Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-07-13
A SERMON III KENTUCKY.
on. TALNAcE CALLS The WITNESSES
TO The POWER or CHRIST.

Not Logic. Eos ssesaphy-is. Vet AstI-
ausrfas Research. bat FaiaA Can Make
Us wbols-Ths Gospel IN Tndis. china
TabIn and Madagascar.
HraH BRIDGE. Ky. July r. "A vast
coDcourze u people assembled this
morning on the historic camp ground
At High Bridge, Ky. to hear Dr. Tai
mage preach. They came from al the
surrounding cities, towns and neigbbor-
hood. A large contingent from Louis
vile and another from Cincinnati we're
present Many of the visitors have re
inaiued here since yesterday afternoon,
when Dr. Talmage preached in the
same place. The text of bic sermon
this morning was from Acts III. IS. We
are witnesses
Standing amid the hills and groves Of
Kentucky and before this great multi
tude that no man can number, most Of
whom never saw before and never viii
zee aeain in this world. choose a very
practical theme. In the days Of George
Stephenson. the perfectoT Of the lomO-
motive engine. tbe scientists proved
concIusively that railroad train could
never be driven By steam power sue
ceasfnliy without peril; but the rushing
express trains from Liverpool 70 Edin
burgh and from Edinburgh to London
have made all the nation witnesses Of
the splendid achievement
MachIBists and pavigators proved
conciusiyely that q steamer could never
cross the Atlantic ocean, but no sooner
had they successfully proved the iIn
possibility OF such an undertaking than
the work was done, and the passengers
on the CunaTd, aud the Inman. and
the National, and the White Star lines
are witnesses. There went mp a guifaw
Of wise laughter at Professor MOrse's
proposition 70 make the lightning Of
heaven his eErand boy. and It was
proved conclusiyely that the thing
could never be done. but now all the
news Of the wide world put In your
hands every morning and night has
made all nations witnesses
wrrxRssRs or THE REsURREcTIos.
So in the time Of Christ It was proved
concIusiveIy that Il was impossible foi
him to riss from tine dead. II was
shown logically that when n man was
dead, he was dead, and the heart, and
the liver, and the lungs having ceased
10 perform their offices, the limbs would
bs rigid beyond all power Of friction Of
nrousaL They showed II to be an alb
nolute absurdlty that the dead Chris
should ever get up alive; but no sooner
had they proved this than the dead
Christ arose, and the disciples behcld
him, heard his voice and talked Will
him, and they took the witness stand
10 prove that 20 be true which the wise
acres OF the day had proved 10 be I'm
possible; the record Of the experiment
and of the testimony Is In the text,
''Hirn hath God raised from the dead,
whereof we are Witnessed
Now, let me play the skeptlc for a
moment 'sThere Is no God, " says the
skeptic, "for have never seen him
with my physical eyeslght. Your Bi-
BILE is pack OF contradictions There
never was miracle. Lazarus was not
raised from the dead, and the water
was never turned into wine. Your re
ligion Il an imposition on the credulIty
OF tho ages." There Is an aged man
moving IN that pew as though lac would
like 20 respond. Here are hundreds ol
people with faces a little flushed al
these announcements, aud all through
this throng there Is a suppressed feeling
which would like 70 speak ont Ia be
half OF the truth Of our glorious Chris
lianity. as In the days Of the text, cry
Ing out. "We arc witnessesl"
The fact Is that II this world Is eve
brought 10 God Il viii not be through
argument, bat through testimony. Yor
might cover the whole earth with apol
ogies for Christianity, and learned
treatlses In delense Of religion, yoi
would not convert a soul Lectures OF
the harmony between science and 70
iigion are beautiful mental discipline
but have never saved soul and nevel
viii save soul Put man OF the worlt
and a man Of the church against eael
other. and tho man Of the world will
IN all probability, get the triumph
There are a thousand things IN our 10
ilglon that seem Illogical 10 the worlt
and always win seem Illogical
TauUamns oF rHK GOSPEL
Our weapon in this conflict Is faith
not logic; faith. not metaphysics faith
not profundlty; faith, not scholastic
exploration. but then, la order 20 have
faith. We must have testimony, and 4
liv0 hundred men. or one Thousand
men, or liye hundred thousand men, o.
Ave million men get up and tell ma
chat they have felt the religion OF JesuI
Christ Joy, a comfort. a help, an Ia
splration. | ann bound a. a fair minded
man 10 except their testimony wan
iust now % put before you thrse propo
ptlons. the truth Of which ! think tlnl
audience viii attest with Overwhelming
nnAnimlty. The first proposition i,
We ara witnesses that the religion o
Christ Is able Go convert a soul The
Gospel may have had hard time q
conquer na We may have fought Il
back. but We wero yanqulshed io,
say conversion Is only an hnaglnAr,
thing. We know better I'VE ars
witnesses There never was 40 greal
q change In our heart and Tie on ga,
enbieci a. on tlia
People laughed AZ the missionaries n
NadaaastAr because they pgparhe.d Tea