Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-11
CHRIST In THE CREED.
God Made the Soul and Naught Can
Satisfy but His Eternal Grace.
DR.SUTHERbAND'S BRIGHT SERMON
Rev. E. r. Donehoo SAYS Christians Will
Ever Be BacksliderS.
poTSGS OF ADAY AMONG THE CHURCHES

Seeking the living among the dead" was
the subject of DR.. Sutherland's sermon at
the Second Presbyterian Church last night
His text was from Luke xxiv,5: "We are
SO shortsighted that We are apt to seek many
Of our blessings in wrong directions and
wrong wavs 1t is not among dead things
that we ought to seek the living" He said:
"Longfellow suggests that we
Trust no future, howe'cr pleasant;
Let the dead past bury its dead.
Act, act in the living present
Heart within and God o'erhead.
"fBut the past is not all dead. 1t has a
tremendous living, active power oyer us.
We read Of the pleasures of hope and
they are not simply the dreams of fancy.
They are real But are there not also
pleasures of memory and sorrows of men,
orv, too? We are acted upon-impelled or
retarded, thrilled with JOY and pleasure or
moved to tears OF sorrow and repent
ance-according as the various phases
of that same so-called dead past
move, as living forces across the horizon of
the present. Some of the greatest products
of the human mind owe their existence to
the vivifying power Of the long sepulchred
vet living past. do not agree with Long
fellow in calling the past dead. 1 do not
think we make any mistake in going to the
past for wisdom. The past is like the great
mountain ranges full of refreshing springs
that flow down to us in the valley of the
present.
"But directing our thoughts to the purely
religious side of the subject, suppose we
L. HI cfol-
may we make?
Mske Sepulchers of Their Creeds
"Suppose we want him as Savior how
NAV we miss finding him? This is practi-
cal question. 1 think it possible that we
NAV hold set of beliefs or
creed that is practically tomb, j.
e., place with no living Christ.
He saws to himself: 4 believe all the
orthodox ideas about God and man, and
think that for this reason 7 ought to go to
heaven. 1 think ought to be saved Now,
/ believe in creeds. I believe that the
modern howl against creeds has no founda-
tion in reason. But [ do not believe that
soundness in creed viii be ever accepted by
GOD for soundness in character. 1t is nee
essarv 20 put our ideas, opinions and views
about God in proper form. i never could
see why those who do the same thing with
the facts Of science and philosophy should
think il a crime to do so with the facts of
religion. If anywhere, there ought to be
clear definition and clear statement of re-
ligious truth. But some Christians make
sepulchers for Christ out of their creeds
Creeds With the Christ Left Out.
''They do not for them contain a living
Christ. The Christ has gone out of them.
In that case an angel might say to one:
why are YOU locking for a living Christ
among dead beliefs?' Christ is not In the
mans creed, and if there is no Christ there
the creed is useless. Another danger be-
fore the unsaved is to think that the living
Christ is TO be found among the dead forms
and ceremonies o. religion. What we
ought TO seek in creeds and in worship is
communion with living Christ.
Forms and ceremonies, like creeds, if not
used Alright. are Just the things that will |
conceal rather than reveal Christ. If |
the mere forms absorb the attention-if |
one finds his satisfaction in the wav the |
thing is done and does not look beyond this |
10 the thing to be sought, what he does will |
hide Christ. Whenever we eIalt creed or |
n ceremony into an end or an object to be |
sought for itself then we may be sure that |
there is no living Christ there. He will not |
remain in a tomb like this. God made the
soul for Himself and nothing but God can
satisfy it ultimately-beliets do not, cere-
monies do not.