bslief and yet profound thinker We must
romember how great had been the confidence
q the disciples that Jesus would throw of His
mask before the Jews had gone 20 far. but now
e ms no late. and they had smitten Him
what wonder then that Thomas doubtedl"
swben mans doubt is deep enough to die
1or Il" continued che speaker, II call 1t faith,
thoueh II ID turned wrong side out The thing
moGt pSaiseworthy next to m earnest belief is
"a earnest doubt for In this extreme form. Ii is
belief-bclief OF negative.
ssIhouan though he was earnest and honest
ana courageous, had no bold intellectual daring
dist could reach out and grasp new idea
Hetes could make brave guess, aud he was the
lsst - seize that bold intention Of Christ's mes
aanhship But 1t took Thomas. the intellectual
coward. long while 10 arrive at that belief.
That kind Of belief may be safe. but there's no
1eEo1sm In 1t. The great couQuests Of science
aro always made by intellectual daring.
How did Harvey. the famous physician
q England, know that the blood circulated
through the body? He didn't know II, but he
Un6o . bold guess that It did. Physicians
laughed 1t him. but his brave intention right.
How did Copernicus know that the sun stands
milI while the earth revolves? He didn't. but
~ Uo1e bold guess. Astronomers laughed 1t
him and chufchmen condemned him. but he
va right How did Newton find out the law
q gravity? Thomas had seen the apples fall,
hat Is took the mental courage of Newton to
perceive that the same force which drew the
apple down held the flying worlds in place.
Every man should believe something, and
beiieve Il hard, ii It is nothing more than that
1, = right to do right and wrong to do wrong.
Let him make that the nucleus Of his character,
Ne center Of his universe"
Mr.. Bigelow arraigned Thomas for his unfair
demandfer evidence mo man, he said, "has
right 70 prescribe the conditions under which he
viii believe. II you are looking for mathematical
moot you win never get It, for God is love, and
che proof Of Him H. in the sweet mystery of
1--we. what would ron think of man who per-
s1zted in looking out Of bis north window and
would rot believe thOfe was sun. There are
many who look out on suffering humanity, and
SEEING the bleak winds sweep over the starving
millions, they curse God Go tell them to look
out OF the south windows Of their souls and be-
hold the floods Of sunlight and Joy, and then
look up into the face of the cruciAed Savior and
- Ill sorrow and suffering dissolved in love.
'sOur souls must be kept open for every ray of
light All the intensity OF q man Ia taken out
q man who II - ready to believe one thing as
another. This indifference 10 very often the
haleful effect Of culture. which gives q man
breadth bat robs him Of his intensity. On the
other hand, too intense belief 10 just as bad an
extreme. How many Of rs recall that vindic-
evS police inspector, Javeft, in Victor Hugo's
snasterpiece7 Al unaltering belief in the supre-
macy Of the police law made him a relentless
o1euth hound of justice; but one day the single
NESS Of his belief was disturbed by doubt
An escaped convict saved his life. What should
he dos Obey the law and re-arrest the convict
Of show his gratitude and disregard the law?
He never had felt doubt before, but that one
cracked the dome of his belief and made such a
strife within him that In sheer desperation he
plunged into the river TO drown himss IL. But
that WAS blessed doubt: it had the perfume of
divine truth about il The supremacy Of man
above mans law il the truth that must he
known though it shatter the staunchest belief
IN the law"
". nj
mate function In the growth of the soul; il
furnished the appetite for belief and gave a
healthy digestion. The testimony of one who
believes everything no one believes. 1t is the
akeptical challenge Of men like Luther which
has brought back the church doctrine from
cratic vagaricS Universal doubt is the begin
ming Of all modern philosophy
"But doubt. after all. il not the best thing.
Faith is She real, positive thing Man is made
for faith Wo get tired of proving things and
feel like strengthening the wings of faith
Blessed are those who have not seen and Pet
have believed Blessed because,
Mans faith ascsnds TO finer and diviner ends
Than mans mere thought eer comprehends.
"raith Is the trusting of the whole soul; that
attitude OF the soul which makes perfect com.
munion between two persons possible between
man aud man or between man and God. Belief
looks Faith leans. Belief assents, but faith
ascen6A II is true that faith sometimes gets
0rcd-the faith that never gets tired never does
much work. The man who never doubts proha.
bly, hasn't much faith for that Is q faculty of the
soul and OF course subject 70 reactions Faith
Is not merely one of the duties to be performed
In this life Tor tEeyake of reward in the mex;
and to be discontinued In heaven 1t ia
needed there more than here. 1t is not true
that faith can become sight except by a figure
did net como here for my health. came, like
the rest of them, to make money
"Now, my brethren, all this is measuring life
by . low standard, by the measure OF man, by
8 standard unworthy of the best men, a stand.
ard which we all feel Is degrading and BELT.
Ting. and which viii only produce in every soul
and every community where il prevails terri.
BE nemesis Of moral decay and rotteuness
''ln the prevalence not only on this Coast but
everywhere OF such an unworthy estimate of
our responsibilities now necessary it ia tina,
there should stand in the midst OF every com.
immunity one with the golden reed. the measure
OF Gods truth, In his hand, Q minister and
teacher called by the Lord himself to Sc. forth
heavenly standards and propose divine ideals
that We may learn 20 measure LIES plans and
duties and pleasures not by. the measure of a
man. but Of an angel And you have chosen
such m one to be your rector and guide and
have had him Instituted in token OF rermsnency
and ~ Q sign 20 yourselves and others that Won
consider the pastoral office of supreme import
ooSS. nv supply vi sShaPVfefS MakesRlft, out
0rs OF the chieiest pastors of great state YOU
have called to be your spiritual guide and ccun.
ossor.
III 10 no ANAL task that is before you. In
OsdeS states whence we have come life flows on
4nsetjy in channels worn smooth through long
yenss Of unsufiied cain. But here life boils aud
1eethes with is rapid course over great obstacles
- opposing rocks OF difficulty. and he mast be
Nt>s sod strong who would safely guide the
Seeeed sad imperiled souls along the dangerous
N15,
when the Inhabitants of Paros would con-
cdFS<f instr lofty lighthouse they formed il in