Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-11-12
A Sermon by Rev. Q, 7. Garfield.
Preached at the Unitarian Church, Els
worth, Oct. Is. 1891.

Published as ole of the sermons by Ellsworth
pastors.
Text-"Those things which are most
surely believed among us."-Luke / /.
Some things are most surely believed
among US. When Luke, the companion of
Paul in his Journeys, wrote these words
to the most excellent Theophilus," he in
tended by "us" the small circle of chris
tian believers in that day. use the term
TO denote The circle of Unitarian believers
now. Then the account which Luke
wrote in order" as he says, which we now
term his gospel, contained as he cousid-
cred and meant, the teachings Of Jesus,
and those things concerning him which
were most surely believed" among his
disciples-that was the sum total of chris
tian doctrine among them.
That same account presents so far the
things most surely believed among us.
Unitarians have declined to adopt de-
tailed system of doctrine. There is no
authorized collection of articles of faith
most >urely believed among US is that such
collection is not necessary, and its use is
not best. Certainly this is one thing be-
lieved. But Unitarians accept as their be-
lief, the accounts in the four gospels of
the things most surely believed when these
were written. And Matthew. Mark Luke
and John, or the books bearing their names,
may be referred to as giving an account
of what Unitarians believe.
You say that is just what every church
| in Christendom does. Wherein is the diff
! ference between Unitarians and these (!
| Perhaps we shall see. Notice then that
every church declares these under two con-
ditions. First, with proviso that it use
that form OF the gospel which the church
approves. Second, among Protestant
churches that it interpret the gospel it
approves according to reason and con-
science in the exercise of its right of pri-
yate judgment in these Now what do
As to the first, you know there are differ
ent forms of the gospel, different stand
ards of the New Testament. The Roman
Catholic church adopts one form and
standard, the Protestant churches another.
Neither uses the New Testament of the
other. But what of this? Let US see
The original OF the whole New Testament
was one, each gospel one, each epistle
f1a., <ha< ~,
ference now? Simply because transla
tors and critics have furnished the New
Testament or New Testaments to Chris
tendon. One set of translators and
critics have furnished the Roman Cath.
olic version, another set of translators
and critics have given the Protestan,
version. Every one who reads the New
Testament in his own tongue reads the
words of translators and critics. In these
not one word of Jesus, not one word OF
the apostles. What does this show? Sim
ply that Roman Catholics and Protestants
alike have chosen between the work OF
one set of translators and critics, and that
of another set of translators and critics
But if we choose between two, why moi
among all? If one of these two is prefer
able to the other, another still may be
preferable to either. UnitaIians choose moi
only between these two sets Of translators
and critics, but among all. If yesterday
to-day or tomorrow, new knowledge and
new light show error in the Olderversion
or in any present version, and bring trueI
meaning in its place, We say, "Change te
conform to the truth,-give US the new
which contains that" Let us accept thu
truth in regard to the New Testament, thai
we may have the truth in the New Testa
ment, and just as in regard to everything
else. Again as to the second proviso. The
Protestant churches interpret that New
Testament they receive. They interpre
1t according to reason and conscience, Il