The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-04
TIT Faith of Man.

Dc5plL6 tuo luClcuieut WcdtucT tuc now
Henry A. Buchte preached to a large con-
gregation at the Central avenue Methodist
Church yesterday morning. His text was:
Verify. I say unto you, except ye be converted
and become as little children, ye snail not enter
into the kingdom Of hcaven.-Matt. viii, 3.
When / became q man, L put away childish
things.-I Cor. Kill, IL.
The following is an outline of the ser
mon:
There is no conflict between these two
Scriptures. Jesus aud Paul are never on
opposite sides of the same question. In
every age we find people who have q facul-
ty for seeing contradictions where no con-
tradiction exists. st. Peter described these
persons as "unlearned and unstable" Their
weakness in intellect and in conscience
leads them to "wrest' the SCRIPTURES unto
their own destruction"
There are some senses in which we must
always be like children. These facts are
In the min of Jesus when he declares that
we shall not enter into the kingdom OF
heaven" except we 'be converted and be-
come as little children"
Then there are other senses in which we
must put away Childish things" and keep
them put away These facts are In the
mind of Paul when he atiirms that he has
put away childish things"
There are, then. certain respects in which
the perfect man remains always as q child.
A child IS born into thei world with per-
feet faith. Its perfect faith remains until
destroys ell by receptions or other influences
of sin. If tho life be always surrounded
by the humaniZinQ and refining influences
of religion. then faith always remains not
only in God but also In men.
Tho man who Is utterly without interest
In religion cannot have the beginnings of
home life without that perfect faith which
is also the beginning OF religion.
The vast volume of business is transacted
by means of what Is termed Commercial
paper" There. Is no possibility of avoid
ing this method of business. AS mon come
to have the best character the volume of
business transacted by commercial paper
increases. The national banks loan money
not on 'realestate" security. but on the
character of the borrowers. Names of men
reliable in business must be signed to the
edged paper" The basis of this vast vol
ume of business is faith IN men.
When a man comes TO put a little honest
thinking into his religion he finds grounds
for abiding and perfect faith In God, The
basis of homo life and of business life Is
also the basis of religion. Gods character,
His goodness. His impartial love. His care
for all life-these facts of His nature make
faith in Him. without faith 1t Is impossl-
bic to please Him." Not only so. but with
ont faith it is i'm pOssiblv to have domestic
life. and il Is equally impossible to carry
forward the manifold operations of busl-
ness life.
The manly man must always remain As
a child in his relations towards those who
would do him injury. The Psalmist SAYS,
Great peace cave they that love Thy law,
and nothing shall offend them"
Another fact about q child Is it's perfect
contentment with its surroundings. The
child Of poverty. dressed In plain muslin,
is as happy and content with lts lot as any
child of wealth can possibly be. Great
numbers of persons make their existence
wretched because their imaginary wants
are not supplied. You recall the Oriental
coupler, Ten poor men sleep in peace on
one straw bed, as Saadi sings. but the I'm
mensest empire Is too narrow for two
kings"
Our weakness is to make ourselves miser-
able as kings.
The chief fact about Q child Is that it
must DO ministered unto. 1t is perfectly
helpless. No othor animal is as helpless
when it first comes into the world.
The chief fact about a manly man is that
he ministers TO others. He does not con-
slider that lie is here to receive attention
from the rest of mankind. but rather
where be has opportunity to do many
things. His purpose Is to add some
thing to the sum of human happi-
ness. That man Is sure of q mlsera-
Bile life who is always waiting to hear
hiS name spoken with reverent apprecia-
ti6h. In such men there is 80 little to ap-
preciate that the world gets weary In it's
effort to maket them happy. The man who
Is sure of n happy life is the one who seeks
opportunities TO make this world q good
place in which TO live. Such men are sur
prised to hear their names spoken with ap-
probation, but they are the only men
whom the world genuinely appreciates.
Again, the chiid's view of the world can
not be held by the man. To the child all
human life is beautiful. 1t looks out of
the windows of the pure soul fresh from
Gods hand, and sees only the pure world
in which il has it's home.
But to the mans view there Is another
world: u world lying in darkness and IN
the wicked one. The everlasting cry of
want and pain which God hears is also
heard by very man who is fit TO live. And
rs God has always exerted the energies of
His infinite nature To help men. so the
manly man. up TO the measure of his abili-
ty, will lend q hand.