The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-20

-. and the whole housetul OF people arrive
- church doors within few minutes.
~. LEVI GILBERT's DISCOURSE.
NAL"
ffthe services at the First Methodist Episcopal
fnreh last evening, Rev. Dr. Levi Gilbert
6oched upon the subject, "Christianity's Best
psxer TO Denial taking his leading thought
M the verses in Matthew ix:34-35, ssBut the
Asr:Gscs said, He casteth out devils through
q prince OF the devils. And Jesus went about
q their cities and villages, teaching in their
uuagoguea and preaching the Gospel of the
Iisxdom and healing every sickness and every
\ fssass among the people"
his, said the speaker, was Christ's practical
nsusr to bigotry, hate and prejudice. When
~ called him q devil-Belsebub-and charged
Hin with collision and partnership with satanic
n6acnces, He went about ell the more doing
~ He showed redoubled energy in preach
e, tsAching and philanthropEc works of
rec. The best method OF meeting private
ahndsr ID to conquer by q life OF goodness and
efvity. towards resign and give up. The
N will rise triumphantly through the fog
ulsa sheep, dumb before his shearers, Christ
ponsd not his mouth in Standardization. Char
ses9 b lie own best defender. Truth can wait
Enof u In haste. Christ possessed infinite pa
6sncs, and we can. in the same spirit, run our
~ with patience.
he best way, likewise, the preacher con-
hpdsd, to refute all calumny against Christian
Hwas not by debate. Frequently truth would
hrven no unpTeiudicsd hearing and argu-
nnn would be Ike pearls cast before swine,
10 turn again and rend you. Let scholarly in.
fetty Be answered by scholars through re-
veus and books. But many attacks are not In
biectuslly respectable. For the pulpit to
mswer them Is simply to advertise the error
xAils the infidel is Lot there to hear. Such
york Is a. vsxatlons and fruitless as for horse
y b always kicking at fieas. An infinitely bet
- way is for Christianity to prove itself worthy
It living by blessing the world.
Christ, the doctor said, went calmly about his
haching. Much is said about the miracles, but
y vas wonderfully parsimonious with them
and did far fewer than were demanded. He
0me - teacher, and his appeal was not to the
nnsss. "Come and learn of me-" was his Ian
guass. So Christianity goes today, to teach. IL
klievss in the truth that makes Us free. II
hads up Christ as the light of the world. Its
nsance Is not upon mysticism, but upon
knowledge, and il everywhere scatters it--in
college, public school, sunday-school. 1t en-
courages study and invites every one to pro-
found Investigation OF its sacred book.
Christ went preaching, appealing 10 minds
and condolences OF men III the crowded
thoroushfares Of the great cities and In the Sc
Gus acquisitions, but words hot from the heart,
spoken with eyes besming and face lit with
eAfnestness and sympathy. He spaks 40 never
man spake, because in silence he had COM
nuned with the invisible, learned LIES secret,
haftied in the wilderness, aud so was bound to
make men hear. 70 spoke Paul, Chryostom,
Lnther, Wesley, Whitfield, Bosanett Knox
and Beecher. People hung upon their lips,
and lives were swayed at their will. SO speak
Sturgeon and Phillips Brooks and Farrar, and
the world will always own the force OF manly
men urging their soul-fslt convictions. The
Gospel brings its gladness its jubilant and stir
ring voice. IL means the social reconstruction
Of humanity. 1t heals the sick now as In christs
time, and its hospitals and the advance of
medical science il has fostersd enshrine His
spirit
Chrsts Christianity, said the speaker,
Christianity ss he exemplihed IL, was this
Teaching, preaching, healing the sick, having
compassion on the multitude, organizing and
sending out helpers to save men where the
sslds were white for the harvest It's pity il
sss meant anything else = anything merely
nsaphysieai and neutrality-suspicious. borrowed
nom abstruse philosophy. Christs Christianity
earnest. pitiful. humane. Surely there is
nothing very bad about that. Nothing for
which IL should be ostrscised aud cast out as
sFii That was pertinent question OF Jesus,
applicable az well to all opponents today:
shany good works have l done among you.
FOR which of them do ye stone me?"
Tho next thought in the discourse was
that essential Christianity was not touched
BY much of the current criticism.
Q1estionsas to the date OF Adams coming
the "days' of Genesis-how long Methusleh
lived, how the ark was ventilated, all the piece
meal dissection of single miracles, debates
about inspiration, authenticity of Biblical
books, questions OF historical accuracy. literary
authorship, etc, were irrelevant 10 chrstianity's
main issue. Here is a great fact: Facts are
chiefs that will not down" What has evolution
to do with the great record of achievements that
christianity has 20 its credit. that are 80 ably
summarized in the recent volumes of Uehlhorn,
Brace, and DR.. Dorchester Huxley or Spencer
could consistently subscribe, IS Darwin did, to
the missionary enterprises Of the church. To
show compassion on men, 10 heal them OF their
diseases, TO make them more conscientious aud
spiritual, to create clean, sweet, gh-pitched.
ideal liyes-to this end the Gospel goes 10 the
corners of the benighted earth.
The prea cher then went on 20 show that the
need Of the world was for just such things
church aud Christianity clearheaded to teach
duty, full of ardor and inspiration TO preach
an extort and so lift TO higher levels. brave
70 warn OF sin and evils, going forth on errands
Of mercy, looking with compassion into the eyes
OF all men, sending out laborers everywhere to
liner issues and be raised TO grander standards.
teaching, preaching, helping, sympathiEing,
missionary church the world will not repudiaIe.
thousands are waiting and perishiug for its
ruth, Hungry hearts everywhere are eager for
~ But the church that depends on its forms,
i's music, its eioQuence, its ritual, its social
lresVge. Its wealth or fashion is 81 abomnation.
~ becomes an oaense and men are made angry
with Christianity because OF it,
nut church. continued the sneaker. tbs is
res1ly keeping up the work that Christ began TO
10, the world VIII not willingly let die. IL cam
no' stIota 10. Tor II cannot get along without IL
kven II the church wanted 20 yscafe, 20 give up.
70 pun down Its edifices, the world lying in its
nah1 anu insset!, ana having such pitiful need
Of 1t. would call il back with hesceching hands.
Not IS long as ignorance, surerslition folly. sin
shail exist-not while sorrow. sickness misery
and death PREVAILING, until the divine human.
lily shall have come, will Chistsanity's mission
Be fulfilled. When the sun has once risen to
sacred, high. eternal noon," although soue
men who love darkness better than lirht ,usy
scowl aud howl,ths world win not willingly roll
oaek iato midnight after experiencing the glory
and hlesseduess of it,
Christianity, the preacher urged, should h,xe
tae prayers ana Godspeed of all who pray or be-
heve in God. Not only they but all citizen.
aud humanttsrixns OF whatever creed or no
creed Al all should give announcement Noone
WIN heart Tor his fellows should want 70 Grip
pc her or Law stone in her way Her object ia
sublime enough 10 confidently count upon the
cooperation and sentiment Of all rood men
society gains IN every converted man. gains in
smciency, purpose, intelligence, will, work Ii
gain TO government After nearly 1900 year,
y inessculsble bcnsdcence Christianity 10 vet in
We morning o. its youth and usefulness. and
80 world will scarcely let faith die that has
zone 20 much for IL.
One Of an .l.~>- ........-. -,