The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-09
NOTABLE SUNDAY SERMONS
Rev. F. E. Dewhurst, of Burlington, Vt,
Talks to the plymouth Congregation.
The Successful Christianity-Rev Ranger
on Sunday Closing of the Columbian
EXpOsition-At Other Churches

Rev. 7. f. Dewhurst. of Burling ton. Vt.
preached at Plymouth Church yesterday
morning and evening. In the morning he
took as his text the fifth verse of the SEQ
ond chapter of Corinthians
Have this mind in you which was also in Jesus
Christ.
Mr.. Dewhurst is young man. evidently
OF scholarly attachments. clear in his die
tioD. logical in his reasoning, and, as his
remarks showed, not greatly shack'ed by
creed. He was listened to with great at
tention. and it was evident lie impressed
his audience favorably.
He said that the book from which we de-
rive our knowledge of the founder and be-
ginnings of Christianity gives no definition
of Christianity, in that respect differing
from books on all other subjects. He said
this seems q little singular at the outset.
but he did not believe it possible to lind
anywhere in the New Testament such .
beginners had no idea of what they were
doing. but we can infer from what they
said what they believed Christianity to be.
Doubtless they did not all agree. Paul
had his view Of what Christianity
was. and Peter his. and James
The three great conceptions with which
we are most familiar are so many ways or
saying what Christianity is supposed to
be. First, there is the ecclesiastical, which
practically identities Christianity with tho
church. 1t regards the church as the
guardian of the ideas aud purposes which
Christ threw out among His disciples. 1t
was held to be divinely ordained and de-
manded the recognition OF Its 0lvlne au-
thority as the one method By which man
tnb% I'D 4, 20 IN cd nd IA
soul. The second of the three great con-
ceptions may be called the confessional
idea, in which the speculative and intel:
lectual tendency of man is dominant. and
In which Christianity Is set forth in con-
fessions. symbols and creeds Even to-day
confessional Christianity is Christianity
to many of us; it is something to be-
lieve rather than something to be.
Belief in dogmas does not be-
come spiritual life. Even skepticism:
religion, is in many forms tho sign Of life,
the protest against Journalism. against lip
service. The foundation of confessional
Christianity is that 1t Identifies certain
facts with spiritual circumstances. which
give validity to certain facts. If we
should identify Christianity with what
men of the first. or the fourth. or the tif-
teentb century saw of it, 1t would seem
that We were unworthy to come wi:hin It's
influence. No definition Of Christianity on
the practical side has ever reached to the
heart.
Mere humanitarianism Ia not enough.
Jesus himself will always supply us with
the best criticism of Christianity. Let
this mind be in you which was also in
Christ Jesus" This is the definition of
Christianity. for it describes that which is
fundamental, formative and constant. To
have the mind of Christ is only to have
Christ's outlook upon life and His response
to il. He saw life In the infiniteness of It's
relation. His life in Its entire movement
WAS His religion.