The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-15
BIBLE AGAINST FATALISM.

BIBLE AGAINST FATALISM.
IHE REV. DR.. vAN DYKES SERMONS
| ON VITAL TRUTHS OF THE ACE
| The First or . Series OF Sermons 20 be
| Preached by DR.. Wan Dyke In the Brick
Presbyterian Church-Arguing that Man
IL Free to be Saved or 10 Resist Salvation.
The. Rev. DR.. Henry Van Dyke began .
| course OF sermons yesterday morning in the
| Brick Presbyterian Church on vital Truths
| Of the Present Age" His subject yesterday
was The Bible against Fatalism; or. the Lib.
erty Of Man by the Decree OF God" DR.. Van
| Dyke in the course OF his sermon vigorously
attacked the theory Of predestination as held
by many In the Presbyterian Church. and
| argued that each man Ia perfectly free TO work
| out his own salvation. After showing the ton
dency In the present age to fatalism In general
the preacher said that the burning question OF
the day Is whether man is fated or free. He
quoted from DR.. A. A. Hodge that free will un-
derlies everything. and II brought to question
ie Infinitely more than Calvnism. II free will
Is gone. the moral system Ia gone.
DR.. Van Dyke asked his audience to turn to
the Bible. the source OF authority recognized
by Christians as supreme and final. and ind
from II whether tho soul is fated or free.
The answer" he said. us clear and dis
tinct 1t stands on the side OF liberty. There
Is spirit In man which Is made free from tho
law OF necessity In order that It may answer
to the law OF responsibility. By the decree OF
God man has liberty to decide between good
and evil. between obedience and disobedence
to his Makers will. and the destiny OF each
soul must depend upon that choice. That
is revealed as fact in Holy Scripture.
and facts are the foundation on which
our theology must DO built. We must
proceed by induction from the facts. and not
by deduction from q definition. We have no
right to ignore or explain away this fact OF
human liberty In order to make room for our
definitions OF predcstinntion or foreknowledge.
On the contrary. We nre bound to limit our
theories 80 that they shall leave room for this
fact.
But how different is tho course which men
have followed In their theology They suy
that there Ia divine foreknowledge. and they
20 on to say that It must embrace all things
known they say II, must be forcordained. and
every DECISION &c Of the human WI Il lstsrmnsd
how false to the facts and how unreasonable
imder its appearance of exact logic. The per-
not It's ansnt,y Gu, IN rs fsSssf
IT did not correspond to reality 1t would not be
perfect. 1t is not q foreknowledge Of things as
were letermincd from eternity God would fore. orc.
know It as det+rmlned. But since it is free
~, Consider .L also the extreme form in which
aS aSst n 81 III has been stated
1t is said that God must have u purpose In the
creation Of the world. which Is truo enough.
must include every thought and feeling and
yolition OF the human soul. and that God must
inevitable fate. This is Certainly an example a
q accurate reasoning from incorrect premises.
sad thns bs avn. f skG fs
tkem as free. God foreordain. whatever comes
fore human liberty is foreordained by the de-
This is tho only sound way to seek the
truth h we must net Invent It a logical theory
look tie aets hey
tanned in Gods Word and confined in our
moral consciousness. and then construct our
sonflne Scripture to theology. We must con.
fine theology to Scripture. Ne must hold fast
theology which includes oil human thoughts
S % e reduce, t9s SfTty e th
Before eroation. s. Contrary f SCRIP sHfIs
which makes the decisions and actions Of our
will links in an iron chain Of predetermined
'NubcS Suu tucCIs W pTuCtlCul SEtNeTys
ths .thrSss Of COD. But Tie billie Defends US
a asS% a III f Of the Is Ssr
DR. that m actions
the Bible Dr.: Van Dyke said. mans power s at 81
decision was instanced. the Apostles following
obedient TO the heavenly vision. while Felix
refused the offer Of salvation. ;. All this he
npcaSSfty assigned to th0 NJ n
hero and to smother the part Of 3 william
These figures In the pages Of the Bible we're
S a shocs was and
this Or: Van Dyke declared would all be a
ordained by God from all eternity. eao' 'of''
Is no Gl he w5a b
hardened their own hearts God does I not pass
Ry a, any door unless it has been locked against
rSef M fbs teach anGsr
teach q fatalism none the less absolute be-
the Spirit, and reveals the truth. which our
cree Ali are free to resist and perish. or to
come and live. and there is no eternal destiny |
e. 1sStsns q aRsFty Eh lib
Bible against fatnlisn. 1t surrounds tho free
power. 1t rises like wall OF adsmant against
ma Of m eternal predesttnation Of each soul TO |
good or, evil. II you rofuse the, Gospel
preached pre- Shed to YOU you think that you
by a power with you.. or above you, |
or beneath, you to an inevitable goal
thcn you have created your own fate
Much has been determined for you by causes
beyond, your control: yonr circumstances
your inheritance your talents: but one thing
has not been determined what use you will
make OF them Much has been ordained be-
vation by a Redeemcr: but one thing ia lett
for you to decide, and that is whether you will
accept or refuse It,"
Ex.Gov Ahrs Candidate for Congress
Against Elijah A. Morse.
Boston. Fob. lex Gov. Oliver Ames has
announced himself as O candidate for Con-