, 1891-10-26
WHAT Is TRUTH?
SOME OF THE EVIDENCES or REV
ELATION TO MAN.
The Bible and Those who Deny Its
Diytne Authority. The Scrip
taar.as flAa XNnr.a- nR Gana

CuFeS the Word of God.
Rev. f. E. Drake, of the Methodist
church of this city, prsached a sermon on
the subject of Evidences of Revelation, y
from John 1888: "!What is truth" He
said: The first evidence to be considered
is that which we call presumptive. It is
such an evidence as entities persons and
propositions, standing and consideration.
There are some self-evident truths always
to be considered. First, that I am, and
that l am here. I know of no evidence by
which to prove this statement. Second,
that there is a God. | know Of no evidence
by which to prove this fact to those who
deny it. "The fool hath said in his heart.
there is no God" To convince such a
character of the truthfulness of any propo-
sition battles me and my ingenuity. That
this God is intelligent and good I assume
This is proved from creation. Design pre-
supposes a designer, law presupposesa a law
g1Ver. That we know moral law and are
responsible for our conduct is seIf-eyident
and that this God is the moral governor of
this universe is equally self-eYident Of
these facts we are assured by self-Conscious-
ness l am myself conscious of that fact
If this
GOD BE INTELLIGENT
and good, and the moral governor of the
universe, and am responsible to him for
my conduct, the presumption is that he
has revealed to me somewhere that law, or
rule of conduct, by which | am to be gov
erned, and for the observance of which
am held responslbles AS Christians, and
as Christian church, we maintain that
the Bible is, and contains that reyela-
ton, not only of the character, but
of the will of God concerning his crea-
lures. This presumption arises further
that am created religious being,
and mnst know who, what and how to
worship No nation, whether civilized or
unciVilized, christian or barbarian, is with
out this instinct. And if God be good He
must crafty the longings of every intelli-
gent creature. Further presumption arises
from the fact that I have sense of moral
obligation Where is truth2 Where is
law? Where is rule of conduct? IF i
am responsible for my conduct and God be
good, lie must place within my reach that
rule OF conduct for which | am responsible
and must give an account. 1t further arises
from
OUR GROSS IGNORANCE.
Man let wholly to himself is little above
the brute. Ancient philosophers and
heather teachers knew but little and that
vaguely about the great truth for which
their hearts yearn, and for which their
sense of obligation assures them that they
are responsible. If God be good He must
give to me in my blindness and Ignorance
and place within my grasp a revelation of
that truth, so that l, being a "Wayfaring
man though fool" shall not err in it,
Further presumption arises from the dis
position Of mankind to Justify himself.
Out OF this disposition grew many if not
all forms and conditions Of infdelity. Men
would like to destroy the Bible Men
would like to deny its authority because
that 1t condemns their actions. Deprayity
and self-justifcation lie at the root as the
source of all that is anti-Christ, anti
disbelieyer in the divinity Of
Jesus Christ is also disbeliever in the
authority of the scripture, in the doctrine
OF the atonement, in the power and fact of
CONVERSION or regeneration. If God be
good to me in my blindness, in my sin, in
my disposition to self justification, he
must somewhere place within my grasp
that truth which shall command halt,
awaken my conscience, enlighten my un-
derstanding, give me to see myself as he
sees me. Truly, the law ofthe Lord is
perfect, converting the soul, the testimon
les Of the Lord are sure,
MAKING RISE THE SIMPLE"
From these and many other considera-
tons, L presume, yea, | would assume that
the scripture contains and is the word of
God; the proof of which we will find fur
ther on in the discussion. This law or
revelation must have certain distinct quail
1hcatlons, such as the Koran or Shake
speare, or no other book contains, SO, in
other words, it must possess its credentials. |
First, 1t must be within the grasp of hui
man mind or so much of it as is needful |
or profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction and for instruction in righteous
ness. And if our gospel be hid it is to
those whose minds the "God Of this world
hath blinded" 1t must have uniform
standard of rectitude or righteousness, or, |
IN other words, there must be such a
standard as applies to every condi-
f1on y wofbinaRan Of humanity whether he dwell
or in the jungles Of Africa. Does
our book contend this Listenl "Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart and thy neighbor as thy SELF "Unto
him that much is given, of him shall much
Pc Pc requested Again, it must accomplish
the purpose for which it is given. ut is
for healing of nations." Show me the
christian nations, show me the civilized ma
tlons, show me the nations where education
and morality are at premium, ana [ will
show you nation where the Bible is
VESTED WITH AUTHORITY
and speaks to men. Men may try to cor
rupt its truth, denying its authority, yet
what is of good in them is to be attributed
to the teachings of the blessed book, Men
may be untrue to the scriptures as many
young men are to the mother that bore
them, and yet the good in him is no less
truly attributable to the scriptures than
the good in that wayward boy is attribu-
table to the mother to whose early precepts
and pious example he has been untrue and
Tecreant. ShallI bring you to the dying
hour of the votaries of the scriptures, to the
disciples ofthe lowly Nazarene2 If SC, in the
language of John Wesley I would declare
"our people all die WELL" This is the sol
emn hour, the honest hour, the hour when
man finds dshimselfconfronted by his destiuy
his obligation and his history In the face
Of this hour have you ever known disci-
pie of the Lord Jesus Christ to regret that
he had been Christian. I now come to
the dying hour Of that enemy to the Lord,
to that enemy Of that blessed book, to that
enemy of himself, to that enemy Of the
best and noblest instincts, to that enemy
OF his sense of right. Ask him
WHAT ARE HIS HOPES,
what has his unbelief done for him, what
has infdelity accomplished for him or for
the world? Ask him now in sight of the
Judgment, when he comes to the review of
life, what he has to say concerning the
past, and what are his hopes for the future.
One answers remorse, Remorse, remorse,
remorse." Listen, while another answers,
ut is leap in the dark Listen, while
another answers, "Oh, that my writings
could be buried with me in my graye.''