The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-06-08
HOW Can THESE
THINGS BE?
CHRIST ANSWERS The QUESTION or
MCODEMus. The RATlONaLiST. The
LEADER or THE JEWS
THEOLOGY AND CHRISTIANITY PAST
HIND PRESENT.
what fh Intellect Can Not fsrasp--The
Doubts of the RationaIist--The Comforts
To The Men Who Relieve

VII tFdbbdth htN &.
Mr.. Hoffman, Rector of ST. Stephens,
preached from the text:
"Nisodemas answeredand said un
TO him how can these things be?
John SO. -
Nicodemus was an able and learn
ed and wealthy man. He was the
leader of the Jews, and stood high
in the Sanhedrim. But he was a
nationalist; and there is such ten
dency towards rationalism at the
present day, that it iswell to consid-
er the question of Nicodemus, and
Christ and Christ answer. Christ
had just told him, that except a
| man be born again, he cannot see
the kingdom of Heaven" When
Nicodemus asked, How can these
things be-" But nationalist as he
was, We have ever reason to believe
that he did not ask this question in
jest, or out of curiosity, or with an
intention to confuse Christ before a
multitude. He was very much in
earnest; he sought Christ out while
the world was wrapped in slumber,
and while the stars twinkeled over
head, and the flowers gave out their
perfume on the air of the Silly night.
But why did he seek Christ out to
ask questions to satisfy his,mind and
reasons about Gods spiritual provi-
dence? He did not ask why the
stars over head hang in space with
nothing to support them. He did not
n wal fInt a., Oh
out delightful perfume, aud that
another byit, rooted in the same
soil, growing under the same sun,
and kissed by the same breezes,
should give oht distateful oders. Yes
this is part of Gods mysterious work.
Some of his infinite wisdom and
providence that Nicodemus could
not any more understand, than why
a man had to be borned again
of the water, and of the spirit before
he could enter the kingdom of Heav-
en-. And SO it is to-day we delight
in doubling about things infinite,
and refuse to believe that which our
poor finite, intellect can not grasp.
Christ did not attempt to answer
the question of Nicodemus in an
elaborate manner. to appeal to the
| narrow confines of human reason,
but he gave him an answer that ap-
pealed to the soul and belief. am
glad that Christ answered him thus.
| am glad that our intellect can
comprehend and grasp the wisdom
and love of God. | am glad my God
the God that L worship does not al
low man to understand the ways of
his providence. | am glad that we
are finite beings while on earth. |
am glad our God is always an inf
mite God. But don't misunderstood
me, | don't mean that we should not
study God aid his word; | do not
mean that we should not through
belief elevate ourselves, and try to
make ourselves God-like. The idea
that Theology, the study of God Is
something that is still dead and un-
progressive is all wrong. Such a
stigma on Theology, such a false
action about the study of God is fast
disappearing. Theology is as pro
gressive as the study of finite things.
Those who, study science and art,
are making wonderful strides. Those
who study God, his infinite love and
wisdom, are making, and should
make as rapid progress as the mind
of man advances, and is capable of
grasping more truth both material
and divine. The man who leads an
upright christian life, though he may
! know nothing of technical theology
yet he lives Theoloical life. Though
the fact still hangs out to-day, that
man is more ignorant of God and
his finite love than of the material OBJ
jects of his handy work around us.
When we study the phenomina OF
nature, we ask Glow these things
be?" Not in spirit of doubt, but
| in spirit of belief, and with an in
quiring and investigating eagerness
for knowledge. Let us study Gods
spiritual plan in the same way. But
let us believe what we have not yet
been able to comprehend, and what
we will never be able to comprehend
because it is the work and the plan
of an infinite God. We see a man
who was yesterday servant of the
devil. He would falsify to his neigh
Dor, he would defraud his brother
He was bad and unreliable, and a
dangerous man in every particular
To-day he will not do these things
To-day he scorns them and does the
opposite. Yesterday he was trav
cling IN one direction, to-day he il
travelling in exactly the opposite
| direction. Yesterday he walked to
wards the kingom of Satan. To
day he walks towards the kingdom
of God. What and how is thil
change? You ask in the languag,
of Nicodemus, how can these thing
be? He is converted, but we can
not explain. The grace of God ha
entered his heart. He has beel
born again, this time Of water ant
of the spirit. But we cannot reason
it out as we could mathematics
problem. We can't show just tn,
miraculous change that took place
and prove it, but we can believe it
Christ's explanation was, and is
.'the wind bloweth where it listeth
, and thou heareth the sound thereof
) but canst not tell whence it cometh
and whittier it goeth, so is every on
that is born of the spirit
SO it is with the Trinity and unit
r of God. Do we believe in God tn
! Father, God the son, and God th
r Holy Ghosts Do we believe In th
unity of divinity? Can we prove it
Can the finite mind grasp the iufinit
truth? No, yet we believe it. On
: there grows leaf. | pluck it, ther
it is, look at it, 1t has size, it ha
weight, it has color. There al
; three distinct qualities or elements
Size is not weight. and weight is ne
color, nor is color size, yet the
] are all combined IL the lea
We can't conceive of these elemen
separate, but we can conceive !
{ the leaf as a whole.